There are a lot of home smart speakers on the market right now. You’ve probably seen countless commercials for all they can do, and you’ve probably hear your friends talking bout how they love using theirs, and so maybe you’re starting to wonder if you should get one.
Smart speakers can be incredibly useful even if you don’t have any other smart devices in your home. They are a wealth of information that you can access with just a few words. Every morning when I’m getting dressed, I like to ask our smart speaker what the weather forecast is for the day. As I’m brushing my teeth, I listen to the forecast and then I know how I need to dress for that day. (And if I’ll need an umbrella!) Got a question but don’t have your phone near you? Maybe you’re cooking a recipe that asks for 2 cups of tomato sauce and you need to know how much that is in ounces, rather than stopping what you’re doing, you can just ask the smart speaker! You can also use it for family fun like playing any of the many quiz games they offer, or have it play ambient noise at night so you can fall asleep easier. So it’s easy to see how you don’t need to have fancy smart features in your home to enjoy the benefits of a smart speaker!
However, if you are looking to add more smart upgrades to your home, then a smart speaker becomes even more valuable. Say you’re walking in the door at night, it’s dark and none of the lights inside are on, you’re your arms are full carrying groceries. Rather than stumbling around in the dark and hoping you won’t trip and spill milk and eggs all over the floor, or trying (and failing) to use your elbow to bump around against the wall until it fights the light switch, you can simply command your smart speaker to turn on the lights. Or maybe You’re sitting watching your favorite TV show, and the thermostat is clear across the house -or worse, on a different floor!- but you definitely need to adjust the temp in those because it’s freezing. You can just stay in your comfy spot on the couch and ask the speaker to turn up the temperature.
So now the question isn’t “should I get a smart speaker?” because you know the answer is “yes!” but instead, you may be wondering which smart speaker is best for you. PC Mag has done a great job compiling a list of some of the best options out there so you can see which is the best fit for your needs. You’ll find the usual suspects on there, such as Amazon Echo, Google Home, and apple HomePod, but they also have some of the lesser-known brands on there that are definitely work taking a look at! So head over and check out what they have to say before making your purchase- you’ll be glad you did!
See the article from PC Mag here: https://www.pcmag.com/article/357520/the-best-smart-speakers