Along with the new Nest Learning Thermostat and new Google TV Streamer announced today, Google also announced future features coming to the Google Home platform; all of those include Gemini in some form. Examples include advanced camera intelligence for Nest security cameras and much-needed improvements to make Google Home routines easier to manage. Google Assistant is getting a small update, too, even as it continues to fade into the background of the Android ecosystem.
But Gemini will soon let existing Nest Cameras do exactly that: provide more detailed video descriptions before you play the clip, according to a demo on Google’s blog. You might just type a query in like “Did the kids leave their bikes in the driveway? ” and Google Home app will look through recent footage and surface the proper clips. The feature is designed to make it easier to find specific events without having to scrub through videos.
I wonder how granular these queries can get, and have reached out to Google to confirm whether this will be available with older Nest cameras, which were released prior to the 2021 update.
Soon, Google Home users will be enabled to get Gemini to generate routines on its own with inputs provided by the user, such as “Lock the doors and switch off all of the lights at bedtime.” Curious about how granular Gemini will support in creating those routines.
It also gave a sneak peek at what’s coming to Google Assistant. While it isn’t going anywhere, the Assistant is getting a voice refresh later this year that will make it better at understanding context and specific commands within conversations. Really, an upgrade that was required by the Assistant. These new features will roll out later this year in a Public Preview, but it’s only for Nest Aware subscribers. If you’re not one of these subscribers, then these features won’t be accessible to you once they go live. Google detailed clear plans for updates, so some light was shed as to what will be coming next regarding the Assistant. We’re still holding on to see how the Gemini chatbot will intertwine with Android.
