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Now when I initially saw that they moved the light to the bottom of the Echo Dot, I was concerned that you weren't really going to be able to see that light at all. The light now reflects off the surface, making it actually even brighter and easier to see than it was before. This is for volume up, volume down, and you can tap on the middle to play and pause music. Also, there is a hole on the bottom of the device so you can hang this on a wall if you wanted to.
Or you can upgrade to YouTube Music Premium to get access to over 70 million songs ad-free. However, both devices integrate with IFTTT, which then allows them to connect to a ton of different products and services that wouldn’t be supported otherwise. It’s not quite as seamless as native integration would be, but it makes Google Home feel less crippled in the smarthome arena. Both will allow you to place phone calls through your smart speakers. You can call phone numbers in the US and Canada with Google Assistant .
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You do have be aware of which smart home products are Alexa-compatible devices and those that are Google Home accessories, because they don't always work with both . Alternatively, if you already have a set of speakers you like, the Echo Dot is the better option because it can connect wirelessly to any Bluetooth speaker. It also has a 3.5 mm output jack to connect to a non-wireless audio system with a cable. I have one wired into my home theater receiver, which plays through a 7.2 speaker system.
Ask Any Difference is made to provide differences and comparisons of terms, products and services. Since Google has a lot of experience answering questions with its search engine, it’s no surprise that the Google Assistant provides more detailed and informative answers. In a recent test, researchers asked each of the smart assistants 800 questions, and the Google Assistant was able to understand 100% of the questions and answer 93% of them correctly. Most recently, Google released the Nest Hub Max, putting Google Assistant in a 10-inch smart display. It's the first product to come out under the converged brand name of Google and smart home security brand Nest. Having said that, Alexa tends to be better when it comes to support for a wider range of devices, as well as better smart home integration.
Streaming services
And, you can rotate your photos on the video display by linking it to your Google Photos account, so serves as a marvelous smart picture frame. When it comes to music providers, both of these devices support the major streaming services. The Echo “can control a wider range of smart home devices” than Google Home, said Alex Cranz, senior reviews editor at Gizmodo. Each is fairly good at hearing commands, even when you’re in a different room. It's because voice assistants have to choose one reply within a few seconds.
It seems the best way to watch other services using Alexa is to get a Fire TV streaming device for your TV, which offers more streaming integrations than Google. The first Echo device with Alexa voice services hit the market in 2014—two full years before the Google Home speaker landed. Because of this head start, Alexa supports more smart home devices than Google.
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It makes Alexa a bit hard to talk to unless you get used to phrasing requests how Alexa wants to receive them. In addition, the Echo can be used as an intercom so you can speak through to another speaker to tell everyone in the house that dinner is ready without shouting. However, its predecessor – the Echo Dot – is still available, now for the discounted price of £24.99. And, while their jobs are more or less the same – to respond intelligently to your request – the results, how they work and which devices they work with can differ. The Nest Hub has more color options; it comes in aqua, sand, charcoal and chalk. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us.
Despite Google’s fine performance in this arena, the integration of the popular Skype service and intercom feature put Alexa slightly over the top. Neither did great when I asked about the first secretary-general of the United Nations, though the Google Nest Hub was at least able to provide the answer in an onscreen display, if not read it aloud. However, the answers and comprehension from both Alexa and Google Assistant were generally spot on, requiring little rephrasing and rarely forcing me to ask more than once. For example, it could tell me when the season premiere of Westworld aired, while the Google Assistant wanted to read me a synopsis of the episode.
Best smart home compatibility: Amazon Alexa
He spent the past twelve years living in Hawaii, where he worked closely alongside event planners and resort owners to perfect his knowledge of luxury products and aesthetics. He discovered his passion for DIY projects and home improvement there. You can also check our article on Ring vs Nest, if you are confused which device to buy for your home. Both Google Home and Alexa have a lot of small differences but both of them are almost equal as far as performance is concerned. Google Assistant’s top-rated areas are games and fun, education and reference, smart home, sports, arts and lifestyle, weather, productivity, and business and finance. When comparing Alexa vs Google Home when it comes to extra skills, most agree that Alexa is the winner here.
Finally, if you are mostly using a smart assistant for controlling your smart home devices, then Alexa is probably the best choice for you. If you’re looking for a speaker for playing music, check out our list of the best smart speakers here. Alexa will let you make phone calls and send text or audio messages to other Alexa users in your contacts. Plus, if you have an Echo smart speaker, you can use the Drop In feature to start a conversation with anyone else with an Echo device. That means you can instantly drop in on your relatives in another state, or you can set up Echo speakers around your home and use them as an intercom. So, you can announce that dinner is ready without yelling up the stairs.
In the end, Alexa gets the edge here, thanks to having slightly more integrations, including with a service as big as Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, which is still the largest podcast directory around. It generally gave solid, fast answers with context, though sometimes with too much or too technical information. For example, when I asked why the sky was blue, Google Assistant went on a lengthy explanation about diffuse sky radiation that would have any five-year-old’s eyes glazing over. Because Alexa is a little slower to understand complex commands, however, this one has to go to the Google Mini Home.
However, I have not infrequently encountered problems with it recognizing my voice and refusing to give me access to my information until I've retrained my Voice Match. That said, both can connect to mainstream smart home tech like Philips Hue lighting, smart locks, power outlets and more. While Alexa control is available on more than 12,000 devices, Google is quickly expanding its offerings. Odds are the tech you need to sync with can be found on both lists. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times.
More importantly, allow permission to control the other smart home devices. With the advancement of technology and how most things in life are being automated, artificial intelligence and smart speakers are being the new normal. So, if you’re looking for a smart home assistant that is compatible with the most smart home devices, you’ll want to go with Alexa at the moment.
Like a larger version of the Google Home Hub, the Nest Hub Max is big-screen smart display for your home, with a front-facing camera for video calls and the facility to check on your home remotely. If you’re planning on buying a smart speaker so that a virtual assistant can make your life simpler, both of these are great options. Smart home devices have become some of the most important places for integration with virtual assistants; both platforms have focused some time and attention on this. Alexa and Google each work with a huge breadth of connected products, and many—if not most—third-party products work with both.
Alexa vs Google vs Siri: Other Features
The camera can also be used to look in on your house while you're away if security is a concern. Like all Google smart speakers, it is compatible with Chromecast so you can even ask it to start playing your favourite Netflix show on the TV while you grab a cup of tea and some snacks. However, you can't send text messages with Google Assistant without a workaround using IFTTT. Unlike Alexa, Google Assistant can make international calls, if linked to a Google Fi account or Google Voice account that has credits. Both assistants obviously integrate with their company's respective music services, and in some cases offer the ability to link to third-party offerings as well. Alexa vs. Google Assistant is the Ali/Frazier of voice assistants.
The Google Nest Audio also has a 3.0-inch woofer but, unlike the new Echo, it does not have a 3.5mm audio jack so you cannot connect it to bigger speakers. Priced at £89.99, the smart speaker has a bright LED light ring at the base of the sphere that reflects off of surfaces for added visibility. The cheapest Google smart speaker is the Google Nest Mini at just £29. The second generation model was released in October 2019 and has 40 per cent stronger base than the original Mini.
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