06 Nov Amazon Echo or Google Home? Furnished Apartments Will Come to Mean More Than Just a Sofa

In a few years’ time, the smart speaker will be the norm, and not the exception, in many American households, even in furnished rentals. It will be your go-to device for entertainment, the virtual assistant who will answer your every question, and the platform that helps you control your home temperature, security, and sound systems among others.

R and R Market Research projects that sales of smart speakers will rise by 40 percent by 2020.  The battle for people’s hearts, minds, and senses will be drawn between two giants: Amazon Echo, which has lorded the market for more than five years, and Google Home which was launched November this year after a long and highly anticipated build-up.

Companies handling assignee relocation will be keeping a keen eye on new developments. California Corporate Housing is leading the corporate housing industry with accommodations equipped with home automated devices like Amazon Echo and so-called Internet of Things.

“We’re used to seeing furniture and furnishings lumped together all the time,” said California Corporate Housing CEO Ray Madronio. “But furnishings in the future will come to mean more than just a sofa. Home automated devices may eventually be defined part of furnishings.”

Early reviews to date have given the favorable position to Amazon Echo. While the device’s head start does not make this a surprise, we shouldn’t forget that Google is equipped with an arsenal of data, applications, and social media sites that can, in time, elevate the user experience to levels that the competition can only envy.

Google has its trademark search engine, YouTube, and Google Maps, just for a start. The clunks in the integrating platform though, still need mending, and again this is another reason the kudos has been going to Amazon Echo.

CNET gives a table that compares both smart speakers. First, let’s take a look at the similarities. What do both Google Home and Amazon Echo have in common? Both have non-stop listening features that respond automatically to the user’s voice command for activation. Both have access to music streaming, and partners like Spotify, Pandora, and TuneIn can play your favorite hit at a moment’s notice; Amazon has Amazon Music Service while Google has Google Play Music. Their virtual assistants can create a shopping list for you, track a package you ordered, and update you on your flight status if you’re leaving town. Amazon’s virtual assistant can plan out your calendar of activities, while Google’s links you to its powerful search engine in case you need to do some research.

Second let’s check the differences, and Google does have unique features. You can customize its appearance, use Chromecast to let the streaming music play through your stereo, and sync its playback to any of your Android devices. Amazon’s Echo has none of these abilities so far. Its entertainment features, though, surpass Google Home’s which merely connect YouTube and your TV to Chromecast.  If you need to chill, Amazon Echo can let you organize a video gaming marathon with your friends; it picks them up  and brings them to your home by booking a ride through Uber, displays dozens of games for your selection, and then connects you to a pizza joint that should keep food delivery flowing the next few hours.

While Google is supported by devices and apps that have become brand legends, Amazon is constantly adding skills, solutions, and partnerships to its database. Right now, Amazon Echo has 5,000 of them, and the number is still rising.

Google Home costs a cheaper $130 to Amazon Echo’s $180. But as Recode’s review puts it, those few dollars are far less important to the user than the personalized touch that a virtual assistant should give. Refined and modified according to user feedback the past few years, Amazon Echo sounds warmer and friendlier; it even sports the  tone of the customer service who is always willing to help. While Google Home can be more efficient in searching its database to recommend products to you or make deliveries to your residence faster, its VA’s standoffish tone does not invite connection. As the review describes it,  Amazon’s personal assistant interacts with you like a family friend, while Google’s VA comes across as someone who knows a lot about you, but remains a stranger.

The battle will be intense in the next few years. As both smart speakers scale and improve their features, one winner will certainly emerge:  the assignee or relocating professional who gets to make the choice, and enjoys the benefits. Which is your pick for your furnished apartments?

Amazon Echo or Google Home? Furnished Apartments Will Come to Mean More Than Just a Sofa

In a few years’ time, the smart speaker will be the norm, and not the exception, in many American households, even in furnished rentals. It will be your go-to device for entertainment, the virtual assistant who will answer your every question, and the platform that helps you control the your home temperature, security, and sound systems among others.

R and R Market Research projects that sales of smart speakers will rise by 40 percent by 2020.  The battle for people’s hearts, minds, and senses will be drawn between two giants: Amazon Echo, which has lorded the market for more than five years, and Google Home which was launched November this year after a long and highly anticipated build-up.

Companies handling assignee relocation will be keeping a keen eye on new developments. California Corporate Housing is leading the corporate housing industry with accommodations equipped with home automated devices like Amazon Echo and so-called Internet of Things.

“We’re used to seeing furniture and furnishings lumped together all the time,” said California Corporate Housing CEO Ray Madronio. “But furnishings in the future will come to mean more than just a sofa. Home automated devices may eventually be defined part of furnishings.”

Early reviews to date have given the favorable position to Amazon Echo. While the device’s head start does not make this a surprise, we shouldn’t forget that Google is equipped with an arsenal of data, applications, and social media sites that can, in time, elevate the user experience to levels that the competition can only envy.

Google has its trademark search engine, YouTube, and Google Maps, just for a start. The clunks in the integrating platform though, still need mending, and again this is another reason the kudos has been going to Amazon Echo.

CNET gives a table that compares both smart speakers. First, let’s take a look at the similarities. What do both Google Home and Amazon Echo have in common? Both have non-stop listening features that respond automatically to the user’s voice command for activation. Both have access to music streaming, and partners like Spotify, Pandora, and TuneIn can play your favorite hit at a moment’s notice; Amazon has Amazon Music Service while Google has Google Play Music. Their virtual assistants can create a shopping list for you, track a package you ordered, and update you on your flight status if you’re leaving town. Amazon’s virtual assistant can plan out your calendar of activities, while Google’s links you to its powerful search engine in case you need to do some research.

Second let’s check the differences, and Google does have unique features. You can customize its appearance, use Chromecast to let the streaming music play through your stereo, and sync its playback to any of your Android devices. Amazon’s Echo has none of these abilities so far. Its entertainment features, though, surpass Google Home’s which merely connect YouTube and your TV to Chromecast.  If you need to chill, Amazon Echo can let you organize a video gaming marathon with your friends; it picks them up  and brings them to your home by booking a ride through Uber, displays dozens of games for your selection, and then connects you to a pizza joint that should keep food delivery flowing the next few hours.

While Google is supported by devices and apps that have become brand legends, Amazon is constantly adding skills, solutions, and partnerships to its database. Right now, Amazon Echo has 5,000 of them, and the number is still rising.

Google Home costs a cheaper $130 to Amazon Echo’s $180. But as Recode’s review puts it, those few dollars are far less important to the user than the personalized touch that a virtual assistant should give. Refined and modified according to user feedback the past few years, Amazon Echo sounds warmer and friendlier; it even sports the  tone of the customer service who is always willing to help. While Google Home can be more efficient in searching its database to recommend products to you or make deliveries to your residence faster, its VA’s standoffish tone does not invite connection. As the review describes it,  Amazon’s personal assistant interacts with you like a family friend, while Google’s VA comes across as someone who knows a lot about you, but remains a stranger.

The battle will be intense in the next few years. As both smart speakers scale and improve their features, one winner will certainly emerge:  the assignee or relocating professional who gets to make the choice, and enjoys the benefits. Which is your pick for your furnished apartments?