Okay Google
Home Cinema Choice|July 2017

There’s a new Smart Assistant in town to challenge Amazon's Alexa. But while Steve May appreciates the birthday wishes, he'd prefer a little more sonic finesse.

Okay Google

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS the talk of the town. Voice recognition, natural language processing and machine learning have made intelligent wireless speakers a reality.

'Hey Google, Play LBC radio.'

'OK. Here's a Spotify Playlist called Radio Punk.'

So voice control still has some way to go. But occasionally you can live with the lows.

First launched in the US, but now chasing Amazon’s Alexa in the UK, Google Home promises comparable functionality, offering news updates (BBC, Sky News, Guardian, Telegraph, etc) and info dumps, plus the usual 'Easter eggs' that let you demand the answer to life, the universe and everything.

The device looks nice enough. For a speaker that aims to be futuristic, some effort has been made to escape the usual black-box norm. It connects over (dual-band) Wi-Fi, so there are no physical connections. There’s no Bluetooth support either.

This story is from the July 2017 edition of Home Cinema Choice.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2017 edition of Home Cinema Choice.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM HOME CINEMA CHOICEView All
AV Avenger
Home Cinema Choice

AV Avenger

You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May

time-read
2 mins  |
May 2023
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Home Cinema Choice

Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney

Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
Feedback
Home Cinema Choice

Feedback

Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
M&K Sound V12
Home Cinema Choice

M&K Sound V12

TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
Home Cinema Choice

Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded

This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
Short and sweet
Home Cinema Choice

Short and sweet

Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig

time-read
5 mins  |
May 2023
Discreet delivery
Home Cinema Choice

Discreet delivery

A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff

time-read
5 mins  |
May 2023
One project, two rooms
Home Cinema Choice

One project, two rooms

Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den

time-read
2 mins  |
May 2023
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Home Cinema Choice

THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD

Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek

time-read
10+ mins  |
May 2023
System selector!
Home Cinema Choice

System selector!

Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming

time-read
8 mins  |
May 2023