Google has followed Amazon in announcing its own home hub device in the form of Google Home. The new device shares numerous features in common with Amazon's Echo device, which is yet to launch in the UK. Like Echo the device combines a Wi-Fi connected speaker with microphones for voice control, but it looks far more powerful thanks to Google's huge range of connected technologies, all of which work via the new Google Assistant technology.
Google Home looks like a small Bluetooth speaker, smaller than you might expect in fact, being easy to pick up single-handed. The lower section contains a speaker, with interchangeable bases so you can customise it to your home. It's the upper section that contains the clever bits though.
On top are a series of microphones to pick up your voice requests, based on this Google Home can play music, provide information based on requests and act as hub to control numerous other devices around your home. Voice controls are sent to Google's servers and parsed by the new Google Assistant technology. This is a chatty personal assistant which replies to your queries, through voice here but also via text on Android devices.
^ Expect to see a lot more of Google's Assistant in future products
Music works through Google Cast of course, with the device playing tracks, albums or artists on command. Better still it works with Chromecast, Chromecast Audio and other cast-enabled devices to build a completely seamless multi-room system. Without any setup. You can even command it to play music in a specific room in your house - presuming you've named your other cast devices sensibly of course.
Requests for information are drawn from search for general enquiries or they pull data from Google Now, which already contains cards of information drawn from your preferences and emails. For example, it can tell you flight information for your trip. Any information pulled down this way can be displayed on a nearby cast-equipped TV, so you can search for a topic and then watch a YouTube video about it.
Google Home will also interface with IoT devices, such as Google's own Nest devices, so you can control your thermostat from Google Home, turn on your Net security camera or presumably cancel your Nest Protect smoke alarm, just with your voice. Google is also putting together deals with other services, so you'll be able to order an Uber by voice before you leave your home.
Google Home has been announced now so that the company can put together deals with providers over the year. It'll be available later in the year, let's just hope it's not US only, like its big competitor.
