Setting up your Google Assistant - how it works

Own an Android smartphone? Brilliant! Then all the necessary apps that you'll need are already built into your smartphone. If you’re an iOS user, you’ll need to download both the Google Assistant app and the Google Home app.

Open up the Google Home app to get your smart home up and running. You have two options here. Either you can add your existing smart home products directly into the app, or you can create a link to the online accounts of these smart devices.

You can also setup and create links to your music and video streaming accounts in the same way. This will allow you to use the Google Assistant to play your favorite playlists on Spotify for example.

How to use Google Assistant voice commands

To activate and bring your Google Assistant to life, you’ll need to use voice command prompts. Either “OK Google” or “Hey Google” will waken this smart assistant and it will then follow your voice instructions. Experiment with it, ask it to play music, give you the latest weather forecast or give you directions. Smartphones and apps are no longer needed so sit back and enjoy convenient, hands-free control!

Get the most out of Google Assistant

With a voice assistant you can’t only run search queries or listen to music using voice commands, but also control your smart devices. Voice assistants are more popular than ever right now. Currently, 63% of people who use voice assistants are also controlling their smart homes using only their voices.

What can you do with voice commands?

	Use various streaming services Change volume Change songs
	Set the temperature
	Make legacy products smart Turn power supply on and off
	Turn the lights on and off Dim the lights Change lighting color

Google Assistant vs Amazon Alexa

Google Assistant boasts an extensive database of information that is always at the ready for its users. But Amazon also offers a device with voice assistance. What are the differences between the two?

Google Assistant devices use Google search, while Amazon Alexa uses Bing as its search engine. Google Assistant devices also use an open search system in which the best search results, without preference given to provider, are displayed. Amazon Alexa products use a directed search system.

If you look at the content depth of answers each assistant provides, there are also differences. Products that use the Google Assistant software give detailed and broad answers, while Amazon Alexa answers are simple and brief. Voice recognition, and therefore the personalized benefits on offer, is mature in both softwares and makes them easy to use. With its high excursion speaker, the Google Home for example, provides clear highs and powerful bass, while Amazon Echo includes a speaker with a tweeter and woofer for maximum volume.

Being precision-designed, sophisticated software, Google Assistant is a high quality choice. Amazon Alexa is comparatively middle class. Products such as the Google Home boast a sleek, modern and elegant design that makes it look great in every interior. Amazon has kept the design of its Echo more futuristic and technical. Both devices are compatible with other speakers and products. If you do not always want to use your voice assistant, you can manually switch off the microphone for both products and thus switch off speech recognition.

The Google smart home ecosystem