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Google Home or Amazon Echo?

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Which do you / would you use?

  • Amazon Echo

    Votes: 33 46.5%

  • Google Home

    Votes: 18 25.4%

  • Both

    Votes: 3 4.2%

  • Something else

    Votes: 13 18.3%

  • None

    Votes: 4 5.6%
  • Total voters
    71
Saw a Consumer Reports bit on the news this morning. They said Google would be better than Amazon very quickly as the were making improvements faster than Amazon.

Question though, does your Android phone come on when you are using the device on say "ok google"?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
olds said:
Saw a Consumer Reports bit on the news this morning. They said Google would be better than Amazon very quickly as the were making improvements faster than Amazon.

Question though, does your Android phone come on when you are using the device and say "ok google"?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...



Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
olds said:
Saw a Consumer Reports bit on the news this morning. They said Google would be better than Amazon very quickly as the were making improvements faster than Amazon.

Question though, does your Android phone come on when you are using the device on say "ok google".



Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
My parents have an Echo and it seems to work pretty well. I've looked at getting one but without anything to specifically control (like Hue Lights) it's a hard expense to justify. However, I have a Vizio M Series which was recently updated with the latest Google Cast so that it can be controlled with Google Home. Really tempting to get a Google Home for this. Plus at some point I'd like to start getting some Hue lights.
 
Linflas said:
I know you are into this in a big way so you are the guy to ask. Where would you suggest I start to learn a bit more about setting up things in my house to do this? So far I mostly use the Echo to turn my entertainment system on/off through IFTT and my Logitech Harmony hub.
Click to expand...

I'd look at the SmartThings community at https://community.smartthings.com/. There are a lot of great ideas and implementation ideas there. Yes, obviously they're using SmartThings hubs but it gives you a great idea of some of the things you can do.
 
I cant find the article now, but I read an article recently that said although Alexa has more support right now and is thus currently better, Google Home is more ambitious in its capabilities and is better in the long run.
 
olds said:
Question though, does your Android phone come on when you are using the device on say "ok google"?
Click to expand...
I've only had a couple of Android phones, but each of them has let me give them a unique name. For example, one of my Android devices is Capybara. No reason to call them all the same name.
 
lxskllr said:
I feel it builds character.
Click to expand...
not to mention that it avoids making one feel like a total ass for talking at a non-sentient thing versus even a being that can't do more than meow, or bark, or just ruffle his or her feathers back...😉 If we ever get, during my lifetime, to a voice interface that can understand ordinary natural language and talk back in something resembling normal, conversational speech, (or if, God (seriously) forbid, I were to become quadraplegic before I could off myself instead), I might reconsider my utter lack of interest in such things... I've played around with speech recognition for text input a bit, but even that's pretty damned boring, and as long as at least my dominant hand is working properly, pointless, imnrho. I didn't even bother reinstalling the copy of Dragon NaturallySpeaking (sic?) I bought on clearance at one point when I re-installed my OS the last time...
 
Last edited:
poofyhairguy said:
You can get different colors for the base. It is replaceable.
Click to expand...

Looks are subjective, but I find it ugly in any color. Well not so much ugly, just weird looking for what it is. I don't know, it reminds me of something a female would buy at Bed Bath & Beyond that sprays out scents.
 
I'm rolling my own. The browsers I use have a lot of the voice API standards integrated. I just run the browser minimized when I am just using the microphone or in kiosk-mode when I am staring at a screen. Also, I'm using a localhost version of IFTTT based on MSQT. It is a lavor of love but once I get it to where I think others can use it without tinkering, I think I will will have something ready to show everyone else.
 
It wasn't until last week that I realized Echo and Alexa were the same thing, and that Google Home is not tied in with Echo at all. I could not care less about this stuff right now, so will not make a recommendation. If Apple comes out with something similar (device, not just Siri) I might be more intrigued as they tend to have overall better delivery results (they're still not perfect at all, look at Apple Maps), but still not considering any automation right now.

Hell, Apple might have something, I don't know.
 
Tweak155 said:
It wasn't until last week that I realized Echo and Alexa were the same thing, and that Google Home is not tied in with Echo at all. I could not care less about this stuff right now, so will not make a recommendation. If Apple comes out with something similar (device, not just Siri) I might be more intrigued as they tend to have overall better delivery results (they're still not perfect at all, look at Apple Maps), but still not considering any automation right now.

Hell, Apple might have something, I don't know.
Click to expand...


apple has the worst software and would be the worst choice out of the 3. they are basically a hardware + appstore company, and a nonstory for anything else they create. Their inhouse software is always 4th tier. behind Google, amazon and microsoft.
 
Zee said:
apple has the worst software and would be the worst choice out of the 3. they are basically a hardware + appstore company, and a nonstory for anything else they create. Their inhouse software is always 4th tier. behind Google, amazon and microsoft.
Click to expand...

My experiences with iOS vs Android have been quite opposite this statement. All depends what you're looking for I suppose.
 
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