google home wants to be your assistant, heating up the rivalry with amazon echo and soon, apple - chi touch screen

SAN FRANCISCO—
When Kristen Ha's tech husband ordered the Amazon Echo, she said she opened her eyes doubtfully, expecting another device to start collecting dust in the forgotten corner of her Houston home.
They then inserted the echo on the counter ledge between the kitchen and the living room, and alexa spoke to Ha.
"Change life," he said . "Ha, the vision-
Damaged contestant who won the third season of Fox's amateur cooking show chef, echoinelyask Alexa, Echo's digital voice assistant, to help with daily tasks.
Alexa can play jazz riffs or convert an American music. S.
The dollar is exchanged for yen.
When ha is making homemade ice cream, she can set up
While monitoring the heating of cream and milk on the stove, she stirred the eggs.
The Nest thermostat for Ha is now also controlled by Alexa for sound, as is the lamp, even the coffee maker.
This is the kind of comfortable relationship Amazon's competitors have.
It's worth noting that Google and its Google Home devices
I would also like to be with consumers.
This week, Google Home will try to get more people to use its smartphones.
At Google's annual conference for software developers in Silicon Valley, new features were announced.
More and more people let these devices have a digital home under their command, who can call to get news, read them an audiobook, order them diapers or dinner, tell them who is Prime Minister of Lesotho. This year, 35.
6 million Americans will use voice
According to research firm eMarketer, auxiliary devices are activated at least once a month.
This has intensified competition among tech giants for entry into your home.
Amazon Echo, ahead of the line, expects it to account for 70% of the U. S. market. S.
This year's market.
Amazon is taking advantage of it by launching the latest model Echo Show last week.
Inch touch screen and camera to get you through Wi-Fi connection.
Amazon Echo rival launched Google Home powered by Google assistants in October.
Google's I/O is expected to launch some new features this week.
Google Home, which is expected to account for about 24% of the market this year, is far behind Echo.
Last week, Samsung's Harman Kardon unit launched an asmart speaker supported by Microsoft's scorvoice voice assistant, called Invoke.
Like everyone else, it can check traffic, set reminders and list members of the Wu Tang family.
It can also make Skype calls.
Microsoft is reportedly developing a new home Center feature for Windows 10 that will provide shared access to calendars and applications and control smart home devices.
Even Mark Zuckerberg is playing with the technology.
As his personal project in 2016, Facebook CEO created his own digital assistant, like Tony Stark's Iron Man, which he called Jarvis.
What Jarvis can do is recognize faces at Zuckerberg's front door, and buzzing guests.
The real spark that could ignite consumer demand: Apple could launch its first device, WWDC, at next month's annual meeting of software developers.
People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News that Apple employees have been testing equipment at home for several months.
Toff Stakkestad, 43-year-
Old freelance writer and blogger from jupiter.
Amazon Echo says she received a Christmas gift from her --
The law is a huge blow in her home.
It helps the children do their homework.
"If that means I don't have to fully understand Common Core math, then I'm totally in favor," she joked . ")
Help her update the shopping list when she cooks (
"It feels like an extra hand to an already large number of peopletasking mom").
However, her family is a devout Apple family and it will be hard to resist if Apple launches its own version.
"I can confidently say yes on behalf of my gadget '--
Dear husband . "
"He likes Apple's products, so it's very tempting for an Apple-like product.
"Over the years, technology companies have been tracking consumers as they shift their attention and spending to smartphones and the Internet --
Investing heavily in digital aids such as Google Assistant, Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and Microsoft's Cortana.
But when it debuted in late 2014, Amazon Echo was a whole new way of doing it.
Bring Free technology into people's homes.
James McQuivey, an analyst at Echo Research, said Echo was marketed as a speaker, but people quickly understood the real benefits of it.
"You have an assistant who can help you get things done, answer questions and give you information," he said . ".
Google needs time to fight back, but on last May, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced Google Assistant, praising the negative impact of the digital Assistant on the company.
A lot of things are on the shoulders of Google assistants.
If consumers are attracted to a competitor's digital assistant, such as Siri on the iPhone or Alexa on the Echo, Google may lose its place as our digital life Portal.
This, in turn, could weaken near-universal appeal and money --
Google's search engines and web services, such as Gmail and Maps, make the strength.
Analysts say it's an early stage of voice.
There is no activation device for clear winners.
Many people still don't know what they are or what they can do.
Google home has an early inJames Hills, a40-year-
The old man lifestyle blog from San Diego Voho says he bought the device before Christmas because he is a "Google man ".
"What I know and trust is the ecosystem," says Hilles . " Who asked the Google Assistant from "who won the game" to "play me some Johnny Cash" whether he was sitting in the living room or driving.
He said: "It's much easier to talk and do it without worrying about doing anything with your hands.
"Not everyone is such a fan.
The Google Home product Forum has their complaints and sharp comments.
More than a few people said they planned to reopen the device.
"It's sad to tell my wife that I want to return the Google Home she bought me for Christmas," one wrote . ".
"I have a pixel and I like it, my wife has a pixel and I like her pixel.
We have Nest and multiple smart devices and controllers at home.
We also offer Samsung wireless speakers, TVs and Roku.
I really don't understand the use of household equipment.
Aside from what my wife and I can already do with our pixel and home automation, it does nothing.
"But many others are buying and saving them.
McQuivey estimates that by the end of 2016, there will be about 10 million devices, mainly Amazon Echo, and he expects to sell about 15 million to 20 million devices this year.
To the surprise of Ken Cassar, a Slice Intelligence analyst, is how quickly the public accepts this new digital tool.
He was also surprised by who bought the devices: mainstream America.
"This is not a group of early adopters of technology," Casar said . ".
Chuck Jolley, 69, is not very sure why he bought Echo, but he did, and he might use it to listen to music in the kitchen.
Now he hid them all and talked to them all the time.
"I have to rename them, there are so many," said Jolly, who runs a food industry marketing and public relations company and is chairman of the Kansas City Meat Industry Hall of Fame, Mo.
Tammilee Tillison, 40year-
Old travel and lifestyle blog from Wash ane, Wash.
She said she used Google Home a lot more than she thought, and now she bought two more for her office and bedroom.
"Many of my friends have bought Google's houses and love them.
When we talk about how to use the system, we share ideas back and forth, "says Tillison.
"Over time, I really think we will see these in most houses.
We need such a hand.
This is just a way to make life easier.
"One of the biggest blows to these devices?
They are useful, but not enough.
People expect more from them, so sometimes the device is idle.
In the Forrester study, the third voice
The activated device owners use them multiple times a day, the third time a week, and the third time a week.
Cathy Herard, a45-year-
The old blogger in Maine says Alexa answers most of the questions and orders, no matter who is asking, especially her son with autism, who sometimes speaks slowly or quickly.
Alexei is very good at understanding his requirements.
"When his face responds accurately to his order, his face lights up," Herard said . ".
But Alexa's confused response
"I'm sorry, I don't understand the problem "-
It's annoying, she said.
"It doesn't happen a lot, but it can be a bit painful to have to repeat yourself.
In general, people tend to believe in these voices.
The activated device will only become smarter.
Maybe too smart.
Lee Moyer, 37year-
Senior marketing professional from Portland, Oregon.
About a year and a half ago, she bought the Amazon Echo and said she was listening to music on it almost every day, and her family was dancing with it, turning their family room into a disco.
In all the entertainment and games, she often reminds everyone that the echo is there.
In an interview with USA Today, moyer and others said they were willing to put aside concerns about privacy in exchange for both hands --
Enjoy a free lifestyle at home.
But she said it was creepy when the Echo overheard her family and responded randomly.
"My husband used to whisper to me all his thoughts about the election and I said, 'Why are you whispering?
He replied that the Echo was listening.
"Follow USA Today senior tech writer Jessica Gunn @ jguynn what do you like best or hate most about Amazon Echo or Google House?
Are you sticking to the Apple version?
Let us know in the comments.