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THIS DOESN’T DOUBLE AS A SMART SPEAKER: IT’S ABOUT PURE, UNADULTERATED INTERNET ACCESS
GOOGLE NEST WIFI PRO from £190 / store.google.com Nice diffuser. How does it smell? Absolutely divine. This one gives off the unique scent of mesh networks and WPA3 encryption, because despite the fact that it looks like it belongs in a wellness catalogue this is actually a Wi-Fi router. Routers work best when they’re out in the open, but many people squirrel them away because they look like, well, routers. That’s why Google has made the Nest Wifi Pro look a bit like a unicorn egg
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or a varnished melon, so people will be happier to have it out on display rather than hidden inside a dusty cupboard full of cables. It’s not unlike a giant AirPods case. Don’t let Siri hear you say that… although there’s no need to worry about Google Assistant listening, because unlike the standard Nest Wifi this one doesn’t double as a smart speaker. No, this thing’s all about pure, unadulterated internet
access, so you get Wi-Fi 6E that supports the new 6GHz channel. This isn’t just faster than 2.4GHz and 5GHz at short range but also offers way more bandwidth, so devices connected to it won’t be fighting for scraps. It’ll also work as a Thread border router – ideal for connecting smart home kit. So what’s the range like? Google says a single one can cover up to 120m², but the idea is that
you have as many as you need to make sure your whole abode is blanketed in a consistent carpet of connectivity. A set of three will set you back £380 and cover a space significantly larger than a tennis court. Setup is via Google’s Home app, so you shouldn’t need a degree in computer science to get up and running, and they come in four colours: snow, linen, fog and lemongrass. Disappointingly, they all smell the same.
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