Google’s Gemini AI is making its way to Nest cameras and Google Assistant, with the web goliath claiming the upgrade will make its smart devices smarter.
Announced today, these Gemini-based features will be rolled out later this year to Nest devices for owners who are subscribed to Nest Aware, an $8-monthly service. The AI updates detailed so far are for Nest cameras and Google Assistant, which runs on Nest speakers and displays.
The Chocolate Factory’s pitch for AI in cameras rests on Gemini‘s ability to comprehend, in a very artificial way, what it’s seeing. Instead of just being able to detect motion, for instance, it will apparently be able to describe for users exactly what’s happening, such as “the dog is digging in the garden” or “balloons, basket on doormat.”
This capability will purportedly make it possible for Nest owners to use the Google Home app to search footage with questions like “did the FedEx truck drive by today?” That would, in theory, eliminate the need to scrub a timeline to find whatever a user is looking for.
Gemini can also make custom automations (essentially automated scripts for Nest devices) out of a simple question. Users don’t even need to describe exactly what they want to Google’s AI, as it can come up with a suggested automation that fits what a user is looking for.
Voice-and-keyboard controlled Google Assistant meanwhile will be getting something of a ChatGPT-like upgrade. The tech giant hasn’t really made any specific claims beyond the digital assistant being “more natural and helpful,” but did demonstrate it answering a question about whether Pluto was a planet or not, and then answering a follow up question on if that could change in the future. Not exactly world-shattering at this point, though. Pun intended.
While the features certainly seem like a big improvement for Google’s smart home devices, there may be some points of concern. For starters, AI has been known to be funky at times, and Gemini is no exception. Users will definitely want to double check any automations created by Gemini, unless they want to experience what it’s like to live in a haunted house.Â
Privacy could also be a salient issue, though Google says it does “all of this while ensuring your data is safe and private, consistent with our principles.” The Chocolate Factory has been hit and miss when it comes to privacy over the years, and is by far not the worst offender though it is currently fending off a suit specifically over children’s privacy.
And of course, there’s the matter of Google eventually killing support for these features, because that’s just what the ad biz does if it’s given enough time. ®
Chromecast is dead, long live Google TV Streamer
Google also announced today that Chromecast is off the production lines. The product lineup was launched 11 years ago and sold 100 million units.
While this does continue the Chrome maker’s years-long killstreak, Google is at least replacing Chromecast with what it terms Google TV Streamer. The new streaming device has substantially upgrade specifications: A better processor, four times the RAM, and dedicated ports for HDMI, Ethernet, and USB Type-C. It can stream at 4K and HDR 10+, though so could the 4K Chromecast.
Of course, Gemini was also squeezed into TV Streamer, and is used to curate content, create summaries for media, and power what it calls ambient mode to set the right mood. There is also tighter integration with other Google smart home devices, allowing users to quickly pull up surveillance feeds from cameras, change the A/C temperature, and more.
It’s not clear whether all of this stuff can’t exist on Chromecast devices, but it is clear that Google is charging quite a bit for its newest streaming device. At $99, the TV Streamer is twice the price of the 4K Chromecast at $49. The TV Streamer launches September 24.