Google Home FAQ

bk

Looks like we will be getting a Google Home Mini soon, a competitor to the Echo Dot:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/19/16334972/google-home-mini-leak-smart-speaker-echo-dot-50-dollars-assistant

flangemeistro

bk wrote: »

Looks like we will be getting a Google Home Mini soon, a competitor to the Echo Dot:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/19/16334972/google-home-mini-leak-smart-speaker-echo-dot-50-dollars-assistant

It won't be an echo dot competitor it will be an echo dot killer as I'm getting more and more infuriated with Alexa telling me she can't help me with that or that she doesn't know the answer to that.
Bing is an absolute joke of a search engine I'm surprised they didn't use Ask Jeeves!!

jogdish

flangemeistro wrote: »

It won't be an echo dot competitor it will be an echo dot killer as I'm getting more and more infuriated with Alexa telling me she can't help me with that or that she doesn't know the answer to that.
Bing is an absolute joke of a search engine I'm surprised they didn't use Ask Jeeves!!

I'm on the other end, getting seriously annoyed with GH telling she does not understand this or that. While I heard nothing but good things about Alexa ( source: guardian and tested podcast )

eg.
Q: what is the time in Pyongyang
Cant do it
Then:
Q: What is the capitol of north korea
Gives me the correct answer,
follow up Q: And what is the time there
Gives me the correct answer


I initially assumed google used local servers to pull the local time, and with north korea being north korea it had no local google server. But given that it gets the answer right second time, It just "knows" the times. I also checked my GH app to see that I had pronounced "Pyongyang" correctly, I had.

This really irks me, it's google. They always boast about machine learning and AI etc etc and the GH is somehow "intelligent" compared to Alexa's "skills" (pre programmed to answer certain Questions), yet the above example kills it.

Another example, ( i cant remember the exact phrasing ), but I ask
Q: Is the Tesco open
A: Yes, and the opening hours are from x to y
Of course its actually closed when I ask, but the opening hours given are correct. If you pick a very slightly different way to ask, it works fine.


Intelligent my ass. sorry for the rant

Black_Knight

jogdish wrote: »

Another example, ( i cant remember the exact phrasing ), but I ask
Q: Is the Tesco open
A: Yes, and the opening hours are from x to y
Of course its actually closed when I ask, but the opening hours given are correct. If you pick a very slightly different way to ask, it works fine.


Intelligent my ass. sorry for the rant

This works for me. I've asked Google what time woodies is open until, and it tells me woodies closed X minutes ago. Or it tells me the opening hours

OldBean

jogdish wrote: »

I'm on the other end, getting seriously annoyed with GH telling she does not understand this or that. While I heard nothing but good things about Alexa ( source: guardian and tested podcast )

eg.
Q: what is the time in Pyongyang
Cant do it
Then:
Q: What is the capitol of north korea
Gives me the correct answer,
follow up Q: And what is the time there
Gives me the correct answer


I initially assumed google used local servers to pull the local time, and with north korea being north korea it had no local google server. But given that it gets the answer right second time, It just "knows" the times. I also checked my GH app to see that I had pronounced "Pyongyang" correctly, I had.

This really irks me, it's google. They always boast about machine learning and AI etc etc and the GH is somehow "intelligent" compared to Alexa's "skills" (pre programmed to answer certain Questions), yet the above example kills it.

Another example, ( i cant remember the exact phrasing ), but I ask
Q: Is the Tesco open
A: Yes, and the opening hours are from x to y
Of course its actually closed when I ask, but the opening hours given are correct. If you pick a very slightly different way to ask, it works fine.


Intelligent my ass. sorry for the rant

Strange - I just went through all of those with my GH and it got them all right first time round.

jogdish

OldBean wrote: »

Strange - I just went through all of those with my GH and it got them all right first time round.

...:eek:... Now I'm sad, I tried the above infront of my family and got what I reported ( with the tesco opening times, I needed to try it when the shop was actually closed to "expose" the error above )
Will try again and report back.

ForestFire

Have made my First addition to my GH with the following purchase:-

http://uk.jbl.com/bluetooth-portables/JBL+PLAYLIST+150.html

There is a 15% discount available with the following code:- JBL10-MEMBER.

Using Address-pal for delivery.

This is to extend the music downstairs in the livingroom(GH) and Dining Kitchen area (JBL)

jogdish

ForestFire wrote: »

Have made my First addition to my GH with the following purchase:-

http://uk.jbl.com/bluetooth-portables/JBL+PLAYLIST+150.html

There is a 15% discount available with the following code:- JBL10-MEMBER.

Using Address-pal for delivery.

This is to extend the music downstairs in the livingroom(GH) and Dining Kitchen area (JBL)

How are you getting music? paid spotify?

ForestFire

jogdish wrote: »

How are you getting music? paid spotify?

Yes I am using spotify account (€5PM with Vodafone)

Black_Knight

That got me thinking. Just an FYI, but here's my setup to multiroom casting.

I got myself a cheap amp, a chromecast audio (during the deal in Currys) and I have an old Hi-Fi from when I was a kid with 2 good speakers.
All together it was about €50.

Speaker in the office is just an old JBL speaker I had from years ago too, and another chromecast audio.

Any further audio will probably be with Google Home mini's, depending on the sound quality.

bk

I do something similar. I've Chromecast Audios hooked up to the 5.1 in the living room, some lovely Audio Engine 5 powered bookshelf speakers in the bedroom that I've had for years and to a Logitech Boom speaker.

Cheap multiroom audio. Though I do think I'll pick up a second GHome eventually just for ease of use.

Black_Knight

bk wrote: »

I do something similar. I've Chromecast Audios hooked up to the 5.1 in the living room, some lovely Audio Engine 5 powered bookshelf speakers in the bedroom that I've had for years and to a Logitech Boom speaker.

Cheap multiroom audio. Though I do think I'll pick up a second GHome eventually just for ease of use.

GHome mini.

wexfordman2

bk wrote: »

I do something similar. I've Chromecast Audios hooked up to the 5.1 in the living room, some lovely Audio Engine 5 powered bookshelf speakers in the bedroom that I've had for years and to a Logitech Boom speaker.

Cheap multiroom audio. Though I do think I'll pick up a second GHome eventually just for ease of use.

I was thinking of an outdoor music zone and going the cheap amp/Chromecast audio on the shed and wired to outdoor speakers, either that or some outdoor Bluetooth speakers but they would need to be powered.

bk

Black_Knight wrote: »

GHome mini.

Yep. Though if the GHome drops to €100 again I think I might just splurge for that.

In the living room where I have both the GHome and the 5.1+CCA, I find that 80% of the time I don't bother with the 5.1 and just use the GHome for music, even though the 5.1 has better sound.

I'm thinking the same is true for the bedroom. I currently have an Echo in here along with those lovely bookshelf speakers, but again 80% of the time I just use the Echo for music. However I find Alexa poor overall compared to GHome, so I think I'll replace it eventually with a full GHome.

It is a bit of a trade off between quality and ease of use.

wexfordman2 wrote: »

I was thinking of an outdoor music zone and going the cheap amp/Chromecast audio on the shed and wired to outdoor speakers, either that or some outdoor Bluetooth speakers but they would need to be powered.

Well worth doing. This might interest you, turn your GHome into a portable battery speaker:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/20/16335670/echo-dot-google-home-battery-bases-portable-ninety7

the heathen

You can now set a reminder on Google Home! About bloody time!

wexfordman2

the heathen wrote: »

You can now set a reminder on Google Home! About bloody time!

Just tried it, it seems to be quite bad at recognising a name (eg bank meeting).

Also I did it with my phone in the room, and both devices started running, then ended out going into a loop and talking to each other. When my phone asked if i wanted to save, the Google home understood that as a command to save the reminder

Very patchy

the heathen

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Just tried it, it seems to be quite bad at recognising a name (eg bank meeting).

Also I did it with my phone in the room, and both devices started running, then ended out going into a loop and talking to each other. When my phone asked if i wanted to save, the Google home understood that as a command to save the reminder

Very patchy

I find that using 'Hey Google' triggers the Home but not the phone. Might be worth a try.

CGI_3

I set a reminder via the GH. It acknowledged. Got a notification on the phone, nothing on the GH itself when the time came around. Was expecting an alarm of sorts from the speaker.

How the reminder work for others?

Ludo

Tried it last evening and also got notification on the phone rather than the GH itself. Kinda silly really.

wexfordman2

Ludo wrote: »

Tried it last evening and also got notification on the phone rather than the GH itself. Kinda silly really.

Dunno it makes sense to me, remember it's a shared device multiple users and audible by anyone in the room. I don't think I would want it making announcements about reminders.

As well as that, if you had five users in it, the feckin thing wouldn't shut up ever with the amount of reminders she'd be spouting out.

Ludo

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Dunno it makes sense to me, remember it's a shared device multiple users and audible by anyone in the room. I don't think I would want it making announcements about reminders.

As well as that, if you had five users in it, the feckin thing wouldn't shut up ever with the amount of reminders she'd be spouting out.

So I was watching tv in the sitting room and my phone is charging in the kitchen. I set a reminder on the GH next to me to turn off the oven in 30 mins and the reminder only goes off on the phone in the kitchen. It also went off on my tablet which was in a drawer in another room. But not on the GH itself which was in the room with me and that I set it on. Seems odd and kinds defeats the purpose a bit to me

wexfordman2

Ludo wrote: »

So I was watching tv in the sitting room and my phone is charging in the kitchen. I set a reminder on the GH next to me to turn off the oven in 30 mins and the reminder only goes off on the phone in the kitchen. It also went off on my tablet which was in a drawer in another room. But not on the GH itself which was in the room with me and that I set it on. Seems odd and kinds defeats the purpose a bit to me

Yeah I suppose it's.down to personal preference, I know I don't really.want GH announcing my plans on every or any speaker in the house. It should be an option though

setanta1984

wexfordman2 wrote: »

Yeah I suppose it's.down to personal preference, I know I don't really.want GH announcing my plans on every or any speaker in the house. It should be an option though

I only got my Google Home last weekend, but I tried the reminders out yesterday.
Set up the reminder on the GHome, and when the time came, I got notified on my android devices as expected, and the Google Home also chimed saying that I had a new reminder. It asked if I would like to hear it, it did not read out the content of the reminder unless I asked for it to continue. Worked great, don't know why it didn't work for others above.

So at least there is some level of privacy there, I assume if anyone asked to hear the notification it would have read it out anyway, but at least it didn't just shout it out. Or maybe it would have tried to recognise my voice like it does for the multi-user account feature.

Loving the Home over my existing Echo Dot I must say, voice recognition is way better and was worth the upgrade alone to be able to cast music to Chromecast Audios.

Ludo

Weird...just did it again and yes the GH chimed and I was able to ask it what the reminder is...excellent. Not sure why that didn't happen he other day. Perfect implementation really which suits everyone.

bk

Ludo wrote: »

Weird...just did it again and yes the GH chimed and I was able to ask it what the reminder is...excellent. Not sure why that didn't happen he other day. Perfect implementation really which suits everyone.

I suspect not all GHomes had yet received the update, Google seems to slowly rollout updates to users.

moonboy52

Signing up to the Preview Program for updates might help in receiving timely updates

CGI_3

Strange one this. Certain (spotify) songs that the kids were frequently requesting no longer playing on GH. It just says error after about ten seconds and invites us to try again. If I go into the app and 'cast' to the GH, no problem, the track is still there. Weird. It only seems to be the 2 or 3 tracks regularly requested. It's as if it's tired of hearing them.

Also last week, I noticed it wouldn't play the first track in my playlist, it just went straight to the second one. If I tried from the app, it would play in the app. When I tried to cast, it just stayed in 'connecting'.

I moved the track to the middle of another play list. Same thing, skipped it again.

Almost as if the track was unplayable on GH for some reason.

Anyway, as of yesterday, it's back to normal.

bk

New devices officially announced:

Google Home Mini:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/4/16407344/google-home-mini-announced-price-release-date-smart-speaker

$50 a competitor to the Amazon Echo Dot. Looks good, but lacks a 3.5mm audio out port, which IMO is very stupid. So you will also need to buy separate Google Chromecast Audios if you want to make it do the same as the Echo Dot! Missed opportunity IMO.

Google Home Max:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/4/16404380/google-home-max-smart-stereo-speaker-announced-price-release-date

$400 extra loud stereo speakers with assumingly great sound quality. Looks great and I want one, but just too expensive, couldn't justify it, not when you can just use CCA to hook up to better speakers.

I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't update the existing Google Home too. It is a very good device, but it looks awful. It looks like a pot puri. Amazon's update to their Echo look great and look like they would fit well in a persons home. Not so much the GHome, it really needed to be updated to look like the Mini and Max.

Also disappointing that Google has no competitors to the Amazon Echo Show or Spot. They are obvious next steps for this tech.

On the upside they announced some software feature upgrades:
- Night time mode, is quieter in its responses at night
- Multi action support. For instance say "Hey Google, goodmorning" and it might turn on the lights, start music, turn on the kettle, ec.
- Kids accounts
- Ability to send a message to all GHomes in your house.

So overall some nice announcements from Google, but it really feels like they need to scramble faster to keep up with Amazon.

Black_Knight

bk wrote: »

New devices officially announced:

Google Home Mini:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/4/16407344/google-home-mini-announced-price-release-date-smart-speaker

$50 a competitor to the Amazon Echo Dot. Looks good, but lacks a 3.5mm audio out port, which IMO is very stupid. So you will also need to buy separate Google Chromecast Audios if you want to make it do the same as the Echo Dot! Missed opportunity IMO.

Google Home Max:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/4/16404380/google-home-max-smart-stereo-speaker-announced-price-release-date

$400 extra loud stereo speakers with assumingly great sound quality. Looks great and I want one, but just too expensive, couldn't justify it, not when you can just use CCA to hook up to better speakers.

I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't update the existing Google Home too. It is a very good device, but it looks awful. It looks like a pot puri. Amazon's update to their Echo look great and look like they would fit well in a persons home. Not so much the GHome, it really needed to be updated to look like the Mini and Max.

Also disappointing that Google has no competitors to the Amazon Echo Show or Spot. They are obvious next steps for this tech.

On the upside they announced some software feature upgrades:
- Night time mode, is quieter in its responses at night
- Multi action support. For instance say "Hey Google, goodmorning" and it might turn on the lights, start music, turn on the kettle, ec.
- Kids accounts
- Ability to send a message to all GHomes in your house.

So overall some nice announcements from Google, but it really feels like they need to scramble faster to keep up with Amazon.

Lack of a 35mm audio out is a bit disappointing, I can see them thinking that this will be a queries and commands kind of Google Home, rather than wanting high quality sound for music. That, and why would anyone spend more on a Google Home if they can just get a cheaper mini and connect it to proper speakers. Yet again though, it seems as though Google have not thought out real user use cases for the Home devices.

I have a CCA hooked up to some decent speaks in my kitchen. I play music to it using my phone or Google Home. A GHome mini in the kitchen might be nice, but now i'll have 2 devices in there.
Which device do I call "kitchen"?
How can I play music on my CCA and talk to the GH mini (ie. volume wont quieten when I call "Hey Google").
As bk said, I now will have to ask my Ghome Mini to play X music in the kitchen to get it to play on my better speakers.

Black_Knight

bk wrote: »

I'm a bit disappointed that they didn't update the existing Google Home too. It is a very good device, but it looks awful. It looks like a pot puri. Amazon's update to their Echo look great and look like they would fit well in a persons home. Not so much the GHome, it really needed to be updated to look like the Mini and Max.

Am I the only one who likes the look of it?

bk

Black_Knight wrote: »

Am I the only one who likes the look of it?

I'm afraid so :P

Do you not think that the new Echo's look far nicer and they come in a variety of different colours and looks so they can match any home.

The GHome might not look so bad if it also came in black. The new Max comes in both black and white and the Mini comes in three colours. At least I think the GHome needs more colour options.

jogdish

Black_Knight wrote: »

Am I the only one who likes the look of it?

Nope, still think my GH is nice and understated and fits in. The new echo, is better but that slanting top of the GH is very nice.

TitianGerm

bk wrote: »

I'm afraid so :P

Do you not think that the new Echo's look far nicer and they come in a variety of different colours and looks so they can match any home.

The GHome might not look so bad if it also came in black. The new Max comes in both black and white and the Mini comes in three colours. At least I think the GHome needs more colour options.

I was going to get a GHome but opted for the new middle sized Echo. £90 is a good price point.

bk

jogdish wrote: »

Nope, still think my GH is nice and understated and fits in. The new echo, is better but that slanting top of the GH is very nice.

I suppose it can depend on your homes decor. White might fit in well in your home, but it looks terrible amongst my mostly black furniture, really stands out which makes it worse IMO.

If they had other colour options it could fit more homes better.

BTW I actually got my GHome from a friend who works at Google on release day. When I sent her a picture of it in my house all set up, she wrote back to me apologising for how ugly it looked! Though I was happy because of the cool tech.

moonboy52

The Google Home app now has a setting to which device it should default to when playing media.

This negates not having AUX for me on the Mini, as I have a few CC Audios.

But i can see why it would be an issue for others.when playing catchup with Amazon, leaving out AUX is pretty silly really.

Double C

Anyone having trouble setting up multiple users? The blue bar appeared in the Google home app for a few weeks but it's gone now. I want to add two accounts but can't figure out how to do it

Ludo

Black_Knight wrote: »

Am I the only one who likes the look of it?

Nope...I think it looks nice and fits in well where I have it.

Black_Knight

Is bk the only one who hates the look of it? :P

Ludo

Looks like the reminder functionality is flaky by the way. I used it again last night and it reverted to the first behaviour I saw...nothing out the GHome itself but a reminder popped up on all other devices. There may be a few issues to sort out there.

adox

emmetkenny wrote: »

I was going to get a GHome but opted for the new middle sized Echo. £90 is a good price point.

yeah i think Im going to do the same. have a Dot which I plan on moving from the front room to the bedroom. Was waiting to see if a new GHome was announced as I fancied trying it out.

The fact that the new Echo is cheaper and looks good probably have swayed me to stay with Amazon.

Havent ordered yet though. Would like some real world reviews first to see how the audio is.

Ludo

Does the Echo support Goolge Play Music?

Black_Knight

Ludo wrote: »

Does the Echo support Goolge Play Music?

Yes, but not multi-room casting.

Echo chat here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057668556

matrim

Has anyone ordered from the UK play store? Thinking of picking up a mini but not sure what I need to do to order. The last time I looked was about a year ago and it involved VPNs etc which I wasn't bothered with.

TitianGerm

adox wrote: »

yeah i think Im going to do the same. have a Dot which I plan on moving from the front room to the bedroom. Was waiting to see if a new GHome was announced as I fancied trying it out.

The fact that the new Echo is cheaper and looks good probably have swayed me to stay with Amazon.

Havent ordered yet though. Would like some real world reviews first to see how the audio is.

I got the Echo for £72 as three of us did a group buy to get a £50 discount.

setanta1984

Black_Knight wrote: »

Yes, but not multi-room casting.

Echo chat here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057668556

Huh? Since when? GPM can't be linked to my Echo and I there is nothing about this changing online from a quick search?

moonboy52

setanta1984 wrote:

Huh? Since when? GPM can't be linked to my Echo and I there is nothing about this changing online from a quick search?

You are correct, no GPM.

opus

Black_Knight wrote: »

Is bk the only one who hates the look of it? :P

I'm heading to Germany in Dec so will get my friends there to order one up for me assuming it's available then. Looks perfect for sitting on a bedside table I think.

jogdish

Okay Google whats the forcast for tomorrow morning ( im in the west, storm due to hit in the morning )

"12c and light rain " lol

Black_Knight

jogdish wrote: »

Okay Google whats the forcast for tomorrow morning ( im in the west, storm due to hit in the morning )

"12c and light rain " lol

I dont think there is much rain forcast. Wind yeah, rain, not so much.

jogdish

But It's also the thing that annoys me about the GH. The lack of AI/machine learning that google love to go on about.

I purchased in the hope this would be smart, I cannot image it's a massive feat for it to check storm warning for the local area? It should tell me these things, perhaps have the lights blink red?