T-E-C-H-NOLOGY. For some that’s a frightening term, for others it raises feelings of excitement, and for many it creates a simple “just a fact of life” attitude. We all have our ideas as to whether technology is moving too fast, producing too much or getting too crazy to handle, I get it.
With cellphones essentially becoming our personal assistants and Google Home/Amazon Echo moving in with us, we live in quite a tech-filled life nowadays. Living with technology doesn’t have to be a terrible or daunting experience though. In this article we’ll talk a little bit about the positive aspects of having new technologies around, no matter your background or age!
First off, what is Google Home or Amazon Echo?
According to Google.com, Google Home is a “speaker that enables users to speak voice commands to interact with services through Google’s intelligent personal assistant called Google Assistant” To put it simply, Google Home is essentially an extension of your smart phone that you can talk to verbally instead of having to manually interact with every time you use it.
Instead of typing “what is the weather today” on your phone, what you do instead is say out loud “Hey Google/Alexa, what is the weather today?” and they’ll answer you over their speakers. As for Amazon Echo, it’s fairly similar to Google Home but their voice’s name is Alexa. So instead of saying “Hey Google” you would say “Alexa”.
Did you know as of January of 2017, an estimate of 8.2 million people already own an Amazon Echo device in their homes?! With both devices there are a ton of commands, most are functional, some are for fun, but I’m going to concentrate on a few that I found practical for emergency and everyday situations.
Google Home Commands and Uses
Google Home can do basic commands like setting your alarm, playing you songs, or telling you a joke, but what I also found useful is their ability to perform Smart home commands if you own specific compatible devices such as Philips Hue light bulbs or Nest thermostats. These are additional devices that are connected to your home through wireless connections such as bluetooth or WiFi.
- With Philips Hue, you can control your lighting system via voice.
- With Nest Thermostat, you can control your home’s temperature with your voice as well.
Both examples will require a device (your cellphone or Google Home for this case), to get your commands to the items. Think of those old clap on/clap off lights, but a little more sophisticated now!
With Google you can perform useful commands like:
“Hey Google, turn on [living room light].” Or “Hey Google, turn ON all of the lights.”
- In situations for if you’ve fallen in the dark, this command will allow you to have more visibility of your surrounds without needing to be in the dark for hours while waiting for help or needing to find the nearest light switch while you’re injured.
“Hey Google, brighten the [reading light].”
- For when you’re reading and enjoying a book without needing to get up, twist or bend forward to brighten a light.
“Hey Google, turn on lights in [bathroom].”
- Great for prior to heading to the bathroom, the lights can be on. No need to trying to find the on/off switch, wave at the sensor for movement activation or having the lights turn off automatically after an extended period of time in the bathroom.
“Hey Google, turn off all of the lights.”
- No need to walk around the whole house to turn off lights before bed, therefore decreasing the likelihood of tripping on something in the dark or bumping into furniture accidentally due to low lighting.
“Hey Google, raise the temperature.” Or “Hey Google, set the temperature to 72 degrees.”
- These commands are great for everyday use but at times of emergency when you’ve fallen in a slippery bathroom and are waiting for help to arrive on a cold winter day, having these commands at your fingertips can be life saving. Instead of sitting in the dark for hours, at least in this case maybe you can be in the light and warmth. You can even have Google play you your favorite music while waiting.
Amazon Echo Differences and Uses
Amazon Echo, is extremely similar in terms of functions to Google Home, although Amazon’s virtual assistant is named Alexa.
One of the biggest and most obvious differences between them is their outer appearance. According to tech experts from Huffington post, which device you decided to go with really depends on what you use it for.
- For all the commands above regarding controlling your smart home, or buying groceries online via Amazon.com, Amazon Echo does a better job.
- If you want great answers to your questions, check your Gmail and an easier setup, Google Home can be your friend! Better yet, use it to call your real-life friends without needing to flip through your screen’s tiny phonebook fonts.
Other Tips and Tricks
Currently with BOTH devices, it’s not possible to call 911 directly due to regulations. But, there is an online application called Ask My Buddy (https://askmybuddy.net/).
With Ask My Buddy, you can set up and use commands like “Alexa, Ask My Buddy for help” or “Hey Google, alert my family”. What will then happen is, the app will call, text and/or email the designated buddy for you.
It does require setting up (more instructions on that on their website listed earlier) and is not a straight call to the police but at least it’s a way of reaching out for help when needed.
If you have an iPhone, Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, can dial 911 for you. However, Siri is currently not a home speaker like Amazon Echo or Google Home.
Technology and You
In the end, yes, it will take some new learning and new adjustments, but considering turning your current home into a Smart Home may not be such a bad idea, especially in preparation for emergencies. With setting up, there is always help out there and companies such as Our Voice (http://www.ourvoice.net/video.html) can be there to provide support when needed.
Keep an open mind and maybe one day we can all shake hands with these new technological devices, see them as an extra pair of helping hands and live happily ever after with them.
References and Additional Resources
- https://expandedramblings.com/index.php/amazon-alexa-statistics/
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/07/19/alexa-cant-dial-911-but-google-alexa-and-siri-can-get-you-help/486075001/
- https://www.androidauthority.com/google-home-commands-727911/
- https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/amazon-echo-vs-google-home_us_5a15b2a0e4b025f8e9331e35
- https://askmybuddy.net/
- http://www.ourvoice.net/video.html
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