Home assistant devices

These home assistant devices are literally invading homes today. Home assistant devices such as Amazon Echo and Google Home can control security cameras, the dishwasher, dryers, lights, power outlets, switches, door locks, and thermostats. For example, Amazon Echo and Google Home can turn lights on and off, control air conditioning and heating, and open and close garage doors.

There are three assistant devices from Amazon—Echo Plus (http://amzn.to/2CBLfeu), Echo (http://amzn.to/2CcIFey), and Echo Dot (http://amzn.to/2yVB5mA)—shown as follows. All three Amazon Echos have features such as set alarm, play music, search online, call Uber, order pizza, and integrate with other home assistant devices, such as WeMo, TP-Link, Sony, Insteon, ecobee, and others.

The only difference between Amazon Echo and Echo Plus is that Amazon Echo Plus has a built-in home assistant hub that allows the other home assistant devices to connect directly to Echo Plus without needing a hub. For Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, you would need to purchase a hub, such as Samsung's SmartThings Smart Home Hub ($73.49, http://amzn.to/2oHkiDV), in order to control other home assistant appliances.

The following photo shows a Smart Home device controlling home appliances:

In the Amazon Echo family, there are two devices that come with a screen, which can be used to display pictures, a clock, and play videos: Amazon Echo Show ($149.00, http://amzn.to/2sJVoRF) and Spot ($129.00, http://amzn.to/2jxEfeR). Similarly, many of the home assistant devices that integrate with Amazon Echo can also be integrated and controlled through Google Home ($79.00, http://bit.ly/2eYZq4D), shown as follows. Many of these devices can be found on the Google support page at http://bit.ly/2yV3NnA.

Google Home is shown here: