Google home assistant is becoming more prevalent every day. Without realizing it, you have probably come in contact with it already. Google has sold over 10 million units that are standalone, similar to amazons Alexa, but it can also exist in your phone, laptop, TV, and many other places. As you are going to come in contact with it anyway, you might as well learn some of the cool things you can do with it. Let’s see if we can start helping you turn your home into one of those homes you see in the movies in the far future.
Make a phone call
Ok, that doesn’t seem that cool to start with, but really, let’s look to that. You are getting home from work, and call out “ok Google, call mom” and while you are putting away groceries, the Google home assistant calls mom and suddenly you are talking to her. Or if no groceries, you can call for a pizza or Chinese food without having to break stride.
Control the lights
If you install any smart switches, Google can control them. In fact, if you can even install light bulbs that can change color and Google can control them too. If you are watching a movie, you can tell Google to lower the lights, or even turn them blue if you want. Going to bed and turning everything off for the night is a dream, beats the hell out of the old Clapper (for those of you old enough to know what that is)
Learn to cook
If you aren’t sure what to make, you can just ask and it will call up any recipes that you might be interested in. In fact, many of Google recipe pages online are getting new links that you can click and send it to your home assistant for future use. How cool is that?
Lost phone
It really only works if you have a compatible smartphone, though you could always just call yourself. It’s just easy to say “ok Google find my phone” and have it ring.
Movies and pictures
If you have a chromecast or a compatible smart TV, you can configure your home assistant to access such things as Netflix. Once you have done that, you can have it play whatever you want by just asking for it. “ok Google, play murder she wrote” or whatever you are in the mood for.
Social media
You can connect your apps such as WhatsApp, and send a message on the fly. “ok Google, send a WhatsApp message to Jim and say bring beer as the game will be starting soon”. You are connected to the world and don’t even have to make the extra effort to type on your phone.
Reminders
You can set reminders with Google home, and they will show up on your phone if you are not at home to hear them. You can set timers for cooking, or naps, all with just a simple voice command.
Notes
If you suddenly have an idea for that big project you are working on, or just have to remind yourself of something, you can just ask Google to take a note. It’s just like having a real assistant there for shorthand. It’s an amazingly easy way to make a shopping list, just ask Google home to add it to the shopping list as you go, and when you are at the market, it’s there on your phone.
There will be more cool ideas as time goes on and people see the potential of what they can do with Google home, as well as new functionality as Google updates the system. It can translate for you, type for you, you can set special circumstances such as “Google, get romantic” and it will put on preselected music, lower the lights, start a special movie, and whatever else you desire. Google home is like what we all see in the science fiction movies, but, it’s just so much better. Why is it better? Because it’s here, real, and we can use it today. Welcome to the future.