6 Best Articles on the Google Home Launch
Monday’s post suggested you look for four things in the Google Home launch event and three out of four were addressed yesterday: integration with other apps and visual media as well as price point. The seamless handoff between Google Home and Android devices wasn’t demonstrated, but they did have a teaser for developer integration that is scheduled for December. The more than 3,000 Alexa skills is a big plus for Amazon and it is clear that Google will want to close that gap.
Best Coverage of Google Home
Google is a big public company so just about every media outlet had a story on the event which included demonstrations of a new phone, Wifi router, and Virtual Reality headset along with Google Home. The six best articles covering the launch:
Just the Facts
The Google Home Device
The Launch in the Larger Context
- The Independent: Google Home and Amazon Echo Usher in Future of Voice Controlled AI Computers That Nobody Ever Sees
- Recode: How Google’s Bold Moves Shake Up the Tech Industry
A Little Fun
What’s Missing
The Google Home launch was designed to showcase the AI and integration of the device with other apps and information. It was very utility focused; how can the “assistant” help you with everyday tasks. In fact, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said about the AI in general and Google Home in particular that, “We want to help you get things done in your world.” It’s a good sound bite and the context-awareness of the AI demo was impressive. However, it wasn’t exactly fun.
The fun of Alexa are the 3,000 independently developed skills. Google doesn’t have that ecosystem built out yet. That process will apparently start in earnest when Google makes its recently acquired API.ai available to developers in December.
