Google Home/Alexa

[AndreaDM]

Anyone have either of these? If so, what do you like about them? I bought a Google Home hub nest for $50 at Target which seemed like a good deal. It's still in the box, I'm honestly not sure what I'd use it for. Does it do anything my iphone or ipad can't do? Other than turn of lights, etc. that I assume I would need to buy smart plugs for. I'm just trying to decide whether to keep it or not. I've seen the commercials where it's used to look up recipes, but I do that on my ipad. We do have a smart TV so I guess it would be compatible with that? All I really know about them is that the kids like to ask it to play silly songs lol. Help!

 

[Farro]

Anyone have either of these? If so, what do you like about them? I bought a Google Home hub nest for $50 at Target which seemed like a good deal. It's still in the box, I'm honestly not sure what I'd use it for. Does it do anything my iphone or ipad can't do? Other than turn of lights, etc. that I assume I would need to buy smart plugs for. I'm just trying to decide whether to keep it or not. I've seen the commercials where it's used to look up recipes, but I do that on my ipad. We do have a smart TV so I guess it would be compatible with that? All I really know about them is that the kids like to ask it to play silly songs lol. Help!

We "hey google" a lot.

Especially when cooking. I ask it questions if I need to substitute something, or how to cook something, calculate measurements, etc. - basically it's like looking it up on the internet but talking to it instead.

We are always asking for the temperature before we go outside.

We ask it to play Spotify a lot.

Also if you say good morning it tells you the days top stories and the weather. If you tell it goodnight I think it plays cricket sounds!

We also use it as a timer, comes in handy.

 

[amylevan]

In our house, Alexa plays music mostly.

She less frequently starts our roomba, tells us the weather, answers a random question, entertains the kids with jokes, turns on lights, plays song quiz (love that game!) , reorders things on Amazon...all things we could do on our phones or tablets, but I wanted the smart speaker for music, so the rest is just sort of extra for us.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

We occasionally ask Alexa to play music but primarily use it as an expensive kitchen timer and running grocery list. I know we’re underutilizing the functions, but it so frequently has difficulty understanding what’s being said that I just find it too frustrating to deal with. Every time I go to place a grocery order, I must first consult with my husband to try to decipher the grocery list. “What do you think ‘road corn’ means? How about ‘salmon trees?’ Any guesses for ‘thonk?’”

ETA: I just asked Alexa what’s on the shopping list and two of the items were “schism” and “nutritional needs.”

 

[kerry1379]

This is for Alexa-I don't know if Google Home does it too. If you have more than one, you can "make an announcement" through them. I love that feature for telling everyone when dinner is ready. No more yelling or canvasing the house! I have also been able to connect to our Alexa from my cell phone when I was trying to reach my son at home. He wasn't near his cell phone so didn't know I was trying to reach him. I could talk to him from the Alexa.

 

[SueInBoston]

I didn't plan on having Alexa, but she came with my Sonos One and now runs my life...lol

Alexa tells me the top stories of the day
She controls:
home camera
christmas lights (outside, tree, various decorative lights)
I tell Alexa "good night" and she turns off my bedside lamp, turns down the heat, turns off outside lights.
One of my wall light switch is behind the couch, I used to have to kneel on couch to reach, now I just tell Alexa to turn on/off
Echo tells time and play music in the bathroom
Alexa runs my Roomba and my Dyson fan

 

[kdonnel]

We have Google, Alexa, and Siri. It means we end up having to repeat our selves as we ask Siri to do something in the room that only has Alexa.

We mainly use them to play music or control lights and the TV.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I have a Google Hub. I love it because it has a constant slideshow of my photos and we can ask it quick questions or have it play music. It also has my events linked to it. I use it to set timers and alarms a lot, too.

I also have Alexa, but we quit using it when we got the Hub. I was really only using Alexa to play music.

 

[mmbrad02]

We have both. We started with multiple Alexa products, and then the Google was free with purchase when we bought our new washer and dryer in January.

We use Google to have my daughters virtual school schedule. When it's 2 minutes till her next class, she chimes a bell and says different sayings, like "Okay Smarty Pants, it's time to start Math". It's been a HUGE help for us when one of us is working at home and trying to keep her on task (She is 10).

Alexa is our fancy kitchen timer. She also reads books to my daughter when she opts to take a fancy soaking bubble bath She has a 7:30 timer to remind my husband to take his nightly medicine that is new. But my favorite feature is like someone else mentioned. "Goodnight Alexa" and she turns off the lights in our house and locks our front door.

 

[wenrob]

I got free Echo Dot with my Ring Doorbell and I remember posting that I didn’t know what to do with it. Folks here convinced me to give it a try and now we them all over. My DH put smart switches on the kids fans and lights and I’ve put smart bulbs and smart plugs just about everywhere. Smart home stuff is pretty affordable this time of year so it wasn’t crazy to set up. You don’t have to go big brands like Phillips, there’s plenty of more affordable options and a lot of mine I got in package deals with the Dots.

Timers
On and Off Lights and Fans
Adjust the thermostat
Open and Close Garage door
Control the TVs
Answer the doorbell
Two way connection (you can have a convo with someone else who has them, some people use this to check on older parents)
Phone Calls
Reminders
Settle a debate- we use this more than you would think!
Make Announcements

This is for Alexa-I don't know if Google Home does it too. If you have more than one, you can "make an announcement" through them. I love that feature for telling everyone when dinner is ready. No more yelling or canvasing the house! I have also been able to connect to our Alexa from my cell phone when I was trying to reach my son at home. He wasn't near his cell phone so didn't know I was trying to reach him. I could talk to him from the Alexa.

Announcing dinner is my #1 use. When my DD moved to Seattle she did not disconnect from my account and so gets our dinner announcements. I told I’d disconnect it and she told me not to because it feels like home.

 

[Heather07438]

At one point our dining room had both Alexa and Google home units. Sometimes the TV would set one of them off (like when a character was asking a question)... and then they'd start talking back and forth to each other. Was pretty funny.

 

[rjb123]

We have an alexa and I do like it. I am learning more about how to really use it each day. At first it was used for music and a grocery list, but now we use it as an intercom, a way to make family announcements etc.

 

[yoopermom]

DH is a technophobe (still buys CDs, when he can find them), but Alexa won him over. I explained to him that he could ask her to play all songs by his favorite artist, and that he could then build playlists. I spoiled him and got the Unlimited Music subscription (because he has some weird tastes in music!) and he is THRILLED to be able to hear "any song he wants at any time". (He made a funeral playlist, and I'm afraid to ask if it's for his or mine )

Now if I could just convince him to trade in his flip phone for a smart phone, he could do the same through the Alexa app!

 

[missnic]

We had a Google home, but replaced it with Alexa. We don't use it for a whole lot, but it is integrated into our thermostat, which is soooo awesome. We also find ourselves asking a lot of random questions.

 

[JoeA]

I can no longer be bothered to turn lights on and off my my actual hands...that’s so 2018! I can stand for hours yelling at a light switch to turn on and if nothing happens I just walk away and figure the damn things broke!

 

[AndreaDM]

I can no longer be bothered to turn lights on and off my my actual hands...that’s so 2018! I can stand for hours yelling at a light switch to turn on and if nothing happens I just walk away and figure the damn things broke!

So you're saying it's the modern version of The Clapper?

 

[GreatLakes]

I've gotten a few of each from different vendors over the past few years. They all get given away. I have no desire to have Google or Amazon listening to everything happening in my house 24/7.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

We have some Alexa stuff... I use the echoshow as my alarm clock. Also use them to control smart plugs.

 

[mrsstats79]

We have Alexa in 3 rooms (we only have 4 rooms in the house) She turns on lights, reminds us to do things, will give me the weather in what ever area I want. She will guard the house while we are away - turns lights off and on in different rooms. I would miss her if I didn't have her.

 

[SueInBoston]

I can no longer be bothered to turn lights on and off my my actual hands...that’s so 2018! I can stand for hours yelling at a light switch to turn on and if nothing happens I just walk away and figure the damn things broke!

LOL...one night power went out and back on and Alexa wasn't working. I had to "think" about how to turn off the night in my bedroom.