Google Home is gunning for Amazon Echo's spot on the home voice assistant's throne.
Based on the demo we saw at Google's developer conference yesterday, Google has a 3 part plan of action to take on Amazon and Alexa
Is that for me?
First, a more conversational voice control assistant.
In the video, a kid asks Google Home three straight questions.
Okay Google, how many stars are in our galaxy?
Well, there are about 100 to 400 billion stars, according to
Space.com.
Which star is the closest?
According to NASA, the nearest star system is Alpha Centauri.
Google Home uses the context of the previous question to answer the next one.
Alexa, the voice assistant in the Amazon Echo, can't do that
Yet.
She can respond to some basic internet searches.
Alexa, how many stars are in the galaxy?
Our galaxy has 300 billion stars.
Alexa, which ones closest.
I don't know that one, but I'm working on including more local businesses.
To be fear Google home demo is just back.
It's a free produce to demo.
But the Google resistance an any current android phone has similar contextual awareness.
Okay Google, how many stars are in the galaxy?
One hundred billion stars.
Okay, Google, which one's closest?
According to Hubbell Space Telescope, the closest spiral galaxy is Andromeda.
Since what Google can do now isn't that far off, there's no reason to think Google home isn't going to deliver on that conversational functionality.
But Amazon updates Alexa all the time.
[INAUDIBLE] So by the time Google Home hits retail shelves, Alexa might be much more conversational herself.
Second, synching with multiple devices.
We have an Echo here in the living room, and an Echo over there in the family room, but they won't talk to each other.
Google Home promises to talk to any ProCast device.
That's how it sends the picture of the star to the TV and the video, and how it sends the song to multiple rooms to wake up the kids.
First, customizable design.
People love personalizing their electronics and you'll be able to swap out the bottom of Google Home with different colors and materials to match your home's decor.
The Amazon Echo just has one first party option, it's a tall black cylinder.
So, Google Home wants to win the design battle.
But some people thinks it looks like an air freshener so we'll see.
So if Google comes through on all of those promises, it could be better than the Amazon Echo but Google hasn't said a lot about smart home integrations yet, there was that one part in the video where they use a voice command to turn on the lights in the bedroom but it hasn't offered a lot of Specifics and the Amazon Echo is a great smart home controller.
That's why we use it in the CNET smart home.
So, if Google falls behind on those integrations, the Echo could still be our first choice as a personal assistant.
Either way, we are looking forward to the battle ahead.
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