Google has begun accepting pre-orders for the new Google Home device. The smart speaker-meets-smart home device is aimed at being the center of the home with Google Assistant being a voice command away.
Aimed at competing with the Amazon Echo, Google Home brings the power of Google Artificial Intelligence to give you detailed information about your day, upcoming events, search information, travel information and the like. And it is for everyone in the family. Like Google OnHub and Google Wi-Fi, Home is aimed at sitting out in the open and doesn’t look like a piece of techno-kit sitting on a shelf.
What makes Home powerful is Google Assistant. Think of it as a far more personalized and smarter OK Google. If you have installed Google Allo on your phone, then you can already see Assistant
Google Home
and who it brings to users. Google Assistant is the most advanced voice and assistant tool yet developed by Google. You can get a wealth of information from Assistant and give it direct commands. You can have it play music from a wide range of sources such as Spotify, Google Play Music, Pandora and others. You can also get a daily briefing of things going on in your day, set reminders and get assistance from it as you are involved in tasks in the house.
Google Home will also tie into your existing Chromecast or the new Chromecast Ultra. If you have one of these and Google Home, you can have it play videos or show photos from your Google Photos account right on your television. Right now this feature only works with YouTube but Netflix is already committed to it and will be available soon. As for other smart devices, Home will work with Next, SmartThings, Hue and IFTTT out-of-the-box so you can control your thermostat, lights and switches.
The pre-order program assures that you get a Google Home when they ship with indicated shipping dates between November 8-10, 2016. The price is $129. For more information and to order yours, visit the Google Home site.
