Is Google Assistant The Same As Google Home? Demystifying it


is google assistant the same as google home

Is possible that google assistant is the same as Google Home?

When you are starting to learn about smart home technology it can be confusing to hear those terms and not knowing if they are the same or not.

You heard about Google home being so helpful at your home and at the same time there’s Google assistant in the middle of all that information

Google Home is by definition a smart speaker designed to have full control of your smart home gadgets. On the other hand, Google Assistant is a virtual helper with a high level of interaction that is integrated into Google Home to aid you in your daily chores.

But besides being so connected in between, there are certain key differences to help you understand why aren’t the same and how you can take out the most of them in some simple steps.

In the following article, we’ll dive deeper into this topic so you can know what to expect when some say to you: Google Assistant is the same as Google Home

Is google assistant the same as google home: Smart Home World

In the smart home industry, Google is well-positioned to withstand big competitors like Amazon Alexa or Samsung.

Google Home besides being a smart speaker with all its variations, is also a vital part of the company to help you automate your home.

Right now, if you love Google as many people do, you can create a fully integrated home with their devices using top of the line technology.

They have created these awesome smart home hubs that have touch displays and gives a beautiful look to your kitchen, living room, or wherever you install it.

Your home will now feel like is part of the future and now you can start automating as much as you can!

And this is when the fun part begins. Because you can let your imagination fly when we are talking about automation.

Once you get the proper devices that are compatible with the hub, you are set to have fun with all the cool gadgets that your home can handle.

And maybe you are starting to wonder: What about Alexa? That is a cool home hub too! She even has some personality!

And Even though Alexa is extremely well recognized in the market, Google has crawled to the top rankings and find a special place for people who love their devices.

Don’t get me wrong, both technologies work great in smart homes.

When is time to choose which one suits you, it’s at the end of the road a matter of preference.

But if you love technology to make the most out of it and you start learning about both platforms, you’ll encounter that Google delivers more features and capabilities than Alexa in terms of automation.

Some agree some don’t, but after trying both devices in my opinion, Google Home is better for controlling your home and to give you a hand with your home chores.

Now, comparing strictly both virtual assistants, again, Google Assistant is more interactive and better aid in terms of understanding what you are saying without having to memorize voice commands.

I wrote a guide where I broke down the big differences between Google Assistant and Alexa when we talk about the assistant itself, in case you are interested you can check it here

In there, I share with you down-to-earth information so you can know by definition which Virtual Assistant is better for your smart home and which one will be the winner in terms of your needs.

Devices that support Google Assistant

As you already know, Google Home is not the same as Google Assistant.

Google Assistant as it is a virtual helper, the company has full control over it because is installed on a web-based cloud

This means that any device with an internet connection can have Google Assistant in it.

Incredible huh?

And one the best part is that is free! You just need to install a 5 seconds app to have the best virtual assistant right now.

It’s even possible to have Google Assistant on your iPhone

Siri is a great virtual assistant as well but is strictly for Apple users and its interactivity is not that good anyway.

Now, without having to install an app you can find Google Assistant in tons of devices.

The biggest place where Google Assistant lives (besides in my heart) is in the smartphone market.

Any smartphone that runs Android has Google Assistant built-in

This means that from Samsung to Sony, Huawei, or even Xiaomi, Google Assistant is responsible for controlling these devices when we talk about voice search.

In the smart home world specifically, we have Google Assistant on lots of devices too!

In all of the Nest devices that run with a virtual assistant, we can find it there at your service.

A good example is the Nest Smart Thermostat. Once you have set it up correctly, you can control it using Google Assistant like with any other.

You can find it smart doorbells, smart security cameras, streaming devices, and even TVs!

There are TVs like the Vizio model that lets you add it to your Google Home app on your phone so you can control it with Google Assistant!

Another extremely well-recognized brand is Sony Bravia. 

Some people call it the Android TV, but in the long run, it means that you can pair with Google Assistant and control it.

And how can we forget about Smart home Hubs?

There are lots of smart home hubs in the market now, but I recommend this one in particular because it’s at an affordable price and is compatible with nearly everything that has a connection right now. 

Types of Google Homes

When I started learning about smart home technology, I kept listening to people calling Google Home to numerous devices that were different!

That’s when I realized that there are so many different options for you to explore when we talk about smart home automation.

Now, overall we can find three devices that are called Google Home.

There are:

  1. Google Home Max: A huge smart speaker with google assistant built-in
  2. Google Home: The most recognized device right now; it has good sound quality and the virtual helper known as ‘Hey Google’ at your disposal

Google Home Mini: The compact version of Google Home. It is for working only as a personal assistant rather than a music streaming device. A great gift for a person with vision problems

In my opinion, seeing Google Home as a whole is fun because you are focused about automating your house using Google products

But it’s good to know that Google creates products that are different in so many ways, but at the end of the day, the magic relies on Google assistant.

Any type of device for your home that runs Google Assistant is going to be a winner there. 

Voice commands that you can use with Google Assistant

If you have read some of my blog posts about the topic, maybe you know where I’m going with this.

Google Assistant was designed to be a helpful aid for any smart device with an internet connection

With this in mind, that company created a virtual assistant that even though it’s a robot, it sure doesn’t respond like it

And with that, I mean that you don’t need to ask it questions written in a paper for you to remember so you can use it!

Google’s assistant is extremely interactive and analytic in all the words you say to it.

Compared to Cortana or Alexa for example, that you need to remember voice commands so the assistant responds

Google assistant can interpret your words and give you a straight answer based on the search engine results the internet has

The answer that you’ll get is going to be 10 times richer and more updated than anything else.

It’s an incredible tool, I know, but for some reason when I first started using it I felt I didn’t know what to ask it!

I think it now as if I had stage freight 

That’s why I gathered a cool list for the most fun and useful commands that you can ask your Google Assistant on any kind of device!

If you want to give it a try, check the list here

How to add devices to your google home with google assistant

You’re now on the right track.

You now know that Google Assistant is different than Google Home. 

I dare to say that you understand that Google Assistant is the core of that beautiful smart speaker.

But what can you do with it?

After reviewing lots of voice commands from my list here You may want to upscale your game with your Smart speaker

Did you know you can control smart gadgets with that virtual assistant?

Maybe at home you already have a smart gadget that can be paired with it!

A smart light, a smart coffee maker, heck even a robot vacuum!

Once you have spotted it, it’s time to ask yourself: is compatible with Google Assistant?

If you aren’t sure, just open a web browser and ask: is XYZ compatible with Google Assistant?

If the answer is yes, it’s time to add it to your Google Home!

But, hey, don’t get scared, the process is extremely easy and if you can install a simple app on your smartphone, you’re more than qualified to do it.

Now, if you want a step-by-step guide with images and pretty self-explanatory, 

I wrote it so you can take advantage of it! Go here to check it

What about the Google Home app? Is it different?

We have dived deep enough in the sea of Google Home

Deep enough to know there’s also an App called Google Home?

What? Aren’t any more names? 

Everything looks like its called the same way

And I get why can be so confusing for some people and that’s why the reason I’m writing this article to help you understand.

Google uses an App for tablets, smartphones, etc, called Google Home where you can control your smart devices more organized.

The App has the same name as the smart speaker but I guess they didn’t think about how confusing can it be for someone who is starting in the smart home world

But just to be sure that we are on the same page, just try to mentally join the smart speaker and the app on your phone. Both have the same name, and there’s no need to over complicate it.

The App is super simple to use and you can pretty much control your smart speakers and all the smart devices that you have in your home.

You can even change the assistant’s voice and set up some cool features

You just need to explore it a little bit!

But what about if you don’t want to control your voice assistant with your smartphone

I made that question to myself a long time ago!

That’s why I’ve written a guide on how you can control your Google Home with your laptop

Yeap! With a laptop!

And it doesn’t matter if it’s a Mac or Windows. This guide has both operating systems where I guide you step-by-step in the process

And it’s free! If you want to do it, please go here and give it a try

Conclusion

In the smart home world, Google uses certain terms repeatedly on their devices that can easily confuse people

I even fell in that trap too in the past.

But here’s summarized what you need to know:

is google assistant the same as google home?

Google Home is the concept of home automation. It covers all the products behind the idea such as the ones listed above, which share the same name as well.

And on top of that, they’ve developed an App for your smartphone and tablet that is called Google Home.

Once you get that, it’s clear for you!

You can feel I little bit overwhelmed with all this info! But let me tell you that Google has done a pretty good job with their devices

Don’t let that little slip to not give them a try. You may encounter that are super fun and useful

Nelson Barbosa

I'm an engineer in love with smart home tech. On my website, I share useful tips and tricks to help my readers get the most of their devices and make their lives simpler by adding just a drop of technology in everyday routines!

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