Amazon has dominated the e-commerce sector for years, but they’ve always been looking for opportunities to innovate within the tech space.
Enter the Amazon Echo. Back in November 2014, Amazon was the first company to release a dedicated smart speaker, the Amazon Echo, voiced by an AI called Alexa.
Since then, Amazon has faced stiff competition from fellow Silicon Valley cohabitants, with their main rival being tech behemoth Google, which released its own smart speaker – the Google Home – in 2016.
Amazon and Google now seem locked in a perpetual feature war, and while features from one device usually make their way to the other, Alexa still has some unique features setting it apart from Google’s offering.
What Alexa can do that Google Home can’t
1. Amazon Integration
Alexa is the gateway to the world’s biggest e-commerce site. Not only can you order directly with Alexa, but she can track your packages and even tell you when the delivery driver is en route.
2. Audible Integration
Before Alexa, Amazon changed the way we interact with books with the Kindle store. While Google has recently started offering audiobooks via the Play Store, Amazon has a much more extensive selection, and Alexa lets you easily control your listening experience using your voice alone.
3. Smart Connectivity
Alexa integrates with many smart home devices, including Philips, Samsung, and Nest. However, the new Echo Plus takes this one step further by incorporating Zigbee connectivity. This allows Alexa to function as a smart hub that can control all your connected devices, something Google Home can’t compete with. Zigbee lists just over 1,200 compatible intelligent devices on their website.
Alexa's cool new updates
Check them out now4. Voice remote
While it’s convenient to ask Alexa to do things for you, what happens when you’re out of range? Both Alexa and Google Home use far field microphone technology, but there are limits to how far away you can be. With Alexa, you can interact well outside of voice range by using an Alexa remote. With Google Home, you would need to buy another Google Home.
Skills
Amazon Skills are the programs that Alexa uses to perform tasks. With Google Home, you get what they decide to give you, but Alexa is entirely open to third-party developers. There are thousands of applications, of varying use. We’ve talked about our favorites here.
Alexa is the original smart speaker on the block and has the broadest range of smart connectivity, backed up by third-party app development. It’s a product that’s here to stay, with the backing of the most significant online retailer in the world.
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