I Tested Amazon & Google’s New Smart Gadgets – Ask Me Anything
▼ Summary
– Jennifer Pattison Tuohy is The Verge’s smart home reviewer with over 20 years of experience in smart home and connected tech.
– She recently examined new smart displays, speakers, voice assistants, and security cameras launched by Amazon and Google in New York City.
– Amazon introduced new Echo devices with the AI-powered Alexa Plus assistant and new Ring cameras including a 4K video doorbell and AI feature for finding missing dogs.
– Google announced a major overhaul integrating its Gemini AI into Google Home as Gemini for Home, replacing Google Assistant on smart speakers.
– The author is hosting a subscriber-only AMA on October 3rd to answer questions about these new AI-powered smart home developments.
Finding the right smart home gadgets can feel overwhelming with so many new products hitting the market. This week brought major announcements from both Amazon and Google, each introducing significant upgrades to their ecosystems. I had the opportunity to get some early hands-on time with these devices in New York City and speak directly with representatives from both companies about their latest innovations.
Amazon kicked things off on Tuesday by unveiling a fresh lineup of Echo Show smart displays and Echo smart speakers. These new devices are equipped with the company’s advanced Alexa Plus voice assistant, which is powered by artificial intelligence. This upgraded Alexa is designed to be more conversational and intelligent, offering improved capabilities for managing your connected home. Amazon also introduced several new Ring security cameras, featuring a 4K video doorbell. A particularly interesting new feature uses the power of AI through Ring cameras to help locate lost pets, specifically focusing on finding missing dogs.
Not to be outdone, Google made its own substantial announcements on Wednesday. The company is fundamentally reshaping its approach to the smart home. The biggest news is the full integration of its Gemini AI into the Google Home platform. This new service, called Gemini for Home, acts as a smarter, large language model-powered voice assistant that will replace Google Assistant on Google Home speakers. This move signals a major shift towards more sophisticated, AI-driven interactions within our living spaces.
This new generation of intelligent AI is finally making its way into our homes, promising to make our devices more helpful and responsive. I know there are plenty of questions about how these new systems will work in practice and what they mean for existing smart home setups. I’m looking forward to discussing all of this and more.
(Source: The Verge)
