petitefrancaise

HI techies
can a google home bought in the USA be used in UK/EU?
thanks!
K

kimilseung

Short answer: I dont know.
My US home only got a British voice option after they went on sale in the UK, so I think they will work in the UK

This may help
https://productforums.google.com/for...me/r3TpswFvEY8

Lorna at Vicenza

I was wondering how an Alexa or Google responds? We live in a bilingual home.

uk_grenada

Alexa is fine globally, just need to lie to it about where exactly youare and accept that alexa calling doesnt work, but the rests fine, love smart bulbs/locks/power sockets.

petitefrancaise

I don't want alexa...

my eldest has an alexa in her student house that she shares with 5 others. They are a mixed bunch with quite a few different accents and they had to disable the "buy' command since it asking if they wanted buy whatever it was... Good old amazon.

I like the google assistant on my phone.

uk_grenada

Bockolocks. Mines never tried to sell me anything. You can buy stuff relatively easily, but i suspect you would be wise in a shared home to set the setting requiring a code to purchase anything as i did, ordering an uber is very useful, you just have to exercise control.

I eo think google has the edge on answering random questions but alexas good control of 3rd party ‘apps’ like spotify and ikea smart home is much more useful.

petitefrancaise

So, wthout thinking too long or too hard I thought that Google would be the one to get. However, looking into it, now I'm not so sure it's that clear cut.

Google has bluetooth, Alexa does not.... google home does the random search better but Alexa is better for smart home stuff.

I think for DS in college dorm, the google home would do the job. For me at home, Alexa. Thoughts?

kimilseung

Google's Bluetooth is of limited value as it is to the speaker not from it. I see no point to Bluetooth to it when you can get it to play it directly. Alexa has Bluetooth to a speaker( at least the dot does). The home needs an audio Chromecast to use another speaker. This means only Echo can be used with wireless headphones. (I have an echo dot, not sure if The big echo has bluetooth)
The best is probably the one you are most invested in as an ecosystem.
For music at the free level, home plays a station of similar genre to an artist you ask for after the first song. Amazon sticks with the same artist.
Amazon has the advantage that it reads your books to you
We have both, if recommend Amazon over Google. Not much in it..

uk_grenada

Alexa is the best device inho, its just caught more of the 3rd party suppliers. However, just get the echo dot, as speakers they all [even apple] suck.

The best solution i believe is echo dot [‘s?] plus bose soundtouch 20 or 30 speakers. The speaker can be connected to the dot if you want via bluetooth then the dot can source music but the speakers also [unlike a lot of the competition] natively connect to wifi, talk to each other for filling the house and themselves stream direct from the web using spotify or apple music or others. AND the sound is decent.

kimilseung

Dots can also be used with a battery base or a speaker/ battery base, for use if you are moving around the house and garden or entertaining outdoors.

uk_grenada

No, you are thinking about the echo tap not dot...

But theres a 3rd party that does one [a battery base] but why bother, theres an alexa app for that.

kimilseung

I am thinking of the Echo Dot, we have three of them. We have no spots( the mini ones with screen) so I can't comment on them.

ChocolateBabz

We have 2 Amazon Echo's, 2 Nests, 4 wemo sockets, 1 wemo light switch, philips hue bulbs and a harmony hub and remote. No problems with our Echo's so far, would highly recommend. It’s easy enough to disable purchasing and the room to room calling is handy (one in living room, one in the dudes room). Amazon music unlimited for $3.99 gets me just about any song I can request.

petitefrancaise

brilliant thanks!

I must admit that I really like the idea of summoning everyone to dinner by making an announcement through the echo Beats yelling up the stairs..

I also have 2 nests and would like the Ikea light bulbs to work with it too.

Do you use the echo as a speaker for your music? I would think that is probably fine for me as I'mnot really a music/sound snob

Hiro11

If you're willing to spend a few buck, I highly recommend this:
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ears...ords=megablast

Alexa works perfectly on it, except the calling (which is coming soon, apparently). It's battery operated, mine came free with a contactless charging pad. Battery operation changes the game with this type of speaker as you can simply move it to wherever you have wifi coverage. The battery lasts for 12 hours of constant music playing. The sound out of this speaker is incredible, it's basically a larger version of the highly regarded UE Boom. Also, it's waterproof.

We also have a first gen Echo, a second gen Echo and Dots in each kid's room. Very nice little devices.