Here's everything Google Home's doing at CES 2017
The Google Home gets in the game. After a slow start, Google Assistant made some noise at CES.
Google Home has some catching up to do. It's been chasing its rival, the Amazon Echo, since Google's always-listening smart speaker launched in November. Since the Echo's been around for a couple of years, it makes sense Amazon's connected assistant Alexa works with more products and has more features. I was hoping Google would use this CES -- the first since its release -- to gain some ground. That didn't happen. Alexa announced lots of new friends and Google Home was relatively quiet.
Here's everything Google announced. Note that we're counting everything announced for the Google Assistant -- the digital helper built into the Home. A Home can't do everything that a Google Pixel with the Assistant can, for instance. But integration with Google Assistant should mean a product will work with Home soon.
- We've been waiting for a Belkin WeMo Switch that also dims the lights. CES brought the answer -- the Belkin WeMo Dimmer Switch. Handily, you can also control the switch with voice commands via a Google Home.
- Belkin also announced a petite new smart plug at CES. You'll be able to fit two Belkin WeMo Minis in a standard wall outlet. You'll be able to control the switches with a Google Home.
- Google Home will be able to control your car -- if you have a Hyundai that is. Say the word and you can send directions to your car's navigation system, and even start the engine. Don't worry, Google will ask you for a PIN before complying with the latter order.
- Google Assistant will also be integrated into the upcoming Chrysler 300, though details are scarce about what exactly you'll be able to do with the Assistant.
- Later in 2017, you'll be able to purify the air with a Google Home using the Coway Airmega.
- For easily installed smart lights, look to the sleek new Switchmate Bright. Snap it on to your ordinary light switch, and you'll be able to command your bulbs with your voice using a Google Home.
- Switchmate also has a new smart plug at CES called the Switchmate Power. The Power will also work with the Google Home when it comes out in February.
- Use your voice to watch TV with the Nvidia Shield TV. Nvidia built the Google Assistant into its $200 streamer (which roughly converts to £161 or AU$272).
- The Nvidia Spot works with Nvidia Shield. You can move the Google Assistant built into the round Spot from room to room and attach it to your wall.
- Thanks to VoiceGenie from Sensory, you'll soon be able to put the Google Assistant right into your ear. Say "Hey Google," to your Bluetooth headphones, and you can issue your command without touching your phone.
We also kept score -- tracking the announcements of all three major voice control platforms. Though Alexa clearly had the most new integrations over Siri and the Google Assistant, Google took a quality over quantity approach, with a large percentage of its announcements qualifying as "actually smart" integrations on our board. Still, Alexa ended up with more in all of our categories. Google Home now has even more catching up to do.
