What is Amazon Echo?
Ever imagined a Bluetooth or WiFi speaker with a personal assistant inside? The Amazon Echo is all of this and so much more you have ever wished for. You can jam your favorite music, check the weather, switch off the lights or dim them, add items to the shopping list and the best part is, to order things directly from Amazon. Just via this 9-inch speaker. What’s more? You can do all of this by using Amazon’s assistant which is built into the speaker. Here we have tried to review some of the best Amazon Alexa accessories.
We know you are craving to know more; read on…..
What cool things can you do with Alexa?
A Definitive Guide
By now you must be wondering what’s so special about the Amazon Echo. Why not just use Siri if you need a personal assistant for your home?
Now, besides connecting your previous conversation with the current one, Alexa can even interact with third-party apps and answer all the questions that can help you do your shopping; a feature that gives it an edge over Siri.
Moreover, you can even have conversations about sports, ask for reading audiobooks, and play your favorite podcasts.
Recently, Amazon teamed up with Yelp to teach about local businesses. Now you can ask Alexa where to go for Italian food or when a particular grocery store closes.
Also, it can play music services other than Amazon Prime such as Spotify or Pandora in the U.S.
We have seen Amazon Echo progressing from a novelty to an intelligent device. Most of us have used products such as iPads and Xboxes for years. But for the first time, we have seen an innovative and evolving product that acts as our guiding hand.
Amazon’s team of engineers has spent a year with it in their homes, and it is quite evident that this is something that you don’t want to miss.
Here we have compiled some of the best Amazon Alexa accessories. for your comfort.
Let’s deep dive in
Alexa can completely replace the radio in your kitchen and is a great way of controlling several systems. If you are fond of using gadgets & own a Spotify account, then it’s the perfect device for you. More importantly, it is improvising dynamically as stuff is added to it. As the iPhone changed the way how we communicate with technology and let us control several apps via the screen, likewise Alexa does the same for devices using Wi-Fi but with voice commands.
Echo dot(4th Gen)
The Amazon Echo Dot 4th Gen is the best smart home Hub for setting up your smart devices like fire Tv devices, lights, locks, and sensors. The Echo Dot is one of the best Alexa accessories. It streams music, plays audio, controls various smart home devices, fulfills search queries, etc. You may ask it to tell you a political joke or order something from Amazon. It is voice-activated so once you give a command to Alexa, a blue ring at the top of the speaker will illumine, and the speaker will satisfy your request. Like Dot, the Echo can easily pick up your voice across the room.
Though, unlike Dot, you don’t require to connect it to an outside speaker. The Echo comes with an upward-firing woofer and a dual tweeter to deliver its sound. All you need to do is plug it into a power outlet and connect to Wi-Fi when you are ready to do it.
Amazon Echo is the best choice for those who want both, a centralized smart home controller and a speaker in a single unit. Although it is the most expensive among all the best Amazon Alexa accessories, however, it does not require any additional purchases. You can place it anywhere in your home and start using it right away; it will become a significant part of your daily routine in a very short while.
Amazon Wall Mount, Echo (4th generation)
Amazon wall is a much-needed one of the best Alexa accessories for mounting Echo dot (4th Gen) on the wall. It is specifically designed for Amazon Echo(4th gen) that can tilt and swivel. The Echo wall mount is easy to install just in 10 minutes. Make sure the mounting position of the Amazon wall mount should be near your electric outlet so that you can easily connect the Amazon power adapter cord to the outlet.
Amazon Echo Dot
The Amazon Echo Dot offers many of the Amazon Echo’s desirable features in a very affordable package. It features a small built-in speaker, offering you amazing audio quality by pairing it with another speaker, but when it doesn’t, the Dot works as a voice-controlled computer. You may use it to stream music, do web searches, regulate calendars and apps such as Uber, order food, and control smart home appliances like thermostats, lights, and much more.
The Dot is the Echo’s “Mini-Me.” It has a smaller speaker and, in size, is more akin to a hockey puck. It does everything the Echo does, but also has a 3.5mm output jack and Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to connect it to your current sound system. Undoubtedly, it’s as though someone just transformed the Echo and then scrunched up the full-size speaker and jammed it up into a small puck, and boom; the Dot!
The Dot efficiently responds to spoken commands. It comes with seven far-field microphones so it can easily pick up your voice across any room. It can also hear your requests while playing music without being connected to the speaker. The device is an excellent choice for those who want voice-enabled and hands-free functionality. You can also find the Dot with Bose Sound Link Mini II for $200 on Amazon.
Fire TV Cube
The cool thing you can do with Alexa is that you can control your Tv with Alexa. The Fire Tv cube has a built-in microphone, and with just one Alexa voice command you can access your favorite stream channel or App. The Fire Tv cube Gen 3 is a cube-shaped fastest streaming Media player that supports WiFi 6E. It allows you to watch 4K streaming at the fastest speed without any latency as it supports tri-band technology. It comes with Amazon extended IR extender cable.
best Alexa device for the kitchen
Echo Show 15
Echo Show 15 is among the best Alexa accessories. Alexa solves your problem of cooking via echo show 15 by getting daily recipe plans, make your cooking easier with hand free step-by-step guide of recipes. Through echo show 15, you can add and order ingredients, meals, or kitchen items to your shopping cart.
In addition, add your frequently used smart devices to the home screen for easy access to your smart home while you are cooking. Even you can enjoy your favorite shows on Netflix or prime video, and listen to music on Spotify or Amazon music while doing house chores.
TOSHIBA Smart Countertop Microwave
The smart Toshiba microwave is one of the best Alexa accessories that connect through wifi and uses the MSmartHome App and can work with Alexa. You can control the microwave with a voice command. For example “Alexa, microwave popcorn or potato”. The mobile app can help you in cooking as it detects moisture accordingly with the help of a humidity sensor during cooking which keeps your food from being overcooked and burning.
Most importantly it saves 50% energy by ECO mode/function in which the display turns off in case of no use of the microwave.
Cool things that connect to Alexa
| Echo Show 8 | smart speaker, Control cameras, and lights by using the display, your voice, or your motion |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Meross Garage Door Opener | It is one of the best Amazon Alexa accessories. Open and close your garage door |  | Buy at Amazon |
| NETGEAR Nighthawk Router | one of the best Amazon Alexa accessories. |  | Buy at Amazon |
| SwitchBot Curtain Electric Motor | open or close the curtain through Alexa or Siri |  | Buy at Amazon |
| August Smart Lock | Lock your door through Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat | Control the thermostat with Alexa commands |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Google Nest Learning Thermostat | Adjust the temperature with Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| August Smart Lock – HomeKit Enabled | Monitor your lock through Siri and Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Fire TV Stick | control the TV through Alexa, one of the best Amazon Alexa Accessories |  | Buy at Amazon |
| BroadLink Smart Home Hub IR Blaster | Use Alexa for controlling smart home devices |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Roku Express | HD Streaming Media Player | comes with remote, voice control with Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| YI Home Security Camera | most affordable Alexa-compatible security camera |  | Buy at Amazon |
| iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum- | control your vacuum with Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Ring Alarm 8-piece kit (2nd Gen) | Alexa-powered home security system |  | Buy at Amazon |
| C by GE A19 Smart LED Bulbs | Best Amazon Alexa Accessories | Buy at Amazon | |
| Polk Audio RC80i | best high-performance ceiling speaker, perfect for humid and damp places such as bathrooms, kitchens and covered porches. |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Fitbit Versa 2 | Use Alexa for your fitness stats |  | Buy at Amazon |
| WeMo Wi-Fi Light Switch | Ask Alexa to turn lights on, off, |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Delta Trinsic VoiceIQ Faucet | Ask Alexa to turn on the voice-activated kitchen sink faucet |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Kasa Smart Light Switch | Use Alexa to turn lights on and off |  | Buy at Amazon |
| WeMo Mini Wi-Fi Smart Plug | Turn any plugged device on and off through Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| WeMo Switch | Ask Alexa to turn anything on and off |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Honeywell Ceiling Fans | Ask Alexa to turn fans as well as adjust the speed |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Big Ass Solutions Haiku L Series Ceiling Fan | Temperature sensing ceiling fan and Alexa voice control |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Taloya Smart Ceiling Light Flush | Regulates the smart home through gestures and Alexa’s voice commands |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Kasa Smart Plug | Regulates the smart home through gestures and Alexa voice commands |  | Buy at Amazon |
| YI Home Security Camera | a security camera that can work with Alexa voice control |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Lumary Smart LED Flush Mount Ceiling Light | Ask Alexa to turn it on or off, and adjust the light. |  | Buy at Amazon |
| OontZ Angle 3 Shower Plus Edition | Third-party Alexa speaker, among best Amazon Alexa Accessories |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Bose Home Speaker 500 | one of the best Alexa devices |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Denon AVR-S650H Audio stereo Receiver | Like Amazon Echo with great sound quality | Buy at Amazon | |
| Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat | A no-frill thermostat that you can control through voice commands |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Kasa Smart KP303 Plug Power Strip | Regulate the power outlet with the Alexa command |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Stereo Pair Starter Ki | pair Echo sub with echo dot to turn on multiple room echo devices |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Echo Dot (4th Gen) Smart Speaker with clock | best Alexa speaker that displays time, and alarm on LED | Buy at Amazon | |
| Logitech Harmony Hub | It is an Alexa-powered Hub to control home entertainment devices |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Ecobee3 Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat | Control the temperature using Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| TETHYS Wireless Security Camera | Create custom voice commands with Alexa | Buy at Amazon | |
| iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO (3550) Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum | Self-emptying robot vacuum, among the best Amazon Alexa Accessories |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Philips Hue White and Color Ambience Starter Kit A19 | A color-changing LED with Alexa voice control, one of the best Amazon Alexa accessories. |  | Buy at Amazon |
| All-new Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) | ask Alexa to adjust the light, and thermostats or sow security cameras |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Lifx Plus Wi-Fi LED Smart Bulb | Switchmate is the best smart home assistant that is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, Ask Alexa to control lights with your voice. | Buy at Amazon | |
| Fire HD 10 tablet | Ask Alexa for Hand free that includes toggle on/off, Ask Alexa to make calls |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Switch mate Bright | Overhead lights work well with Alexa, one of the best Amazon Alexa accessories. |  | Buy at Amazon |
| Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Luna Controller | Regulate 4K TV streaming, and games via Alexa |  | Buy at Amazon |
| iRobot Roomba j7+ (7550) Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum | Control your robot vacuum with the Alexa voice command |  | Buy at Amazon |
| SwitchBot Humidity sensor | use Alexa with this temperature sensor to meter, one of the best Amazon Alexa accessories. |  | Buy at Amazon |
Go through the full review to know everything from design to commands about the Amazon Echo.
Design
The Amazon Echo comes with a matte black exterior. It has a cylindrical shape with dimensions 9.25 inches high and 3.27 inches around. One of the noticeable differences between the Amazon Echo and other portable speakers is that the Echo is not a mobile appliance. You are required to plug it into the power supply since it doesn’t have a battery feature and it needs to be connected to WiFi all day.
However, it allows you to send your voice to Amazon servers without the need for an internet connection. On the top, you will find two buttons, mute, and listen. Whereas, the top ring rotates to either raise or lower volume. If you are concerned about the standard controls including play, pause, forward or reverse, the Echo offers a traditional remote which is similar to the one that comes with the Amazon Fire TV.
Though controlling it from your phone through Amazon Echo App is also an option. That being said personally, we think the design of the Echo app needs to be a little more updated. Though, you may find some sections very useful such as controlling radio stations through the app. Lastly, at the bottom of the Echo is a 360-degree speaker grid that gives it an amazing room-filling sound along with an appealing white Amazon logo.
Technical Specifications
| Size | 9.3 x 3.3 x 3.3 inch (235 mm x 84 mm x 84 mm) |
| Weight | 37.5 oz. |
| Brand | Amazon |
| Product Line | Amazon |
| Model | Echo |
| Connectivity | Dual-antenna Wi-Fi for streaming, No compatibility with ad-hoc Wi-Fi networks. |
| Bluetooth | Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) for audio streaming via your smartphone to Echo and Audio/Video, Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) for voice controlling of connected smartphone devices. No hands-free voice control for Mac OS X devices. |
| Audio | Woofer 2.5 inch & 2-inch tweeter |
| System Requirement | Echo comes ready to be connected to your home WiFi. Its Alexa App is compatible with Android, Fire OS, and iOS devices. Lastly, it is accessible using your web browser. |
| Features | 2.0-inch tweeter, a 2.5-inch woofer, support iHeart Radio, 7 microphones, support Amazon Music, Pandora, Prime Music, and TuneIn |
| Warranty | Basic 1-year warranty along with free service. Up to 3 years, optional extended warranty available for U.S. users. |
| What’s in the box? | Amazon Echo, user manual & power adapter/cable. |
How to Setup Amazon Echo
Setting up the Echo might not be as easy as ABC, but believe me, it’s somewhere in that zone. You just need to stick to Amazon’s documentation: Plug in the Echo, download the Echo app, and follow the app’s instructions from there. Like every other WiFi gadget, Echo scans and asks which network you want to connect to; and after you select your router and get connected, you’re good to go. The best part is, that there’s no voice training: anyone can speak to Alexa.
Sounds cool? Right?
Alexa is becoming a prominent choice of an audio assistant. You can purchase this technology at $179.99 whereas the smaller Echo Dot comes at a thrifty price of $69.99 on Amazon.
We’ve written a step-by-step guide on how to set up your Amazon Echo for the perfect use. Follow the instructions to connect your device within a few minutes.
1. Download Amazon Alexa Application
The Amazon Echo app is available free for Android, Fire OS, and iOS on Amazon’s tablets. In fact, the latest Fire tablets already have it built into their system. It is not compatible with the 1st or 2nd generation of Kindle Fire. If you don’t prefer smartphones, you have an option of the Web app as well to handle the setup, and many people find it much easier to use.
2. Choose a Device to Set Up
Pop in your Amazon username and password, this is used for various things, like keeping a history of tasks you have been asking Alexa to do. As well as the orders by voice and to stay updated on those orders. However, you don’t need Amazon Prime for this purpose. Simply sign in on the app and go to settings. The settings will show you a tab to “Set up a new device” or alternatively you may click on the link. Within seconds, you will be shown three Amazon-provided Alexa options including Echo, Tap, or Echo Dot. Select your device. Also, you might need to pick up a language. The current options are English for the US, UK, or German.
3. Echo’s Setup Mode
For the brand-new installation, the light band on the Echo will appear in an orange color as soon as you plugin. If the orange sign is not appearing then just press and hold the action button for approximately five seconds, and you’ll find the single dot in the middle. On the tap, there is no orange indication hence you need to hold the WiFi/Bluetooth button at the back of the Echo. After some time, Alexa will tell you that she is now in setup mode.
4. Connecting your PC or Smartphone
Now connect the app to the WiFi network, the same as of the Echo. It will show up as something “Amazon-2Q3, ” whereas the last three digits will not be the same. Once connected, Alexa will respond “You’ve connected to Echo. Go ahead and finish the setup in the Alexa app.”
5. Home Wi-Fi Set-Up
In the app, you will see all the Wi-Fi networks available around you so pick up your home Wi-Fi. Then you are required to enter the Wi-Fi password when it asks for it. As soon as all the information is sent to the device, Alexa will say “Your Echo is ready,” & the orange light buzzes off. Keep in mind, if you have set up an Amazon device at home, you might have saved the Wi-Fi password.
6. Say ‘Alexa.’
The Echo is programmed to respond to a watchword which, by default, is the name “Alexa”. Anytime you call out for your personal assistance “Alexa”, you’ll see the light ring on top of the Echo pop blue and then adjust itself to the perfect point towards the sound’s source.
At the final brink of the setup, the Alexa app shows you a video to give you an idea of some of the basics of using the Amazon Echo. It will tell you how to access the app, change the wake word, connect to music services such as Pandora, sync Google calendar, connect to mobile devices through Bluetooth for audio playback, setup news headlines from your favourite sources, play audiobooks, configure Alexa to control your smart home devices and a lot more.
Amazon is always adding new options to Alexa so don’t forget the newsletter that comes along with Echo. It will show you a lot of choices every time. Also, make sure to check the skills and other tricks that Alexa has for you to get the best out of it. Amazon Echo is not just a device; it will be more like your lifetime friend.
What is Alexa?
Alexa, Amazon’s virtual personal assistant, has been around for about two years, and it was named after a famous ancient Library, Alexandria. The system allows you to speak your wishes and fulfils them e.g. playing music tracks, turning lights on and off, etc.
It lives inside the company’s Echo smart speaker, among other devices, and offers users the ability to dictate commands to the assistant to control products throughout their homes, listen to music, and more. It can turn the Echo, Dot, and Tap from streaming audio players into Internet assistants. This is what turned Echo into the biggest tech product of 2022 which is great news for those who are interested in smart home control.
Alexa can respond to voice commands from anywhere. It does not require any activation button to press. Once you say the trigger word and it will be done in a short while as long as you have correctly set up everything and used the right command. As you get used to it, you will feel more natural and responsive as compared to speaking to a phone-based voice assistant such as Apple’s Siri. Eventually, you are more likely to find yourself using your phone less frequently at home than before. Though there are a lot of privacy issues regarding Alexa’s listening and it cannot do everything. There is already enough to make it a compelling product especially if you are plunging into the smart home lifestyle.
How does Alexa work?
Designed by Amazon’s secretive Lab126, Alexa features a natural language processing system that has emerged as one of the easiest ways to interact among the omnipresent voice assistants available. A virtual personal assistant designed to compete with the likes of Apple’s Siri, Google Now, and others. If you are asking for something or delivering a command, you don’t need to ask for it twice. Alexa listens through seven very sensitive microphones that are built into both Echo and Dot. In February 2017, an update required Tap owners to turn this feature on in the settings menu as well. Alexa always listens and responds in a jiffy.
Echo and Dot stream your voice to the cloud when you give it a command to do something. Also, your request appears in the app, and you can even delete them if you don’t want to keep any record. Though the default word is “Alexa,” you can change it into “Echo,” “Amazon,” or “Computer.” Once you ask for something, the microphones take your words and beam them up to Amazon’s cloud computers for instant analysis.
What the Amazon Echo is actually used for?
If you put a question that it can answer such as “Alexa, how’s the weather today?”. The answer will come from the speaker in a female and slightly machine-like voice. If you want Alexa to play some music, Alexa will search through Amazon Music or Amazon Music Prime. It will search for the artist and genre that you have requested. If you want to play music from Amazon Prime Music, you need to have Amazon Prime account for that. Moreover, it can play TuneIn Internet radio stations and music from Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Spotify as well. If you have requested a joke, then get ready to laugh out loud. If you are giving commands to dim the lights or adjust the temperature of the thermostat, it will perform accordingly. Make sure to ask correctly and integrate properly.
Amazon Echo Performance
The Alexa features variable quality of skills with an excellent smart home section. It has an intuitive speaker with a fantastic voice. However, the quality of the sound can be better. Once it starts running, you may leave the app if you want and start using your voice. It will be the use of default settings on the Amazon Echo and none of any other skills. You can ask Alexa for adding any additional skills such as setting and an alarm, getting weather updates and news reports. The best facet you will find in Alexa and Echo is that you don’t need to be exact in phrasing while asking for various things.
The best facet you will find in Alexa and Echo is that you don’t need to be exact in phrasing while asking for various things. For example, if you want to know about the weather, you can be casual about it like “Alexa, what’s going on in the weather news today?” instead of saying “Alexa, play the flash briefings about the weather.”. In both cases, you will get official news updates. Likewise, while listening to radio stations, you can just say, “Alexa, play 98 FM Music”. You will get the same response from a more formal approach: “Alexa, play the programmer 98 FM music” and so on. Some of the other programmed responses are jokes which will come in plenty but we are not sure you’ll like all of them.
Furthermore, you will find a mixture of gimmicks and actually useful commands at the same time; letting you have some fun alongside the regular things that you want the Echo to do. And do not forget that it’s a smart device, so naturally, after a few days of use, it will sound more spontaneous. For instance, say, “Alexa, Good morning.” It will always respond to you differently and at times, in quite amusing ways.
Moving on, you can help Alexa and eventually Amazon Echo to learn more about you and become even smarter. In the Alexa app, you will find sections for Music and Media, Sports updates, Traffic, Calendar, etc. You can add information and use it through Alexa. This isn’t hard at all and you definitely don’t need to have any “extra” skills to do this. In our testing, we linked up to Google Calendar which took just seconds and were able to ask Alexa about the events of the day. Linking up the music was a bit harder, though.
Currently, Alexa can recognize Amazon Music, Spotify, and TuneIn. However, it still does not understand Google Play Music or Tidal. It is expected that these services will be included in the near future. During our exploration of the Echo we tried linking our Spotify account to it, but it did not link up with the Android version of the app. As we put in our password, it hung on the authorization page and did nothing. It turned out that some users were facing a similar problem. We countered this issue by using the iOS app whereas many people on the internet pointed out that linking the account through the web app works flawlessly.
As told earlier, the Amazon Echo isn’t battery-backed, so the sad part is despite being small, it isn’t exactly portable. You can just plug in and plug out the power adapter out of the wall socket anywhere but that’s one thing Amazon has made clear about the Echo, it’s stationary.
Amazon Echo Vs Amazon Tap Vs Echo Dot
| Specifications | Amazon Echo | Amazon Tap | Echo Dot |
| Release date | 2015 in the US, 2016 in UK. | 31 March 2016 for the US | September 2016 |
| Availability | US, UK | US | US, UK |
| Price | $179 / £149 | $129.99 | $49 / £49 |
| Dimensions | 235 mm x 83.5 mm x 83.5 mm | 59 mm x 66 mm x 66 mm | 38 mm x 84 mm x 84 mm |
| Weight | 1045 grams | 470 grams | 250 grams |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth and dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi | Bluetooth and Wi-Fi | Bluetooth and dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi |
| Power | Plugs into a wall outlet | Relies on a charging cradle (9 hours of playback) | Plugs into a wall outlet |
| Audio | 360-degree sound, a 2.5-inch woofer, and a 2.0-inch tweeter | 360-degree sound, dual 1.5-inch drivers, and dual passive radiators | Voice-feedback and must be connected to external speakers |
| Alexa | Yes (always on and voice-activated) | Yes (not always activated, you need to press the mic button to access Alexa) | Yes (always on and voice-activated) |
How do I choose?
If you want a portable Bluetooth speaker that can also act as a personal assistant, and you don’t mind getting up to tap it when you want to control your smart home devices, then the Tap is the perfect one.
If you want the all-in-one; some great speaker, home controls, including a personal assistant, everything controlled by your voice command — then Echo is the jumbo.
If you want all the exact same specifications, but smaller in size, because you already own a fantastic home-audio setup, then go for purchasing the Dot. It’s definitely the perfect one at last *wink*.
Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
The Amazon Echo and the Google Home both have built-in microphones that can listen from a reasonable distance. Forgiving commands to the Echo, you can use the term Alexa, Echo, Amazon or Computer. Whereas the Home looks for “Hey Google.” Both perform an excellent job even across a large room with background noise. As far as the speakers are concerned, both systems function well enough for listening to music. Additionally, both systems offer ways to connect to your existing sound system. The Amazon Echo Dot easily plugs into your existing speakers. Likewise, with the Home, you can regulate any Google Cast-enabled speaker or any speaker that is connected to a Chromecast Audio streamer.
The Home also allows you to control your TV if you have a Chromecast video streamer. For this purpose, give a command, and you will be able to watch your favourite show on Netflix or YouTube. However, you must cast a video by name. Also, you can’t use it to browse videos. The Netflix integration is way too convenient, you simply need to say “Hey Google, play Parks on the living room, TV, ” and it will immediately start playing.
Similarly, with music, you can pause, rewind and forward streaming video with your voice. Besides this, if your TV supports Consumer Electronics Control, you can expediently turn on your TV with Google Home and ask it to play something. With Sony and Vizio TVs, you don’t require a separate streamer, as they have built-in Chromecast. You can’t fully control any TV with Google Home for e.g. you can’t turn off your TV with a voice command.
Which is better Alexa or Google?
On the other hand, Amazon Echo also has TV integration if you have a Fire TV. For this, you need to press a button on a particular Fire TV remote. If you have a Logitech Harmony setup, the Echo can even go better compared to the Home. However, a Chromecast streamer costs approximately $35, and a Logitech setup can cost hundreds of dollars.
With the Home, you can group several speakers and play one song at the same time in multiple rooms. On top of all of this, both Amazon Echo and Google Home can play games, tell jokes and respond amusingly. Alexa takes the lead here, though as it has more “fun factor” than Google Assistant. Amazon recently added a new gaming category for the Alexa Skills Kit where it lets you “choose your adventure style”. Alexa also lets you play a Batman-themed voice-controlled mystery game called the Wayne Investigation and also plays the Jeopardy game way better than Google Home. Compared to Amazon Echo, Google Home learns more about you through various Google services such as Google Calendar, Google Maps, etc.
In addition to telling you about the appointments marked on the calendar, it also informs you about the traffic situation on your way to work. It uses Google Assistant to respond to voice commands. However, it cannot change anything on your calendar, does not integrate with Gmail or Google Docs, cannot set reminders, and does not send any directions to your phone. On the other hand, Amazon’s Alexa lets you set reminders, make to-do lists, etc. It has even 3rd party support and more than 3000 skills. As Amazon Echo has had a two-year head start from Google Home, it is compatible with SmartThings, Nest, Philips Hue, and IFTTT.
The Home responds more flexibly to commands than the Echo. With Echo, you can create named groups for all your devices. With the Home, you can even give them nicknames and group them into rooms. If you call a bulb “desk lamp” in the Philips app, Amazon’s Alexa will only respond if you turn on the bulb. You can create groups for all the lights and give the command to Alexa to turn them on or off. Without the groups, Alexa will not respond to any other names for the lamp. With Google Home, you can assign names to various devices and automatically arrange them.
Google’s Assistant can integrate with IFTTT and Philips Hue much better than Alexa. You can monitor the colours of your Philips bulbs which you can’t do with a command to Alexa. The Home lets you customize controls including several options. For example, you can say, “I am leaving” or “Switch Ecobee to away mode.” Whereas on Alexa, you’d probably have to say something like, “Alexa, trigger Ecobee to away mode.” Google Assistant offers you more flexible phrasing than Alexa.
Currently, Amazon Echo beats Google Home. Though, there’s no doubt that Google will surely come up with better upgrades shortly as is customary with all google products. The Home will assimilate more smart home platforms, Google services, and better conversational assistants. On the other hand, Alexa is more conversational, allows many adults to use and modify shared features such as shopping list and have third-party support.
Conclusion
The Amazon Alexa Accessories are the best purchase if you are looking to get on with this voice personal assistant. Echo gives you a feel like an Iron Man with your own Jarvis. The Amazon Echo is the tech device engineered for the era, with a smart built-in assistant. Smartphones provided us with smart communications which we fancied in the movies such as Star Trek, and this is the most advanced smart home we’ve seen in everything from Iron Man to a dozen other sci-fi stories.
The Alexa indeed starts understanding the human voice and is the best product for those who can determine the potential for the product, the DIY-ers that are looking for something creative. The product is for those who need a Bluetooth speaker and looking for excellent comfort while managing their home. However, if you don’t see yourself enjoying the smart aspects of Amazon’s smart speaker, then the device is not for you. We recommend you, other connected speakers, out there such as Sonos, Chromecast audio, etc. If you want to see the future of Al and looking forward to being a part of this process, then you will need to buy an Amazon Echo for sure.
Have a great experience with your Digi-tech personal assistant!