A few days ago, we reported the much-hyped Google Home, and now Google has officially launched it under Made By Google. Earlier, we had a hazy picture of the features, pricing, and compatibility standards of Google Home, but now it is clear that it is a smart speaker that helps you in managing many aspects of your daily life by triggering actions through voice commands. You can control music, adjust lights, thermostats and get real-time answers of any questions without raising a finger. All you have to do is say “Ok Google”, and the device immediately swings into action to get the assigned tasks done.
The device is powered by Google Assistant voice service to answer your questions or stream YouTube videos on your smart TV with a voice command. Moreover, it is compatible with Nest, Smart Things, and Philips Hue, making it a perfect smart home automation device.
When compared with Amazon Echo; it has multiple design, feature, and quality advantages that make it a standout device in the voice-controlled speaker segment.
| Feature | Google Home | Amazon Echo |
| Voice Control | Yes | Yes |
| Touchpad | Yes | No |
| Multi-room Playback | Yes | No |
| Voice A/I | Google Assistant | Alexa |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Customizable Design | Yes | No |
| Voice Control | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $129 | $179.99 |
Design
Amazon Echo has different models in traditional speaker style, while Google Home comes with colored bottom casing that can be changed accordingly to match home interiors. It has touch display with four LEDs integrated on its sloped top for visual feedback.
Voice A/I
Google Home answers complex questions that are conversational or might need some previous follow-ups using Google Assistant. It gives you full access to Google search engine for asking anything. You can manage your everyday tasks setting alarms and shopping list, check calendar, to-do-lists, weather and traffic updates over voice commands. On the other hand, Amazon Echo is powered by Alexa voice service to understand and respond to simple voice commands.
Compatibility
Google Home allows playing your favorite tunes from Youtube, Spotify, Pandora, Google Play Music and TuneIn. It also works as a Chromecast for streaming and controlling other Google casting devices. As Amazon Echo is in the market for a couple of years now, it has numerous smart home automation brand collaborations when compared with Google Home.
Both devices are IFTTT compatible, hence we can expect more integrations with smart cameras, pet care devices and other home appliances coming our way.
The speaker that streams music over Wi-Fi and controls your smart home devices on voice commands seems better than Amazon Echo in terms of design, pricing and features onboard. But we will have to wait until next month to get the final verdict. You can book one for $129 at Google Store to bring some Google goodness home and experience effortlessness of controlling your small kingdom without moving an inch.
