Working off the trend of hands-free help from technology, smart speakers have become all the rage from tech giants hoping to turn the average home into a “smart home.” However, even with the most user-friendly of features, these speakers can be hard to choose between, so see below for the key differences between the two so you can make an informed decision for what suits your home best.
The Good
While both the Amazon Echo and the Google Home are similar in stature and price, they both handle different features in a superior way to the other.
The Echo can:
- Control more around the home such as lights or door locks, and may be useful for busy moms who usually have their hands full or the elderly who could use a helping hand.
- Responds to commands regarding the Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Prime Music Accounts and lets you order products from your Amazon account with just your voice.
The Google Home can:
- Keep you up to date with your Google calendar and Gmail
- Answer questions more efficiently such as, “What’s the weather?” or “What’s the migration pattern of the African Swallow?”
- Control your Google devices such as Chromecast
The Bad
As they both hold their strengths, these smart speakers also come with their own faults such as:
The Echo:
- Is not that great at answering random questions, nor can it help you with your calendar or email accounts
- Can be more complicated to set up, and you often have to repeat your commands
The Google Home:
- Does not control many smart devices around the house, and the few it does can be fickle
- Does not have as many skill options as the Alexa such as reading your social media feed or ordering pizza
The Conclusion
Experts agree that while both smart speakers are fun to have around, they are definitely not a necessity right now. Depending on what you need out of yours, either speaker can add a touch of entertainment and easy living to a hectic home life when needed.