I already had a Google Home but bought myself 2 more on Black Friday. Then I bought more for my father-in-law and my old roommate. All hail our Google overlords!!
Technically no, but…
I got a duplicate video game as a gift, and couldn’t think if anything else I wanted at best buy so I just got a Google home mini.
I mostly use it as a remote to skip the opening credits of shows on Netflix via the chromecast…
I just bought a Google Home Mini and find it great for grabbing quick morning news, playing mood music, and asking odd questions that might pop in my head without having to break out the phone or walk to the computer. Also good for asking the time when waking up in the middle of the night.
God no. I beta tested a wide variety of Alexa devices and apps, and have given Ok Google plenty of chances…I simple don’t care to control things with my voice, I don’t like having them listening to me all the time, AND anything I might want to request via an assistant it more easily done by keyboard/mouse.
I got a set of 4 Phillips Hue lights + hub, which works with Smart Home assistants. I like using it with SmartThings to change to my teams color when a game starts, or flash the lights when they score etc.
How about “No, I not only don’t plan to voluntarily bug my home and give access to all my internet activity, any more than I plan to send my DNA to a “service” that will tell me my ancestry, then send my DNA…where?”
Hey, I am no conspiracy theorist but I’ll pass on bugging my house.
I finally set up the Google Home I bought from Meh months ago during Christmas to use to play music. That’s all I’ve found to do with it so far, I can’t make it talk to the stupid smart bulbs.
@communist Sengled brand. I bought a 4pack on a flash sale at Amazon at Christmas at a great price because they work with Home and missed where it clearly said they needed a hub. So I ordered the hub. Installed the two bulbs that came with the hub, one was easy, the other a little harder but they work fine with the Sengled app. Cannot get the Sengled app to recognize the first bulbs, even though they are the same model number. Got the Home app to connect with the Sengled partner, it shows the bulbs in the Home app, but the device doesn’t recognize them. Called Sengled CS, they told me a solution that didn’t work for the hub-bulb problem, and they couldn’t help with Home, I’d have to call Google for that. So a mere $150 invested, and I have a mediocre Bluetooth speaker and two bulbs which I can operate either by unlocking my phone, opening an app, navigating to bulb control and pushing a button, or by flipping the flipping wall switch. I need to get back with Google and Sengled CS, but when I get to the point that setting electronics on fire and running them over with my car is preferable to continuing to struggle with them it’s time to let it go for a while.
In June my tech-savvy hubby said “you and your siblings should get a Alexa or something for your parents’ anniversary.” Siblings all poo-poo’d the idea as my parents are notoriously low tech, so we didn’t.
At Christmas my parents told my sister they’d love an Alexa or something. So we got them one (and other stuff, we traditionally pool $ so there is no competition). Glad they are happy but sigh for no credit for great idea. Like I said, we try not to compete but I am generally the inconsiderate lazy middle kid who rides on siblings’ coattails when it comes to gifts and such, so my siblings knowing 1 in the last 80 gifts was my idea would have been nice.
Wait, it was hubby’s idea. So still wouldn’t have gotten credit for me. Sigh.
I want to learn how to make all these arduinos and such so that when I get my own home I can have everything hooked up intelligently. I want my laundry to text when it’s done.
My policy is I don’t really do scheduled gifts, even though some friends blitzed me this year to give me some nice wine glasses, a bottle of pinot noir, and a frisbee. They said the extra gift was me not having to get them anything, but I already had something going (just not aligned with Christmas).
I just can’t see a killer use case for these devices. I already have Google Assistant any time I want it with my Pixel 2 (even if it’s locked). I already have a wireless music setup in my kitchen that sounds way better than any assistant speaker (BT adapter, old receiver, bookshelf speakers). I already have a universal remote to turn on/off all the pieces of my home theater.
After messing with voice tech for years and testing out friends’ assistants, I see it as a clunky bridge between manual button pushing and the next thing that will be truly automatic/integrated into one’s home. Watching friends interact with it is painful at times when I know they could simply reach over and hit the volume button or whatever much more easily.
I recently upgraded to a Pixel 2 and decided to go for the Google Home smart set up. I was actually saying to my friend that this was the last thing I needed to complete the set up.
My husband gave me a trash can for Christmas. It opens when you say “open can”. I really like it. He meant to get the basic foot pedal model but I’m not returning it. Bonus- it has a sensor so if you wave your hand it opens. The dog really likes it too- he can open it with his nose and go through the trash.
/giphy no
I got ma cheap google home from some mediocre daily deal site.
I already had a Google Home but bought myself 2 more on Black Friday. Then I bought more for my father-in-law and my old roommate. All hail our Google overlords!!
I don’t much care for speaking to people; I really don’t want to speak to things.
@brhfl I like talking to things- they are way less judgemental than people.
@sammydog01 That’s a fair point
Technically no, but…
I got a duplicate video game as a gift, and couldn’t think if anything else I wanted at best buy so I just got a Google home mini.
I mostly use it as a remote to skip the opening credits of shows on Netflix via the chromecast…
Actually yes. I didn’t want one, the novelty/appeal wore off about 3 days after setting it up, but I can see why your average idiot would want one.
@Jamileigh17 Wow. Harsh.
No, because we had a “no physical gift” rule this year. Otherwise, I probably would have one now.
I just bought a Google Home Mini and find it great for grabbing quick morning news, playing mood music, and asking odd questions that might pop in my head without having to break out the phone or walk to the computer. Also good for asking the time when waking up in the middle of the night.
God no. I beta tested a wide variety of Alexa devices and apps, and have given Ok Google plenty of chances…I simple don’t care to control things with my voice, I don’t like having them listening to me all the time, AND anything I might want to request via an assistant it more easily done by keyboard/mouse.
So…no.
No. I don’t want any of them.
Until and unless one of these things comes with a male voice, preferably Idris, I’ll pass.
@lordbowen The Google home mini that I have has a male voice.
@jlthomasx3 Thanks for the info. Will check it out.
@lordbowen
I got a set of 4 Phillips Hue lights + hub, which works with Smart Home assistants. I like using it with SmartThings to change to my teams color when a game starts, or flash the lights when they score etc.
How about “No, I not only don’t plan to voluntarily bug my home and give access to all my internet activity, any more than I plan to send my DNA to a “service” that will tell me my ancestry, then send my DNA…where?”
Hey, I am no conspiracy theorist but I’ll pass on bugging my house.
I gave some as gifts but I already had several of my own.
Daughter gave me an Alexa last Christmas. Within one day I unplugged it. Rather use Siri.
I finally set up the Google Home I bought from Meh months ago during Christmas to use to play music. That’s all I’ve found to do with it so far, I can’t make it talk to the stupid smart bulbs.
@moondrake
what kind of bulbs are they?
if they dont have works with google on the box, im pretty sure u need a bridge/hub adapter
@communist Sengled brand. I bought a 4pack on a flash sale at Amazon at Christmas at a great price because they work with Home and missed where it clearly said they needed a hub. So I ordered the hub. Installed the two bulbs that came with the hub, one was easy, the other a little harder but they work fine with the Sengled app. Cannot get the Sengled app to recognize the first bulbs, even though they are the same model number. Got the Home app to connect with the Sengled partner, it shows the bulbs in the Home app, but the device doesn’t recognize them. Called Sengled CS, they told me a solution that didn’t work for the hub-bulb problem, and they couldn’t help with Home, I’d have to call Google for that. So a mere $150 invested, and I have a mediocre Bluetooth speaker and two bulbs which I can operate either by unlocking my phone, opening an app, navigating to bulb control and pushing a button, or by flipping the flipping wall switch. I need to get back with Google and Sengled CS, but when I get to the point that setting electronics on fire and running them over with my car is preferable to continuing to struggle with them it’s time to let it go for a while.
In June my tech-savvy hubby said “you and your siblings should get a Alexa or something for your parents’ anniversary.” Siblings all poo-poo’d the idea as my parents are notoriously low tech, so we didn’t.
At Christmas my parents told my sister they’d love an Alexa or something. So we got them one (and other stuff, we traditionally pool $ so there is no competition). Glad they are happy but sigh for no credit for great idea. Like I said, we try not to compete but I am generally the inconsiderate lazy middle kid who rides on siblings’ coattails when it comes to gifts and such, so my siblings knowing 1 in the last 80 gifts was my idea would have been nice.
Wait, it was hubby’s idea. So still wouldn’t have gotten credit for me. Sigh.
I want to learn how to make all these arduinos and such so that when I get my own home I can have everything hooked up intelligently. I want my laundry to text when it’s done.
@Targaryen well how much do u want to spend https://www.samsung.com/us/home-appliances/home-appliances-accessories/washers-dryers/smart-home-adapter-laundry-hd39j1230gw/
its around $1000 for the laundry machine and then another $25 for the text to wash adapter
My policy is I don’t really do scheduled gifts, even though some friends blitzed me this year to give me some nice wine glasses, a bottle of pinot noir, and a frisbee. They said the extra gift was me not having to get them anything, but I already had something going (just not aligned with Christmas).
I just can’t see a killer use case for these devices. I already have Google Assistant any time I want it with my Pixel 2 (even if it’s locked). I already have a wireless music setup in my kitchen that sounds way better than any assistant speaker (BT adapter, old receiver, bookshelf speakers). I already have a universal remote to turn on/off all the pieces of my home theater.
After messing with voice tech for years and testing out friends’ assistants, I see it as a clunky bridge between manual button pushing and the next thing that will be truly automatic/integrated into one’s home. Watching friends interact with it is painful at times when I know they could simply reach over and hit the volume button or whatever much more easily.
I recently upgraded to a Pixel 2 and decided to go for the Google Home smart set up. I was actually saying to my friend that this was the last thing I needed to complete the set up.
My husband gave me a trash can for Christmas. It opens when you say “open can”. I really like it. He meant to get the basic foot pedal model but I’m not returning it. Bonus- it has a sensor so if you wave your hand it opens. The dog really likes it too- he can open it with his nose and go through the trash.
@sammydog01 wow thats something
@communist That’s the one!