Home - Smart Speaker with Google Assistant - White/Slate fabric

Q: How will this compare to Amazon Echo? Is it pretty much the same idea or will one do more than the other?

A: Yes, the Google Home is basically the same idea as Amazon Echo. I guess I can’t say right now that one will be able to do more than the other, but there will definitely be things that each can do that the other can’t. For example, most likely you won’t be able to access each other’s services… so on Google Home you most likely won’t be able to order items from the amazon store or use Amazon Music… and likewise on the Echo won’t be able to use Google Play Music or, more importantly, Google Search (which is far superior to Echo’s search). Support for 3rd party services and Smart Home devices – The Echo has been out for about 2 years now which has given it a head start with developers to build support for these services and Smart Home devices. Currently Google Home only supports, nest, SmartThings, Philips Hue, and IFTTT for Smart Home devices… but I definitely wouldn’t write off Google Home just because it doesn’t support as many Smart Home devices as Echo right now, because I honestly believe Google Home will catch up very fast, especially given amount of 3rd party developer support Google already has. A couple big things that Google has created to help developers build upon is two open platforms called Google Assistant and Actions on Google… with these two platforms developers will be able to do a lot of cool, fun, and useful things with Google Home, which will not only work on Google Home devices but they'll also work on Google Pixel phones... so you can also tell Google Assistant on your Pixel phone to turn on outside lights. One area with connected devices I think Google has the leg up on the Echo is Google Home’s support for Google Cast… with this you’ll be able to Cast audio from your smartphone to a Google Home device and, even better, you’ll also be able to Cast both audio and video from Google Home to devices that support Google Cast, like Chromecast… so you can tell Google Home to, “play CSI on the Living Room TV” and CSI will start playing on Netflix through Chromecast on your living room TV. Another area I think Google Home will be much better at is Searches. I currently have the Echo (which I think is great and use all the time), but I get frustrate with it because far too often it can’t answer my questions. When the Echo can’t answer my question I’ll pull out my android phone and ask Google Now the same question and most of the time I get an answer to my question from Google. My wife gets frustrated with the Echo too, because she like to ask Alexa for recipes, and Alexa has never once been able to give her a recipe. Since Google Home uses the same search service I have little doubt that Google Home’s searches will be far superior to the Echo searches. The last area I think Google Home will be better is, unlike the Echo currently, the Google Home devices will know about each other and work together… so when you have two Home devices within listening range of each other and you say “Ok Google” they’ll work together to determine which devices is closest to you and will respond from that device only... and supposedly it’ll also try to determine if you’re talking to your android phone or a Home device when you say “Ok Google”. Also you can create groups with Google Home devices, and Cast enabled devices, to play audio at the same time across devices in the group. The big question I have is how well will Google Home hear your voice compared to the Amazon Echo. Because the Echo does a very very good job hearing and understanding your words... although this is not the same thing as giving good search results. I'm hoping Google Home is as good at understanding your words from across the room.

Q: What other device is need to turn lights off in your home?

A: Wireless Smart Home Devices need 3 components in order to work: 1. The smart device itself, like a hue light bulb or smart light switch. 2. A Hub, like a Samsung SmartThings Hub or a Philips Hue Hub. These Hub typically communicate with the smart device via z-wave or zigbee wireless standards. Since these Hubs and smart devices use these wireless standards, they don't need to be made by the same manufacture in order to work together... for example you can use Philips Hue bulbs with a Samsung SmartThings hub. Hubs usually support more than one smart devices on one hub. These Hubs also have either an Ethernet port or Wi-Fi or both to connect to your home network. 3. A control device, like a Smartphone, Tablet, or Google Home. The control device connects to the Hub over your home network. Some Hubs offer services where you can create an online account and you are able to control your smart devices over the internet. On phones and tablets you typically access and control the Hub through an app you download on your device. Hubs usually support multiple control devices connected to one hub, so you can have one Hub which you control through both your phone and Google Home.

Q: is there any monthly fees ?

A: No there are not any fees ( only the fee you already pay for your wifi internet provider ) , and at the sale price you can not go wrong . I talk to it like it is a real person in my house and have fun with it . She also is very handy when you need something answered and do not want to get on the internet . Oh yea and she can make you laugh at times you would not expect and play your favorite tunes . I could go on and on if you get my drift . One of my top 10 things . I hope this helps

Q: What does it do? Why do I need it?.

A: It looks things up- that is my number 1 use so far. From recipes, news, general questions, conversions, etc. Basically saves me from pulling out the laptop to look something up. I play Spotify (music) and it is super convenient to start and stop it with voice command. I set timers constantly for things, as well as alarms. I just ordered the Phillips Hue starter set and light bulbs so I can turn lights on/off both with a command. (A big deal in my house as the kids are forever leaving lights on.) You can run Netflix via voice command, and trigger Youtube videos also. I have it do a few simple translations (English to Spanish, Spanish to English). Once I save my pennies I will put a thermostat in that can be controlled by voice as well. Very handy to have around! In the morning it can review your events for the day, tell you how long the commute will take, tell you the weather, etc. It does more, but so far that is what I have been using it for.

Q: Can this be used if the phone the main account is tied to is not at home? IE: Could my wife ask it to play music from Google Play if I'm not there? I'm not asking about family accounts but if this will remember my account if my phone isn't around?

A: Yes. This will remember you account when you and your phone are away. Keep in mind, at launch, Google Home can only remember one account and will play content from the one account.

Q: If I wake this device up and my wife happens to rattle off our bank name and account number, is that information sent to Google to help improve their device's voice recognition? I am major worried about things like this with these devices

A: When you wake it up and then say something, it will submit that information as if you were doing a Google search on it. There is a site that lets you see and hear everything it recorded, what it thought you said, and how it responded. You can then delete anything or everything you've said from your history.

Q: Is the white base the only color available to pre-order?

A: Right now it looks that way. The colored bases will probably be an interchangeable piece rather than something you have to choose when buying the base unit.

Q: Is this working off of voice recognition or can others in the home use it also?

A: Anyone can use it. But only 1 google account, at the moment.