'Smart' home devices (Alexa, Google, etc)

[jnelsoninjax]

I have recently started switching our light bulbs to smart bulbs that can be turned on/off via Google or Alexa. I have a Google home enabled clock and it seems to work about 75% of the time, but lately I find myself having to repeat the commands more than once. I chalk it up to the location the physical device is located. But I am wondering if there is any real differences between Google Home and Alexa? Does one do more than the other or have more features than the other?

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

I have the light bulbs from Ohlux and it is programmable by either you phone, Google Home or Alexa. From what I understand, you have to talk clearly and rather loudly to msake it work.

 

I haven't used Alexa yet, but I don't really think there is a difference.

 

My 2 cents.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

I did some reading on this a while back, looking between Google and Alexa. At the time most of the articles I found put Alexa ahead for things like features, but I think Google won on flexibility and understanding of commands.

[jnelsoninjax]

5 minutes ago, Mindovermaster said:

I have the light bulbs from Ohlux and it is programmable by either you phone, Google Home or Alexa. From what I understand, you have to talk clearly and rather loudly to msake it work.

 

I haven't used Alexa yet, but I don't really think there is a difference.

 

My 2 cents.

The bulbs I have are also accessible via a cellphone app, but the issue is Google not understanding the commands.

Just now, Nick H. said:

I did some reading on this a while back, looking between Google and Alexa. At the time most of the articles I found put Alexa ahead for things like features, but I think Google won on flexibility and understanding of commands.

How well would they both work together? Would that cause more problems?

[+Warwagon MVC]

Did you put the light bulb on a guest network?

[jnelsoninjax]

42 minutes ago, warwagon said:

Did you put the light bulb on a guest network?

No, we don't have a guest network

[jnelsoninjax]

OK, so I have an issue and am not sure how fix it. I bought a echo dot and have it set up, but the issue is that my wife also has one, and we are sharing one Amazon account, so if I send a message to the echo dot, it sends it to both locations, not just the one in my home. Aside from changing the account that it uses, is there any way to correct this?

[+BudMan MVC]

2 hours ago, jnelsoninjax said:

Aside from changing the account that it uses, is there any way to correct this?

This would prob be the simple solution. Not sure of your circumstances but if you have two different homes, even if both yours like a summer home sort of situation.  For alexa and commands to control iot stuff, I would use different accounts for the 2 locations.

 

We had setup a alexa for my mother in law to use for video calls to her great grandkids, etc. I just set up a amazon account for her, it was tied to an email address I controlled but was a different account, and tied to her cell number.  So there would be no issues with controlling stuff, or calling etc..

 

I have a lot of lightbulbs - all controlled from alexa - not having too many issues with it.  Sometimes you do have to repeat yourself.  But it works pretty well overall.  My grandkids are visiting right now - and they think its funny turning all the lights in the house different colors hehehe

 

As to which is better alexa or google - I think that is one of those things where google users like google and alexa users like alexa.  I don't have a google device to play with, and once you start off - part of the problem is laziness in switching - unless you really get frustrated with what your using.. While there are some annoyances for sure with alexa - I hate how it does btw way stuff when you ask it do something and its says btw you can do xyz as well.. Just STFU and do what I told you to do, if wanted to know what else I could do I would ask you   And also investment into the devices.  I have over the years built up devices (mostly during sales and prime day) where I now 4 dots, gen 2 and gen 3, and new latest show (sale and trade in of old gen 1 got new for $130 - which couldn't pass up).  So switching would cost $, if you had only 1 dot, might be worth before getting more devices pick up google and test them to see which one you like better before getting too deeply invested.

 

The other annoying thing is on the show, have the latest model that can move - is the movement needs work.. And and how we use it - doesn't really needed.. So just have the follow me function off.  But it also has huge annoying screen about alexa today, and what you can do with alexa that shows up on the screen all the time.. I could see how that might be useful if your new to the system.  But just look there is a huge amount of people asking how to disable this nonsense.. While its annoying as F!!  Not something I would switch to google over, atleast not yet.

[jnelsoninjax]

So, I changed the account that the Echo Dot is connected to, but since it still an account under my main account, my wife is still able to access our home and mess with the lights. Besides enlisting someone else's account, is there any method to prevent my device and her device from showing up in each others settings?