I have owned 4 Amazon Echo devices since they were first available to pre-order in the UK and although Alexa is undoubtedly impressive, it always felt like something was missing.
This is where Google Home comes in. Recently released in the UK approximately 6 months after it’s US debut and it’s landing on our shores with the intention of taking the place in your home from Alexa, but can it succeed?
Google Home is Googles vision of the future of computing, always available and ready to help whenever it’s called on. Unlike smart phones and smart watches, it never needs charging or troubleshooting, it will simply sit in your home ready to help whenever you need it!
The unboxing experience is very well thought out and presented in such a way that it feels like you’re dealing with a premium product. After unboxing the device, it’s simply a case of plugging it in and downloading the Google Home app on your smart phone or tablet. From there Home walks you through the quick and easy set up process then you’re all set and ready to witness the future!
The first thing I noticed once it was placed in my home is home much smaller and how much better it blends in to my home when compared to the Amazon Echo. I know Google gets stick from some who claim that the Home looks like an air freshener but I really like this clean, minimal design. Sometimes less is more, take a look at my comparison picture below to see what I mean.
So we’re all set up and ready to go. What next?
Well that’s it. Google Home will sit there happily doing nothing just waiting to be called up on.
Do you want to settle an argument over David Beckham’s age, simply say “hey Google, how old is David Beckham” and Google well respond with a spoken answer in a charming English voice. Would you like to know how to make scrambled eggs? Just ask. Need to know how to change a bike tyre? Just ask. Ever wondered what noise a whale sounds like? Ask Google Home.
You get the idea. It’s basically like the computer from Star Trek, but in your own home!! Click here to take a look at my video testing out Google Home with some general knowledge questions.
To ramp this up a notch, if you subscribe to Google Play Music or Spotify, simply as your new Home to play your favourite song, band, album or playlist and it’ll start playing. It’s like magic!
Are you ready to go even further down the rabbit hole of Artificial Intelligence? If you have a Chromecast device hooked up to a TV in your home, you can say “Hey Google, play House of Cards from Netflix on the living room TV” and as if by magic, the TV turns on and House of Cards starts playing!! Needless to say it’s incredibly impressive and it’s only going to get smarter and more capable as Google improves their AI technology.
If you own a Nest Thermostat, Philips Hue lighting or Smartthings hub, you can even take it a step further and ask Google to turn the radiators off, change the colour of your light bulbs or even put the kettle on! At this point it really feels like the sky is the limit!
So is Google Home worth the £129 asking price? Absolutely.
