Google Home

Phonesis · 16 Oct 2017 at 15:42

sesevans said:
No, that would not yet be correct to say that GH will "do everything the google assistant can do on my phone". While it is growing in capabilities it seems every day, there are still gaps that need to be filled.

Keep in mind that when your phone with GA is near your GH, the GH capabilities will automatically take over so if you know that GA can do something now that your GH cannot do yet, adjust your location.

Ok thanks. Can it do things like tell you when next train is due from a particular station etc? Also, can I literally say to it something like "Ok Google, play Radio 4" for it to just stream?

Guessing I need to buy a Chromecast Audio device for it to cast to a bluetooth speaker? Just plugs into the 3.5mm jack right?

Scam · 16 Oct 2017 at 20:53

A Chromecast Audio plugs into the 3.5mm jack yep.

I believe I asked a similar question regarding radio, sounds like that command would work.

sesevans · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:10

Phonesis said:
Ok thanks. Can it do things like tell you when next train is due from a particular station etc? Also, can I literally say to it something like "Ok Google, play Radio 4" for it to just stream?

Guessing I need to buy a Chromecast Audio device for it to cast to a bluetooth speaker? Just plugs into the 3.5mm jack right?

Agree with Scam's last reply to yours. In particular, GH works directly with the ability to just play Radio 4 on your voice command mentioned. I play all my music through GH with my Google Play Music subscription. I simply say, for example, "Hey Google, Play .......(a particular song), or ......(a genre), or ......(an artist) on Google Play Music", or because I have set Google Play Music as my default music service, you can drop out the last words....on Google Play Music. If for example, you use Spotify and set it as your default player, it will play from that source.

You can also set up shortcuts. For example, if ........ is your favourite song, you can set it so it responds to your request for your favourite song.

Another whole new area for me was setting it up to sync my smart home. I use GH to control my smart lights, my Nest smart thermostat and my smart kitchen kettle. I expect it to be linked to Google Hello, the video doorbell, when it arrives on our shores early next year. Shortcuts also allows you to say: Hey Google, turn off all the lights or better, just Goodnight (and the lights turn off).

Yes, GH keeps getting better.

Martini1991 · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:29

I've just bought a Google Home.
How's it meant to be orientated? It feels back to front to me.

I feel like I should see the light as the front, but that's where the power cable is. Surely that should be at the back?

Liquid_Entity · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:31

sloping face toward you. When you speak you see the lights flashing

Martini1991 · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:36

Liquid_Entity said:
sloping face toward you. When you speak you see the lights flashing

But that just feels wrong (In fact to me, because it looks wrong it sounds wrong too). Why have a power light and a google sign for a side that's not meant to be seen?

Liquid_Entity · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:37

It's always on, why do I need to see another LED to tell me it's on. The button the back is a mute button is it not?

edit:hmm maybe I'm doing it wrong then haha

Martini1991 · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:40

Like I say, it's got a "G" sign. It's pointless if that's the back, same with the LED.

I don't understand why the power doesn't go the other way.

Liquid_Entity · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:42

Mine is tucked away on the top of a ikea cabinet so not a major concern but I definitely see your point.

Martini1991 · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:44

It's giving me so much OCD grief

Martini1991 · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:54

The biggest annoyance thus far with the Home was having to give up Tidal and subscribe to Spotify. I needed Tidal for the higher fidelity, however its accessibility was very very poor in comparison.

But having used it for a few hours I'm very happy with the Home. It was an impulse buy so I'll eventually look into getting more smart enabled stuff to interact with.

Liquid_Entity · 16 Oct 2017 at 22:57

I've got Google play music and 3 hive smartbulbs in lounge and both bedrooms. Still getting used to not switching on lights at the wall and shouting at Google instead. Not that useful but is for getting up in mornings or getting in late and needing some low light while not disturbing the missus haha

Martini1991 · 16 Oct 2017 at 23:07

Liquid_Entity said:
I've got Google play music and 3 hive smartbulbs in lounge and both bedrooms. Still getting used to not switching on lights at the wall and shouting at Google instead. Not that useful but is for getting up in mornings or getting in late and needing some low light while not disturbing the missus haha

I wasn't sure what to subscribe to. I'd just paid my Tidal subscription but quickly realised that it wasn't actually usable on the home via command yet, plus with the other annoyances I've got with it I finally let it go.

Liquid_Entity · 17 Oct 2017 at 08:32

sesevans said:
With Halloween fast approaching, Google has come out with a fun thing which you and your kids might enjoy, using your Google Home and any smart lighting in your home that you have set up.

They have added many quizzes and fun Halloween-themed Easter eggs to the Assistant and many voice commands. My favourite is the following voice command:

OK Google, let's get spooky. Check you lights out when this happens and the sounds are.....spooky. Hope you and your young children like it. I have also tried out questions like:

What should I be for Halloween?
Get directions to the nearest pumpkin patch?
How do I get rid of monsters?
Scare me.

Enjoy.

I've asked Google to get spooky and she doesn't understand

Phonesis · 17 Oct 2017 at 09:43

Well had a play with this yesterday and am pretty impressed. Got it tucked away in the corner of my open plan kitchen. Seems to pick my voice up ok even from other side of living space where my dining table is even with music etc on in background. I just did the basic stuff with it but was impressed. Asked it to fire up Radio 4, play a few podcasts, play Spotify, and even asked it how to use a Dishwasher as I was struggling to figure it out (new build). It actually provided some semi useful info! Little did it know I was just being stupid and forgot to turn water supply to it on!

This morning, I walked into kitchen and asked it about my day. Was nice to get a low down of news headlines. Pretty impressive. I can see myself using this a lot just for audio like podcasts and radio. Perfect for kitchen too as I set a timer whilst listening to radio as I cooked. Love way it'll read search result info out to you too. Very convenient.

Martini1991 · 17 Oct 2017 at 17:47

How do I get the google home to cast netflix to my TV's chromecast?

It can't push to android TV using the netflix app on the TV (Despite trying and telling me it can't do it yet) however it's meant to be able to cast to it?

AndyCr15 · 17 Oct 2017 at 18:03

I say 'Hey Google, play 'Stranger Things' on {insert Chromecast name here}' and it starts playing.

Martini1991 · 17 Oct 2017 at 18:31

AndyCr15 said:
I say 'Hey Google, play 'Stranger Things' on {insert Chromecast name here}' and it starts playing.

My TV's got a built in Chromecast, so it's the name of the TV, which is also an android smart TV.
I can get it to do it to the chromecast upstairs, but not the chromecast on my TV, as it tries to do it via android tv.

sesevans · 17 Oct 2017 at 20:54

Sometimes it is helpful to look at Google Home and all of Google's efforts with artificial intelligence, machine learning, design, engineering, etc in terms of the bigger picture of where Google appears to be taking us. We have read about or seen Google smart cars soon to be launched commercially in Phoenix, Google WiFi, Google AI efforts on its devices, Nest smart home devices, Project Wing drones delivering packages in towns in Australia, Google Project Loon internet balloons, etc. What is the grand vision?

Perhaps a glimpse of it was announced today. Google (and its Sidewalk Lab unit) and the City of Toronto have announced a huge project in Toronto's Quayside to build a smart city when has already been nicknamed, Google Island.

The Verge says today: "Google spinoff (Sidewalk Labs) will bring Wi-Fi hubs and other smart city innovations to Toronto." Just in case you were wondering.....

https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/17/16488942/alphabet-sidewalk-labs-toronto-quayside

Phonesis · 18 Oct 2017 at 23:52

I bought a Chromecast Audio and also a new receiver today and didn't even realise it has Chromecast built into it. So I set up a 3 speaker group. It's cool being able to hear music across multiple devices. I was surprised though that you don't appear to be able to tell Google Home to change the cast option. Once it starts playing on, say, speaker 1, you can't do something like then say "Ok Google cast to speaker 2". You have to stop it. Seems doing via phone is best way.