Google's new Home Speaker excels in hardware with good sound, appealing design, and smart home capabilities, but Gemini for Home AI struggles with speed, reliability, and paywalled features, falling short of Amazon's Alexa Plus in smart home control and consistency.
Apple has officially increased prices on many of its hardware offerings, including iPads, Macs, HomePods, and Apple Vision Pro, with hikes ranging from $30 to $4,200. CEO Tim Cook previously indicated these changes were due to rising memory and storage costs, driven by AI companies stockpiling components.
This article reviews the best smart speakers available, catering to users of Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant. It also highlights other tech recommendations including digital notebooks, portable monitors, laptops, and smart bird feeders.
Google is discontinuing production of its Nest Mini and Nest Audio smart speakers following the launch of a new Google Home speaker. Existing devices will remain supported.
Amazon's new Sleep Studio feature for Echo and Echo Kids devices aims to ease bedtime for children with stories, sounds, and meditations. Available with Amazon Kids Plus, it offers customizable schedules and automated routines, with content from partners like Headspace, Moshi, and Calm.
This guide compares the best smart speakers from Amazon (Echo Dot Max), Google (Nest Audio), and Apple (HomePod Mini), focusing on their ecosystems, features, and sound quality. It also reviews smart displays like the Google Nest Hub Max and Amazon Echo Show 11.
