Home Is Where The Voice Search Is
Home provides a house for Google’s aptly-named Google Assistant. Introduced alongside the company’s chat app Allo, the Assistant received an encore with the release of Google’s Pixel. But what exactly can it do? For now, neither assistant will help you send a text or place a phone call, but that functionality is “a feature the team is working on” for Home, Google tells Popular Science. If you want to feel you’re in control of your little robotic assistant, Alexa might hold the advantage for now: Alexa’s skill set may be limited, but users can design their own skills and functions for the device.
Signature Moves
Google Home’s integration with Google services may not expand to your Android phone (yet) but it does reach Chromecast. Ask Google Home to play something off of Youtube and your Chromecast-equipped TV will respond accordingly. We couldn’t get Home to do the same with video from Netflix, HBO Go or other services, but hopefully that will change soon.
Final Word
And for Android phone users, the hope of things yet to come may be reason enough to stay close to home and pick the Home. With better integration with the company’s phones on the way, you may one day find yourself wanting to call or text using Google Assistant. If so, Home may be the right always-listening base station to go with.
