Google Home

Devices & Integrations
388

Can you query status of switches, lights, and locks? Or only send commands?

That is, is it more like HomeKit or like Echo?

389

I maintain that the reason the Echo is probably the most successful voice activated device to date is almost solely down to the fact that it is one word activation and it’s a name, the one word being the most important aspect of it, since “Hey Siri” no one uses either.

Google needs to have a name and a single word activation. “OK Google” has been around for years, so has “Hey Siri”, how many people here can say they use it as much as they use their Echo.

It’s the key, I’m convinced and if Google Home sticks to their “OK Google” guns, I just don’t see it taking off as well as Echo has.

390

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391

Haha! Nice Tim. Is the integration similar to the capabilities of the official Alexa - Smart Things integration
or is it more or less so? Nevermind
you already answered. :wink:

392

Right now it is more like Echo.

From launch you will be able to control lights and thermostats.

Lights

  • On/Off
  • Dim Settings
  • Color

Thermostat

  • Heating/Cooling setpoint
5 Likes
393

Change/query mode, shm?
Run routines?
Execute CoRE pistons? LOL

2 Likes
394

That is exactly how it will go
Just listen to the Google IO.

395

Does that include virtual switches?

2 Likes
396

Nooooooooooo
I want it now!

Starting in December,
    you can reach more users across many devices and contexts by
    building actions for the Google Assistant.
1 Like
397

Sure.

Not from launch. But you guys already love virtual buttons
 so
 :stuck_out_tongue:

4 Likes
398

Excellent
so this is a good candidate for an app like Alexa Helper (i.e. [BETA] GOOGLE HOME HELPER-From the author of Ask Alexa)

2 Likes
399

You really confused me. Last week you claimed Alexa doesn’t do phrase matching and word order shouldn’t matter, and now you claim the opposite. And as I wrote before I try everything with native English speakers to rule out my foreign accent.
I have a group called ‘kitchen’ (without light in name), the device names are different and the response is that can’t find a device called ‘light’ so the words were understood. But whatever algorithms is using I would expect to be smart enough to recognise I have a group called kitchen what has lights in it even in this word order.

400

Sure is!

Plus, you will be able to develop on the Google Home platform similarly to the Echo platform. So the options are kind of endless. :slight_smile:

1 Like
401

I wouldn’t say it’s “the key” to Echo’s success
but as I’ve already said I think it’s a significant psychological factor. So is the fact (IMHO) that the GH unit looks goofy compared with the look of the Echo and Dots.

Yes, these seem like trivial issues
but one should never underestimate the importance of such psychological factors in product design.

1 Like
402

Well ok then!..sounds like initially there will be a Google Home Helper and then an Ask Google Home app from me
:smiley:

5 Likes
403

It is very likely that Google will support more triggers like Alexa does. I really hope they will support any trigger phrase like my “dumb” Garmin satnav does, then you could even call her “honey”. Honey, I’m home, put on the kettle :slight_smile:

404

See post 335 above.

405

How ironic that in complaining about what you (incorrectly) perceive to be language interpretation limitations by an AI you are here demonstrating your own limitations in that area. Read what I wrote again, paying particular attention to the word “not” in the first part of what you quoted
and being careful to include the context clues provided by the sentences that followed it and you should see where you went wrong.

1 Like
406

You lucky US folks. Not yet available in the UK :frowning:

1 Like
407

Sorry, not sorry? JK! I would be super sad too!

1 Like