The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Google Home
What is Google Home?
Google Home is a wireless speaker with voice commands, where you talk to an intelligent agent powered by Google Assistant. The device is about the size and shape of a candle holder in white. It plugs into the mains and needs a Wi-Fi connection to work. It has microphones, the speakers, and access to Google Search and one Google account you connect it to.
Google Home lives in the cloud and has been updated steadily since release. As long as you have your Google Home connected and have the Google Homeapp, you can utilize a wide range of voice commands that can access news, weather and smart home features.
What can Google Home do for you?
While initially a Bluetooth speaker, the Google Home does much more. You can ask Google Home to wake you up in the morning, set a reminder for something, order pizza, listen to music or an audiobook, and control aspects of a smart home like lights or your Nest thermometer.
Google Home also supports third-party ‘actions’ which are voice apps from other developers that add even more breadth to the device. Some of them include reading your twitter feed out loud, streaming Spotify, ordering a ride from Uber, ordering takeout and much more.
Which is better — Amazon Alexa or Google Home?
They’re both really good and we at Starbutter have multiple devices of both and think you can go either away. Read this article for a comparison between Google Home and Amazon Echo/Alexa. Most super-users are split, but we think Google Home is slightly better as it has a better artificial intelligence agent so it can answer more questions, and the form factor (look and feel) is slightly better.
Where do I buy Google Home?
The Google Store, Target, Best Buy, Jet.com, ABT electronics. Amazon does *not* sell it.
How much does Google Home cost?
$129, plus shipping and handling and tax.
How do I install Google Home?
a) Take it out of the box, and plug it in.
b) Download the Google Home app on your Android or IOS device.
c) Follow the app’s instructions. You will need some sort of Google account already set up (a gmail account), and access to a wifi that your device and the Home can both work off (a wifi network name and password).
d) Setup takes 5 to 15 minutes (depending on whether you breeze through it or take time).
What’s the best place to put Google Home?
It depends — whatever place you think you will be the most in your home and so use it the most. That will either be the living room, kitchen, or a bedroom.
What can Google Home do — what are the top built-in actions of Google Home?
Google Home is really good at giving you a daily flash briefing, called “My Day”, that can tell you the weather, traffic, and news feeds you customize for it. It is also good at playing music from your streaming accounts (Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, etc.), and setting up alarm clocks and timers. It can read you your daily calendar, and also control other compatible devices in your home (your Nest Thermostat or a Phillips light bulb).
What are other really useful things to do with Google Home?
- You can ask any question you would normally type into a Google Search and get an answer spoken out.
- Quick News from BBC or NPR: “OK Google, ask BBC for the World News.”
- Dominos: You can ask it do simple things like order a pizza on Dominos. “Ok Google, ask Dominoes to order me some pizza” (you need to first set up an account on the Dominoes app or website and then connect it to Google home).
- Anchor: You can use this to listen to stories. “OK Google, ask Anchor for a story.”
Why is Google Home so cool?
Let me give you an example of why I think Google Home is so cool.
Me: ‘Ok Google, add item to my schedule.’
Google Home: ‘Okay, when?’
Me: ‘Three o’clock’.
Google Home: ‘Okay, on what day?’
Me: ‘Today.’
Google Home: ‘What is the item?’
Me: ‘Take dog to vets.’
Google Home: ‘Okay, I have added take dog to vets for three pm today.’
Me: ‘Google Home, play Spotify playlist.’
Music starts.
Me: ‘Google Home, what’s the weather like?’
Google Home: ‘The weather in Berkeley today is cool with a 60% chance of rain — consider taking an umbrella.’
That is just the beginning.
Ten neat voice interactions for Google Home
Here are my personal top ten voice interactions for Google Home.
1. Ok Google, did the Warriors win?
2. Ok Google, play Spotify.
3. Ok Google, set timer for 15 minutes.
4. Ok Google, start 7 minute workout.
5. Ok Google, what’s traffic like right now?
6. Ok Google, turn on the room’s light. (need to have a LIFX smart light connected)
7. Ok Google, ask Dominos to send me a pizza.
8. Ok Google,, what’s on my calendar today?
9. Ok Google,, what restaurants are nearby?
10. Ok Google, how do I say “I love you” in Italian?
The dark side — Privacy concerns with Google Home
It is important to note that if you buy and use Google Home, you are living with a device that listens to everything you say. You can of course switch the microphone or the device off; it’s an easy button to push. But it’s easy to forget you are being monitored. Google Home listens to your voice to learn how to better understand you and while there is absolutely no indication that either Google Home or the government cares about your conversations, you are clearly giving up your privacy for convenience, and this is a very personal issue. I honestly only trust 3 large tech companies to keep my data secure from outsiders and the government: Apple, Google, and Amazon. Still, it’s a real risk — don’t keep Google Home in a room where you have really private conversations.
