Google Home

[sesevans]

Ugh, just placed the order haha! I'm thinking I'll use both, but who knows. May end up getting rid of Echo. I'm heavily integrated with Google so may just find Echo unnecessary.

Here's something else to consider. Android Police is saying that Google plans to launch a mini-Google Home that would compete directly with the Echo Dot. Assumption is that it would be cheaper than Google Home but no price point mentioned. £ 75 is a real great deal in my opinion for GH but if you want to fill your house or office with voice controlled interfaces, it would be nice to have an even lower price. This article mentions a new Pixel Chromebook first and the mini Google Home as the second device.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/0...-version-of-google-home-alongside-new-phones/

 

[GTiPUG]

Here's something else to consider. Android Police is saying that Google plans to launch a mini-Google Home that would compete directly with the Echo Dot. Assumption is that it would be cheaper than Google Home but no price point mentioned. £ 75 is a real great deal in my opinion for GH but if you want to fill your house or office with voice controlled interfaces, it would be nice to have an even lower price. This article mentions a new Pixel Chromebook first and the mini Google Home as the second device.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/0...-version-of-google-home-alongside-new-phones/

Ahhh okay, yeah.. That combined with the ever growing feature list has me thinking Home is a winner. Echo is forever limited by Bing!

 

[sesevans]

Ahhh okay, yeah.. That combined with the ever growing feature list has me thinking Home is a winner. Echo is forever limited by Bing!

And thinking of the ever growing feature list on Home, did you happen to see the news overnight that Walmart has joined Google Express, Google's shopping delivery service currently in the US, for voice assisted shopping using Google Assistant and Google Home. In fact there is a rumour that Google will be launching a Google Assistant-powered / voice assisted headphone soon. Details are scant but the idea would presumably be that to enable the Bluetooth enabled / wireless headphone voice assisted feature, you would depress a button on the earcup of the headphone. The idea of the Walmart-Google tie up would enable you to order your voice-assisted shopping via Google Express vehicles and packed by Walmart. Seems that Google is really gearing up on voice assisted devices and adding features.

 

[GTiPUG]

And thinking of the ever growing feature list on Home, did you happen to see the news overnight that Walmart has joined Google Express, Google's shopping delivery service currently in the US, for voice assisted shopping using Google Assistant and Google Home. In fact there is a rumour that Google will be launching a Google Assistant-powered / voice assisted headphone soon. Details are scant but the idea would presumably be that to enable the Bluetooth enabled / wireless headphone voice assisted feature, you would depress a button on the earcup of the headphone. The idea of the Walmart-Google tie up would enable you to order your voice-assisted shopping via Google Express vehicles and packed by Walmart. Seems that Google is really gearing up on voice assisted devices and adding features.

Yeah I caught that on Reddit this morning. Sounded similar to Echo's ability to order off Amazon, but with a bit more available.

Should be cool as it develops.

 

[mark43]

Are there any solid rumours about the Google Home 2, other than the one about it also being a router? That particular feature doesn't interest me but I'm tempted to pick one up and would be frustrating if they suddenly launched a new one with a better speaker or something like that.

 

[sesevans]

Are there any solid rumours about the Google Home 2, other than the one about it also being a router? That particular feature doesn't interest me but I'm tempted to pick one up and would be frustrating if they suddenly launched a new one with a better speaker or something like that.

The only rumour I have seen and mentioned is the possible miniature Google Home to be launched in a hardware announcement this Fall when the Pixel 2s are released. Other products besides the Pixel 2s include a new Pixel C Chromebook and a Google Assistant-powered headphone that would presumably sync with the new Pixel phones, probably wirelessly via Bluetooth.

The idea of a mini-GH is appealing, esp if the cost is lower than for the full sized GH. Google's competition, Echo has already released the Echo Dot, a lower priced and smaller Echo. I presume that any GH would compromise in some way against the fuller sized unit but again, details are very sparse. For those that want voice assistant throughout a house or office, a mini GH might be a particularly cost effective way to put many devices in an area to enhance voice coverage.

 

[mark43]

Thanks, the mini definitely sounds like a good addition.

 

[glenimp617]

I've been holding off on a google home as to really make them work well, you need one in everyone major room in the house.

If they release a mini version for say £40-£50 that would be great!

 

[sesevans]

I've been holding off on a google home as to really make them work well, you need one in everyone major room in the house.

If they release a mini version for say £40-£50 that would be great!

I already bought three: kitchen, living room and bedroom!

 

[GTiPUG]

Are there any solid rumours about the Google Home 2, other than the one about it also being a router? That particular feature doesn't interest me but I'm tempted to pick one up and would be frustrating if they suddenly launched a new one with a better speaker or something like that.

Looking at the price drops over the last couple of days I'm guessing so, can pick up a Home for £99 now. I grabbed mine for only £70 so I reckon new hardware is inbound.

 

[mark43]

Looking at the price drops over the last couple of days I'm guessing so, can pick up a Home for £99 now. I grabbed mine for only £70 so I reckon new hardware is inbound.

Yeah maybe, but it's dropped to £99 at major retailers a couple of times, so maybe just another bank holiday sale. Tempted at that price, just don't want to be annoyed if they suddenly announce something better.

 

[GTiPUG]

Yeah maybe, but it's dropped to £99 at major retailers a couple of times, so maybe just another bank holiday sale. Tempted at that price, just don't want to be annoyed if they suddenly announce something better.

Yeah, fair. I think it's only a mini version to be announced, as above.

However, got my Home today and it's bloody tiny in the first place!

 

[sesevans]

Yeah, fair. I think it's only a mini version to be announced, as above.

However, got my Home today and it's bloody tiny in the first place!

You might appreciate a note I read today from market research consultants Gartner about the expected growth in this market. As you know, currently the voice assisted device market is dominated by Amazon and Google, with the Echo and Home devices respectively. Gartner expects that by 2019, these devices will have artificial intelligence built in rather than have to rely on the cloud. My thought is that it will be able to anticipate more what your question or need is rather than wait for you to initiate the question. Here is a summary of the Gartner comment:

"End-user spending for the worldwide virtual personal assistant-enabled wireless speaker market is forecast to reach $3.52B by 2021, up from $0.72B in 2016, according to Gartner, Inc. "The market for VPA-enabled wireless speakers, such as the Amazon Echo (AMZN) devices and Google Home (GOOG), is expanding rapidly with more vendors, device types and use cases," said Werner Goertz, research director at Gartner. "We expect a temporary slowing of growth in 2018, as other devices, such as lighting systems, hubs and Wi-Fi mesh devices, adopt VPA functionality, especially in connected home scenarios." Beginning in 2019, third-generation VPA speaker products will start shipping with some artificial intelligence functions running on the device rather than in the cloud. Gartner expects these AI-enabled VPA speakers to use edge-device, machine-learning capabilities to enhance latency, alleviate privacy/security issues and utilize bandwidth more efficiently."

 

[GTiPUG]

You might appreciate a note I read today from market research consultants Gartner about the expected growth in this market. As you know, currently the voice assisted device market is dominated by Amazon and Google, with the Echo and Home devices respectively. Gartner expects that by 2019, these devices will have artificial intelligence built in rather than have to rely on the cloud. My thought is that it will be able to anticipate more what your question or need is rather than wait for you to initiate the question. Here is a summary of the Gartner comment:

"End-user spending for the worldwide virtual personal assistant-enabled wireless speaker market is forecast to reach $3.52B by 2021, up from $0.72B in 2016, according to Gartner, Inc. "The market for VPA-enabled wireless speakers, such as the Amazon Echo (AMZN) devices and Google Home (GOOG), is expanding rapidly with more vendors, device types and use cases," said Werner Goertz, research director at Gartner. "We expect a temporary slowing of growth in 2018, as other devices, such as lighting systems, hubs and Wi-Fi mesh devices, adopt VPA functionality, especially in connected home scenarios." Beginning in 2019, third-generation VPA speaker products will start shipping with some artificial intelligence functions running on the device rather than in the cloud. Gartner expects these AI-enabled VPA speakers to use edge-device, machine-learning capabilities to enhance latency, alleviate privacy/security issues and utilize bandwidth more efficiently."

That would be an interesting concept. I guess it will still need cloud functionality/internet access to pull in real time information you request (weather for example).

Pretty crazy that we're almost at the point where people will literally have a virtual personality in their house.

 

[mark43]

I wish they'd do a more expensive version with a better speaker, or even license it so other manufactures could just chuck the tech in their speakers. I know you can link it up with other speakers but its not quite as tidy a solution.

 

[GTiPUG]

I wish they'd do a more expensive version with a better speaker, or even license it so other manufactures could just chuck the tech in their speakers. I know you can link it up with other speakers but its not quite as tidy a solution.

Don't give them ideas... I can picture it now, "Google Home - Bose edition", £600

 

[sesevans]

While we are waiting for the Google Home mini in coming weeks (likely to target the Amazon Echo Dot), I see that a Chinese company in which Google holds a minority stake, Mobvoi, has announced the launch of the TicHome Mini. It reminds me in look to the Google Chromecast that I have plugged into the back of my TV. The idea is that it uses Google Assistant, acts like a small Google Home, is portable, has a built-in 3W speaker, can charge for up to 6 hours and will sell for less than $ 100.

https://www.androidheadlines.com/2017/08/mobvoi-launches-google-assistant-powered-tichome-mini.html

 

[ginger_pat]

I have been thinking about the possibilities of a small Google Home and what I would really like to see is an updated Chromecast Audio with Google's Voice Assistant built in, I really enjoy my Chromecast Audio (despite it's wildly unpredictable behaviour with iOS and Spotify) to be able to plug in the Chromecast Audio to my system with the added on Voice Assistant would be great.
Also it will be interesting to see if Google are willing to open up their software to third party established companies similar to how they worked with the Nexus'. Google Home on an established audio companies system would be really sweet. I saw that Sonos announced an event on 4th October if they released a speaker with Google's Voice Assistant built in it would be a serious rival to the Apple HomePod (who are focusing heavily on the High Quality Audio). I think it's logical for a move like this to happen, maybe it's just wishful thinking though.

 

[sesevans]

I have been thinking about the possibilities of a small Google Home and what I would really like to see is an updated Chromecast Audio with Google's Voice Assistant built in, I really enjoy my Chromecast Audio (despite it's wildly unpredictable behaviour with iOS and Spotify) to be able to plug in the Chromecast Audio to my system with the added on Voice Assistant would be great.
Also it will be interesting to see if Google are willing to open up their software to third party established companies similar to how they worked with the Nexus'. Google Home on an established audio companies system would be really sweet. I saw that Sonos announced an event on 4th October if they released a speaker with Google's Voice Assistant built in it would be a serious rival to the Apple HomePod (who are focusing heavily on the High Quality Audio). I think it's logical for a move like this to happen, maybe it's just wishful thinking though.

Not so far-fetched. I will look out for the Sonos presentation in October. A couple of observations:

1. To some extent I think Google has already selectively opened up its software on GH to provide third party supported services. I expect more to be added:

https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7172483?hl=en

2. The Amazon Dot (the smallest one) has external speaker connectivity. You can connect Dot to any speaker either by wire or Bluetooth. Amazon suggests a list of "certified Bluetooth speakers."

 

[sesevans]

Third party speakers and more third party services on Google Home announced today at IFA Berlin.

In addition to the Tic Home Mini mentioned earlier, Anker’s Zolo Mojo and Panasonic’s GA10 will all become available later this year, and most of them will sell in the U.S. as well as the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany and France. As this link shows, expect speakers from Sony and Bang & Olufsen later this year too.

http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/anker-panasonic-google-assistant-1202542305/

And soon "OK Google, is my wash finished" might be a very frequent request! Tie up with LG appliances mentioned. "OK Google, start vacuuming."