Getting artificial intelligence into our lives is a pretty big priority for more than a few companies out there. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and all of the other companies that plan on launching some form of an AI in bot form, they all want you to use the technology quite a bit. Google and Amazon are among the few that are really pushing forward in interesting ways, especially with in-home standalone products.
For Amazon, it's the Echo -- and Echo Dot. Both of these devices give you access to Alexa, Amazon's digital personal assistant, and also a wide range of other third-party services, too. That's one of the major strengths of the Echo. The third-party support for Amazon's in-home assistant is already great, and it's getting better all the time.
Google Home is Google's answer for the Echo, and it does much of the same things that the Echo does. It's a speaker, one that can be customized to match your home's interior, too, but it's also packing in Google Assistant, the advanced assistant that really started to take shape with Google Now.
Apple has Siri, and Microsoft has Cortana. And there are plenty of different companies that have bots that are more than willing to engage in stilted conversation with you as you sift through brands and products.
We're not quite into a science-fiction story just yet, but we're obviously moving in that direction.
I have managed to stay away from Amazon's Echo, but I can't say the same thing for Google Home. I went out and picked one up almost immediately after it became available, and my time with the device has been pretty great so far. Just turning it on for the first time and going through the motions to set it up, and then, ultimately, simply being able to ask to start playing some music was all pretty amazing.
Talking to an inanimate object has never been so fun.
I never picked up an Echo for a simple reason: Aside from Amazon Video, I'm not invested in the digital storefront's other options. I don't even really shop from Amazon all that often. So going with the Echo just didn't seem to make any sense.
And then a friend of mine told me about what my Audible subscription gets me (something I very, very rarely ever use), and the Echo is starting to look pretty appealing. Not even for me, really, but instead for my kids. The fact that the Echo can read an audio book to them while they play is pretty great, and it's something I'm looking into getting for them.
I still don't know if the Echo is the right in-home smart speaker for me, but Home is at least making a case for me not necessarily needing one, but certainly wanting one. I may have to give both a shot at the same time, and see which one I prefer before making a decision.
Where do you stand when it comes to these products? Do you already own an Echo or a Home? If you have been considering one, which device do you think you're leaning towards, and why? Let me know!
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