Is there anything quite as wonderful as unlocking the hidden potential of a gadget years after it debuts? Today, owners of Google’s $400 Nest Secure home security system will get this chance as Google starts issuing an over-the-air update that adds Google Assistant voice functionality that allows you to talk directly via your Nest Guard hub and keypad.
Technically, you’ve been able to arm the Nest Secure with your voice since it launched in November 2017 — as long as you had a different Google Assistant device, like a phone or a Google Home speaker, to listen to your commands. But today, Google says it’s found a way to add voice commands directly to the Nest Guard, presumably thanks to a microphone or three that we didn’t necessarily know existed.
Google suggests it’ll be a handy way to talk to Google Assistant as you enter and leave your house since people often place their home security keypads near the front door.
Just don’t expect to disarm the Nest Secure with your voice. For obvious reasons — an intruder shouting “Hey Google, disarm nest” through your door comes to mind — Google still doesn’t allow that.
English
Español