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What is the best alternative to Amazon Echo?
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Google Home
All
12
Experiences
Pros
8
Cons
3
Specs
Top
Pro
Always listens to your voice with "OK Google" service
Google Home doesn't require a button to be pressed in order to use it, it always listens to your voice. Just say the words "OK Google" to get started. It is possible that Google will add more of these 'action words' in the future. OK Google can also be found on mobile Google Devices and integrates well with Google Now. Users of the Google Now will find the Google Home ecosystem very familiar.
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Con
Hasn't been released yet
Google Home will be released sometime in 2016, but is currently not available. As the product has not yet hit the shelves, reviewers and users haven't had the chance to take an in-depth look at the product itself and its features. The sound system and Google Assistant currently haven't been tested by the public.
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Pro
Excellent (conversational) voice commands with Google Assistant
Google Assistant will be the voice-assistant software running on Home and Google has already shown tremendous improvements compared to competitors such as Alexa and Siri. In a demo that was shown by Google, Assistant can manage to understand and respond to conversational voice commands. That means that Home will be able to follow up on previous questions which will make voice commands more natural and smooth.
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Con
Third-party support isn't established yet
As Google Assistant and Google Home are new systems, there isn't much support for third-party apps yet. We'd imagine this will only get better when Home is released, but competitors currently have an advantage here.
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Pro
Design is customizable
The bottom half of Google Home can be replaced by a different shell, with a different texture or different color. This allows the Google Home to be personalized to an extent and fit better design-wise with specific interiors.
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Con
Doesn't offer support for Amazon Prime Music
As Google Home will be the number one competitor to Amazon Echo, the music streaming service from Amazon Prime will not be available on Google Home. However, support could be included in a future update.
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Pro
Offers support for multi-room audio
Google Home works well with extra devices or any speaker that is connected via Google Cast. Home syncs the audio between all devices for a smooth, multi-room audio experience. This essentially allows Google Home to play music from any speaker you'd like.
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Pro
Doubles as a great portable speaker system
Google has implemented a quality speaker system that should make Google Home a powerful speaker for music with reportedly strong bass and clear highs. You can also connect your own speaker or stereo system via Bluetooth or an audiojack: the choice is entirely up to you.
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Pro
Controls other smart home devices
Google Home will offer native support with smart home system Nest, but will also support other third party products that have yet to be announced. Is is unclear so far how easy it is for developers to integrate Google Home into their apps, but Google has announced support for it.
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Pro
Far-field microphones can hear you from a far distance
According to Google, Home will feature far-field microphones that will allow you to be heard from a far distance.
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Pro
Also streams music from Google Play Music
As Home is a Google product, integration with Play Music isn't that surprising. However, it makes Home the only home-assistant to offer support for the online streaming service which is definitely a plus. However, other smart home devices could possibly add Google Play Music in an update.
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Specs
Weight:
16.82 oz
Height:
5.6''
Speaker Channel Type:
Stereo
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Experiences
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26
2
ivee Voice
All
8
Experiences
Pros
6
Cons
2
Top
Pro
Supports multiple voices and accents
The ivee Voice will be able to distuingish multiple voices and accents, for easier use with multiple people.
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Top
Con
ivee Voice hasn't been released yet
The ivee Voice hardware will be available in June, but reviewers and customers haven't gotten their hands on a Voice unit yet and there are no in-depth reviews about the hardware and ivee services for now.
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Top
Pro
Fully open API allows for an open ecosystem
Ivee's ecosystem is fully open, so that developers can easily integrate their apps and services with ivee Voice. The fully open API provided by ivee will make sure developers can use ivee Voice to its fullest extent.
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Con
ivee hasn't received much support from third-party developers
Although ivee offers a fully open API, most third-party developers haven't integrated their apps with the voice assistant (yet). This will probably constantly improve, but for now third-party support is minimal. For example, support for major music streaming services such as Pandora and TuneIn is absent. Luckily, some major apps such as Spotify and Uber are already compatible with ivee.
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Pro
Extensive support for third-party devices
The foundation of ivee's platform is open and flexible, which allows for seamless integration with third-party devices such as stereos, sound systems, the Internet of Things and smart home devices. The list of compatible devices is impressive: ivee supports WeMo, Wink, Hue, Nest, Fitbit, Connect, Lowe's Iris, Honeywell and Logitech Harmony devices, among others. You can also place multiple ivee Voice devices in your home.
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Pro
Accessible hardware
The hardware needed to run ivee's virtual home assistant is more accessible than most competitors. It features a low price tag of $99, has a compact build and only weighs half a pound for added portability.
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Pro
Offers unique emergency service
Ivee has announced a unique emergency service that will be a available in a monthly subscription. It will allow users to connect to a live emergency operator in times of need.
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Pro
Native integration with third-party apps
ivee Voice offers native integration with some of the most popular third-party apps such as Uber, Spotify and Instacart. Weather, traffic and calendar services are also available.
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Experiences
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4
0
Wink
All
6
Experiences
Pros
3
Cons
3
Top
Pro
'Robots' is a feature that lets you configure custom events and actions
You can use 'robots' to automate your system. Robots can be anything from neat tricks - flashing lights when you get a text - to more functional events such as locking your doors when you leave for work.
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Con
Robot actions can be especially laggy as they are routed through the cloud
Robot actions would be much quicker to react if the robot code was stored locally, and you wouldn't have to rely on the internet as much.
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Pro
Straightforward device pairing by scanning barcodes of supported devices
SmartThings makes it very easy to add new products - it's as easy as scanning a barcode instead of typing in a code.
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Top
Con
Automation scheme setup could be a bit more straightforward
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Pro
Does not need to be tethered
The hub can be put anywhere in your house so long as it's powered and within range of you router. You don't need it to be tethered to your router.
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Con
Slight lag between triggering an action and it occurring
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$58.41
3
0
SmartThings
All
8
Experiences
Pros
5
Cons
3
Top
Pro
Includes a backup battery in case power fails
If for whatever reason SmartThings loses access to tethered power it can still function for 10 hours on a battery.
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Top
Con
Custom access isn't currently supported
Custom access is supported by other smart home ecosystems, but not with SmartThings. Custom access allows for things like configurable unlock codes for smart door locks, or allow access to certain SmartHomes products to certain users.
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Top
Pro
Compatible with a wide variety of devices
A full list of supported devices can be found here.
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Top
Con
Pairing a device is more involved than it needs to be
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Pro
Has a Marketplace for user-submitted custom code
Adding extra code is as simple as copying and pasting the user submitted code. This allows for much added functionality and customization options.
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Top
Con
Companion app can take a while to get used to
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Pro
Offers a detailed way of setting up scenes
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Pro
Automatic home/away mode
When all connected devices leave the house, SmartThings automatically goes into 'away mode'. Once a device comes back in range, it will toggle to 'home mode'. You will need to configure what these modes do (whether it be locking the doors, turning the lights on/off, changing the thermostat's temperature...), but it's great that this is done automatically when you arrive home or leave.
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Experiences
$99.00
3
0
Apple HomePod
All
8
Experiences
Pros
5
Cons
2
Specs
Top
Con
It's very expensive
Most popular smart speakers from Google and Amazon cost under $200, while the HomePod is considerably more expensive.
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Top
Pro
You can easily combine several HomePods into a setup
If you put two HomePods in the room, they will automatically synchronize and create an immersive sound. You could also get more and place them across the whole house. They will communicate through AirPlay 2 and let you listen to your music all around your home.
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Con
It has to be plugged in at all times
The HomePod doesn't have a battery, it needs to be plugged into a power outlet to work.
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Top
Pro
The sound quality will be great in any room
You can put the speaker in a large or a small room, in the corner or right in the center, the sound quality will be amazing nevertheless. The HomePod analyzes the layout of the room and adjusts the playback automatically to give you a great listening experience.
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Pro
The voice recognition works very well
Siri recognizes commands that you give from across the room, with music blasting at top volumes.
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Pro
It can suggest music based on your preferences
You can teach the HomePod about the music you like and don't like, and it will try to give you recommendations. You can just say “Hey Siri, I like this song,” or "Hey Siri, play something different."
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Pro
It can do a wide variety of tasks
You can give the speaker commands to control your lights, the thermostat, the AC, etc. You can also ask Siri about the weather, traffic, news, and much more.
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Specs
Weight:
88 oz
Height:
6.8''
Speaker Channel Type:
Stereo
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Experiences
$349
7
1
D-Link Staples Connect
All
4
Experiences
Pros
2
Cons
2
Top
Pro
Most actions will still work without internet access
Your settings are stored locally, and as such when the internet goes down the automated tasks will still keep working - as long as they don't require any internet interaction.
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Top
Con
Spotty performance when multiple products connected
If you have lights from multiple different manufacturers, performance can take a significant hit. Some lights may turn on much quicker than other lights (Phillips Hue always seemed to be the first to react), but given enough time the changes always made it through to all the lights. Sometimes unpairing and re-pairing lights increased performance.
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Pro
Very easy setup, pairing, and installation
To set it up, all you have to do is plug it in to your router (just initially), add in your Wi-Fi password, and then you're free to move it anywhere you choose. Pairing is just as straightforward. While other systems have trouble connecting new devices even after multiple attempts, the Staples Connect typically worked on the first or second try.
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Con
No support for WeMo products
Belkin's WeMo ecosystem isn't supported by Staples' ecosystem.
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$49.98
1
0
Insteon Hub Pro
All
6
Experiences
Pros
3
Cons
3
Top
Pro
The hub is small and can be hidden easily
While it needs a wired connection to your router, this hub is fairly small and can easily be tucked away somewhere out of sight.
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Top
Con
Slow updates
While HomeKit has been steadily evolving and adding new features, Insteon has been very slow to add these features into it's hub. Expect to wait for any new features that Apple rolls out in the future.
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Top
Pro
Mesh network allows for further ranges
HomeKit connects via bluetooth inside the home (to reach out of the home they require an Apple TV), and each connected device will pass along the information to the next device. This creates a 'mesh' network, where all the points relay the message along. This helps to extend the range of the network further than what would be possible if the hub connected to each device individually.
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Con
Only iOS is supported
This hub was created specifically with HomeKit in mind, which only works with iOS devices. There is no Android, Windows, or web app support. The only way to control products connected to this hub is through an Apple device.
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Top
Pro
Fully supports Apple's HomeKit
HomeKit is Apple's smart home ecosystem and is tightly integrated with Siri. It provides scenes, which you can describe as groups of actions that all take effect with a single command. For example (once configured), sauing "Hey Siri, Goodnight" could turn all your connected lights off, lock your doors, turn your thermostat down a few degrees, and turn on your connected security camera.
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Con
Limited to Insteon and HomeKit devices
While there are doezens of other standards available (WeMo, Nest, and SmartThings to name some of the bigger ones), the Insteon Hub Pro only works with their own devices as well as devices which are HomeKit compatible. This reduces your choice when it comes to buying new smart home products, where other hubs support multiple ecosystems allowing for the best selection of smart home gadgets.
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$149.99
0
0
Amazon Echo Dot
All
8
Experiences
Pros
3
Cons
4
Specs
Top
Pro
Great option for people who want to try out smart speakers
The Echo Dot is a great option if you're still unsure if you'll have any use for a smart speaker. It has a lot of the same functions as other Amazon smart speakers but it comes at a fraction of the price.
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Top
Con
It has a hard time picking up commands from a distance
If the distance between you and the speaker is more than 20 feet, you should speak louder to make sure that Alexa understands you correctly.
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Top
Pro
It doesn't take up much space
The Dot is smaller than the average smart speaker, and there shouldn't be any problem with finding a place for it.
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Con
You can't switch between the external speaker and the Echo Dot
If you plug in an external speaker, it will be used by default, with no possibility to switch between the two.
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Pro
You can connect it to another speaker
You can upgrade the sound by connecting an external speaker (or headphones) via the 3.5 mm jack.
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Con
The sound output is underwhelming in a large room
The Dot is a comparatively small device, it doesn't have as much power as bigger speakers. It can handle playing some background music in a quiet setting, but it's not the best choice for a party.
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Top
Con
It relies on a power outlet
The Echo Dot has to be plugged into a power outlet to work.
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Specs
Weight:
5.75 oz
Height:
1.3''
Speaker Channel Type:
Mono
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Experiences
49.99$
1
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Built By the Slant team
Find the best product instantly.
4.7 star rating
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Add to Firefox
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