Technology
Google Nest Hub 2nd-Generation Smart Display With Sleep-Tracking Features Launched
Photo Credit: Google
Google Nest Hub is launched in Chalk, Charcoal, Mist, and Sand colour options
Google Nest Hub smart display has been launched with sleep features. This second-generation device from the company gets new technology to track a person’s sleep and the feature is completely optional. The smart display uses Soli, Google’s low-energy radar technology, to track the user’s sleep. There is no camera, but it comes with improved internals for a great audio output. Just like the Nest Mini and Nest Audio, the second-generation Google Nest Hub comes with a dedicated on-device machine learning chip.
Google Nest Hub price, availability
The second-generation Google Nest Hub is priced at $99.99 (roughly Rs. 7,250), and is now available for preorder in Australia, Canada, Germany, France, the UK, and the US via Google Store and other retailers. There is no information on its availability in other markets. The device is offered in Chalk, Charcoal, Mist, and Sand colour options.
Google Nest Hub features
Google Nest Hub features an edgeless glass display that can also work as a digital photo frame. Google says that Nest Hub is designed with recycled materials with its plastic mechanical parts containing 54 percent recycled post-consumer plastic.
As far as audio is concerned, the new Nest Hub’s speaker is based on the same audio technology as the first generation device, however, it is claimed to offer 50 percent more bass than the original Nest Hub. Users can stream music, podcasts, or audiobooks from services like YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora. They can also use it to watch TV shows and movies from providers like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube TV.
Other features include Quick Gestures, that can be used to pause or play content by a simple hand gesture. “And with an inbuilt Thread radio, Nest Hub will work with the new connectivity standard being created by the Project Connected Home over IP working group, making it even simpler to control your connected home,” Google said in a blog post.
Google Nest Hub Sleep Sensing feature details
As mentioned, the second-generation Nest Hub has a camera-free design, and features Sleep Sensing opt-in feature to help users understand and improve their sleep. As per a blog post by Google, Sleep Sensing uses Motion Sense to analyse how the person closest to the display is sleeping based on their movement and breathing. Motion Sense is powered by Soli low-energy radar technology that was previously seen in Google Pixel 4 smartphones.
Sleep Sensing can also detect sleep disturbances like coughing and snoring, the light and temperature changes in the room with Nest Hub’s inbuilt microphones, ambient light and temperature sensors, respectively.
Every morning, Google Nest Hub will give its users a personalised sleep summary on the display. Since it has Google Assistant, you can simply ask, “Hey Google, how did I sleep?” to get the information on your sleep. Google says that Sleep Sensing can connect to Google Fit app on Android and iOS devices to monitor sleep summary alongside other health-related information.
Additionally, Sleep Sensing provides tailored bedtime schedules and personalised suggestions. Google says that these suggestions have been developed by a team of sleep scientists and uses guidance from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
When it comes to privacy, Google says that Sleep Sensing is optional. Users can choose if they want to enable it and there’s a visual indicator on the display to let users know when it’s on. As per Google, Motion Sense only detects motion, not specific bodies or faces. Your coughing and snoring audio data is only processed on the device. The sleep data can also be deleted at any time.
What will be the most exciting tech launch of 2021? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
