Google Home?

[snorko]

I received a Google Home as a gift and have done nothing with it. I am a bit of an intentional ludite at home and don't really see the point. Anyone have one of these? How have you found it useful?

 

[Vigilant]

Don't even know what that is, but I cannot even access google on my iPad at the moment?

 

[long coat]

I have a Chrome Cast, that's what it was called when it came out & now they call it Home.
I use it to put YouTube or my phone screen onto my projector sometimes. You can also watch Netflix and several other services. We also have a Roku and use it to watch Amazon Video, you can't watch Amazon Video on the Home.

 

[Jludo]

It's not the same as chromecast, It's like Amazon's Alexa. You can do just about anything, 'hey google, play the newest Hardcore history episode' and it'll play a podcast. 'Hey google set an alarm for 6 a.m.'. If you have a smart TV 'hey google put on house of cards' Set up a dominos account and 'hey google, order my usual delivery from dominos'. 'whats on my schedule tomorrow'.

'hey google, put on that episode of black mirror where Jon Hamm clones your consciousness, puts it in an egg and enslaves it to automate your life'

It's more of a, what can you think of asking, than a what can it do thing. I'm rarely home so I don't use mine as much but my brother controls the lights, heater, tv, music, everything with his. It's also a pretty decent little speaker for music.

 

[long coat]

It's not the same as chromecast, It's like Amazon's Alexa. You can do just about anything, 'hey google, play the newest Hardcore history episode' and it'll play a podcast. 'Hey google set an alarm for 6 a.m.'. If you have a smart TV 'hey google put on house of cards' Set up a dominos account and 'hey google, order my usual delivery from dominos'. 'whats on my schedule tomorrow'.

'hey google, put on that episode of black mirror where Jon Hamm clones your consciousness, puts it in an egg and enslaves it to automate your life'

It's more of a, what can you think of asking, than a what can it do thing. I'm rarely home so I don't use mine as much but my brother controls the lights, heater, tv, music, everything with his. It's also a pretty decent little speaker for music.

You're right. Google now calls the Chromecast app Home & I thought they changed the name.

 

[mbills2223]

I have an Amazon Echo Dot...It's a cool novelty. I mostly use it to play music or hear weather for the day. It's decent for hearing news headlines every morning too

 

[indiucky]

It's not the same as chromecast, It's like Amazon's Alexa. You can do just about anything, 'hey google, play the newest Hardcore history episode' and it'll play a podcast. 'Hey google set an alarm for 6 a.m.'. If you have a smart TV 'hey google put on house of cards' Set up a dominos account and 'hey google, order my usual delivery from dominos'. 'whats on my schedule tomorrow'.

'hey google, put on that episode of black mirror where Jon Hamm clones your consciousness, puts it in an egg and enslaves it to automate your life'

It's more of a, what can you think of asking, than a what can it do thing. I'm rarely home so I don't use mine as much but my brother controls the lights, heater, tv, music, everything with his. It's also a pretty decent little speaker for music.

My wife has one of those...It's called a "Honeywouldja"..

"Honeywouldja turn up the thermostat?"

"Honeywouldja make us some dinner?"

"Honeywouldja make me some coffee?"

She's had hers for twenty years and except for a few small rebellions and a busted gut about two years ago it has remained pretty reliable...

"Honeywouldja turn the music down?"

"Honeywouldja grab me a drink?"

"Honeywouldja chnage the channel?"

"Honeywouldja grill tonight?"

 

[eldirector]

Both Amazon and Google use these devices to monitor and record all audio inputs.
https://www.wired.com/2016/12/alexa-and-google-record-your-voice/

They claim that only the audio after the "activation phrase" is recorded and kept. Sure, for now. Both already collect a TON of user data from other sources. Both already modify user agreements pretty routinely to collect more data.

Additionally, both devices can be hacked. Search for "Google Home demon voice". Basically, the device can pick up activation phrases and commands that sound like white noise to the human ear. People have successfully used YoutTube videos to trigger commands on these kinds of devices. Just wait until they are common enough for hacker/cracker/scammer folks to invest some real effort into it.

The thought of "Star Trek" like communication with the computer is pretty neat. I dabbled with this about 20 years ago when Apple was playing with it, and then with apps like Dragon Dictate and others. But, I'm the type of person who disables Location Services on my phone, turns off Cortana on my laptop, and even browses Incognito most of the time. Not quite yet willing to trade the last little bit of my privacy for a little convenience. If I want to play a song, I'll go push "play" myself.

 

[snorko]

Both Amazon and Google use these devices to monitor and record all audio inputs.
https://www.wired.com/2016/12/alexa-and-google-record-your-voice/

They claim that only the audio after the "activation phrase" is recorded and kept. Sure, for now. Both already collect a TON of user data from other sources. Both already modify user agreements pretty routinely to collect more data.

I heard on the news recently of a criminal investigation wherethe local LE has requested from/search warrant sent to Google for the account and archive data for a user that was murdered. The hope is sound of the crime was recorded.

More facinating to me is on the same case, they are putting into evidence data from the crime scene's smart water meter which shows a high water use right around the time of death. Supposition being it is evidence of cleaning up the scene.

 

[eldirector]

Now that you mention that, snorko, I recall it as well. Big dust up over Amazon not wanting to provide the data, and if that meant that they were recording and archiving a lot more than they claimed.

 

[perminator]

i have a google home that talks to a samsung smartthings controller which talks to my thermostat, chromecast, zwave locks lights and my logitech harmony remote hub i can control nearly everything in the house including a/v gearby voice now.