Google Home

            The question I always hear when reading or watching reviews about the Google Home is, “Do you need it?”. Well, ten years ago, did we really NEED a smart phone? No. So, that’s not the point, because there are plenty of different gadgets in our lives now that we don’t necessarily need, and the Google Home is no different. However, I think once most people buy one, they’ll wonder how they ever lived without it.

            I debated on whether to buy a Google Home for several days because of the many reviewers who believed they didn’t “need” it. But, with a retail price of just $120, it’s a steal considering what the device is capable of.

            When you first open your Google Home, you’ll notice how premium the packaging is. It’s almost Apple-esque in its simplicity, to the point that other accessories are hidden beneath the device itself. Once you remove the device, you'll notice the charger and several cards that outline a few things you can do with the device, and how to set it up.

Set up is a breeze, and merely requires that you download the Home app, whether it’s on Android or Apple. You simply put in your email address, connect the device to your Wi-Fi, and off you go! My wife and I had a blast asking many questions just for the fun of it, and it can do more than just answer questions like a Google search engine. Perhaps the most underrated perk of having a Google Home is music.

For purchasing the Google Home, you get three free months of Google Play Music ($9.99/month after that), which also gives you a subscription to YouTube Red. With that, you can set a default player on the Home app, and listen to just about any song you could possibly think of, and if the song isn’t on Google Play Music, you can specify to play it on YouTube. So, we sat and listened to music for hours, with intermittent questions on any topic we could possibly think of. Now, the speaker isn’t world class, and many may want something that can blow out their ear drums, but I think most would be surprised with the sound quality given its relatively small size. Even better, is that you can listen to any radio station you want, just by asking. So, it’s great to use when doing work around the home.

           

But, of course, music isn’t all. It can answer just about any question you have, and it’s great for settling debates. I no longer go on trying to prove I’m right or wrong, we can simply ask the Google Home. It can also set reminders, timers, and alarms, so it is perfect for having in the kitchen when you need to set multiple timers for food. You can even add things to a shopping list, ask how long it will take to get to any location, play games like trivia, or check the weather. There is a myriad of other questions you can ask, and things it can help you with. Of course, it supports many different smart home devices, but most people don’t own them, and you don’t need them to really enjoy the experience.

There are other options like Amazon’s Echo, but Google Home is superior for one reason, it’s connected to Google’s services like Google Maps. The Echo isn’t, and so it cannot answer certain questions like how long it will take to get to work, or how far away the nearest gas station is, just to give two small examples. It’s also better suited to blend in to your home, and offers many colors to fit any décor you may have in your home, not something you can say for the Echo.

In the end, you’ll realize that you don’t NEED a Google Home like you don’t NEED a smart phone. But, like a smart phone, once you buy one, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.