It's true that Amazon's Alexa was the first to arrive in the world of online assistants, but several other friends have joined her in the last year. Even the initial Amazon Echo has six Alexa-powered cousins that are now fighting hard for your attention and money. Digital assistants are capable of doing many things, things that you often like to be done just by commanding someone at once. It could be about playing music or setting alarm clocks, calendar event reminders, or finding out the weather.
Isn't it better to ask someone where you can find the best beachwear nearby than to type into the search engine bar and browse countless web pages? How about a device that takes care of thermostats, streaming TV video, and smart lights with a single voice command? These digital assistants make these things happen in seconds with a single voice command. They behave more like friends than a weird computer-generated voice. And the best part is that it is easier to maintain a cordial relationship with these virtual assistants than with complicated humans.
The pricing page
As for the Amazon Echo, you can start creating your budget from $100, which is the lowest. The Echo Dot can be purchased for half that price, which is also of lower quality, while the Echo Show is priced at $230. Google's assistant doesn't challenge the Echo in terms of price and costs $129. Those on a budget can take home the Google Home Mini for $49. Those looking for something stylish can opt for the Google Home Max, which costs $399.
The Apple HomePod can be purchased for $349.
Voice assistance
This time we'll start with the Apple Homepod which makes use of Siri, you may have already used it before on Mac, iPad and iPhones. It allows users to ask questions and get answers, command smart home devices, and also control music. For example, if you say, “Hey Siri, I love eating South Indian food”, that information will be noted by Siri and whenever you want to eat out, it will select the top-rated South Indian restaurants around you and will let you know. Likewise, if you want to ask about the weather, you can always ask, “Hey Siri, tell me if I should carry an umbrella today or not?” It will tell you the weather forecast for today and also for the next 2 to 3 days. Planning a trip has never been as simple as that, right? Siri also allows Home Pod users to perform many other tasks, such as checking the latest news updates, traffic, setting timers, and playing podcast. If you want to play some third-party apps, you will have to use SiriKit, which will give you access to apps like Whatsapp, Snapchat, Facebook, and others.
Naturally, each device will work best with its own manufacturer. Alexa, for example, will read Kindle e-books in your artificial voice. If you've finished a chapter on your Kindle, it will automatically start reading you the next chapter after that. It also lets you buy monthly essentials, toiletries, and other things on Amazon with a simple voice command.
Google assistant would talk to you like a friend. Furthermore, in terms of awareness and general knowledge, it is the best. Also, in terms of entertainment, food ordering and voice recognition, it is much better than the other two. But if you're looking for excellent audio quality, the HomePod is your friend. This attribute also makes it one of the most expensive of all.
Security and privacy
Any assistant you buy expects your kids to keep fussing with it, asking it to make fart noises or ordering it to do homework. Parental controls are restricted in many of them. Google offers restricted options on YouTube. While Amazon allows you to set a PIN to purchase products with voice command. But the news segment is unfiltered, which may be annoying for some.
Also, you need to take care of what your speaker is listening to. So remember to click the mute button. But all manufacturers claim that these speakers don't send a single word to the internet unless they hear a keyword like “OK Google!!” or “Hey Siri” or “Alexa”. Amazon and Google also allow you to delete some specific histories.
Settings
In this regard, all three are winners. Google lagged behind, but its latest update also eliminated this factor. With Google and Alexa, you just need to “plug and play”. Siri, on the other hand, suits larger size setups well and needs numerous bridges, which also requires extra efforts to set up HomeKit scenes.
Best Assistance
There might be various opinions here, but if you look closely, Siri emerges as a winning side of all. It has the ability to support comprehensive automation features configured through the Apple Home App and HomeKit. Alexa has also taken a few steps forward by providing support for routines and home groups.
How to choose one?
Whatever you choose, remember that no wizard has all the features. For example, Alexa doesn't allow you to set the alarm for more than 24 hours. Everyone is in the youth phase and still learning from their shortcomings. Initially, Alexa could only make calls to Alexa users, but now it allows users to make calls to regular numbers as well. Google is unique for its updated knowledge base and voice recognition. He knows that loud music should only be played by voice command and not by your child's voice command. Alexa learned this quite late.
Crucially, all of these are currently in the learning phase and the future definitely brings some smarter versions. Our opinion – invest your money wisely. Don't be in a rush, but if it's very important, choose the one that comes closest to your personal preference and personality. Alexa and Google are adding new features every month, but Siri is way ahead of everyone as it supports numerous bridges, automation and regrouping through sensors. But this may be a person's preference, you need to decide according to yours.