Google will formally announced its Wi-Fi enabled smart home device, Google Home, at its upcoming October 4 press event, according to a new report by Android Police. The device is rumored to cost $129 and the company will sell different color plates so users can personalize the look of Home.
At $129, Google Home would be $50 cheaper than Amazon Echo, which offers a selection of similar services and features to users. Google originally discussed Home at its I/O Conference in May, detailing how users will be able to make voice-enabled Google searches, manage everyday tasks, enjoy music and entertainment, and more using hands-free "OK Google" voice commands.
Continuing in the vein of other smart home speakers, Home can play and control music, sync with various online services that provide traffic reports and weather forecasts, and interact with other smart home products like Nest. It's believed that Google could use a version of its intelligent chat AI Google Assistant -- which it uses in Allo -- to fuel Home's voice-control abilities.
The October 4 event is thought to be the launch pad of a few other Google products, including the $69 Chromecast Ultra (with 4K and HDR streaming), a new Daydream VR headset, and the company's new lineup of Android phones.
The connected smart home speaker device is slowly becoming a popular platform following Amazon's success with Echo and Echo Dot. Apple is rumored to be entering the space with a Siri-enabled alternative, which might have facial recognition but is otherwise thought to offer many of the same search inquiries, music listening, and voice assistant features of Echo and Home.
Recent reports have placed the device in prototype testing, which could mean it's between six months and a year from making it to market, but because Apple hasn't officially finalized any plans it "could still scrap the project."
Top Rated Comments
If I had a device like that, I'd like it to be Google powered so I can yell random stuff like "Hey when does the new season of The Walking Dead start?" and get a useful response. That example was actually from yesterday. I asked the Google app and it responded "The Walking Dead returns to AMC Sunday, October 23 9/8 c". I asked Siri the exact same question and she responded "Unfortunately, TV shows are not available on the iTunes Store in your country" (Sweden). That response sums up everything I hate about Siri - limited, lazy, uncreative and shamelessly Apple-centric ("sorry, there's no money for Apple in your request so we're not wasting any further bandwidth on it, go pester someone else, foreign peasant".)
/wife reads quote over shoulder
/explains sarcasm
:oops:
/goes back to Yahoo! comment section
Bengahzi? Bengahzi!! You don't know what the...
"Granny Smith."
"Yes, dearie?"
"What's the weather going to be like today?"
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