The Perfect Voice Device for Everyone on Your List this Holiday Season
Voice-first devices, or smart speakers are all the rage this Holiday season. Check out our list below to find out which device to get for your parents, kids, and significant other, or BFF!
1. For the kids — the Amazon Echo Dot, Amazon Echo Spot, or the Google Home Mini
Reason number one? Volume. Kids love repetition and you can be sure they will be playing music and taking orders from the Krusty Krab on the SpongeBob Challenge skill over and over. These devices will entertain your kids while sparing you from hearing SpongeBob’s booming voice from the next room. The loudest volume on the Dot “is about as loud as the Amazon Echo’s speaker is at half volume.”
All three devices are also a great size for a bedside table, so they’ll be a huge help in the morning as an alarm, a weatherman and more. The Dot, Spot, or Google Home Mini will provide information in the way a cell phone does without the unnecessary distractions. It is a big win for parents trying to limit “screen-time” for their kids! Read more about smart speakers and kids in our article here.
2. For the not so tech-savvy parents or grandparents — the Google Home or the Amazon Echo Show
Hoping to introduce parents or grandparents to the world of Voice? Google Home, and the Amazon Echo Show are our top picks for older generations. The Google Home for its understanding of natural language, and the Echo Show for the built in camera and touchscreen. Both devices are simple, easy to understand, and good at listening.
Although the Google Home doesn’t have as strong a Voice app selection as the Alexa devices do, it is arguably better at performing simple tasks and answering questions. The Guardian reported that, “the best feature of [Google] Home is Google Assistant’s ability to answer questions. It does so better than any rival, including Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa, as it has Google’s massive data set to answer them”. In addition, the Google Home is easier to set up than most Amazon Echo devices, making it ideal for even the most technically challenged.
Another option is the Amazon Echo Show, a great choice for those who can’t quite get over the fact that you really can do it all without looking at a screen. One Show user stated, “A big part of the value I found in the Echo Show was how useful it was to… well, to have the device show me information.” The Show features a 7-inch screen, and a camera allowing video calls with other Alexa users. Imagine how often mom and dad would call if they could do so without pressing a single button!
3. For a significant other or BFF — the Google Home Max or the Sonos One
The Google Home Max and the Sonos One are the two best Voice-first devices available in terms of sound quality. The Google Home Max, an 11.7 pound speaker, features two 4.5-inch woofers and two .7-inch tweeters, while the Sonos One, a mere 4.1 pounds, features one tweeter, one mid-woofer and dual amplifiers. Naturally, the sound quality on the Google Home Max (as it’s over twice the weight of the Sonos One) is the best of the two, but keep in mind that it’s also double the price!
Both options are great for music lovers who want more functionality out of a speaker. They are gifts that will keep on giving, providing users with the perks of either the Google Assistant (on the Google Home Max) or Amazon’s Alexa (on Sonos One*). So show the love this Holiday season and go for the top of the line — chances are you’ll be using it too.
*Sonos will also support the Google Assistant starting next year!
Need some stocking stuffers?
To further enhance games on Alexa-powered devices, Amazon is releasing Echo Buttons this Holiday season. Buttons make it more fun to play Voice-powered games in groups. So gear up for family game night!
No matter who you’re shopping for this holiday season, there’s a great Voice device to meet their needs and interests. Good luck on Cyber Monday, and we hope you have a great time introducing your loved ones to the power, versatility, and fun of using their Voice to get info and control their gadgets.
