We use Alexa to remind us to take meds, set timers, ask info about people, places, and things. Listening to music with Amazon prime is also a plus! We have one upstairs and one downstairs. Don't know how we got along without it.
My kids love Ok Google. We ask it all sorts of questions every day, whenever they have a question about something I don't know the answer for. I also use it as a calculator.
I had an Alexa but opted to switch to a Google Home mini as the rest of my life seems to be tied to Google (phone, calendar, contacts, etc). I use many of the common features such as the shopping list and turning on/off lights. I really like having one in the kitchen to help me while I'm cooking to convert measurements. I stream music to my home theater with the help of a chromecast audio adapter. At night I often use the bedroom one to stream podcasts that help me sleep. It also has a fun Star Wars trivia game for the scifi geeks like myself. Writing this, I guess I use it for a lot more than I thought!
I don't use my Google Assistant. I just use my Google bar and type it in. I'm always using it for definitions of words.
My Google Home is my alarm clock. I check the weather in it every morning. Used to get the news , but that is just depressing now. Play music to go to bed. Hooked up to my Chromecast it plays movies. I guess I like the thing.
The weather around here is so ridiculously variable that when I get up in the morning I don't know whether to put on heavy winter clothes or a sundress. So I love being able to ask Alexa what the weather's going to be like. I also use her to start and stop the music on my Sonos system. I like the shopping list too because when I'm busy doing something and realize I'm out of olive oil or whatever I can just tell her to add it to the list. She's not nearly as smart as Google though when it comes to answering questions about different topics. I wish she was. It's a hassle having to unlock the phone to ask a question.
I did notice Alexa doesn't seem to know everything you ask. Have you carried on a conversation with her. Just say "Alexa lets chat' and she will ask all kinds of random question and also answers the questions she asks. It's kind of fun.
I have a Google Home I got for Christmas. I used it for a few months, my 7yo grandaughter liked to ask it for jokes. A few months after I got it it started coming on by itself and playing music, was hard to turn off with commands. I was also kind of uncomfortable with a machine that was always listening and sending and receiving information. It's now unplugged. I know, I'm old school.
I use it so the government has a voluntary wire tap into my home(kidding)
LOL...You never know...
Haha a I don't. Guess I'd better update my tech! Google assistant keeps popping up and I keep closing it
Music of course. I have mine connected to my philps hue hub so I can voice control many of the lights in the house. It's also connected to my honeywell Lyric thermostat for voice control of the HVAC. I really want to get the Egg Minder so alexa can keep track of how many eggs I have and which one is the oldest.
I use mine as a kitchen timer, an alarm clock, too turn lights on and off, check my calendar, as a white noise machine (rain on the tent is particularly nice), etc etc
Oooh, I haven't tried rain on the tent. I've been using babbling brook.
@TimWhitaker it's the one I use most often
@GwenC I had never used any white noise machine before. What a difference it makes when you wake up at 3am. Will try rain on a tent next time. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the info! I didn't know you could use it for white noise to sleep.