Report: Google builds an Amazon Echo alternative while Nest turns to security

Google and Nest reportedly have a bunch of new smart home products in the works, but there may not be much collaboration happening between the two Alphabet subsidiaries. On the Google side, the search giant may be working on a competitor to Amazon's Echo connected speaker, according to The Information (via The Verge). The story reveals no details about the product, but it seems like an obvious fit for Google, which has already made voice controls a centerpiece of its Android Wear smartwatch platform. A device that answers Internet queries and controls other smart home products could very well tie into Google's broader efforts to create a new platform for the Internet of Things. Earlier this month, Recode reported that Nest had explored its own Echo-like product.