While the Amazon Echo has become a household name in the smart home sphere, Google Home (our review) isn't far behind. The Alexa-powered Echo has had more time to mature as a platform. But if you invest more in the Google ecosystem, you have an extremely fun and capable device in the Home to put to work. It even has some advantages over the Echo, like support for multiple users based solely on their voices.
Let us walk you through the basics of Google Home, how to work with its commands out of the box, and show you how to add new skills. Even without separate smart home technology, you'll get more from your Google Home with these tips.
Google Home is Google's smart speaker. It is powered by Google Assistant, just like Android phones. Using only his voice, you can ask him questions and give him orders. You can ask him anything:how far is the moon from the earth, how do you say Hello in French, or even order it to set a timer for 10 minutes.
Home can do a lot on its own, but it becomes a hundred times more powerful when connected to other services. Link it with your Spotify account and you can start your playlists on demand. If you have Philips Hue smart lights 6 ways to make Philips Hue lights more useful 6 ways to make Philips Hue lights more useful Read More You can even cast a Netflix show to your Chromecast without even touching a remote. And with IFTTT integration 10 Of The Best IFTTT Recipes For Smart Home Automation 10 Of The Best IFTTT Recipes For Smart Home Automation The right IFTTT recipes for your smart home can save you time, effort, and energy. Here are ten of our favorites to get you started. Read More
Google Home is easy to set up. Plug it into a power outlet with the included cable, then download the Google Home app for Android or iOS. Follow the initial steps, then the app will automatically detect your new Home and guide you through the procedure to get your device online and connect to your account.
That's all it takes! Once done, welcome to the world of Google Home.
Do you have everything ready? Let's discuss some of the basic commands you can give your Google Home. You don't need to connect any account (other than your Google account) or use services for phrases like these. Remember that each command must start with “Okay Google ” or “Hey google “:
All of the above commands work as soon as your Google Home Page has gone through setup. But you can go even further by adding some services for additional functionality. Interestingly, you don't actually have to explicitly add these integrations like you do with the Echo. Google Home natively supports them, but the Assistant doesn't actually handle them.
Instead, when you request a service, your Google Home Page will let you talk to the bot for that particular app. You will hear a different voice and it works with a new set of commands. This allows developers to focus on their own services, while Google Home simply connects you with the right skill. It's a bit confusing at first, but as long as you know what service you're talking to, you'll be fine.
Google Home supports some smart home services on its own. To connect them, open the Home app on your phone. You should be using the Google Home app and this is why you should be using the Google Home app and the reason is that the Google Home app is the only app you need to control a large number of smart homes. Gadgets and settings. Browse like a pro with these tips! Read More Choose Home control , Then add devices and accounts as desired.
Say “Play videos about Overwatch on the bedroom tv ” to turn on YouTube on your Chromecast and find videos on that topic. Try turn off the lights to dim your Philips Hue bulbs. Ask Your Nest 3 Awesome Nest Thermostat Features You're Probably Not Using 3 Awesome Nest Thermostat Features You're Probably Not Using The Nest Thermostat has been a smart home staple for some time, but even the people who use it have purchased may not be fully aware of how powerful this little gadget really is. Read more What is the temperature set at? or make it warmer here to adjust the thermostat.
To browse other third-party services, connect them by opening the Home app, opening the menu on the left, and selecting More settings> Services . For example, if you link your Todoist account, you can ask questions like “Ask Todoist what I have to pay today? ” or “Tell Todoist to add a task to pick up dry cleaning today at 3 PM.”
If there is any functionality that you think is missing, go to the Google Assistant IFTTT page. Here you will find hundreds of applets ready to expand what your Home can do, or you can make your own. Try some of these to get started:
To take advantage of these, you will need to create a free IFTTT account. Read our guide to getting started with IFTTT IFTTT applets are finally here:What you need to know IFTTT applets are finally here:What you need to know Now, you can connect various applications with IFTTT applets. Find out everything you need to know about them and improve your productivity. Read further for more information.
We've laid out the basics of using Google Home for beginners, but there are some risks to consider if you're thinking of buying one or just own one. All Privacy Concerns Are Here With Smart Speakers 5 Reasons To Avoid Smart Assistants If You Value Your Privacy 5 Reasons To Avoid Smart Assistants If You Value Your Privacy So, you've bought a new speaker-based smart assistant and you're proudly sitting on the center of your coffee table. But what security risks and privacy issues are you exposing yourself to now? Read More Because the Home is always listening. “Okay Google ,” some of the background noise is almost certainly kept by Google. Paying the world's largest advertising company to put an always-on microphone in your home is certainly puzzling to some.
While you can remove past Google Home commands, easily find and remove past Google Home commands. Find and remove past Google Home commands. Google Home collects your information to personalize its services, but this may also put your privacy at risk. Follow these steps to customize what information Google saves and what it discards. Read More If someone hacked into your device, or a member of your family opened your phone and examined this data, it could leak sensitive information. Perhaps you've been looking for information you'd rather keep private, or accidentally sent embarrassing content to your Chromecast for all to see. 4 Chromecast Mistakes That Could Be Embarrassing Or Worse 4 Chromecast Mistakes That Could Be Embarrassing Or Worse about Chromecast is that it's simple, fast, and easy to use. However, as you will see, this is also your Achilles heel when it comes to privacy... Read More .
It's up to you whether the benefits of using a Google home page outweigh the privacy risks. If you're already using a Google account, the company knows a lot about you anyway. But adding a microphone to the mix might be a step too far. Those who are not comfortable with this should avoid starting Google.
Google Home is a clean device that brings voice control to the masses. Even your grandparents or someone who struggles with using a smartphone or PC can get instant information with it. Whether you just want to hear the weather and play music, or connect with every smart device you can think of, there's something great for you to enjoy with Google Home. And it's always getting better..
Don't let your Google Home experience stop now. See how to use it as a futuristic entertainment system How to use Google Home as a futuristic entertainment system How to use Google Home as a futuristic entertainment system Using Google Home's voice control, you can start a Netflix TV show, a list of Play Spotify or your latest movie rental without having to pick up a remote. Read More Google Home voice controls:The future of home shopping? Google Home wants to give the Amazon Echo a run for its money when it comes to letting you shop without lifting a finger, but is it ready to take over the online shopping market? Read more.
And before you share private details with your digital assistant, protect your privacy and secure your Google Home device 5 Essential Tips to Secure Your Google Home Device 5 Essential Tips to Secure Your Google Home Device Using a Google Home Smart Voice Assistant but worried about the data record in privacy? Secure your data with these five steps. Read more.
