(ThyBlackMan.com) Thinking of buying a smart speaker? If you are in the market looking for a smart speaker, you will have to weigh the pros and cons. Amazon Echo and Google Home, both are giving each other a hard time and this, in turn, is confusing the customers as to decide which one is the best among the two devices out there.
The two biggest names in the tech industry, Amazon Echo and Google Home, which one of them will find a way to your home? We can hopefully help with the confusion here. Amazon Echo and Google Home are very polished smart speakers and the latest features available in these devices are making it more complex as to where a buyer should be investing the money. Although both devices offer an amazing smart home experience, the following comparisons might help you to decide which one is the best for you.
Alexa Vs Google Assistant
Both Amazon and Google have developed their own smart voice assistants. Google Assistant is easier to use and more fluid than Alexa. Google can interpret random combinations of words and gives a more useful response. For Amazon Echo, you need to remember Alexa’s phrases to find more obscure information sources.
Design
Amazon Echo and Google Home are cylindrically shaped speakers but they have their own unique design elements and style. The third-generation Amazon Echo has rounded corners and features a fabric that covers the entire speaker and is available in a variety of colors, such as charcoal, grey, sandstone and some more. At the top of the Echo, you will find manual buttons to turn the microphone on and off. Indicator lights are also present that light up the ring at the top when you say “Alexa”. On top of the Amazon Echo, you will also find volume controls, a mute button for the microphone and a power button.
In Google Home, the first thing you will notice is an attractive design. It has a slanted touch-sensitive top for quick controls. The white area at the top has LED lights that let you know that the gadget is on. There is a mute button on the back to turn the Assistant off when you don’t need it. Google Home is a compact and interesting device. The speaker comes with a grey bottom, but you can get it in other colors too including a nice coral or copper.
Features and specifications
Both Amazon Echo and Google Home come with a wide range of smart features that allow control via the Smart digital Assistants – Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Both devices allow you to give voice commands to find what you need and when you need it. They also recognize commands to turn the thermostat up or down, turning on the lights, lock a door and much more. They both work in sync with today’s popular products such as Philips Hue lights, Nest thermostats and many more.
Both Alexa and Google Assistant can connect to third-party services, but Alexa may have an edge over Google when it comes to smart home connectivity. If you own an Android phone, it is better to go for Google Home. If you don’t, then Alexa will work better for you.
For audio, both speakers can play music, podcasts, audiobooks and many other types of audio. Google is better with accents and languages, so here it has an edge over the Echo if you live in a multilingual household.
Price tag and availability
Both Amazon Echo and Google Home are now available at affordable prices in the market.
The Amazon Echo is available for $99.99 whereas Google Home is typically available for $129. Amazon Echo is available on various platforms including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart and elsewhere. Google Home is available now at Walmart for $99.
So which is better? Google Home or Amazon Echo? It depends. If you are an Android user and want to stick to the Google ecosystem, you should prefer the Google Home, and if not, then you should go with Amazon Echo that supports Apple Music and has a little better quality of sound than Google Home.
Staff Writer; Corey Shaw
Have any Tech Tips? News? Hit up our Tech Guru at; CoreyS@ThyBlackMan.com
