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A new era of technology creating everything smart including your home appliances. Using voice-activated technology you can control various devices and appliances in your home.
With voice assistant setups like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, you can convert your home into a smart home.
It will make daily tasks easy to manage and provide greater convenience, efficiency at work, and security in the home. But for many people, this is a hectic process. In this blog, we will learn step-by-step guides and tools for smart home setup with voice assistance.
Choosing the Right Voice Assistant
There are many voice assistants available in the market that you can use to control your devices. The most popular of them are amazon alexa setup and google home setup.
Each setup has its own pros and cons, so it is important to choose the one that fits all your devices.
- Voice assistant technology is offered by both Amazon Alexa and Google Home, however, google home is more accurate when it comes to language commands and Amazon Alexa lacks something in between.
- With Amazon Alexa, you may use a variety of smart home automation devices, including devices made by other third-party manufacturers, whereas Google Home only supports a small number of devices and is primarily designed to operate with Google products.
- Amazon Alexa is compatible with a large variety of music platforms such as Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora while Google Home has limited options with the primary focus on google play music and youtube music only.
- Both voice assistants are equally capable of answering queries and creating reminders, but Google Home has the advantage when it comes to personalized recommendations because of its integration with the Google Search Algorithm.
- Both devices are premium products but Google Home is more affordable than Amazon Alexa
Now compare the features that we show above and choose the right voice assistant for yourself.
| Feature | Amazon Alexa | Google Voice Assistant | Cortana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voice Recognition | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Platform Integration | Alexa app, various Amazon devices, third-party devices | Android, Google services | Windows 10, Xbox, and Microsoft services |
| Smart Home Integration | Extensive range of compatible devices | Good range of integrations | Good range of integrations |
| Third-party Skills | Largest library of skills with over 100,000 available | Good range of third-party apps | Good range of third-party apps |
| Personalization | Extensive range of customization options, including creating own skills and integrating with other services | Customizable routines | Customizable routines |
| Overall Performance | Highly rated for accuracy and response time | Good performance with occasional errors | Good performance with occasional errors |
| Price | Varies depending on the device: Buy Now | Free | Free |
As for which one is better, it really depends on your needs and preferences. If you’re heavily invested in the Amazon ecosystem and have a lot of smart home devices, Alexa may be the best choice for you. If you’re an Android user and rely on Google services, then Google Voice Assistant may be the way to go. And if you’re a Windows user and use a lot of Microsoft services, then Cortana may be the most convenient option. All three voice assistants are very capable, so it’s really a matter of personal preference.
Identify Smart Home Automation Devices
After choosing the right voice assistant finding the smart home automation devices that you want to use voice assistants to control is the second stage in making your house a smart home.
Smart devices include speakers, thermostats, lighting, locks, plugs, blinds, and security cameras. There are a variety of products on the market; pick the one that enhances your life and may be used in regular operations.
For instance, there are several products like Philips Hue, LIFX, and TP-Link available if you want to automate your lighting. Through your preferred voice assistant, controlling these devices is simple.
You can use smart switches to control your non-smart device by plugging them in and then controlling them through the voice assistant.
In addition to smart lighting, smart thermostat devices like Nest, Ecobee, and Honeywell are the best option because over time they learn your preference and adjust the temperature automatically to suit you while conserving energy.
Choose the smart home automation devices that make your life easy and save you energy.
Setting up Amazon Alexa and Google Home
After selecting the right voice assistant and smart home automation devices the next step is to connect those devices to the voice assistant. This can be done by using smart switches, and smart plugs or by using the Wi-Fi and then controlling them through the app or website. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines while connecting it to the voice assistant.
Amazon Alexa Setup:
- First, download the Amazon Alexa app through their official website or play store on your smartphone
- Then plug in your Amazon Alexa and wait for the light till it starts glowing, that means it is ready to connect.
- Open your Amazon Alexa app and follow their simple instruction to connect your voice assistant to the Wi-Fi network just like in the image above.
- Then change Amazon Alexa setting according to your preference including the time zone and preferred language.
- Now you are ready to connect all your other smart devices like lightning, lock, security camera, etc.
For Google Home Setup downloads the Google Home app and follows the same steps.
You can use your voice assistant to play music, create reminders, and more as soon as it has been set up and linked to smart home automation devices. Simply say “Alexa” or “Hey Google” to give them instructions or voice commands and they will carry out your request and respond accordingly.
Create routines and set up automation
Now your voice assistant and smart device are ready to accept your order. By creating routines and setting up commands you can take this to the next level. The more commands you set, your house will become smarter.
You can create a routine by setting up voice commands for an individual task or a group of tasks at the same time in a single voice command.
For instance, you can program a morning routine that starts with a simple voice command like “Good Morning” and includes things like turning on the light, adjusting the thermostats, opening the curtains, and starting your coffee maker.
Similarly, with a voice command like “Good Night,” you can include tasks such as turning off lights, closing the curtains, locking your doors, and setting alarms. Over time you learn how to make certain tasks easier. The more commands you set the smarter your home becomes.
Add additional features
Voice assistants are evolving on the daily basis. It is providing an owner with new features and benefits that they can use to make their daily task easy.
For example, you can set up your security camera to your voice assistant and give them a command to alert you when any unnecessary motion is detected or you can set up the lighting and kinds of music of different rooms with the same voice commands.
You might also incorporate speech recognition technology. Your voice assistant will be able to recognize your unique voice—which may be both yours and your wife’s—and execute a customized command.
Conclusion
Overall, creating a smart home can be a rewarding experience that enhances your lifestyle and saves you time and energy.
Creating a smart home setup with voice assistants is very easy. It can offer a lot of benefits, such as increased comfort, convenience, and energy efficiency. But, it requires careful planning and investment in the right voice assistant and smart home automation devices.
Before creating a smart home identify your goals and needs. Consider what tasks you want to automate or control remotely, such as lighting, temperature, security, and entertainment systems. Then, choose smart home devices and technologies that are compatible with each other and with your home’s infrastructure.
