STACK #197 Mar 2021

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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Bring the Voice Smart speakers. These voice-controlled devices can give you music, news, podcasts, weather, set reminders and help out with the shopping list. But wait, there’s more!

In fact, the name is a bit of a misnomer. Think of the smart speaker more as your virtual assistant and you get the picture. Here are some examples of what else a smart speaker can enable, all at the command of your voice.

Musicwhere youwant it via voice command Multi-room audio has never been easier. And you can even configure the room combination so everyone has their own music zone. No one has to miss a beat again! What you will need: Two or more Google Nest Audio (2020) or two or more Amazon Echo (Gen 4) The sound quality of smart speakers has come a long way. For example, the 2020 Google Nest offers a vastly improved listening experience. It's 75 per cent louder than the original Google Home, with 50 per cent stronger bass. Similarly, Amazon Echo with Alexa (Gen 4) puts the original Alexa speaker to shame. Set Up: For multi-room audio, it’s simply a matter of placing the smart speaker model of your choice in rooms where you want music. You can set up via voice but it’s probably easier to manage the speakers via an app, be it Google Home for Nest, or Amazon Alexa for the Echo. Customise and name your multi-room audio combinations and use voice control to get the music going. For example, “OK Google, play some eighties hits downstairs.”

Light up your room There’s no need to fumble for the light switch when you come back late at night. You can let there be light with just your voice. What you will need: Amazon Echo Dot with Alexa (3rd GenerationV2), Philips Hue E27 A60 Colour Bluetooth Bulb. Set Up: You can connect your light to Alexa via the Philips Hue Bluetooth App. Follow the set-up prompts and go to the settings for voice assistants. Once connected, Alexa will say ‘found first light’. If you want to set up voice control for

five lights or more, it’s best to use the Philips Hue Bridge V2.0 which is sold separately. You can set up customised lighting, which can be voice-controlled by Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit – whichever option suits you best.

Monitor your home security See who’s at the front door, or do a house reconnaissance, right from your couch. What you will need: Google Nest Audio (2020), Google Chromecast, Arlo Ultra 2 4K UHD Wire-

An intercom service, too What’s more, you can use the multi-room audio to get a message out just like an intercom. For example, ‘Ok Google, tell everyone it’s dinner time.’ Or for a specific room, ‘OK Google, broadcast to [room name] it’s time to wake up.’

Free Security Spotlight Camera System – 3 Cameras & Smart Hub. Set Up: Once your Arlo security cameras are in place, the best way to set up Google Assistant is via the Google Home App. Select Arlo via Devices, and sign in. Once Google Home has synced with the Arlo account and devices, you can then specify the camera locations. To stream the Arlo camera from a part of your house to your Chromecast- enabled TV, say ‘OK Google, show [camera name] on [Chromecast TV name]’.

48 MARCH 2021

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