After Amazon unleashed Alexa by allowing third-party speaker makers to include the virtual assistant in their models, it was only a matter of time before Google gave Google Assistant the same freedom. It's both taller and thinner than the Google Home. Available only in black, the Link 20 is wrapped in a tough mesh fabric and capped with black plastic on the ends. The speaker includes minimal controls, which is appropriate considering jbl link 10 Google Assistant can help with most functions. There's also a physical button to activate Google Assistant, along with two microphones. On the front bottom, a Wi-Fi indicator shows when the speaker is connected to a network. On the back, you'll find the power button, a battery life indicator and a mute button for the microphones. I soaked it in a sinkful of water for 5 minutes, and it continued to play. However, Google Assistant didn't respond when it jbl link 10 underwater; it likely couldn't hear me. Google Assistant I found Google Assistant on the Link 20 to be as responsive as it is on Google Home, and it performed almost all of the tasks that Google Home does. However, the Link 20 couldn't make calls — an ability Google Home added earlier this year. Audio Performance When playing music, the Link 20 delivers well-balanced treble, bass and midtones. That's a different sound profile from that of the Google Home, which features a very bass-heavy tone. The song had more bass when played on Google Home, but I preferred the overall balance of tones on the Link 20. The Link 20 also handled acoustic music well. The speaker can get plenty loud to fill most rooms. I measured it at a max of 90 decibels, and it reached that volume without distorting the sound. Wireless and Setup The setup takes place through the Google Home app. The app walks you through the process of adding the speaker to your devices and connects it to your Jbl link 10 network. You can also connect to the speaker via Bluetooth, which is handy if you want to listen to music services not supported by Google Assistant, such as Apple Music. However, the Google Home app doesn't offer ways to tweak the sound, such as adjusting bass or treble levels. Battery The Link 20's biggest advantage over is its portability. It includes a battery that powers the device for 10 hours, and in testing, I found that it could go at least that long before needing a recharge. Keep in mind that, because Google Assistant is always ready, the unit jbl link 10 shut itself off when you're not actively using it, so the battery will continue to drain unless you power it off. And Google Assistant works only when connected to Wi-Fi, so you won't get the benefit of the voice assistant when you're out and about. It sounds better, and offers portability and ruggedness. When using Google Assistant, it's responsive to commands, and I found only one thing it couldn't do: make calls. If all you want is a smart speaker to tell you the weather, the extra dollars probably aren't worth it.
