Report: Google is building an Amazon Echo clone, Nest has a security system | Ars Technica

Nest is looking a lot like a not-for-profit market research vehicle for Apple

"Drama aside, the report also contains a list of upcoming Google and Nest products. The most interesting is a "Google Voice Recognition device" that "competes with Amazon Echo." The Echo is basically a Wi-Fi speaker with voice recognition technology—think "Siri in a box." Google has all of the voice tech nailed down from its efforts on Android and Google.com, so it's easy to imagine building the existing Google app capabilities into a standalone device. Nest originally wanted a hand in the project but was denied by Google. As for the timing of such a device, the report says it's "unclear when Google will release the device and there’s still a chance it won't be released at all." Previously, the well-sourced Artem Russakovskii of Android Police briefly mentioned an Amazon Echo competitor in development at Google, codenamed "Chirp."
The report has a big rundown of an "Internet-connected security system" from Nest, consisting of several parts. The first is a wireless hub codenamed "Flintstone." The device uses Nest's "Thread" low-power communication standard and has reportedly been in development for three years. The Information says Alphabet has put pressure on Nest to release the hub this fall, but Flintstone "has been killed or changed so many times that one former employee jokingly called it 'Tombstone.'""

Report: Google is building an Amazon Echo clone, Nest has a security system | Ars Technica