7 Things Alexa Can Do That Google Home Can’t
If you’re stuck between Google home assistant and Amazon’s Alexa, you’ve come to the right place. Both home assistants can help you accomplish a lot, but we’ve highlighted a few things you can achieve with Alexa.
The Amazon Echo is part of innovative high-tech products released in the previous decade. The company markets it as more than a virtual assistant, despite the round shape that makes it look like a typical speaker.
The Echo refers to the speaker, but what really matters is the Alexa inside the entire system. Amazon Alexa will answer all questions you search on the web and respond when you simply call its name. Besides, Alexa helps you set reminders, play music, and so on.
Google Home assistant can perform these activities, too, but Alexa is better. Read on to find out incredible tasks that Alexa can do that Google home assistant is still struggling with.
- Read or Send Text Messages
Amazon Echo has a fantastic feature that sends your text messages when you’re engaged elsewhere. You’ll need to download the app for Android and iOS and grant the necessary permissions.
Once you have everything set, you’ll only need to say, “Alexa, send a text message.” The assistant will acknowledge your command and request the contact’s name or address. Reply with the contact and the message you want to send. The assistant will confirm the message, send it, and confirm when the text message is delivered.
- Receive Delivery Note
Receiving a delivery notification should not surprise you, especially from an Amazon product. The Echo can update you about the delivery status of items you ordered from Amazon. Simply ask Alexa, “Are my packages delivered?” It will respond with the delivery status of each of your orders.
The Alexa app also sends delivery notifications when a package arrives. Besides, Amazon integrates with multiple courier services providers such as ASPS and UPS, which you can download and ask Alexa for delivery status.
Echo can also locate the nearest UPS, the number of orders they can process daily, and the delivery time.
- Order Your Pizza
There are plenty of skills to integrate into the Alexa app, allowing you to use voice commands via the Echo or Amazon’s site. One of these skills is called Domino’s Alexa skill which connects you to the nearest pizza chain for an order. Say, “Alexa, open Domino’s.”
If you already have a profile with Domino’s pizza, you can refer them to a saved order and reorder. The Amazon assistant also hooks you up with a tracker providing updates on the delivery progress of your order. To be fair, Google Home also helps you order pizza. However, it lacks a high level of reordering, comprehensive tracking, and customization like Alexa.
- Whisper to Alexa
Now that the home assistants rely on your voice commands, you need one that can follow commands even with the lowest voice. You don’t want burglars to hear you command Alexa to sound the alarm. The Echo has an advanced microphone that can pick up whispers quite quickly. The best part is that Echo recognizes when you whisper and does the same in response through the Echo whisper mode.
The high-tech behind this feature uses neural networks to detect your whispering and analyze the level of silence in the background. Alexa will ask you to repeat what you just said if you’re too far or didn’t get what you whispered.
If you prefer the whisper mode, you can activate it manually by saying, “Alexa, enable Whisper mode.” Alternatively, you can activate the mode by opening “Settings,” clicking “Voice Responses,” and toggling on “Whisper Mode.”
- Support For Apple Music and Amazon Music
The AI-powered Amazon Echo speaker supports music streaming services such as Deezer and Spotify. However, its support for Apple Music and Amazon Music sets it apart from Google Home. While the Echo runs Amazon Music as default, you can switch to Apple Music or any other preference.
- Customization
The Alexa app accommodates broad customization known as blueprints that enable you to integrate your own skills, commands, actions, greetings, games, and stories. This way, you gain much control over the assistant and other smart devices in your house.
- Alexa Guard Protection
Amazon Alexa guard adds a protective layer to your house and compound. The features integrate with your phone to alert you whenever Echo detects unusual activity such as smoke or breakage.
Echo also allows you to listen to the sounds, and if you’ve connected it to the lighting system, you can switch them on to make it seem as if you’re in the house. The latest Alexa models have the Alexa Guard Plus, a subscription-based option that offers access to hotlines, informs you of an emergency, and can sound the siren. In addition to its home security features, Amazon Alexa Guard can provide an extra layer of protection for individuals who have obtained a protective order. This innovative system can help detect potential violations of a protective order and serve as a valuable tool for protective order defense.
Amazon Echo Keeps Getting Smarter
Amazon’s financial muscle has seen it invest substantial resources in upgrading AI-powered devices. Besides, the company is yearning to get smarter in its growing influence in the smart home sector.
Amazon also boasts a slew of advanced devices targeting households, all powered by Alexa. This demonstrates an innovative way to ease and change our lives through advanced technology.