First Alert? So if you say Hey Google I've fallen and I can't get up?
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-philly-comp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-philly-comp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Goldfield
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2017 6:56 PM
To: Philadelphia Computer Users Group for the Blind and Visually Impaired
<blind-philly-comp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-philly-comp] From CNet: Google Home welcomes 12 new partners in
big smart home update
cnet.com
Google Home welcomes 12 new partners in big smart home update Andrew Gebhart
The Google Home is at last starting to fulfill its potential in the smart home.
With a dozen new companies announcing integrations with its platform, the
search giant has dramatically increased what its smart speaker can do.
Starting today, for most of these new additions, you'll be able to give a voice
command to the Google Assistant built into the Google Home smart speaker and
control devices from these 12 companies:
• August
• Lifx
• Wink
• Rachio
• TP-Link
• First Alert
• Vivint
• Best Buy Insignia
• Frigidaire
• Anova
• Geeni
• Logitech Harmony
It's the first major update to Google's smart speaker since it launched last
November. Back then, the Home worked with four platforms: Nest, Philips Hue,
SmartThings and IFTTT. As a result, the Home was well behind its chief
competitor -- the Amazon Echo -- when it came to controlling the smart home.
Since then, Google's new partner announcements have included a few at CES in
January, as well as Belkin WeMo lighting products and Honeywell connected
thermostats a few weeks after that.
Say the wake words "Hey, Google" or "OK, Google" and you can issue a command to
the Home without needing to hit any buttons.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
This announcement doesn't quite even the playing field with Amazon, since
Amazon's assistant Alexa now has more than 10,000 "skills" -- essentially
third-party apps for voice control. Still, it's a big push in the right
direction that includes many popular smart home products.
It also expands Google Home's abilities into new territory. Previously, the
Google Assistant only worked with lights, plugs, switches, thermostats and
recently robot vacuums. Today's announcement includes locks, sprinklers, an air
conditioner, a sous vide cooker and even a professionally installed smart home
system. It comes hot on the heels of the news that the Home is coming to the UK
and Europe in April.
Google promised a push of this sort back in December of last year, when the
company announced it'd be expanding Weave -- the language Google's devices use
to speak to each other. Now, that promise is coming to fruition.
What we know about these new integrations Ask Google to lock your door.
Chris Monroe/CNET
August
This is the first lock to work with Google Home. You'll be able to ask the
Google assistant to lock your door or check on the status of the lock. Unlike
with Alexa, you won't be able to ask Google to unlock your door. August has
promised that feature for Google later this year. With Alexa, unlocking the
door requires you to say a PIN code. We'll see what extra security measures
August puts into place for the Google Home when the time comes.
For now, you can control both the first- and second-generation August locks
with the Google Assistant as long as you also have the August Connect Wi-Fi
Bridge. August now works with Alexa, Apple's HomeKit and Google Home.
Lifx
Just like with Philips Hue bulbs, you'll now be able to turn your Lifx bulbs on
or off, adjust their brightness and change their color with a voice command to
the Home. Unlike Philips Hue, Lifx bulbs don't require a hub to connect to the
internet. Install your bulbs, link your account in the Google Home app and give
your command. Lifx bulbs also work with Alexa, and will soon work with HomeKit.
Control any lighting devices or thermostats you have connected to your Wink Hub.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
Wink
All Wink-compatible lighting products and thermostats will now work with the
Google Home. Wink's lighting products include bulbs, switches, dimmers and
outlets. Wink joins SmartThings as the second major smart home platform to work
with Google. Wink currently works with Alexa as well, but not HomeKit.
Rachio
Another new trick for the Google Home, you'll now be able to turn on your
garden sprinklers with your voice. The Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller
connects to your home's Wi-Fi and monitors the weather to help you water more
efficiently. Rachio can control up to 16 zones of in-ground sprinklers, and now
you'll be able to command Google to turn those sprinklers on or off or set a
weather delay. Rachio works with Alexa as well.
Change the color of your TP-Link bulbs with the Google Home.
Chris Monroe/CNET
TP-Link
Expanding Google's repertoire of bulbs and switches, you'll be able to control
any of TP-Link's lighting products with your voice as well. With TP-Link's
bulbs, you can change the color, dim the bulbs and turn the lights on and off
with your voice. TP-Link even specified the colors you can pick with a voice
command: yellow, red, blue, purple, orange, green and pink. Like the rest of
these partners so far, TP-Link works with Alexa.
Vivint
Unlike the rest of the items on the list, you won't be able to take advantage
of Vivint's new integration with the Google Home today -- it's due to launch in
April. Vivint's also the only item on the list that is a professionally
installed, whole-home smart system as opposed to individual do-it-yourself
options.
Thanks to Vivint's customized setups, Google Home will be able to control types
of gadgets not yet available on the DIY front -- including cameras, security
systems and garage doors. Pick your package of choice for professional
installation, and you'll be able to do the basics with Google's smart speaker
as well -- such as controlling lights, locks and thermostats. Vivint offers
similar capabilities through packages that include an Amazon Echo.
Best Buy Insignia
Plug your fan or lamp into the Best Buy Insignia Wi-Fi Smart Plug, and you'll
be able to turn it on or off with your voice. As with the rest of Google Home's
compatible smart plugs, Insignia also has an Alexa skill.
Frigidaire
Perhaps making use of Google's existing ability to control the temp via a
thermostat, the Frigidaire Cool Connect will let the Google Home keep your
place cool. Using your voice, you'll be able to control the temperature
settings on Frigidaire's smart air conditioner. You'll also be able to set the
fan speed and ask Google about the Cool Connect's current settings. Frigidaire
does have a skill enabling similar controls with Amazon's assistant Alexa.
Use your voice to cook a steak.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
Anova
With the Anova Precision Cooker Bluetooth + Wi-Fi, you can make your sous vide
cooking even more high tech with the Google Home. Just like with Anova's Alexa
skill, you can use your voice to set the temperature, check the status of your
cooker and even search for recipes. Anova expects its Google Home integration
to be ready by early next week.
Geeni
Bringing even more smart lighting products to the table, you'll be able to
control Geeni's smart switches and bulbs with Google Home, just like you can
with Geeni's Alexa skill.
First Alert
With the First Alert Wi-Fi Thermostat, Google now offers another option for
controlling your temperature with your voice. Similar to First Alert's Alexa
skill, you'll be able to set and check on the temperature with the Google
Assistant.
Logitech Harmony
You could already control your TV to an extent with Google Home and Google's
Chromecast. Logitech Harmony brings lots of extra talents to Google's digital
entertainment repertoire. By creating activities in the Logitech app, you'll be
able to tell Google to turn on Netflix, or switch to a specific channel. You'll
need to start each command with "OK, Google, ask Harmony to..." though I'd
expect Google and Logitech to offer more flexible and intuitive commands soon.
Logitech's compatible hubs -- the Harmony Hub, Harmony Companion and Harmony
Elite -- also control a variety of third-party smart home devices, so you'll be
able to dim the lights, turn on your speakers and launch the HBO app all with a
customized command such as, "Hey, Google, ask Harmony to turn on movie time."
Logitech has a similar set of skills you can enable with Amazon's Alexa.
Finally gaining ground
Since all of Google's new partnerships are already tied to Alexa, Google's
obviously still playing catch up. Today, though, Google took a sizable chunk
out of Alexa's lead.
The Google Assistant built into the Home also responds to more flexible
language than Amazon's Alexa. Because of that, and thanks to all of these new
integrations, Google is already nipping at Amazon's heels in the smart home,
despite the Echo's two-year head start.
--
David Goldfield, Assistive Technology Specialist Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info You are invited to visit the moderator's Web site at
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info for additional resources and information about
assistive technology training services.
To unsubscribe from this list, please email
blind-philly-comp-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the
subject line.
To subscribe from another email address, send email to
blind-philly-comp-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word subscribe in the subject
line.
To contact the list administrator, please email
blind-philly-comp-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
You are invited to visit the moderator's Web site at WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info
for additional resources and information about assistive technology training
services.
To unsubscribe from this list, please email
blind-philly-comp-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the
subject line.
To subscribe from another email address, send email to
blind-philly-comp-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word subscribe in the subject
line.
To contact the list administrator, please email
blind-philly-comp-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
