Best Google Assistant devices for your home: Our top 10
Google Assistant launched less than three years ago, but in that short period of time, the machine learning-based digital helper has expanded its reach from smartphones and smartwatches to speakers and many other Google Assistant devices for the home. Indeed, at CES 2019, it was announced that Google Assistant devices were expected to reach over 1 billion products by the end of January 2019.
Google sells its own smart speakers with Google Assistant support under the Google Home brand, and there are many other third-party smart speaker products you can buy that have Google Assistant support as well. However, there are many, many other Google Assistant devices you can check out. We have a quick list of the best Google Assistant devices you can get for your home. Some of them have the digital helper built-in, while others need a Google Home or another Google Assistant compatible smart speaker to use its voice commands.
Best Google Assistant compatible devices (built-in)
NVIDIA Shield TV
Android TV is Google’s smart television operating system, and it’s actually one of the best you can use. If you don’t have a smart TV, or if you have one and are not happy with its app selections or features, you should check out the NVIDIA Shield TV set-top box. It will add Android TV support to any big screen television, and it also supports Google Assistant natively. That means you can use your voice (if you also have the Shield controller) to command the Shield TV to launch apps like Netflix, YouTube and more. You can play, pause or reverse videos on those services with your voice, and you can learn more about the shows you are watching as well with voice commands. The set-top box also lets you control other Google Assistant compatible devices as well from the Shield TV.
NVIDIA also continues to update the Shield TV with new features like support for HDR video, and most importantly support for NVIDA’s GeForce Now game streaming service which allows you to play over 400 PC games from Valve’s Steam service on the Shield TV device.
Sony TVs with Android TV and Google Assistant
Android TV has also been directly installed on a number of smart TVs. Sony’s lineup of big-screen TVs are the biggest brand with Android TV out of the box, and that means they also have Google Assistant built in the TVs. As with the NVIDIA Shield TV box, you can command Sony’s smart TV’s with your voice to launch apps, look up information and much more.
Smart TVs with Android TV and Google Assistant installed are also available from other companies, including Sharp and Hisense.
Acer Chromebook Spin 13
Many Chromebooks come with Google Assistant support out of the box. That includes the Acer Chromebook Spin 13, which is our current pick for the best Chromebook you can buy. You can use voice commands to bring up information and more on this Chromebook. It has a 13.5-inch, 13.5-inch, 2,256 x 1,504 IPS touchscreen display with a 3:2 aspect ratio that rotates with its 360-degree hinge. This Chromebook also comes with its own stylus, which docks in the base of the Chromebook. You can get this Chromebook for as low as $ 749.99 with an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB onboard storage.
Best Google Assistant compatible devices (add-0n)
Nest Thermostat, Protect and Hello
One of the best Google Assistant devices is the Nest Thermostat. Nest was originally set up as a separate subsidiary to Google’s parent company Alphabet, but more recently the Nest team was integrated into Google’s hardware unit. The Nest thermostat is designed to work with Google Assistant, via your Android phone or your Google Home speaker. Nest offers a number of advantages over the traditional thermostat including adjusting the temperature when you’re away from the house and learning your household habits to schedule changes appropriately. It responds to remote control from the Google Home or the Nest app.
Nest also has a little brother, the Nest Thermostat E, which brings a lot of the same functionality, but at a lower price point. Plus, most utility companies offer rebates on the equipment, bringing your costs down even lower.
Of course, if you’d like a different smart thermostat, we have a list of the best smart thermostats to help you with your decision. Think the process will be too hard? Installing a Nest is easier than you might think.
Continuing on with the Nest line of products, the division also releases smoke and CO alarms until the Nest Protect brand that work with Google Assistant gadgets. Normally, we wouldn’t give much thought to a smoke or CO detector. Chances are you already have both of these in your home. But adding a little bit of intelligence to this tech is not a bad idea. For example, a Nest Protect can link to your Nest Thermostat, via Google Assistant, and automatically cut off your heating equipment in the event of a fire or CO leak. It’s this kind of intelligence that can help mitigate a disaster.
One of the more recent Nest products is a smart doorbell, the Nest Hello, Once you install it, it allows you to see who’s at the door and even communicate with them with your smartphone or tablet. Some models will even recognize frequent visitors and can announce them with your Google Home speaker.
Samsung SmartThings Hub V3
Many of the Google Assistant devices made for the smart home, but not all, do require a hub device to work. Samsung’s SmartThings Hub is perhaps the best of these kinds of products, and the company recently released the third generation model of the SmartThings Hub.
The hub will allow you to control a large number of Google Assistant compatible products, including smart bulbs, cameras, locks, and much more. Samsung also sells a number of SmartThings add-on products to help extend your smart home experiences, including motions sensors for lights and cameras, smart plugs for lights and more. While this new version of the hub lacks a battery backup as the second generation version did, it’s the current product to beat for people who want to link up their Google Assistant devices.
Nest x Yale smart lock
In 2018, Nest teamed up with the connected smart lock company Yale in a partnership that allows Yale smart locks to work with Google Assistant devices like Google Home. The Yale x Nest smart lock will allow you to open or lock down doors with the Yale product installed just with your voice. You can also use voice commands to find out if you left the door unlocked or lock. You can also give anyone who you want to enter the house their own passcode, and you can monitor who has been entering or leaving your home.
LIFX Smart LED Light Bulb
Smart bulbs in your home can be quite convenient. Controlling lights while you’re away is a good way to make people think you’re home. Remotely turning on lights when you’re on your way home is a great way to avoid walking into a dark house. LIFX bulbs are nice because they do not require any kind of hub or controller to work; they just need to connect to a Google Home speaker to enable its Google Assistant devices support.
In addition, these smart bulbs also connect to Nest products. For example, if the Nest Protect smoke and CO alarm sensors detect a fire, LIFX bulbs will pulse red and then turn themselves on to full brightness, illuminating your way to get out of the house. Nest cameras can detect that the house is empty, and trigger LIFX bulbs to switch to a dimmer/lower power mode to help conserve electricity. It’s all of these integrations that make a smart home really start to come together.
Phillips hue lighting starter kit
Phillips is one of the bigger names in smart lighting and its Hue lineup of smart bulbs are highly popular. While they are also Google Assistant compatible, the Phillips Hue bulbs fo require a Hub Bridge to connect the bulbs to your Google Home and Nest devices. They can also help to save power when you’re away from home.
TP-Link Smart Plug Mini
If you have smart home gadgets — or just lights — that you just want to turn on or off, TP Link has a smart plug you can use with your phone or with Google Assistant. Best of all, you won’t need an extra hub like the Samsung SmartThings device for this smart plug to work. The included TP Link app allows you to schedule time for devices that are plugged into the smart plug. You can also set an away mode which turns lights or appliances on at random for some extra security. The compact design is so small it doesn’t block adjacent outlets.
10. Chamberlain Smart Garage Hub
Once upon a time, you had to have a button attached to your car’s visor to make your garage door open and close. Those days are gone now, as garage doors have joined the smart home revolution. The Chamberlain Smart Garage Hub connects to your existing opener and allows you to check the status of your garage door, and even raise or lower the door as needed. You can even receive alerts when your garage door opens and closes. You can control your garage door with Google Home as a Google Assistant device, but that requires a $1/mo or $10/year subscription.
Extra – Samsung Smart TVs (later in 2019)
In addition to the many Android TV smart televisions and set-top boxes that are available with Google Assistant built-in, Samsung recently announced that its 2019 lineup of smart TVs would have limited support for Google Assistant. If you also own a Google Home or another Google Assistant device, you will be able to use voice commands to turn the new Samsung smart TVs on or off, along with changing channels or the input source. You can also turn the volume up and down with a Google Assistant voice command, or launch specific smart TV apps. Look for those Samsung smart TVs to be released later in 2019.
Google Assistant devices for the home – wrap up
Related
- The best smart home hubs
- What is a Smart Home — and why should you want one?
- Google Home can now better control your smart home appliances and adds scene support
from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2U1MOvy
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