Amazon or Google, some will probably ask themselves this question. Especially in the field of smart loudspeakers, there are several offers that offer their respective advantages independently of each other but are basically very similar in use.
I was a user of the Alexa speaker for years, then turned to Google Assistant, which I had to regret very much. Here’s my story.
Why do I go to Google Assistant? Google introduced really good speakers with Nest Mini and Nest Audio. Then later the Chromecast with Google TV and a better smart home connection for Android phones.
Since I’m at home in the Google universe for a large part of my everyday life anyway, I thought switching to Google Assistant was a very good idea. But honestly, that didn’t last long.
Google Assistant: Not much is happening, necessary improvements are still missing
I use the smart home operation under Android less than expected. Also, a year after the announcement, Google hasn’t realized that I can output Chromecast audio to a Nest speaker. This is still only possible via Bluetooth and therefore with a high delay.
The delay is just as strong when you turn on or off smart lamps, for example. It really takes a lot of patience until the Assistant recognizes the command and implements it.
In German, there is still no option to enter two voice commands in a row without repeatedly using the hot word. Also, I still can’t comfortably take the music to another room.
We rarely use the positive features, such as access to Google’s immense knowledge, via the speakers. In addition, the smart home design is simply not flexible enough in terms of groups in rooms, etc.
And last but not least, even after almost two years, we still haven’t gotten used to “Hey Google” or “Ok Google”. It’s not particularly natural, it’s just too long and bulky.
Why I’m All-in-Alexa Again
I’m going back to Alexa because I find at least the opposite of all the points just mentioned here. I realize again how much I missed the attention mode. I only have to call Alexa once and the Echo speaker waits for another to come after a voice command. Simple voice command also makes it possible to transfer the music being played from one speaker to another.
Speaking of speakers. Amazon simply has a much better selection. In most rooms, we use the Echo Dot 4, which already offers really good sound. Sufficient for the bathroom, kitchen and children’s room. In the living room, however, I have now decided on the Echo Studio. Hell, such great speakers have been missing from Google for years. And nothing follows.
I now have the Fire TV 4K Max on the TV, which puts the current Chromecast with Google TV in the shade by miles. Seamless system performance, no regular crashes, etc. And the Amazon stick is even available for much cheaper on a regular basis.
The TV stick outputs the sound wirelessly to the Echo Studio, which works excellently. Away with the soundbar, which also sounds a bit weak in comparison. Thanks to HDMI-Arc, the stick even seamlessly forwards all sounds from the TV to the speaker.
While Assistant is an important part of the ecosystem for Google, it just can’t seem to reach Amazon’s level. At least that’s the impression I’ve gotten over the past two years.