What’s it like to live in a voice-controlled smart home.

We invited the voice control revolution into our homes with voice assistants and they quickly became the medium for interacting with our home. The Star Trek vibe that voice control brought to our homes isn’t such a novelty anymore, but it’s none the less exciting! The purpose of this article is to present the full spectrum of what Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri can do for you in a HDL, JUNG, GEWISS or any other BusPro/KNX smart home.

Let’s look at the all the supported devices for controlling your home with voice.

We mostly imagine voice assistants as stand-alone devices but sometimes even more importantly, they can also act as your smart home hub beyond voice.
Naturally, we support the biggest ones:

• Amazon Alexa: Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Spot, Amazon Alexa Echo Sub, Sonos One (Gen 2), Echo Input, Bose Home Speaker, Lenovo Smart Tab M10, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Garmin Stick, Fabriq Riff, and also others …
• Google Assistant: Google Home Mini, Google Home,Google Home Max, Google Home Hub, Any Android Phone with integrated Google Assistant, JBL Link 20, Nest Cam IQ Indoor, Lenovo Smart Display, Solis SO-2000, iHome iGV1, Onkyo Smart Speaker G3, LG ThinQ Speaker WK7, Soundcore Model Zero, and also others …
• Apple Siri: HomePod, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV and with the help of your AirPods

Driving to the office? Query the status of your devices with voice over your smartphone. Your home will connect with any assistant, alrea dy embedded in your smartphone that supports the Amazon Alexa mobile app (which is practically any phone nowadays).The only thing you need is a device that will communicate with the assistant and let you know its status.

The smartphones you can use to command your home via the assistant mobile app are:

• Amazon Alexa:
  – Android 5.1 or higher
  – Fire OS 5.3.3 or higher
  – iOS 11.0 or later
  – Amazon Fire and Fire HD tablets
  – Fire OS 5.3.3 or higher
• Google Assistant:
  – Android 5.0 or higher
  – Google app 6.13 or higher
  – iOS 10.0 or later.
• Apple Siri
  – iOS 5 or later

But when you go for a run or want to take a swim, you can’t bring your smart speaker or smartphone with you. Sure this shouldn’t get in your way, use your smart watch instead!

Here is the list of some of the supported smart watches, with many more available on the market.

• Amazon Alexa:
  – Martian mVoice Smartwatches
  – Martian Passport Smartwatches
  – Xiaomi Huami Amazfit Verge
  – Omate Rise Smartwatch
• Google Assistant
  – LG Watch W7
  – Fosil Sport Smartwatch
  – Mobvoi TicWatch S2, E2 and C2
  – Armani Exchange connected
  – Misfit Vapor 2
  – Montblanc Summit 2
  – Kate Spade Scallop Smartwatch 2
• Apple Siri
  – Apple Watch 3
  – Apple Watch 4

Now imagine wrapping up your last-minute tasks on your laptop as it gets dark, your phone is far away and you really don’t want to get up to turn that light on. Easy! Simply use the voice assistant on your computer.

See which computers will help you turn that light on.

• Amazon Alexa:
  – Windows: You can use Alexa on your Windows 10 device. Get it from the Microsoft Store. Learn more here.
  – Mac OS: Get the Alexa App for Mac from the iTunes Store.

  Keep in mind that the Alexa for Windows and Mac are currently in active development and may not always be as reliable as the one embedded in the smart speaker.

• Google Assistant
  – Chromebook with OS 72 and newer (Acer, Asus, Dell, JP, Lenovo, Samsung Chromebooks).
  – Tinkerers and DIYers might have fun setting it up with the Google Assistant SDK or with the DIY Speaker – AIY Voice Kit
• Apple Siri
  – MacOS Sierra and later versions allow their users to use Siri on their Mac.

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The latest addition to the voice control family are the assistants in your car. You can use them on the go to check the traffic, find a new route, call your friend and more. All that while keeping your eyes on the road.

See which are compatible:

• Amazon Alexa: Echo Auto (still invitation only), Garmin Speak, Anker Roav Viva, and built in selected car models infotainment systems: Audi, BMW, Ford, Lexus, Toyota
• Google Assistant: Android Auto head unit or Roav Bolt plugs, JBL Link Drive
• Apple Siri: Carplay or Siri Eyes-Free function.

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Now this is what we call voice control!

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