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Google Home or Alexa?

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  • 21-10-2017 10:16pm
    #1
    tipperary
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭


    Looking to get a home assistant and trying to decide between Google Home and Alexa.
    The main requirement is for the setup to be user friendly, so that my wife and children will be able to use it without having to remember precise phrases. Ideally the system should work well with Irish services (weather and radio stations mainly).
    I am looking to develop our smart home infrastructure. We currently have an owl intuition heating system, which can be controlled by UDP commands, which apparently work with HA Bridge. I am also looking to invest in the xiaomi aqara light switches for outside lights so want something that can work with that.
    From what I have seen the google home system is easier to use (can work with 'conversational' commands), but does not have the wide support yet that Alexa has.
    Any advice on which system would best suit our needs?


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    #2
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,571 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    tipperary wrote: »
    The main requirement is for the setup to be user friendly, so that my wife and children will be able to use it without having to remember precise phrases. Ideally the system should work well with Irish services (weather and radio stations mainly).

    Google Home, it is much better for the above purposes IME (I have both).
    tipperary wrote: »
    I am looking to develop our smart home infrastructure. We currently have an owl intuition heating system, which can be controlled by UDP commands, which apparently work with HA Bridge. I am also looking to invest in the xiaomi aqara light switches for outside lights so want something that can work with that.

    Sounds like you will want to set up Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi or similar.
    tipperary wrote: »
    From what I have seen the google home system is easier to use (can work with 'conversational' commands), but does not have the wide support yet that Alexa has.

    That was the case when GHome first launched, as Alexa had been out a year longer. But now GHome has quickly caught up and it seems like the vast majority of HA gear now supports GHome too. Everything in my home does anyway.

    And in fact, the support now seems better then Alexa. For instance I've a Netatmo Thermostat, it's support has always been quiet buggy on Alexa, but it is perfect and easy to use on GHome.


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    #3
    matrim
    Registered Users Posts: 7,517 ✭✭✭matrim


    bk wrote: »
    Sounds like you will want to set up Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi or similar.

    The latest (0.56) version of Home Assistant now supports direct integration with Google Assistant.

    Although, it does involve a bit of work to setup, including having your instance accessible from the Internet.


    I think there is also alexa integration but don't have one so haven't looked into it.


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    #4
    tipperary
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭tipperary


    Thanks all for your help. Have ordered the Google home so looking forward to getting it setup.
    Had a look at home assistant also, but as you say there is a bit of setting up involved, and am a bit wary of opening my instance of ha up to the outside world particularly with my level of expertise.
    Think I'll have a go at setting up tasker with the voice assistant add-on. Can repurpose an old phone for now, and maybe set it up on a cheap tablet in the future.
    Looking forward to getting it all setup!


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    #5
    mrsWhippy
    Registered Users Posts: 673 ✭✭✭mrsWhippy


    How many of the Google Home units do you need, realistically? Is one in the kitchen enough, or do you need a second one upstairs? Can it hear you across rooms?

    Thanks


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    #6
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,571 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    mrsWhippy wrote: »
    How many of the Google Home units do you need, realistically? Is one in the kitchen enough, or do you need a second one upstairs? Can it hear you across rooms?

    Thanks

    For the most part, they wouldn't hear you across rooms. Well they might if you have the doors open, etc. but that is a bit of a pain.

    Also you would want more if you are using them to play music.

    Having said that, nothing stopping you just getting one and trying it and then getting more in future if you need it.


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    #7
    matrim
    Registered Users Posts: 7,517 ✭✭✭matrim


    mrsWhippy wrote: »
    How many of the Google Home units do you need, realistically? Is one in the kitchen enough, or do you need a second one upstairs? Can it hear you across rooms?

    Thanks

    I found that it doesn't work across rooms for me but it does for my Fiancée who has a clearer (and louder) voice.


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    #8
    OldBean
    Registered Users Posts: 1,407 ✭✭✭OldBean


    mrsWhippy wrote: »
    How many of the Google Home units do you need, realistically? Is one in the kitchen enough, or do you need a second one upstairs? Can it hear you across rooms?

    Thanks
    I think it depends on what you want them for - if it's random questions, reminders, playing music or using chromecast then I'd say just get one. If you're using it for controlling lights, etc then definitely more, in every space it'd be used.


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    #9
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,543 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    mrsWhippy wrote: »
    How many of the Google Home units do you need, realistically? Is one in the kitchen enough, or do you need a second one upstairs? Can it hear you across rooms?

    Thanks


    I have three google homes and two minis on the way.

    1 home in the kitchen, on in the master bedroom, and my daughter also has one. We placed these based on where we wanted both music and google assistant.

    The two minis, one is for the den which is next to the kitchen. We don't need music in this room, and find tje kitchen home is too far away and we end up shouting at it.

    The second mini is for my son, who wanted it for his room, and he has a good Bluetooth speaker as well if he wants to hook it up for music.

    I can see me getting at least two more minis, one for a loving room and the other for home office.


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    #10
    flangemeistro
    Registered Users Posts: 1,692 ✭✭✭flangemeistro


    wexfordman2 wrote: »
    I have three google homes and two minis on the way.

    1 home in the kitchen, on in the master bedroom, and my daughter also has one. We placed these based on where we wanted both music and google assistant.

    The two minis, one is for the den which is next to the kitchen. We don't need music in this room, and find tje kitchen home is too far away and we end up shouting at it.

    The second mini is for my son, who wanted it for his room, and he has a good Bluetooth speaker as well if he wants to hook it up for music.

    I can see me getting at least two more minis, one for a loving room and the other for home office.
    I thought I read somewhere that you can't connect a mini to a Bluetooth speaker and that was the one advantage the Echo Dot had over it?


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    #11
    eamonnq
    Registered Users Posts: 4,009 ✭✭✭eamonnq


    wexfordman2 wrote: »

    I can see me getting at least two more minis, one for a loving room and the other for home office.

    Fancy!! :D


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    #12
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,571 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    flangemeistro wrote: »
    I thought I read somewhere that you can't connect a mini to a Bluetooth speaker and that was the one advantage the Echo Dot had over it?

    Yes, not directly, you have to use Chromecast Audio. Though the mini does have bluetooth harder and rumour has it that they might be working on adding support.


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    #13
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,543 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    flangemeistro wrote: »
    I thought I read somewhere that you can't connect a mini to a Bluetooth speaker and that was the one advantage the Echo Dot had over it?

    Yep, just figured that one out :-(


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    #14
    Stoner
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 10,952 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    Google home has closed the gap on compatibility alright.

    Have to say the Echo Plus looks good.
    Big speaker
    Audio out
    Zigbee on board.

    I've three Google homes and one dot.
    Was thinking of a echo plus on my amp. On a smart socket to kill it's ears when needed.


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    #15
    kenmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,276 ✭✭✭kenmc


    where's the best (cheapest legit) place to get a google home in ireland (or at least shipped to ireland)?
    thanks


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    #16
    Kintarō Hattori
    Registered Users Posts: 14,974 ✭✭✭✭Kintarō Hattori


    kenmc wrote: »
    where's the best (cheapest legit) place to get a google home in ireland (or at least shipped to ireland)?
    thanks

    I ordered from Google UK last Wednesday and it arrived to Parcel Motel on the Friday morning. It was £49.99 on the UK store and then a few Euro to PM for their service.


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    #17
    brendanb586
    Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭brendanb586


    Kintarō Hattori wrote: »
    I ordered from Google UK last Wednesday and it arrived to Parcel Motel on the Friday morning. It was £49.99 on the UK store and then a few Euro to PM for their service.

    No problem ordering off the UK store, currently £79/£34 for the mini. It's a pain that you have to use parcelmotel/addresspal and then put in the UK address only to see that they are dispatched from Dublin! But I suppose that's like Amazon - happy to base themselves here, but screw you if you want to buy from them.


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    #18
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,571 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    brendanb586 wrote: »
    No problem ordering off the UK store, currently £79/£34 for the mini. It's a pain that you have to use parcelmotel/addresspal and then put in the UK address only to see that they are dispatched from Dublin! But I suppose that's like Amazon - happy to base themselves here, but screw you if you want to buy from them.

    Apple too, European HQ here and no Apple store!

    Also loads of folks working at Google here. Though I will say in fairness, at least on the software/services side, Google are very quick and good to rollout services like Google Maps, etc. here. Better then any of the other companies. ONe of the reasons why the GHome works so well here.


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    #19
    Nikond800
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭Nikond800


    Hi there. Just wondering can you call america for free using the home mini? I know it's available in some countries. Just wondering if they have it activated for Ireland yet?


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