![]() This smart gadget also has an optional face-tracking feature that lets the camera follow you around during calls. Its built-in camera can be used for video calls with Google Duo, Google Meet and Zoom. If you prefer a display with a camera, we recommend splurging on the higher-end Nest Hub Max. If you place it by your bedside, the Nest Hub also has a sensor that can track your sleep patterns, if you opt in. Plus, a smart display without a camera is great if you want to place it in more intimate places like the bedroom, where you might be more protective of your privacy. As you might expect, you can also use the display to watch YouTube, Netflix and other streaming services. You can set it up to pull in pictures of friends and family from your Google Photos library, and there’s a smart algorithm that automatically uses the best shots while avoiding the blurry ones. The size also makes it work well as a digital photo frame. It has a 7-inch screen, which makes it just big enough to fit in most rooms in the house. Our favorite Google-powered smart display is the second-generation Nest Hub. Best Google smart display: Nest Hub (2nd gen) Like the Nest Hub Max, the Show 8 also has an optional face-tracking feature that follows your movements around the room during a call. Alternatively, it supports Skype, Zoom and Amazon’s own Chime service. ![]() You can use the Show 8 to make video calls with any phone or tablet with the Alexa app. As a workaround, you can access it via the aforementioned browsers, but the experience isn’t as smooth as if it were a native app. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support YouTube, which is a pretty notable omission considering how ubiquitous the service is. Like other Alexa-powered smart displays, it supports plenty of video streaming services including Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix and it comes with a couple of built-in browsers that you can use to surf the web. The Echo Show 8, on the other hand, is perfectly sized for most rooms in the house. The Echo Show 5 is a little too small, while the Echo Show 10 and its rotating screen take up too much space. The best Alexa-powered smart display is the Echo Show 8. That said, it’s not too hard to find Apple HomeKit-compatible gear as more third-party companies add support for it, but you currently have a smaller pool of devices to choose from. The HomePod mini and the (now discontinued) HomePod are the only Siri-compatible speakers on the market at the moment, too. Plus, if you already have an Android phone, you might be more comfortable with Google Assistant anyway.īut what about Siri? Apple’s assistant supports voice commands as well, but it doesn't have as many compatible devices as Google or Amazon. Both Google and Amazon devices can sync with your calendar, though Google’s tend to work better with Google services. The company’s smart speakers and displays also support the Zigbee smart home protocol, and some devices even have built-in smart home hubs. Amazon’s helper, on the other hand, currently supports more smart home products. ![]() If you want a voice assistant that’s great at answering questions, Google Assistant tends to be better than Alexa. Do you use a lot of Google services like YouTube and Google Podcasts? A Google-powered device might be best. Do you listen to Audible, watch Prime Video and tend to do a lot of shopping on Amazon? Then you might lean toward an Alexa-powered smart home device. So how do you choose between Alexa and Google Assistant? It really depends on your personal preferences. The same holds true with Amazon products: They work better if they’re in the same ecosystem. They can still work with Amazon devices, but certain features might be disabled. Nest products, for example, are more compatible and have more functionality with Google-powered speakers and displays. Currently, that means deciding if you’ll use the Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa on a regular basis (I’ll address Siri in a moment.) They’re both compatible with various smart home products from light bulbs to robot vacuums, but there are certain devices that work best with either Google or Amazon. While plenty of smart home devices are platform agnostic, there are some - smart speakers and smart displays in particular - that require you to choose your voice assistant. See 5 more Before you start, pick a voice assistant
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