48 hours later with the Google Home Speaker, I can't stop talking to Gemini

The Google Home Speaker is the company’s latest smart speaker, its first in six years. With 360-degree audio, Google has redesigned the listening experience compared with the Nest Audio and Nest Mini, though a new design doesn’t automatically mean it’s better. Google says the speaker delivers 2.5 times the bass of the Nest Mini while relying on a single 58mm driver.

The $120 Google Nest Audio from 2020 uses a 75mm mid-woofer and a 19mm tweeter, so concerns that the new hardware may not justify an upgrade are understandable. In my limited tests, however, the Home Speaker produced powerful, clear sound comparable to the Apple HomePod mini and stronger than the Nest Mini and older Echo Dot.

Controls are surprisingly simple despite there being no top panel: tap the top to play or pause, and tap the lights on the sides to change volume; the lights illuminate when you tap. Gemini for Home feels conversational without being overly cheery and is less jarring than Alexa+; it still has quirks, such as occasional “as an AI…” phrasing.

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