CNET
Your Nest Mini is better off without these 5 features
A long list of features makes Google Assistant a great digital helper whether you have a smart speaker like the Nest Mini or a smart display like the Nest Hub, but not all of the features enhance the experience. Turn off these five options for a smoother and more private Google Assistant. You can buy…
MI TWEAKZ
September 3, 2020 at 5:02 pm
All google services have a cost, your information.
Matt
September 3, 2020 at 6:43 pm
Blah.
Øystein
September 3, 2020 at 6:51 pm
If you think that is lilited to google then I feel sorry for you. EVERYONE does that. Even Apple
SolidxBape
September 4, 2020 at 12:05 am
yes, information like your email, and unique password, and a credit card for purchasing google products(or 3rd party services associated with google).
EvergreenLeaf
September 4, 2020 at 6:48 pm
Øystein Google makes their money via targeted advertising – if you’re not paying for a service, then your (data) is what’s being sold. They are a advertising company first, the hardware is just a means to that.
Øystein
September 4, 2020 at 6:52 pm
@EvergreenLeaf We all know that.. Still not the same collecting random data as a speaker with a mic constantly listening with no real control. Unless you turn of the mic button of course.
R Lee
September 3, 2020 at 5:04 pm
paranoid much? if you can’t even trust Google Assistant, why are you still using any of the other Google hardware or software products? 🙂 for example, don’t use Gmail… because Google does scan all your emails.
Øystein
September 3, 2020 at 6:54 pm
Nothing to do with paranoia. Just facts. A smartspeaker is a security risk regardless of you caring or not.
Yes, a AI scans mails.. Wow.. Tell me someone that does not do that?🤦♂️
Ephylio das
September 3, 2020 at 5:09 pm
If you are really worry about pricy just don’t buy it
JUR O
September 6, 2020 at 6:18 am
There is a differnce between making a voice speaker and sending it to make it work and listening to people speaking to a speaker;) its like youre provider can see who you called, or they start listening to youre phone calls to hear why you call 😉
Dissident Citizen
September 3, 2020 at 5:11 pm
Your cell phone already records everything you do. When you’re out and about, your location can be vaguely pinpointed by triangulation.. whichever cell tower your phone connects to.
Can’t have privacy AND technology.
Aleks B
September 3, 2020 at 5:12 pm
Why do you care ? What’s the worst that can happen ? If you have to care about something so much maybe you shouldn’t say it out loud at all. Also google doesn’t even care about that it’s not like they will report you after you said that you never pay your taxes. Why would they care. ?
Aleks B
September 3, 2020 at 7:23 pm
@Christopher Escobar yes thank you. They make a character sheet that is basically you. Google makes one of these for each of its users. And even for people who don’t have an account with them just like facebook.
Øystein
September 3, 2020 at 7:25 pm
@Aleks B And? This has what exactly to do with a smartspeaker that is constantly listening? On my phone I have ALOT more control over things. You really don’t see the difference between that and YouTube etc!?
Two different things having some basic non-important web search history etc taken than an actual private conversation
Christopher Escobar
September 3, 2020 at 7:27 pm
Øystein Then just unplug it! I don’t do it because I know google has a profile on all of us. I don’t see what all your whining is gonna do.
Øystein
September 3, 2020 at 7:32 pm
@Christopher Escobar The microphone is physicly turned of on my free google nest mini so. Don’t use it for other than laughs and giggles sometimes.
What has a google profile got to do with it? Difference between a smartspeaker constantly listening than your web history or a phone you can disable the assistant.. Or even monitor what is doing what if you want to get crazy with a tin foil hat🤷♂️ But I see you have no clue what I am trying to tell you anyway and just missunderstand and compare it to irrelevant things anyway so this was useless.
Aleks B
September 3, 2020 at 9:27 pm
@Øystein oh no , you don’t understand ? No matter what you use from Google , it could be YouTube , a pixel phone , the search engine , your email , every single app made by google collects data about you. And it’s assigned to your profile. To your account. Doesn’t matter if you use a phone with Android or a smart speaker or an app service. They are all gathering info about you. Some products have microphone some don’t. They don’t need to use your mic to know what you search or look for. Do you use Google Maps ? Well google knows where you live and what places you attend the most. Oh you buy more items on Amazon than eBay ? Ok noted. Hmm baby clothes searches. Interesting might be a new family member. Oh an anniversary present ? Ok so you are married. Simple search results can tell a lot about you. Data can be acquired by many methods.
Barbie Crisel
September 3, 2020 at 5:14 pm
So very nice
Abdullah Aldhfyan
September 3, 2020 at 5:33 pm
The Mic is running all the time, turning off “continued conversation” change nothing!
RebelRedRollo
September 3, 2020 at 6:55 pm
Yes, but audio recordings when the lights on top of Nest Mini and Home Mini are not all glowing white are not sent to Google.
XdGamerBoi
September 3, 2020 at 5:42 pm
Early gang
Jamil Vints
September 3, 2020 at 6:04 pm
“Lmao” the FBI watching through your phone, laptop and smart fridge.
rang lal
September 3, 2020 at 6:14 pm
Dislike on this video by sundar pichai and his google paid agents
Coire Jones
September 3, 2020 at 7:18 pm
He’s using an iPhone…
rang lal
September 3, 2020 at 7:23 pm
@Coire Jones WITH youtube app installed on ios
_W_
September 3, 2020 at 6:26 pm
This video is only partially correct if that… Take it from someone who work on voice technology on a daily basis. Vast majority of the “convenience” aspects of smart speakers comes at you give the Google platform access to your data, which in many ways it already has. The more restricted the privacy setting is, the the less useful the assistant is. It is a very hard balance to hit. When I tweaked my settings to a more restricted manner, the thing becomes hardly useful… Disabling storing of voice activities seem like it helps with privacy but Google need it for the system to improve recognition of your voice. Disable it means you get more misunderstandings from poorer recognitions, especially when the background is noisier. Turning down wake word sensitivity makes it harder to command your smart speaker from a farther distance. If you want insider recommendations:
1) actually allow Google to remember/store activities BUT set them to auto delete on 3-month setting. This seems to be the most optimal at the moment, but i wish they allow a 30-day option.
2) personalize the wake word training. yes, you give it your voice samples but it will become more accurate, so there is a lesser chance of false wake and capture unintended conversations.
3) if you are about to have a sensitive conversation, mute the mic and disable the camera.
4) if you are very sensitive to privacy, then don’t use voice assistants – because they need your information to make the experience useful. Just remember that something as simple as asking for weather or time requires it to know your location (at least very coarsely).
5) if you are truly truly worried about privacy, then unplug the smart speakers or similar devices. Most don’t know that a mute switch/button or camera switch doesn’t mean much. These switches and buttons are what we call “soft switch” in the industry. In most designs, it’s merely send a signal to the software, so you have to rely on the believing the software will stop recording or turn off the mic. Try mute mic and check back hours later and your smart speaker still feel warm – why? Just think about it…
SolidxBape
September 4, 2020 at 12:03 am
someone is brainwashed
Matt
September 3, 2020 at 6:43 pm
It really doesn’t matter for any of us not wearing tin foil hats.
Øystein
September 3, 2020 at 6:50 pm
Well… It actually does. It has to do with security and privacy. Sure some exaggerates it but it actually IS a realistic risk. Not so much for you and me but still. The risk is there.
Matt
September 3, 2020 at 6:56 pm
@Øystein That’s for you to establish. Nobody’s been able to do it so far.
Øystein
September 3, 2020 at 6:59 pm
@Matt Uhm… It’s been done🤦♂️
David Padilla
September 3, 2020 at 7:51 pm
haha
zaid albass
September 3, 2020 at 6:47 pm
Nice
Art DIY
September 3, 2020 at 6:49 pm
nope, the only way to be 100% sure you really turn of your mic and camera is to have a mechanical killing switch.
SolidxBape
September 4, 2020 at 12:02 am
or just don’t get one
Miles October
September 3, 2020 at 6:49 pm
I wonder where Apple is!?
Coire Jones
September 3, 2020 at 7:15 pm
There is nothing useful about the Google’s speakers, everything it can do my phone can do. And it can’t even listen to background music and tell me what is playing.
David Padilla
September 3, 2020 at 7:50 pm
you are not free…..
hilomak aria
September 3, 2020 at 8:11 pm
If youre worried about your own privacy, then dont own a device whose reason to exist is to listen constantly so it can answer a question you shouted into the air…
James Vincent
September 4, 2020 at 6:14 am
Continued conversation keeps the mic live for 8 seconds after a command. Then goes off.
James Vincent
September 4, 2020 at 6:19 am
It’s all very well doing these things but for the best experience, I would say keep them on. If I’m going to see ads in news feeds or on random sites, if rent them to be relevant.
Cyan
September 4, 2020 at 1:08 pm
I never use google assistant. I don’t trust it, don’t need it, don’t want it.
Also I’m kinda pissed LG is putting dedicated GA buttons on their phones now. Always loved LG, didn’t think they would do something like that.
Luckily I’ve already informed myself on how to change the functionality of these buttons so when I eventually buy a new phone it won’t bother me.
Matthew Howell
September 5, 2020 at 5:35 am
I got rid of all my IoT devices, because I don’t get enough of a reliable Wi-Fi signal in my house. I live in a 113 year old house, that has lath and plaster walls. The only way that I can get reliable internet is to hardwire my internet enabled devices. I am still looking for the appropriate dongle to hardwire my phone so it can get reliable Internet.
JUR O
September 6, 2020 at 6:20 am
The sound of nest is so mutch better and because very useble but it still is a small speaker….without bluetooth only non internet button…..lol