Google Assistant is Now Available on Nest Secure

Google announced this week that its Nest Secure smart alarm system now offers Google Assistant capabilities via its Nest Guard base station.

“Nest Guard is the brains of your Nest Secure,” Google’s Erick Low explains. “It contains a keypad and all the smarts that power the system. It’s usually placed in a spot with lots of traffic (like the front doorway) making it useful as you come and go.”

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Nest Guard is also the hub of any Nest-based security system, and when you buy it from Google, you step through a wizard to configure which other devices you want as part of the package. A basic alarm system consists of the Nest Guard, two Nest Tags, and two Nest Detect sensors, and costs about $400. But the firm also offers various other packages, to cover outdoor scenarios, doorbells, and more, and range extenders, and you can of course purchase individual add-ons and services too.

With Google Assistant support, the Nest Guard now does double-duty as a Google Home device in addition to its normal security functions. So you can interact with the Google Assistant via this device just as you would elsewhere.

Google Assistant support is also an opt-in feature, so if you’re not interested in that functionality for whatever reason, you don’t need to worry about it. Nest Guard’s one on-device microphone is not enabled by default either.

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Conversation 4 comments

  • dcdevito

    07 February, 2019 - 11:04 am

    <p>I enabled it to try it, but the mic is weak, and my Nest Secure sits a foot away from my Home Hub, so I didn't need it and disabled it. </p><p><br></p><p>I also have GAssistant enabled on my indoor Nest camera, and it's awful. It needs to he rebooted at least once a week and always goes offline (Assistant, not Nest). It also gets confused with my Home Hub and occasionally double answers/responds. </p>

  • jgraebner

    Premium Member
    07 February, 2019 - 12:39 pm

    <p>I set this up last night and it seems to work fine. It's kind of nice as I usually arm the alarm verbally as I head out the door and our other Google Homes are far enough away that I have to yell a bit. This gives us one right by the door. I do admit that I was a little startled that this could be enabled with a software update and didn't require a new model. I don't remember ever seeing anything that mentioned the Secure having a microphone before this.</p><p><br></p><p>One thing that Google really needs to do is add the ability to disable specific devices from receiving broadcasts. We use the broadcast feature pretty frequently, but having it gets a bit much when broadcasts play on the ones in the living room, the dining room, and now the Secure as well. I'd love to be able to set it so that broadcasts only play on the living room and bedroom units. Yes, I know this is pretty much the definition of a first world problem. :)</p>

    • IanYates82

      Premium Member
      10 February, 2019 - 7:40 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#403400">In reply to jgraebner:</a></em></blockquote><p>I completely agree with you about the broadcast. It'd be nice to say "Speak to 'kitchen'" and then just have your voice go there. That seems just so obvious – I hate that they don't do it.</p><p>Setting up a broadcast zone would be nice too. For example, I put a Home Mini outside by the pool occasionally for the kids. If I'm then doing something else inside and need to broadcast, I don't really need the neighbours hearing me when I'm not trying to broadcast to the pool :)</p><p><br></p><p>After a broadcast you can ask Google Assistant to reply and I *think* it only goes to the originally broadcasting speaker at least.</p>

  • waethorn

    07 February, 2019 - 3:17 pm

    <p>"Secure". Heh.</p>

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