Google Home FAQ

OldBean

I saw some GH's for sale in Maplins in Dublin yesterday, if anyone is looking. Didn't catch the price.

bk

jogdish wrote: »

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.

It isn't really a machine learning/AI thing. It is more of a case of Google not being hooked up to the correct weather information sources (met eireann). I suspect you would get a warning in the US, but they haven't really modified it for a small country like Ireland yet.

If it is consolation, Amazon Echo didn't mention a weather alert either and overall doesn't work as well in Ireland and isn't as smart IME.

jogdish

bk wrote: »

..
If it is consolation, Amazon Echo didn't mention a weather alert either and overall doesn't work as well in Ireland and isn't as smart IME.

It is , and perhaps my imagination ran wild after seeing the GH demo at one of their conferences, dam hype.

bk

jogdish wrote: »

It is , and perhaps my imagination ran wild after seeing the GH demo at one of their conferences, dam hype.

The thing I think confuses people is where the "AI" is actually being used. The "AI" is being used in interpreting your speech. Understanding all the different accents, muffled speech and different ways people ask questions is literally one of the toughest problems in computer science. What GHome/Siri/Echo are doing in terms of speech recognition is almost sci-fi level stuff and I'm highly impressed.

But once it has figured out what you are trying to ask, it is just using the normal data sources you would have in a Google Search, etc.

The "AI" isn't really randomly learning things. It is more the developers at Google, etc. just hooking up different datasources in the back end. Very mundane stuff, not really "AI" in the Hollywood sense.

The Black Oil

Have read the whole thread. Tempted to order a Mini or two later this week.

Black_Knight

The Black Oil wrote: »

Have read the whole thread. Tempted to order a Mini or two later this week.

Depending on your setup (what you can integrate with) they're worth it. Turning on lights, switches, heating etc is quite handy. If you plan to use it as a music speaker i'd suggest a full GHome (though i've not sampled the GHome Mini speaker quality).

I've two but I only really use the one in my bedroom. And that only for music and radio. Sorely tempted to get the Max when it comes out.....but €400? For a radio? Do I deserve it?

The Black Oil

I am thinking of two Minis - kitchen and bedroom. Really, it would be for use with Hue lights and They're available today (looking at Argos UK). I am a little uneasy on the privacy side, I must admit. If the thing is recording all the time, but I believe this was addressed. Would have been useful today to ask it about cooking roast without having to search by phone. Very little interest in music from a streaming point of view, but podcasts all the way and already have an Roberts radio for the BBC stations. Maybe two is excessive.

bk

The Black Oil wrote: »

I am thinking of two Minis - kitchen and bedroom. Really, it would be for use with Hue lights and They're available today (looking at Argos UK). I am a little uneasy on the privacy side, I must admit. If the thing is recording all the time, but I believe this was addressed. Would have been useful today to ask it about cooking roast without having to search by phone. Very little interest in music from a streaming point of view, but podcasts all the way and already have an Roberts radio for the BBC stations. Maybe two is excessive.

You think that now, I bet you won't once you have them. Though you could always buy one, try it and add another later.

It doesn't actually record all the time. It constantly listens for the action word "Hey Google" or "Ok Google", it then only transmits the next few seconds of what you say after the command word to Googles servers for processing.

Once you get one, you quickly get over the privacy worries, it really is no different then the phone in your pocket.

The Black Oil

Tried to register with Argos UK. It wouldn't accept the Parcel Motel Belfast postcode. Also trying to register with Currys UK, it's looking for a UK postcode for the billing address. Not sure it'll process the payment because I can't change the country to Ireland.

matrim

The Black Oil wrote: »

Tried to register with Argos UK. It wouldn't accept the Parcel Motel Belfast postcode. Also trying to register with Currys UK, it's looking for a UK postcode for the billing address. Not sure it'll process the payment because I can't change the country to Ireland.

You can order directly from the UK play store and they will deliver to Parcel Motel using an Irish credit card

The Black Oil

Ordered 2 Minis from the Play Store, UK. Should have them early Nov.

wexfordman2

The Black Oil wrote: »

Ordered 2 Minis from the Play Store, UK. Should have them early Nov.

How do you rode from the UK store ?

Ludo

Go to: https://store.google.com/?playredirect=true

Scroll all the way to bottom and you will see an Irish flag. Click on it and you can then select the UK store.

matrim

Set up my mini this evening. The only problem is that I have the default device set as the home in my living room and it kept playing the music in there. How do you get it to play on the current device? I tried "Play xxx on kitchen speaker" but it would just say "I don't recognise kitchen speaker".

I eventually got a couple of tries to work by renaming to just "kitchen" but is seemed inconsistent. There should be a way to say play on this speaker / device

wexfordman2

matrim wrote: »

Set up my mini this evening. The only problem is that I have the default device set as the home in my living room and it kept playing the music in there. How do you get it to play on the current device? I tried "Play xxx on kitchen speaker" but it would just say "I don't recognise kitchen speaker".

I eventually got a couple of tries to work by renaming to just "kitchen" but is seemed inconsistent. There should be a way to say play on this speaker / device

Try say play it in the kitchen home

The Black Oil

How do these devices handle the odd word as Gaeilge? Not expecting much as I don't have a need for this. I've fairly low expectations, don't worry. Do have the odd query like 'phone number for Draiocht Theatre.'

I asked my phone this morning and it thought my question was about terrorism.

The high horse brigade

Is there any way to do multi room audio on a normal chromcast video? I know you can with the audio, but this chromecast video is connected to a TV with lineout going to a stereo

bk

Rumours of a Google Home, Echo Show competitor in the works:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/23/16519464/google-home-touchscreen-device-app-code

jogdish

bk wrote: »

Rumours of a Google Home, Echo Show competitor in the works:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/23/16519464/google-home-touchscreen-device-app-code

Makes sense, but having seen their product line, Home max and min they seem to be going for quality(design)+pricey over cheaper but lesser design. Also these days everyone is just used to super hi res phone screens, they will expect the same on a screened Home.

I fear this one will be expensive!

jogdish

Any idea when phone calls might work in Ireand , if ever? given that its still not here officially and probably never will be.

bk

jogdish wrote: »

Makes sense, but having seen their product line, Home max and min they seem to be going for quality(design)+pricey over cheaper but lesser design. Also these days everyone is just used to super hi res phone screens, they will expect the same on a screened Home.

I fear this one will be expensive!

I agree on the Max, but the Mini is definitely not expensive.

You may well be right, but I also think Google knows they are competing with Amazon, their low prices and fantastic retail channel.

I think the max is more a realisation that they can also do a high end model and is a toe into testing that market.

IMO the future of these sort of systems is a very wide variety of devices, in all sorts of different price points and form factors.

The Black Oil

Two Minis arrived in my Parcel Motel locker around 3am last night. I'll collect later and set them up after work.

RunDMC

Has anyone got the broadcast feature to work on the Google home. I have 3 of them, but when I ask one to broadcast a message, she tells me she can't help with that right now.

R

Atomic Pineapple

Got a mini this evening and got it set up and played around with it, fantastic the way it works with the chromecast, will definitely pick up another, only thing is for me it's not working with the hue lights, account links fine and when I ask to turn the lights on or off I get a positive message back but the lights don't actually turn on, anyone else had that issue?

jogdish

Atomic Pineapple wrote: »

Got a mini this evening and got it set up and played around with it, fantastic the way it works with the chromecast, will definitely pick up another, only thing is for me it's not working with the hue lights, account links fine and when I ask to turn the lights on or off I get a positive message back but the lights don't actually turn on, anyone else had that issue?

How do you find the volume and the quality of the mics?

The Black Oil

First impressions of the Mini. Nearly fell straight out of the box, opening chime/sound nearly freaked me out due to the default level. :P Asked it about cooking a 5kg turkey, not much from that, check until the juices run clear. :pac: Tried Hue, but I'm unsure of the commands and or if I've to set something in place first. Weather and news - OK. Tune In OK (RTE Radio 1), a little slow to catch on. Cancelling stuff generally fine, but it didn't always catch that command. Could be how my head was turned. Happy with it so far. Just tried an alarm, fair volume off that. Will play with it more later in the week.

The high horse brigade

To get Hue working try English USA

The Black Oil

Watched some instructions on Youtube. My Mini started yapping away in the background. :pac:

OldBean

Agreed to keeping the Ghome set to English USA - Works much better.