Today’s best deals: Google Nest Hub, Apple TV 4K, and more
Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)
It's Wednesday, which means the time has come for another Dealmaster. Our latest roundup of the best tech deals from around the web includes a strong discount on Google's Nest Hub, as the 7-inch smart display is down to $55 at several retailers. We've seen a handful of discounts on the device in recent months, but this deal matches the lowest price we've tracked, coming in at $45 off Google's MSRP.
We reviewed the latest Nest Hub positively after it launched last year, deeming it particularly useful as a bedside companion. The device includes an optional sleep-tracking feature, which our testing found to work surprisingly well, providing largely accurate and consistent data about how long you're in bed, how long it takes you to fall asleep, how many times you get out of bed, and when you wake up, among other details. The approach here is more about detailing if you're sleeping enough than digging deep in the weeds about the quality of your sleep, but it works, and the whole process should be more comfortable than keeping a sleep-tracking smartwatch or fitness wearable strapped on throughout the night. There is a caveat, though: While the feature is free for now, Google plans to roll it into Fitbit's $10-a-month Premium service next year.
Besides the sleep-tracking hook, the Nest Hub does just about all the other Google Assistant things you'd expect (answering search queries, controlling smart home devices, showing recipes in the kitchen, etc.), which we generally find more useful in this class of device than Amazon's Alexa. The device's built-in speakers, while not amazing in a vacuum, are improved enough over the first-gen model to make casual music or podcast streaming not-aggravating. The 1024*600 resolution display isn't especially sharp, either, but it's enough to get by on a 7-inch touchscreen. The hardware as a whole doesn't call too much attention to itself, and while you likely know where you stand when it comes to the privacy concerns inherent to all voice assistant-based devices, the Nest Hub does omit any sort of built-in cameras, which might provide some extra peace of mind.