Warning: If you have one of these smart displays you may want to watch with headphones!
Many people put a smart display in the kitchen, which is often the hub of home life. Smart display manufacturers believe that using these devices as kitchen helpers and reference tools is one of the most important ways people have adopted this technology. Lisa and Hannah test Google and Amazon’s versions to see which was truly the smartest.
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Disclaimer: Hi everyone! This video was filmed earlier this year and our team is currently working on exciting new content at home for the foreseeable future. Stay healthy and hope you enjoy!
I had to unplug my Nest Mini because it kept going off watching this video. Then, my Nest Hub in the next room started picking it up.
Minute 2:28 Lisa asking Google to set a timer. The assistant on my phone went off.
Remember that you can always adjust the settings to use whatever measurements you like.
You can have it use fractions, decimals, metric or imperial… etc.
Don’t get too hung up on small details like that, because you can easily adjust that stuff, as well as the actual voice and accent, and more.
Just a tip for people on the fence.
You can change your Google Assistant's voice. 🙄
I just use an iPad though I guess these are more permanent solutions.
I wish you tested these against an ipad which a lot of people have as well.
Surely the main idea of a smart display in the kitchen is to follow a recipe step by step, that’s what I was expecting. Pointless video.
Wow! Looks like the robot apocalypse was nothing like I expected. But then I am still waiting for the paperless office.
I would hope both companies see this video and make appropriate updates to the UI and wording.
Lisa, at 3:49 your question "Hey Google, add 15 minutes to the timer called Roast Beef" didn't work. Did you find a particular phrasing that did work? Maybe using the word "extend" instead of "add"…something like "Hey Google, extend timer called Roast Beef by 15 minutes."
Also, does this mean that you all at ATK should be producing your content (written articles, accompanying photos, hashtags) in a way that Google can efficiently harvest that info? I mean hell, amazon should REALLY want to sell you stuff I think eventually "Alexa, how I do tell when Salmon is cooked?" is answered by the answer and a follow up ad like "According to America's Test Kitchen, a Wusthof Gourmet 12" Fish Spatula would REALLY help you out right about now."
Don't say the A or G word in your videos, please!
What about Siri😍?
Annoying as all heck!
More Hannah!!!
5:53 Carole Baskin with her cats
Can I remove the phrase Hey Google or Alexa… for "Computer" I know it won't "replicate" a Cup of Earl Grey Hot but nonetheless
You kept setting off my Alexa.
Please in the future dont put "ok Google" or "Alexa" out loud. I can't watch unless I go to the garage and leave my phone and watch upstairs.
FYI, Google Assistant did not respond to your video with two Google devices within 10 inches. Alexa in the next room about 5 feet away kept trying to answer your questions. Pretty funny I say and I agree that on average Google is usually more informative and Alexa is more "chatty and inaccurate but easier to talk too". Thank you for the Video and keep up the good work👍👍🙌🙌👍👍🙌🙌
I have an Amazon Echo Show 5, but for some reason it's not properly streaming media right now, and it worked fine last year.
I also regret getting the 5 instead of the 10.
Update: I won a second gen Echo 8 during a raffle at work, so…
Also, Amazon has since updated Alexa to state sources.
Stop saying ok Google! You are getting my Google home hub to act!
My Alexa pulled up the correct answer about a chinois when your Alexa failed.
Thanks for setting off my Google Home a dozen times. What a rookie move froma ATK. I have a stupid cookie timer set for 12 minutes.
If it reads out what amazon shoppers wrote every other answer will be “the most popular answer on amazon.com is I don’t know I bought it as a present”.
Had to stop this video. My speakers went nuts with timers and stuff.. plz beep out google next time. Cant see this video now
Great …put a camera and mic in your house,,,never…just read a book..and no i dont have a tablet or smart phone…but i can see why its helpful for people who cant remender things
Google now just takes "Stop" to shut off a timer or alarm. Which is nice to not have to say the wake word every time.
I think you guys missed a very important round on one the most helpful things a Smart Display is used for in the kitchen which is following a recipe. How easy is to find, watch and follow a recipe. I'm sure conflict of interest might be in place as you don't want to promote other companies.
How do I know my smart home device isn't wiretapping my conversations?
How come they look like they would smell bad?
with Google you can stop a timer without the key word. Just say "stop" while it's going off and it will stop that timer only.
So your demo set off my google assistant when I watched your vlog!!!
All of this is making people more stupid and mentally lazy
My phone was sitting next to the computer and heard 'okay google' and answered as quickly as on the video! Too funny. I guess any time a device hears 'okay google' or 'Alexa', it will try to answer. So nosy!
Beyond boring for most home cooks, like every-day peeps?!?! 👎👎👎👎
Definitely would agree with the recommendations others have made to edit the prompt words from your video. It is jmpossible to watch this video if you have a Google or Amazon device nearby.
Here's a question: Why not just a smart speaker? Except for the timer – which frankly, your phone can do – you didn't need the screen. Why the extra expense of a smart display when a $40 smart speaker from Google or Amazon will do?
Which one was easier to clean?
What I really want from one of these things is to be the new recipe box. "Alexa, pull up my recipe for Chocolate chip cookies"
Did your editor really leave in the trigger words for millions of devices? Time for a new hire.
I would not want any of those units in my home as it is just another device which I would not use much and have it taking up room.
I hope that in the future you will know to mute the activation word on the smart appliance you are reviewing. Many people don’t think to mute the mic on their devices before they watch a video.
STUPID!!! There are enough of these videos around that you should know to mute trigger phrases.
Overpriced kitchen tablets. Frankly, they were both terrible.
I have the top of the line Samsung tablet. My wife has an iPad. They both do the same thing without the oversimplified graphical interface.
Based on what I saw here, I have to say that my conclusion is that neither of these perform well enough to justify the asking the price. The other qualm I have is that it is well known that Google is not an organic search engine. The results you get are not related to your query, but rather are chosen based on Google's own agenda. I can't help but feel that this makes the results you'd get from their device somewhat suspect.
For the salmon temperature question, my Home answered first with 125°F, it then read the rest of the information.
Watching your video. And you kept setting my kindle and my phone. Drove me nutzzzz.
Haha. My Alexa kept responding to the video. It defined chinois as a small dog.