The Gemini-powered Google Home speaker is finally here

last time Google released a Smart speakerThe world was in the throes of a pandemic. Yes, it’s been six years since the company introduced a dedicated speaker.

However, the latest Google Home speaker brings with it a big change: the device has been redesigned to showcase the new Twins are helpers instead of Google Assistant Which powers all previous smart speakers and displays.

Google The spokesman announced last fall Along with Nest smart home cameras and video doorbells, which promise to launch in the spring of 2026. We’re well into summer now, but it’s finally time to go.

The company announced today that pre-orders for the Google Home speaker will begin on June 17, with official sales starting on June 25. It is priced at $100 and comes in Berry, Jade, Hazel, and Porcelain, although the first two colors are exclusive to the United States.

The experience of using it should be familiar if you own other smart speakers. Awaken Gemini through “Hello Google“An interesting word and ask questions. But Gemini is much better than the old Google Assistant at understanding natural conversation, so your queries don’t have to be rigid, and you don’t need to ask things in multiple ways to get what you want. Even if you make a mistake in your original question, you can stop and rephrase your question midway through — just as you would if you were talking to a human — and Gemini will get your point.

The berry color of the Google Home speaker makes me want to cut it up and eat it.

Courtesy of Google

You can string multiple commands into one sentence, and Gemini should be able to take care of them. You can be very specific—turn off all the lights except my bedside lamp—and he will analyze it. You can ask to continue conversations without having to view the original context again; As with Google Assistant speakers, the microphone stays on for a short time after Gemini answers a question so you can ask a follow-up without having to say the wake-up phrase again. This feature, called Continuous Chat, was only available in English on Assistant-powered speakers, but the feature has expanded to include all supported languages.

If you have Security camerasyou can use Gemini to ask specifically about anything the cameras may have seen, such as “Did FedEx deliver a package today?” Or “Did the dog eat a cookie off the table?” You don’t need a Google Home speaker for this specific feature — if you opt for it Gemini for your existing Google Home deviceit’s already available — although its inclusion here is a nice convenience.

As for the Gemini voice, there are 10 voices you can choose from. You can also run Gemini LiveWhile Gemini expanded to include older smart speakers last fall, this “streaming” capability is limited to newer devices like the Nest Audio and Google Home speaker. Enter this mode by saying “Hey Google, let’s talk,” and you can have a back-and-forth conversation with Gemini; No need to stop and say the wake up word.