JB Hi Fi could soon have a seriously hot product on sale in the form of a new smart home speaker dubbed Google Home, that allows you to talk to yourself.
The new device was revealed overnight at Google’s I/O 2016 developer conference, it is seen as a serious rival to the Amazon Echo which is not currently sold in Australia
The device is a compact Wi-Fi and voice-enabled speaker centred around Google Assistant which is the all new Google voice technology that allows you to talk to your TV, radio or any network audio system that has their voice technology embedded in the device.
Google Home will offer a wide range of functionality from entertainment to smart home support.
For example, you’ll be able to ask it to play music, both directly and by connecting with external speakers in your home via Google Cast technology.
“You can access songs, playlists, albums, artists, and podcasts from your favourite music services just by asking with your voice, or if you prefer, you can send music from your Android or iOS device through Google Cast…”
Video content will work similarly – just ask Google Home to play a film or TV show and it’ll start streaming on the telly of your choice.
There’s also smart home compatibility. Google Home will support a range of smart lighting and smart thermostat installations, including Google’s own Nest brand which has also not been launched in Australia.
Lastly, Home will offer all the standard Google Search features, meaning you can ask it about your travel itinerary, commute, daily schedule and more.
In the future, Google pledged Home support for external services like mini cab and food ordering, so one day grabbing an Uber or Deliveroo could be as simple as talking to yourself in the kitchen.
Available in a range of customisable finishes, Google Home is expected to launch in late 2016.
