Google generally doesn’t do as well when it builds “follower” products — think Google Plus or Allo. But there are other examples where Google has excelled with later entries (e.g., AdWords, Maps). Right now, Google Home is a follower product seeking to break out of Amazon Echo’s shadow. On paper, Google should win in this […]
Home device with a screen to compete with Echo Show Read More »
Yesterday, at a pre-emptive event in Seattle, Amazon introduced new Alexa devices to keep its lead in the battle for the smart home. Google is having its own hardware event on October 4. Amazon introduced six products. First and foremost, it presented a more compact, cheaper Echo with better sound. It comes in six different
Amazon just upped the ante in the battle of the virtual assistants Read More »
There are roughly 20 million smart speakers now in the US. And more than half of device owners have used them to buy something, according to survey data from NPR and Edison Research. The data released this week is part two of a report first introduced in July. Called “The Smart Audio Report,” the data are
57% of smart speaker owners have bought something with their voice Read More »
Google is set to reveal the Pixel 2 smartphone and potentially other hardware at an event on October 4, in time for holiday shopping. While the Pixel 2 is set to be the star of the event, a prominent supporting role will be played by the new “Google Home Mini.” This is apparently Google’s answer
Google to debut ‘Home Mini’ smart speaker for $49 on October 4 Read More »
Most of the random questions you ask Alexa devices will be met with “Hmm, I don’t know that” or “Sorry, I’m not sure.” By comparison, Google Home, with its search index access, typically does a better job on general knowledge and information queries. To better compete with Google over time, Amazon devices have started to
When it ‘can’t answer that,’ Alexa begins recommending third-party skills Read More »
Google and Walmart have announced a partnership to bring Walmart voice shopping to the Google Assistant and Google Home. Free delivery will also be available through Google Express, which is changing its pricing structure. Though not discussed in either company’s blog post, the move is likely a response to Amazon voice shopping via Alexa devices.
Walmart offering voice shopping via Google Assistant and Home Read More »
Americans love their “smart speakers” and they plan to buy more of them. That’s according to a recent, in-depth consumer study from NPR and Edison Research. The survey polled more than 1,600 respondents (equally divided between device owners and non-owners) and found that 76 percent of owners had Amazon Echo devices, while 16 percent had
Americans love their smart speakers, 42% call them ‘essential’ Read More »
With Prime Day just hours away, both Amazon and Google are hoping to woo shoppers with discounts on their smart speakers — but Amazon’s aggressive pricing on both the Echo and Dot could tip the balance in its favor over Google Home. The latter — Google Home — is already available for just $99, a
Prime Day brings a price battle between Amazon Echo and Google Home Read More »
Tech bloggers love to test and compare rival products. There’s an underlying assumption that the better product will always win. But other factors (e.g., price, brand and so on) can get in the way of rational market outcomes. A new study from agency 360i (reported in Adweek) asserts that Google Home is much more likely to answer people’s questions than Amazon Alexa.The headline is
Study argues Google Home 6X ‘more effective’ than Alexa, but will consumers care? Read More »
