the six functions for which it will be essential in your daily life

2023 was the year when artificial intelligence positioned itself as the trending technology. Part of the success comes from the uses that many people have given to generative AI, like ChatGPT. The next step will be the use of these systems in voice environments, something Google is already testing on some mobile phones with Gemini.

However, There are still years left for the use of these assistants to be massive., without knowing yet if they will be free or if you will have to pay a monthly subscription to be able to use them. What yes Voice assistants can already be used at homenotably Alexa and Google.

In addition to voice commands, There are speaker models that allow you to use their screens to interact with them, in addition to offering functions that basic assistants do not have, such as watching series or making video calls from one speaker to another, without using a cell phone. This could be particularly helpful for older people.

Worm Series

Playing content on screen speakers is one of the advantages of these speakers. Google integrates very well with YouTube as usual, being able to read certain content by voice. Those with Alexa, however, use the web browser, which makes the experience worse.

However, when using other platforms, like Netflix, the result is very similar in both cases. Prime Video, for example, works perfectly with Amazon speakers, as expected, but not with Google’s. We can play the series we are watching, move forward with touches on the screen or voice commands, etc.

An advantage they have Google Speakers is the Chromecast function that allows you to send content from your mobile, whether it’s music or video, as long as the Android apps are updated with this feature. The ones from Amazon have it too, but it doesn’t work the same way. You can replicate the entire mobile, but not send playback and control the content from the mobile as if it were a remote control.

Check the weather

Knowing the weather in the next few days is one of the most common questions when you have a smart assistant. In those that do not have a screen we will have basic data, sufficient for the day we are in or the next one, but In those who have a screen we can see more advanced predictions.

In the case of Google, a series of icons will appear with the weather, day of the week and maximum and minimum temperatures for each day. In the case of Alexa the answer is the same, but instead of 5 days it gives us the forecast of 4also with icons and with maximum and minimum temperatures.

Shopping list

Making your shopping list with a voice assistant is very simple, you just have to invoke it and add the product to the list with commands like “Alexa, add peppers to the shopping list” or “OK Google, add rice to the shopping list”

But the advantage of screen speakers is that They can be asked to show the shopping list and it will appear as text, without having to listen to the entire voice list as is the case on devices that do not have a screen. If you want to delete something on Google Speakers, just swipe to the side. In those from Amazon you need to edit the name, delete it and click Done.

home control

All smart speakers allow voice home automation control of multiple devices, such as vacuum cleaners, lights or televisions. But when you have a screen, it is also possible to use not only this control, but do it silently using each system’s home automation control.

In the case of Amazon It’s at the top, in an area called Digital home, which allows you to select certain devices as favorites so that they appear on the screen as soon as you press this button. In the case of speakers Google

Make calls

Another feature available on these devices is power make calls and video calls with other devices with Alexa that our family or friends have at home. It is also possible to do this with Google devices provided that Google Meet, the old Google Duo, is configured. Just say “OK Google, call Pedro” or “Alexa, call María”.

The main smart devices with a screen are the Google Nest Hub 2 or the second generation Amazon Echo Show 8. These are the most recommended in terms of quality and price, although there are others like the 3rd generation Echo Show 8, the Amazon Echo Show 10 or the Show 15, which is almost a television for the kitchen.

There are other smart displays not designed to serve as speakers, but rather as home automation controls. The best example is Amazon Echo Hub which we reviewed a few weeks ago. These types of devices are more specialized, recommended when there are already a number of connected devices in the home.

See the news

Anyone who has used a smart speaker knows that we can ask it to inform us of the latest news and that the system will use certain multimedia sources for this. Even sometimes It is possible to select these sources and sort them.

What few people know is that it’s possible watch news from different channels, with an order. For example, it is possible to say “Alexa, play news from Antena 3” or “Alexa, play news from La Sexta”. For the moment, it is the two Spanish public channels which have this active function.