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We all know Google needs to update their smart speaker lineup, but I’d doubt any meaningful changes will be happening on that hardware front anytime soon. With the shakeup and move from Google Assistant to Bard to Gemini over the past couple years, the whole smart speaker ecosystem is in a bit of flux as all Google decides what to do (or not to do) regarding audio-only devices that have some smarts built in.
For the time being, Google’s smart speakers are supposed to be getting some help from Gemini while retaining the familiar Google Assistant under the hood. Google teased this as a possibility in August, but we’ve yet to see it actually take shape. Getting Gemini involved in the smart speaker ecosystem would be a big step from Google, but we’re just not quite there yet.
Massive savings on great speakers
But if I’m being honest, the most use I get out of smart speakers these days is really just music playback. Whether it’s a direct cast to them or simply asking the Google Assistant to start up a playlist, I still really enjoy having easy-to-use speakers around the house to set the mood for game night, dinner, or just hanging out with the kids.
And for the price, there’s been no better option in this space than the Google Nest Audio for the past few years. Combining a great overall sound quality with a very reasonable price point, I’ve enjoyed the Nest Audio since it debuted in 2020. Sure, it’s no Google Home Max (RIP, big guy), but the Nest Audio puts out some fantastic, round tones and looks great doing it, too. You can even pair them up in a speaker group for some stereo separation if that’s what you are after.
And right now, if you buy a Nest Audio, you can get one totally free! That’s a $99 savings on a pair, and it makes for a great reason to snatch up two of these speakers right now if you are looking to give them as gifts, or if you want to keep one and gift the other. We’ve seen discounts on this speaker before, but this one is pretty wild. Best Buy says they’ll keep it around until November 7th, but that’s also dictated by availability. So if this sounds like a good deal to you, I’d pick it up sooner than later!
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