Today, there are several smart home speakers/virtual assistants to choose from, finding one that meets your needs is important for effective use in your home. Virtual assistants can do so many tasks for you such as playing music, reading news articles, weather, sports updates and so much more. Virtual assistants can also control smart home-capable devices you may have in your home; including smart bulbs, locks, cameras, thermostats, and many more devices that can be controlled with smart assistants like Alexa, Google, and Siri. This is just the beginning and only a small example of what these virtual assistants can do for you. Making sure your pre-existing smart home devices in your home are Alexa, Google, or Apple compatible can be a huge determining factor on which assistant you choose. Automating your household with such devices can make your life a lot easier, so picking the right one for your home is important to get maximum efficiency out of your home and its devices.
First on the list is the Amazon Echo speaker/virtual assistant, this device comes equipped with the Alexa AI. Alexa can answer any of your basic questions and can provide articles of insight on the topic. Alexa is also capable to make phone calls, control any smart home devices you may have around your home. New for this year is a built-in smart home hub and an updated processor which will greatly reduce the time it will take for Alexa to respond to questions or commands. The Echo Dot device has undergone a new makeover and is now spherical and is claimed to have adaptive sound which allows it to recognize a room size and play the acoustics accordingly. Amazon also offers a device called the Echo Show which has a touch screen display that can be used to interact with your smart home devices that way. At the price point of $39-$99, the Amazon Echo comes in a few different models and is a great deal for what you get. The only complaint people have had so far is just that it is not as loud as some of the other smart speakers on this list.
Next, we have the Google Nest series which starts around the $50 range and reaches the $300 price point in some models. Similarly, to Amazon, the Google series has a range of models including small smart assistants, Nest hub displays, and a larger model called the Home Max. The Google devices allow you to easily stream news, music, podcasts, and sports. This assistant allows you to make personalized schedules such as for your commute, reminders, timers, and alarms. Google assistant is compatible with thousands of smart home devices and asking it to control these devices is just as simple as a “hey google” and then giving the command. Most of the Nest series comes with an integrated wall mount which allows you to put this assistant virtually anywhere. They also come with touch and tap volume controls which are indicated by LED lights on the top of the speaker. These lights are also used to know when the google device is listening for a command or question. If you have a YouTube TV subscription or a Google Chromecast device, the google series will easily pair to this service and device.
Just a couple of years ago, Apple released their very own line of smart assistants/speakers. These assistants utilize Siri which has been around in Apple’s other products for years. The two devices released are called the Homepod and Homepod mini, these devices come engineered with a handful of useful features. One cool feature the Apple HomePod can do is it can recognize up to 6 different individuals’ voices. This may be useful if you have multiple people or kids living in your home as it will detect their voices and be able to do personalized things just for them. The Intercom feature is another useful one that allows you to easily communicate with your family members by voice throughout your house by using more than one HomePod. One drawback of the HomePod versus the other smart home assistants is that you must have an iPhone or iPad to set the device up and fully utilize its features which are only found on IOS devices. More than likely though if you are considering buying a HomePod, you already have an iPhone or other IOS device. Conclusively, smart assistants can simplify your life and make everyday tasks a breeze. Want more information? Contact our One Source Department at 309-778-8611, we will be happy to assist you.
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