Google's AI-powered Google Home lets you control everything connected in your house
Google wants to be in your home, "to be there when you always need it to be" as Google CEO Sundar Pichai put it. At least thats the plan for Google's new WiFi connected speaker/virtual assistant/smarthome controller, Google Home.
Google wants to be in your home, "to be there when you always need it to be" as Google CEO Sundar Pichai put it. At least thats the plan for Google's new WiFi connected speaker/virtual assistant/smarthome controller, Google Home.
Google Home is a small Wi-Fi connected speaker with a built-in voice-activated assistant that will let you control connected home devices. At launch it will be compatible with any device from Nest, SmartThings, Philips or IFTTT.
You'll also be able to use it control other Google devices such as a Chromecast. For example, with a Chromecast connected to your TV, you can say, "OK, Google. watch Stranger Things on my TV" and it will launch Netflix and start streaming the show. You can ask it to play YouTube videos too.
Since it has a built-in speaker, Google is also promoting the Home's music playing abilities. It will stream music from YouTube Music, Google Play Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tunein and iHeart Radio. The device is powered by Google's OK Google algorithms, so its smart enough to find music even if you don't know the actual name of the song. On stage, Google demonstrated this by asking Home to play "that Shakira song from Zootopia."
If you connect Google Home to your Google Account, it will also access your calender and schedule and inform you about any important events before you leave in the morning, as well as the weather conditions, and traffic status.
Google Home is launching in November for US$129 (~S$177) and will come with a free six month subscription to YouTube Red.
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