(Commonwealth Union) _Most likely, your Google smart display is a first-generation Nest Hub. Others exist, such as the costly Nest Hub Max with cameras or the Google Assistant-enabled Lenovo Smart Display. The smaller Nest Hub, which cost $130 and frequently went on sale, was preferred by many users of smart homes.
There is currently a new model in its place. The second-generation Nest Hub is more intelligent and cheaper at $100 (£90, AU$149). Why not adore it? Google has now debuted Sleep Sensing, a new feature that may spook you as Amazon’s Echo Show 10 did.
Yes, Sleep Sensing is the second-generation Nest Hub’s flashy new feature, but that’s not the whole picture. The redesigned Nest Hub has new colour options, 50% more bass, and a more environmentally friendly construction. It is also 30% less expensive than the original. For the majority of smart homes, Google’s updated smart display is the best option.
Sleep Sensing is the key component of the new Nest Hub. It tracks the motions of the person sleeping closest to the display in millimetres using Google’s tiny radar technology, dubbed Soli.
During setup, a visual tutorial instructs you on where to position and aim the display (spoiler alert: for best results, it should be on your nightstand). It also asks you to assume your usual sleeping position for a brief calibration period. You are then ready to leave. When the display detects someone in bed, a little indicator shows in the upper right corner, and when the display starts monitoring sleep, a larger banner notification displays.
I tried reading in bed to trick the display, but I failed. That’s probably because the panel also monitors respiratory, light, and sound rates. The display deduced that I wasn’t sleeping based on all those external cues.
The Respiratory Wellness feature on the Nest Hub also tracks your respiratory rate (the number of breaths you take per minute while sleeping) as well as how frequently the display picked up noises like snoring or coughing during the night. That is what my smart watch is unable to achieve.
The Nest Hub is not certified in any way as a health or medical device, despite the fact that Google collaborated with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to create a database of advice and suggestions. The Nest Hub also makes no claims to be able to diagnose or pinpoint any particular health conditions.
On the product website and app, Google’s disclaimer is as follows: “The purpose of Sleep Sensing is not to identify, treat, alleviate, or cure any disease or condition. If you have any concerns regarding your health, speak with a medical practitioner.”
The benefit of having a wearable is that it travels with me, as irritating as it may be to fall asleep with something on your wrist. So, when I get out of bed on a Sunday morning, feed the dog, and “accidentally” fall back asleep on the couch, that quick nap is noted and added to my overall amount of sleep for the day.
