Alcatel 1X review

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Alcatel 1X

Getting a good phone for a bargain price isn’t hard anymore. In 2018, we’ve continued to see a glut of great lower-priced smartphones, with the Nokia 6.1, Honor 7X, and Moto G6 leading the charge. But while we know compromises have to be made for these devices, phones that cost $100 or less still aren’t good enough for us to confidently recommend.

That’s where Google’s Android Go initiative comes in. It’s a smaller version of the Android operating system that has been designed to run efficiently on low-power devices — specifically phones with just 1GB of RAM or less — and it doesn’t consume as much data as standard Android. These phones are meant to cost under $100, and our first look at this modified OS is through the Alcatel 1X from TCL Communication.

But after a week with the phone, it’s clear that Android Go isn’t enough to offer the “high-quality experience” Google wants to bring to budget phones. The low-end hardware in the Alcatel 1X makes it frustrating and a chore to use — despite the low price and long-lasting battery.

Average design, mediocre display

Your first impressions of the Alcatel 1X are likely to be positive. It looks like any average phone — the design doesn’t stand out too much — and while back and sides may be plastic, it doesn’t feel too cheap thanks to the soft-touch finish. It’s the Dark Gray Suede model we have, and that soft-touch back does make the phone pleasant to touch.

The single-camera lens, flash, and fingerprint scanner are arranged vertically with the Alcatel logo underneath. The 8-megapixel camera protrudes slightly from the back of the phone, but it’s almost impossible to notice. The 1X isn’t too lightweight, coming in at 151 grams, and it feels remarkably solid for a $100 phone.

There’s not much that stands out on the front. An earpiece speaker and front-facing camera sit at the top, and the 5.3-inch display is surrounded by chunky bezels.

Your first impressions of the Alcatel 1X are likely to be positive.

The volume rocker and power button are on the right edge of the phone. The buttons have a rubberized coating, and we were especially happy with the textured power button, which made finding the right button so much easier. On the bottom edge is a MicroUSB port for charging. The lack of a USB Type-C port is disappointing, but it’s not unsurprising at this price — even Motorola’s Moto E5 series use MicroUSB charging ports. Thankfully, there still is a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top.

The display is a moderately sized 5.3-inch IPS LCD running a 960 x 480 resolution in an 18:9 aspect ratio. We’d have liked to see an HD display here; the similarly-priced LG Fortune 2 and Moto E5 Play come with 720p displays.

The Alcatel 1X’s 480p screen — while colorful — isn’t anywhere near as sharp as its competitors. The max brightness is also extremely dim, as it is extremely hard to see the screen while outdoors in direct sunlight.

Alcatel 1X Compared To

Moto E5 Plus

Nokia 7 Plus

LG G7 ThinQ

Alcatel 3V

Motorola Moto G6

Nuu G3

OnePlus 5T

HTC U11 Life

LG X Power

ZTE ZMax Pro

LG G5

LG G2

Sprint Vital

HTC First

HTC One X+

Audio is similarly disappointing. The only speaker is the front-facing earpiece, and it simply isn’t loud enough to serve by itself. Calls sound tinny, and the speaker often hit its noise threshold. Oddly, we found music played through the 3.5mm headphone jack is quieter than other phones too.

The Alcatel 1X looks and feels decent for the price, but the screen and audio are mediocre.

Performance anxiety

The Alcatel 1X is powered by a quad-core Mediatek MT6739 processor with 1GB of RAM, and these meager specs really drag the phone down. Performance is poor, and the phone chugs during day-to-day tasks like checking emails, social media, and watching videos. Storage space isn’t great either, with only 16GB available — but that can be boosted up to 32GB thanks to the MicroSD card slot.

We tried to benchmark the 1X, but it was only able to handle one of our usual three benchmarking apps.

• Geekbench 4 CPU: Single-core 571; multi-core 1,389.

That’s the lowest score we’ve recorded in 2018, and only the Moto E5 Plus comes close with a single-core score of 641. Our Alcatel 1X slowed down considerably when swapping between apps, and the fingerprint scanner also saw a decrease in unlocking speed a day or two into our testing.

Mark Jansen/Digital Trends

The phone handled Plants vs. Zombies Free well, but it couldn’t handle more advanced games like PUBG: Mobile or Hearthstone, with both apps refusing to run due to the weak specs. Mobile gamers on a budget should definitely look at spending more money on a phone with better specs, like the Nokia 6.1.

Android Go slow

The Alcatel 1X runs Android Go Oreo Edition, Google’s stripped down, lightweight version of the Android made for entry-level phones in developing markets where phones are expensive and mobile data is expensive. For that reason, phones running Android Go are restricted to a maximum of 1GB of RAM, with the advantage that the software is tuned to perform better on lower specifications.

Android Go phones also come pre-loaded with a suite of “Go” apps. The usual Google apps installed on most Android phones have been swapped out for the “Go” versions of the same apps, and like Android Go, these apps have been specially tuned to use less resources and take up less storage space.

Maps Go is an utter disaster, being all but impossible to use thanks to lag and stuttering.

Unfortunately, some of the suite isn’t implemented well on the Alcatel 1X. Gmail Go, Google Go, and Assistant Go work well enough that you’d be hard-pressed to tell them from the usual versions — but Maps Go is an utter disaster, being all but impossible to use thanks to lag and stuttering. Gboard, while not “Gboard Go”, is also extremely slow, and the resulting lag makes typing or gesture typing frustrating.

Surprisingly, it’s the non-Google apps that work the best. While there are some speed issues when swapping between chat threads, Facebook Messenger Lite works well, and Facebook Lite is one of the highlights with smooth and snappy performance most of the time. Even non-lite apps like Twitter work well enough on the 1X, despite the delay in opening the app. (There is a Twitter Lite app you can download as well).

Android Go is also ruthless on background apps, and the standby intelligent power saving mode will strike down apps it thinks aren’t needed any more. That sounds good, but it’s not as clever as it thinks, as it closed apps like Pocket Casts while we were still listening. Thankfully you can turn the option off in the Battery menu, but since it’s on by default, some people may simply live with the frustration, unaware of the cause.

Other issues aren’t as easy to fix. Disconnecting from a Bluetooth device sometimes disabled the Wi-Fi connection for no reason, wasting valuable mobile data, and often refusing to work again without a full restart. God help you if you also try to use Android’s quick camera shortcut. Double-tapping the power button to open the camera is now a common option on Android phones, and the Alcatel 1X supports it — in theory. In practice, double-tapping the power button causes the phone to vibrate and then hang, displaying a black screen with the navigation bar at the bottom. It’s embarrassingly bad.

God help you if you try to use Android’s quick camera shortcut.

Notifications are also spotty. Opening an app like Facebook Lite or Messenger Lite often triggered a “catch-up” period, during which time the phone buzzes and pings as notifications come in one-by-one. If your chats have had a particularly busy day, expect this catch-up to take minutes, leaving you waiting.

Android Go is not like Android One — manufacturers do not need to issue timely updates. Our Alcatel 1X is still stuck on the May security patch, and it’s unclear if this device will ever receive the upcoming Android P update.

Ridiculous shutter lag

The weakest part of a budget phone historically is its camera. The Alcatel 1X doesn’t change this fact, and it’s all due to some serious shutter lag.

The hardware is average. There are two camera lenses on the Alcatel 1X — an 8-megapixel lens on the back, and a 5-megapixel selfie shooter around the front. It takes decent photos in good lighting, and it may surprise you from time-to-time with some shots.

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The camera does have some issues with focus, as it often refused to focus on the obvious points of interest, focusing somewhere else entirely.

As soon as light dips, photo quality goes right down the gutter.

But as soon as light dips, photo quality goes right down the gutter. The f/2.0 aperture really struggles in lower lighting, and it’s often not worth getting the camera out for anything but bright sunlight. This is exacerbated by the large delay between tapping the camera button and the shutter actually engaging. The shutter lag means you simply can’t take photos quickly — they end up as blurry messes, so there’s no point in trying to take any kind of action shot.

If you take your time and are aware of lighting, then you’ll get some decent shots, but this is hardly a phone for shutterbugs.

Good battery life

The Alcatel 1X comes with a 2,460mAh battery, and while that may not sound like a lot, you can typically get more than a day out of it, depending on usage. After coming off the charger at 7 a.m., with medium usage including music streaming, using the camera, placing calls, and browsing social media, the phone dropped to 40 percent by 7 p.m.. A day with light use saw the Alcatel 1X drop a third of a the battery in 12 hours — so two days with infrequent use is definitely possible.

There’s no wireless charging, which shouldn’t be a surprise given this phone’s price, but there’s also no fast charging either. Charging from 15 percent to full took more than two and half hours, which is painfully slow.

Price, availability, and warranty information

The Alcatel 1X costs around $100, and you can pick it up from Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon. It will work on AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, but not on Sprint or Verizon.

Alcatel offers a standard one-year warranty that protects the phone from manufacturing defects.

Our Take

Like its stablemate the Alcatel 3V, the Alcatel 1X is just too slow to recommend. It’s likely due to the weak processor, but this kind of performance doesn’t bode well for Android Go.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. It’s difficult to recommend phones at the extreme budget end of the market because so many of them share similar faults. The LG Fortune 2 costs around the same as the Alcatel 1X and delivers decent performance, but it only works on Cricket Wireless.

Go a little higher though and there’s plenty of better choice. For $200, you can pick up the Moto G6 Play or the extremely solid Honor 7X. For the real cream of the budget crop, the Nokia 6.1 is everything you want in a bargain phone, and comes in at $270. The Moto G6 at $250 is also a phone that should be considered. You can learn more in our best cheap phones guide.

How long will it last?

We don’t expect this phone to receive many updates — if any — and the performance and battery will likely just degrade the longer you use it. You will likely only be able to deal with this painfully slow phone for about a year.

There’s no water resistance, but the plastic build should mean it won’t break as easily as all-glass phones.

Should you buy it?

No. The Alcatel 1X may look nice for the price, but it’s just too darn slow. Save up a little extra and splash out on a Nokia 6.1 or Honor 7X.

Check out these cheesy TV ads for tech stuff from yesteryear

These days, tech firms spend millions of dollars on complex, multi-layered ad campaigns to market their latest wares. But just a few decades ago, such campaigns were as basic as the products they proffered.

We recently stumbled across an amusing 1981 TV commercial for Sony’s hugely successful Walkman cassette player. The fascinating find prompted us to dig into the video archives to track down other ads featuring a range of gadgets from yesteryear. Our research turned up some real gems, with many of the ads cheesier than a fully loaded pizza.

Sony Walkman (released 1979):

The Sony Walkman launched in 1979 and sold more than 385 million units before its demise in 2010. According to Sony, the world was a dull place before its personal music player landed on the scene. Its 1981 commercial kicks off with a somber-looking guy walking along the street in a black-and-white world.

But his life takes a turn for the better when he spots some folks having a great time — in color — across the street. He rushes over, joins in the fun, and soon realizes that the Sony Walkman is the answer to all his woes, as it helps you “see the world in a whole new light.”

Cheese Rating: 8/10

Radio Shack cell phone (released 1989):

This one’s a real shocker, and we’re not just talking about the fashions. Radio Shack’s 1989 commercial for its “transportable” phone features a device which, rather than put in your pocket, you hung over your shoulder. Because it’s massive. “Go where you wanna go,” the ad implores, though it declines to mention that you may tear a ligament in your upper body if you fail to undertake a rigorous warm-up routine before setting off.

The ad has some real fun trying to convince us about how easy it is to use the phone — check out the smiley businessman lugging it along a street as he chats to a client, and the guy in a speedboat who looks really cool with his transportable box phone thing. And the entire setup cost just $799.

Cheese Rating: 9/10

IBM Selectric typewriter (released 1961):

IBM’s Selectric typewriter commercial from the early 1960s is a truly earnest effort, the script bereft of humor, gimmicks, and silly ditties. The Selectric was a special piece of kit when it launched, as it let you “snap on and snap off” the printing ball for others containing different fonts.

The narrator helpfully points out that the ball can print as fast as your fingers hit the keys, which is kind of what you want when it comes to typing. The tagline? “A typewriter so different, only the alphabet stays the same.” Brilliant.

Cheese Rating: 4/10

Hitachi TV (released 1983):

Hitachi sells “quality” and “elegance” in this 1983 commercial featuring one of its television sets. Back then, the idea of a TV as thin as a paperback was the stuff of fantasy, so manufacturers tried to dazzle consumers with features like “cabinetry of fine wood products,” as the woman in this ad proclaims with much glee.

Sold in an era when “high definition” sounded like another picture control alongside “contrast” and “brightness,” the commercial insists the quality of Hitachi’s picture is really, really good. The commercial even tells us the sexy stuff, outlining details of its “limited warranty” that features 10 years on transistors, 2 years parts, and 1 year labor. What’s not to like?

Cheese Rating: 7/10

IBM Convertible PC (released 1986):

By 1986, IBM had apparently fired the guy it used in the Selectric ad and instead gone down the “funny” route, calling upon the services of a Charlie Chaplin lookalike to help market the IBM Convertible PC. In its day, this was a revolutionary device that was part PC, part laptop, and — tipping the scales at 12.8 pounds (5.8 kg) — part weight-training kit.

The ad shows “Chaplin” rushing from the office to his car with his Convertible PC, before driving to a business meeting where he impresses clients with his ultra-modern computer. The machine came with a monochrome display and 256KB of RAM, expandable to a whopping 640KB, and was billed as “one computer for people who really need two.” No, it didn’t sell very well.

Cheese Rating: 6/10

Atari 2600 (released 1977):

While Atari produced many ads for the Atari 2600, this particular one from 1979 features a father totally ignored by his children as they spend their whole time playing on the once-popular games console. Such a scene may well be familiar to many modern-day parents, except that these days the games are a little more advanced, and the clothes and hairstyles a little more sensible.

Atari’s ad begins with two kids playing Sky Diver, a game with all the complexity of a slip-on shoe. Dad looks on with an expression of sadness, before saying to camera: “Maybe one of these days they’ll let me play.” To prevent the 30-second ad from descending into a murky pit of misery and despair, the father turns his attention to some of the console’s amazing games, among them “basketball, football, chess, and bowling.” But just when things are looking up, his emotions take another dive when his daughter hands him her doll and offers to play.

Cheese Rating: 7/10

Nintendo Game Boy camera (released 1998):

Twenty years ago, Nintendo released the Game Boy camera, an add-on for the handheld Game Boy console. In some ways, it was a forerunner to Snapchat lenses as it let you add silly extras to your photos. Nintendo’s marketing team promised the device would turn “pho-tography” into “fun-tography,” though the camera’s 128×128 pixel sensor and black-and-white images meant that “crap-tography” may have been a more fitting description.

But credit where credit’s due, Nintendo’s high-energy commercial tries its best to generate some excitement, pointing out that you can print off your carefully composed images and stick them “wherever you want.” According to the ad, someone’s face or T-shirt are ideal places.

Cheese Rating: 8/10

Editors’ Recommendations

• All signs point to ‘Fortnite’ releasing for the Nintendo Switch
• Samsung mocks iPhone X download speed in new ad for Galaxy S9
• Samsung 2018 QLED TVs update adds FreeSync, but limits refresh rates
• Don’t adjust your set: Bold Samsung ad will make you think your TV is busted
• ‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ responds to player backlash with new freebies

How to convert DVD to MP4

Today, we live in a world where we want every movie and TV show to be available at our fingertips on every electronic device in our arsenal. Shelves chock full of movies now seem overly cumbersome, and they’re also an unnecessary waste of space that can be better used for something else. On top of that, we all know how boring a flight or train ride can be without access to a robust library of entertainment. There’s more than one way to convert your spinning movie discs to a format that’s compatible with a range of devices, and to help out here’s our guide on how to convert a DVD to MP4.

The process is easy whether you’re using the latest version of Windows, or the MacOS’ Mojave beta. Keep in mind that reproducing copyrighted material is illegal, so be mindful of whether or not the movie you are ripping is protected.

HandBrake (free)

Balancing advanced options with a no-nonsense UI, HandBrake is one of the most popular DVD-to-MP4 converters available today. With broad compatibility and no trial timers to worry about — it’s open source, after all — the application is a powerful and versatile option. Handbrake did have a recent issue with malware, but that’s been resolved.

Step 1: Download and install HandBrake

Head to the HandBrake website, choose your operating system, and then click on the appropriate download link to grab the software. Afterwards, launch the program.

Step 2: Choose a DVD to convert

HandBrake is pretty straightforward and very user-friendly, and as such, it keeps most of the advanced options behind the scenes until you need them. Thankfully, there are just three options you need to worry about in order to convert your DVD to an MP4. First, choose a DVD via the “Open Source” button in the top-left corner of the application window.

Step 3: Choose a format, and hit start

Next, choose your desired save location for the resulting file and select “MP4” from the drop-down box housed within Output Settings. Then, hit the “Start” button and allow the software to make the conversion.

Movavi Video Converter (free trial)

Step 1: Download and install Movavi

Head over to the main Movavi conversion page and click the blue “Download for free” button, making sure to select the correct operating system. Then open the installer and follow the on-screen instructions. Launch the application once installed.

Step 2: Add a DVD

Once open, click your file’s DVD format, then click on the “+ Add Media” button at the top of the window. Then select the DVD you wish to convert into an MP4.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Step 3: Choose a preset and convert

Click on the cog next to “Output format” at the bottom of the window for a list of customizable presets. Select “MP4 (*.mp4)” from the list of available formats. Then click “Save to:” and navigate to your desired save location for the resulting file, and click the “Convert” button in the lower-right corner to start the conversion process.

Note that Movavi is free for seven days. After that you’ll need to pay for the full version, with the base-model of the software starting at $40.

WinX DVD Ripper (free)

Step 1: Download and install WinX DVD Ripper

Navigate to the main WinX DVD Ripper homepage and click the green “Download free” button. Afterwards, launch the executable file and follow the on-screen instructions. Open the application once installed.

Step 2: Select a DVD

Once open, click the “DVD Disc” button and choose the DVD you want to convert into an MP4 from its location.

Step 3: Choose a preset and convert

Select the file you wish to convert from the list of available options and select your chosen output format (MP4). Select a save location for the MP4 and choose your desired audio and video settings in the menu underneath. Click the large “Run” button located in the bottom right to begin the conversion process.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The most common Xbox One problems, and how to fix them
• How much does Netflix cost? A pricing breakdown of the streaming giant’s plans
• How to convert FLAC to MP3
• How to convert your videos from MKV to MP4
• Here’s how to rip a Blu-ray or DVD movie

Updated Apple patent suggests MacBook Pro will eventually sport touchscreens

The MacBook Pro may eventually include a touchscreen. The hint stems from a patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday, July 26, describing inductive charging (aka wireless charging) between two or more devices. Illustrations show a mobile phone and smartwatch physically resting in a laptop’s touchpad area, receiving a charge.

“The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the display is a touch sensitive display configured to receive inputs for the trackpad in response to a determination that the trackpad is providing inductive power to the external electronic device,” the patent application states.

Unfortunately, the patent doesn’t specifically call out MacBooks in the wording, but instead describes a “notebook computer” in addition to the generic “portable electronic device” label. In the section describing this device, there’s no reference to a touch-based display, Instead, it illustrates three inductive coils located in the trackpad area.

According to the patent, one will reside under the trackpad itself while the other two will be located within the empty “regions” on each side of the trackpad. You’ll also find up to nine coils under the lid, so you can recharge your mobile devices when the laptop is closed. What’s interesting is that the patent says these inductive coils will be configured to “provide inductive power to, or receive inductive power from, the external electronic device.”

When you sift through the patent’s 53 images, you’ll see the touchscreen claim clearly pointing to a laptop form factor, illustrating the keyboard, trackpad, and three inductive coils. We’ve already seen Apple’s touch-free hardware refresh for 2018, but that doesn’t mean MacBook Pros with touchscreens will never appear on the market.

To this day, Apple doesn’t offer touchscreens on its MacBook Pros, but rather reserves them for the iPad family. After all, you can purchase the iPad Pro, the compatible Smart Keyboard cover, and the Apple Pen, and you basically have a thin-and-light touch-capable laptop (albeit iOS instead of MacOS).

Overall, the patent describes five devices: A mobile phone, a tablet, a wearable, a laptop, and a protective cover with a built-in wireless charging coil. Most of the patent’s images illustrate wireless charging with the tablet, phone, and watch. For the latter two devices, you’ll find only one inductive coil while the tablet typically shows three.

For instance, Apple’s patent shows the watch receiving a charge as it rests on the phone which in turn is receiving a charge as it rests on the tablet’s screen. One illustration shows the phone sitting on a laptop’s trackpad receiving a charge although that may complicate your workflow unless you connect a mouse.

Note that this patent applies to smaller tablets too. The illustration above shows a tablet with only two wireless charging coils instead of three. It’s sitting on a closed laptop, indicating that Apple may be referring to the iPad Mini. It’s joined by a mobile phone resting on the other end of the lid. A watch sits stacked on the phone, receiving a charge.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How does fast charging work? Here’s every single standard compared
• FLI Charge’s conductive wireless charging could revolutionize classroom tech
• When will your phone charge wirelessly in your pocket? We asked an expert
• The best solar chargers for your phone, tablet, and other battery-powered gear
• Does wireless charging degrade your battery faster? We asked an expert

Updated Apple patent suggests MacBook Pro will eventually sport touchscreens

The MacBook Pro may eventually include a touchscreen. The hint stems from a patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday, July 26, describing inductive charging (aka wireless charging) between two or more devices. Illustrations show a mobile phone and smartwatch physically resting in a laptop’s touchpad area, receiving a charge.

“The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the display is a touch sensitive display configured to receive inputs for the trackpad in response to a determination that the trackpad is providing inductive power to the external electronic device,” the patent application states.

Unfortunately, the patent doesn’t specifically call out MacBooks in the wording, but instead describes a “notebook computer” in addition to the generic “portable electronic device” label. In the section describing this device, there’s no reference to a touch-based display, Instead, it illustrates three inductive coils located in the trackpad area.

According to the patent, one will reside under the trackpad itself while the other two will be located within the empty “regions” on each side of the trackpad. You’ll also find up to nine coils under the lid, so you can recharge your mobile devices when the laptop is closed. What’s interesting is that the patent says these inductive coils will be configured to “provide inductive power to, or receive inductive power from, the external electronic device.”

When you sift through the patent’s 53 images, you’ll see the touchscreen claim clearly pointing to a laptop form factor, illustrating the keyboard, trackpad, and three inductive coils. We’ve already seen Apple’s touch-free hardware refresh for 2018, but that doesn’t mean MacBook Pros with touchscreens will never appear on the market.

To this day, Apple doesn’t offer touchscreens on its MacBook Pros, but rather reserves them for the iPad family. After all, you can purchase the iPad Pro, the compatible Smart Keyboard cover, and the Apple Pen, and you basically have a thin-and-light touch-capable laptop (albeit iOS instead of MacOS).

Overall, the patent describes five devices: A mobile phone, a tablet, a wearable, a laptop, and a protective cover with a built-in wireless charging coil. Most of the patent’s images illustrate wireless charging with the tablet, phone, and watch. For the latter two devices, you’ll find only one inductive coil while the tablet typically shows three.

For instance, Apple’s patent shows the watch receiving a charge as it rests on the phone which in turn is receiving a charge as it rests on the tablet’s screen. One illustration shows the phone sitting on a laptop’s trackpad receiving a charge although that may complicate your workflow unless you connect a mouse.

Note that this patent applies to smaller tablets too. The illustration above shows a tablet with only two wireless charging coils instead of three. It’s sitting on a closed laptop, indicating that Apple may be referring to the iPad Mini. It’s joined by a mobile phone resting on the other end of the lid. A watch sits stacked on the phone, receiving a charge.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How does fast charging work? Here’s every single standard compared
• FLI Charge’s conductive wireless charging could revolutionize classroom tech
• When will your phone charge wirelessly in your pocket? We asked an expert
• The best solar chargers for your phone, tablet, and other battery-powered gear
• Does wireless charging degrade your battery faster? We asked an expert

Best Soundbars for Chromecast and Fire TV

All the way from super cheap to ludicrous.

TV’s are getting smarter and smarter, but audio is modernizing as well. It used to be that if you wanted great sound in your living room, you had to have an expensive receiver, thousands of dollars worth of satellite speakers, miles of speaker wire, and a professional installer.

But soundbars have come a long way in the last few years. While full-sized speakers will still sound better — sound needs space, after all — soundbars sound great for their size. That size also requires a smaller footprint in your living room, only one audio cable, and it’s easier than running speaker wire through your floor or ceiling. With wireless connectivity for subwoofers and satellite speakers, you’re all set.

Here are the best soundbars for your Chromecast or Fire TV!

• Your existing soundbar
• Sonos Beam
• Polk Command
• JBL Link Bar
• LG SK10Y Soundbar with Dolby Atmos
• Vizio Soundcast
• TaoTronics Soundbar

Your existing soundbar

If you’re already happy with the soundbar you own, there’s no sense in spending money on a new one. As long as you can get the audio from your TV to the soundbar and you’re not looking for some of the surround setups below, there’s no much a new soundbar will do that your current one won’t.

If you want to make the soundbar a little smarter, you have a few options. You can hook up an Amazon Echo Dot or Google Chromecast Audio to the soundbar, provided it has multiple audio inputs so you can still get sound from your TV. If you’re in Google’s ecosystem, you’ll need to use Google Assistant on your phone or purchase a Google Home Mini for voice commands. Even with a couple extra pieces of hardware, you’ll still save money and time compared to purchasing a new soundbar.

More: How to use Chromecast Audio as a whole-home audio alternative to Sonos

Sonos Beam

If you are interested in new hardware, Sonos’ ecosystem is tough to beat. Its new Beam soundbar. For a cool $400 you get a superb TV soundbar with some basic smarts. The soundbar connects to your TV with HDMI-ARC, or with the included HDMI-to-Optical adapter. It only supports Alexa right now, but Google Assistant integration is supposedly coming at some point. You can control your TV with your voice if your TV supports HDMI-CEC, which most modern sets do. Controlling your TV with your voice isn’t a replacement for a remote, but it’s a nice option.

Sonos’ ecosystem is attractive because of how easy it is to add more of their speakers and create a surround system. You can start with the Sonos Beam and have a great soundbar. A few months later, you can pick up a couple of Sonos One speakers to add more channels. Or, you can buy a Sonos 5.1 kit with everything you need.

The Sonos Beam is available in black or white for $400.

See at Amazon

Polk Command Sound Bar

Another great option for those that prefer Amazon’s voice assistant is Polk’s Command Sound Bar. The Command Sound Bar looks like someone just placed an Echo Dot in the middle of a soundbar, which is pretty much what Polk did. The soundbar connects to your TV with either an HDMI or Optical cable, and there are two 4K HDR HDMI passthrough ports. If you use a Fire TV Stick or other streaming stick, there is a USB port on the soundbar itself to deliver power.

The Command Sound Bar includes a wireless subwoofer for deep bass, and it supports Bluetooth if you’d like to stream music from your smartphone. There are two holes on the back of the Command Sound Bar for wall mounting, or it’ll look great on a TV stand.

Polk’s Command Sound Bar is available for $300.

See at Amazon

Coming Soon: JBL Link Bar

If you’re in Google’s ecosystem, now may not be the best time to buy a soundbar. The JBL Link Bar is going to be filled with features and pull triple duty as a soundbar, smart TV box and receiver. You get the full Android TV interface, including Google Cast support. There are three HDMI inputs to the Link Bar, and you can use your voice to switch between inputs. The soundbar itself should sound great, since JBL knows how to handle sound. And you’ll be able to expand the soundbar with one of JBL’s wireless subwoofers.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about the Link Bar, including the final release date and the final retail price. There’s also the fact that other products are at retail NOW, so if you’re planning an expansion to your living room, it’s easier to plan around something that actually exists.

More: Hands-on: New JBL Link Bar soundbar pulls triple duty with Android TV and Google Assistant

LG SK10Y Soundbar with Dolby Atmos

If you don’t want smarts with your soundbar — or want Dolby Atmos in a compact form factor — LG has you covered. Its SK10Y soundbar features five channels across the front of the soundbar, as well as two upward firing channels and a wireless soundbar. There’s Google Cast built-in for audio only, and you can pick up a rear speaker kit for surround sound.

As for connecting to your TV, you have plenty of options: 3.5mm, Optical, or HDMI-ARC, as well as two 4K HDR passthrough ports. In addition to Google Cast, you also have the option of streaming over Bluetooth.

LG’s SK10Y Soundbar with Dolby Atmos is available in dark gray for $1,000.

See at Amazon

Vizio Smartcast soundbars

Much less expensive — but still plenty capable — is Vizio’s Smartcast line. Vizio offers a variety of soundbars with different amounts of channels, but none are more than $400 for a complete kit. That means you get your soundbar, subwoofer and wireless rear surround speakers at one price. As the name implies, you can stream music with Google Cast, but also over Bluetooth.

As for connecting to the TV, most of Vizio’s soundbars offer 3.5mm, Optical Audio and HDMI-ARC support. Some offer HDMI passthrough, which is great if your TV is low on ports. There’s also Ethernet to make your Google Cast streams more stable.

Vizio’s Smartcast soundbars are available in various sizes, in black, for up to $400.

See at Amazon

TaoTronics Soundbar

Another great and inexpensive option comes from TaoTronics. If you want your first soundbar to sound great without breaking your wallet, this is the best choice for you. You get two audio channels, Bluetooth connectivity for your phone, 3.5mm or Optical connectivity to your TV, all in a slim package. There’s no HDMI passthrough, no smart assistants, nothing but good sound.

At only 25-inches across, this is a great option for college dorms or other rooms without a lot of space. And if you want to get fancy, there are two holes for wall mounting the speaker.

TaoTronics’ Soundbar is available in black for $70.

See at Amazon

Which is your pick?

Which soundbar are you interested in? Let us know in the comments below!

Hands-on with Panasonic’s new Toughbook lineup of Android devices

Introducing the Toughbook L1, T1, and N1.

Panasonic’s Toughbook series of gadgets is all about delivering powerful hardware in form factors that are designed specifically with enterprise customers in mind. Recently, Panasonic announced three new Android devices in the Toughbook lineup with the T1 and N1 smartphones, as well as the L1 tablet.

Mobile Nations’ Mark Guim recently got to check all three of these out, so be sure to give his hands-on video above a watch if you want to learn more.

These Products and Services Work with Google Home

There’s plenty to come in the future, but which products work now?

Google first introduced Google Home to the world back in May at Google I/O 2016, later revealing the final product alongside the Pixel in October. From everything we’ve seen, Google Home seems primed to eventually link up with any smart device in your home and allow you to control everything with just the sound of your voice.

Google has announced which products and services will be supported at launch, but there’s sure to be plenty more to come in the future. Continue to check back to this article in the coming months, as we’ll surely be updating this list as more products and services are added. We’ve broken things down into two categories — home automation products and supported services.

Home automation:

• Chromecast
• Nest
• SmartThings
• Phillips Hue
• LIFX Smart Lights
• TP-Link Smart Home
• Vivint Home Security
• Rachio Sprinklers
• Logitech Harmony
• Geeni Connected Tech
• August Smart Locks
• iHome Control
• Lux Kono Smart Thermostat
• Hive Home Automation
• Honeywell
• NuBryte Smart Home Automation
• Smartika
• AWAIR Air Filtration
• Deako Smart Switches
• Nanoleaf Aurora Light Panels
• LG SmartThinQ
• Smarter iKettle and Smarter Coffee

Supported services

• Spotify
• Pandora
• Google Play Music
• TuneIn Radio
• iHeartRadio
• YouTube
• Netflix
• HBO NOW
• CBS All Access
• IFTTT

Home automation

Chromecast

It should come as little surprise that Google Home works with Chromecast. Google hit it out of the park with their compact, Wi-Fi enabled dongles for video or audio that you simply hook up to your TV or stereo and allow you to stream media straight from your phone, tablet, or laptop.

Google Home takes things to the next level by allowing you cast video and audio from its supported services using only your voice. As if Chromecast wasn’t convenient enough already. I can think of many scenarios where I might want to pull up something from YouTube or change a playlist while I’m busy in the kitchen or otherwise preoccupied. Currently only YouTube is supported for video, but expect more services to be added — Netflix, Hulu and the like — as time goes on. We’ve linked to the 2015 model below, which remains a fantastic value at only $35… but it only displays at 1080p. If you’re interested in some higher definition, Google is set to start shipping a new Chromecast for 2016 — the Chromecast Ultra — which costs twice as much but supports 4K video.

See at Google

Chromecast-enabled TVs and Speakers

If you’re looking to upgrade your home theatre setup and would like streamline things with less dongles, there’s a growling selection of Smart TVs with Chromecast built right, with 4K sets available from the following brands:

• Vizio
• Sharp
• Toshiba
• Sony
• Philips

For streaming audio, the biggest gap currently is a lack of support for Sonos. There doesn’t appear to be any timetable for adding Sonos into the Google Home ecosystem which is frustrating for anyone who’s invested in — or looking to start building out — a Sonos system throughout their home.

But you still have options. Nine brands currently offer Chromecast-enabled speakers, soundbars and subwoofers:

• Vizio
• Sony
• LG
• Philips
• B&O Play
• Grundig
• Polk
• Bang & Olufsen
• Raumfeld

Nest

Nest is one of the best known manufacturers of smart home automation products, which include self-learning, Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats, smoke detectors and security cameras.

With Google Home and a Nest thermostat, you’ll be able to effortlessly control the temperature of your home using only your voice. Nest also works well with other smart products, such as lights, doorbells, and smart locks.

See at Amazon

SmartThings

Samsung’s SmartThings is a very capable and customizable home automation system that features five different smart sensors for home monitoring, all linked together wirelessly via the Hub. The SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit comes with a Hub, two Multipurpose Sensors, a Motion Sensor and an Outlet. You can configure them however you like in your home, then get instant notifications if anything is out of the normal. You can also buy additional sensors, including an Arrival Sensor and a Water Leak Sensor.

SmartThings is incredibly versatile as it is, but we’re super excited to see what integration with Google Home will look like.

See at Amazon

Phillips Hue

Phillips is one of the leading manufacturers of wireless LED smart bulbs. The Phillips Hue lineup features a multitude of different lighting options for around your home, which must be configured through the Phillips Hue Bridge via. You’re able to connect up to 50 lights to one Bridge and then configure and control them in so many different ways.

We should expect Google Home to work just as well with Phillips Hue lights as it does with Apple Home Kit, meaning you’ll be able to set and adjust your Phillips Hue lights throughout your house without leaving the couch, or easily turn off all the lights when you’re leaving the house or it’s time for bed.

See at Amazon

LIFX Smart Lights

LIFX offers their third generation of smart bulbs for both indoors and outdoors. Both offer 1100 lumens of brightness, with options to customize the look with 16 million colors and 1000 shades of warm to cool whites.

A single bulb starts at $59.99, but if you’re planning to do up your home with LIFX bulbs, you’re definitely better off buying in bulk. You save $66 by getting the Master Pack, which comes with six bulbs.

See at LIFX

TP-Link Smart Home

TP-Link offers a line of smart plugs and switches that allow you to convert the lamps and appliances you already own into smart devices you can automate to power on or control with your voice.

Their newest smart plug, the Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini, is their most compact option yet, leaving the second outlet free.

See at Amazon

Wink hub automation

Wink’s latest smart home hub, the Wink Hub 2, works with products from Z-Wave and Zigbee, offering a wide range of home automation options.

If you’ve built your home automation around a Wink Hub, you can control all your Wink-compatible lighting products (lightbulbs, switches, dimmers, and outlets) and thermostats using Google Assistant on Google home. It’s all integrated right into the Google Home app, letting you group lights in specific rooms and control everything using only your voice and Google Assistant.

See at Wink

Vivint Home Security / Google Home security cameras

Vivint offers complete home automation and security packages for those who don’t want to piece their home automation together one component at a time. The system features a main control panel that moderates communication between you and all your home automation devices, including lights, security cameras, thermostats, and smart locks. The main console features a touch-screen dashboard and two-way talk to Vivint Smart Home security monitoring teams.

Beginning in April, Vivint will integrate with Google Home allowing you full control over your smart home security and devices around your home using only your voice. If you’re interested, you’ll need to call Vivint to inquire about pricing and set up an installation appointment.

Learn More

Rachio Sprinklers

If your home has an automated sprinkler system, Rachio wants to save you money on your water bill by optimizing your sprinkler system to only turn on when it needs to. They offer a Wi-Fi-connected controller for your sprinkler system which checks the local forecast and will adjust schedules based on past, present, and future weather, and will also make intelligent seasonal adjustments as needed.

With the new Google Assistant integration, you will be able to control your sprinkler system using only your voice to turn the water on or off, and also update your schedule as needed.

Learn More

Logitech Harmony

Logitech continues to dominate the smart remote sector, with its Harmony Elite remote and hub package allowing you to connect and control more devices than ever from the couch.

With the latest integration with Google Assistant, you can do even more without even picking up the remote at all!

Learn More

Geeni Connected Tech

Geeni Offers intuitive solutions for your smart home automation goals. Their products range from security cameras, lighting, as well as smart plugs and power strips. Everything is controlled in the Geeni app, but now with integration with Google Assistant, you also have the option to control things with your voice, too.

See at MyGeeni

August Smart Locks

August offers elegant smart locks to help keep your home secure. You’re able to remotely control your front door from anywhere using the August Connect app.

With the new integration with Google Assistant, you’ll be able to ask Google to confirm whether your front door is unlocked when you’re expecting company, and lock the doors when you’re headed to bed. Both the first and second generations of August Smart Locks are compatible with Google Assistant, though you’ll also need a August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge to get everything connected.

See at Amazon

iHome Control

iHome has been a popular name in home speakers and alarm clocks that connect to your smartphone, so it should come as little surprise that the company has also gotten into the smart home sector.

They feature a line of smart home accessories that work with Google Assistant, including the SmartMonitor, which offers 24/7 home monitoring using built-in sensors for motion, temperature, light, sound, and humidity.

They also offer three different smart plug models, with the iSP8 model including a handy RF remote control with programmable buttons that allow you to control individual or grouped plugs without opening your phone. It’s a great option for guests or younger kids in the home.

Learn more

Lux Kono Smart Thermostat

The Lux Kono Smart Thermostat is a premium product that’s been designed to better integrate with your home decor. You can control your home temperature using the big dial on the wall-mounted thermostat, or connect to your phone using the Lux Products app which lets you control things from your phone and connect to either Google Assistant or Alexa for true smart home control over your thermostat.

Get yours for just $150, and don’t forget to pick up a snap-on cover to match your home decor for just $10!

See at Lux

Hive Home Automation

Hive offers a full suite of home automation products which allow you to set up smart automation for comfort and security. The products they offer include a home hub, smart thermostat, motion sensors, smart plugs, and smart bulbs. You’re able to control everything using Google Assistant by creating some commands using IFTTT.

Hive offers their products via a monthly subscription service — the standard package is available for $29.99 a month and includes a Hive Hub, two Hive Active Plugs, four Hive Active Lights, two Window or Door Sensors, one Motion Sensor, and the Hive Active Thermostat. It’s a bit of a different model for smart home automation, but might be appealing to renters or folks not ready to fully invest in owning home automation products just yet

Learn more

Honeywell

Honeywell offers a wide range of home automation solutions for around your home that are built into its Tuxedo Touch Home Security and Automation Controller. Honeywell’s products use Z-Wave and are fully compatible with Google Home.

If you’re looking to connect your Z-Wave-enabled thermostat, smart bulbs, smart locks, and other smart home products together via a single home hub, with mobile integration that allows you to control everything remotely from your smartphone, Honeywell offers a compelling

Read more about the Honeywell Home Automation system here, then visit the Honeywell website to find a dealer location near you.

Learn More

NuBryte Smart Home Automation

NuBryte offers a smart home automation solution that’s pretty comprehensive and customizable. The system is built around the NuBryte Touchpoint Smart Console, which NuBryte recommends putting one in each of the main rooms of your home.

Each console replaces the light switch in the room (available in single and double switch models) and includes built-in camera for motion detection, touch-free controls for your lighting, a built-in intercom for room-to-room communication and whole home broadcasting when it’s time for dinner, along with a home hub for integrating other smart home sensors and integrations. Full integration with Google Home means you’ll be able to control things in a room without a console by using your voice.

NuBryte is coming out with their own line of complementary smart switches as well, which are expected to launch this summer.

Learn More

Smartika

Smartika is a Canadian company that offers rather stylish home automation products for lighting your home which are fully compatible with Google Home as well as Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.

Everything is controlled via the Smartika Hub, which lets you create groups and scenes by programming automated functions. The Hub also lets you connect to the Smartika mobile app, which lets you easily interconnect and control all your Smartika products.

Beyond the Hub, Smartika offers five different lighting fixtures, which range from $135 for a recessed ceiling lights to $500 for a full tracklight setup with four adjustable lights — perfect for a kitchen renovation.

Installation is available for those living in Quebec and Ontario, otherwise you’re left to install things on your own via the included installation and user manual.

Learn More

AWAIR Air Filtration

According to AWAIR, the air inside your home can be up to five times more polluted than outside, and that can end up aggravating allergies or asthma, affecting your concentration or sleep quality, and much more.

To combat this, AWAIR has developed a line of smart products that monitor the air quality in your home. Each device monitors five aspects that determine air quality — temperature, humidity, CO2, airborne chemicals, and dust. AWAIR monitors all these factors and churns out a quick guide that gives you a good idea of how clean the air is in your home at a glance and will also send tips to your smartphone offering tips and suggestions. The AWAIR Glow is arguably the coolest device AWAIR sells — it plugs right into an outlet and can be set up to turn on an appliance such as a dehumidifier or air filtration system at a specific time or when levels get a bit high. Once connected to Google Home, you’re also able to use the AWAIR Glow to control whichever device you have plugged in using just your voice.

The Glow starts at around $109, but AWAIR also sells standalone sensor units available with a clever LED display built into the front that start at around $179.

Learn More

Deako Smart Switches

Deako offers a selection of smart switches and dimmers for upgrading your home’s lighting to something that can be controlled via a smartphone app or using Google Assistant.

The hardware itself is well designed and sold in a starter pack that includes five smart switches along with a Bluetooth to Wi-Fi Bridge which is required for connecting the system to Google Assistant. The starter kit sells for $300, while individual switches are sold for $55 and dimmers are sold for $80. Each switch or dimmer is touch activated with three scenes that you can customize in the Deako app. The Deako switches are extremely customizable and should work with nearly any home setup.

Learn more

Nanoleaf Aurora

Most of the smart home products we’ve featured are practical solutions, but the Nanoleaf Aurora? This is just downright cool.

Aurora consists of modular panels that you can connect together into whatever shape your heart desires. Russell Holly dove in with a full review but in short these are futuristic triangle panels of light which you can arrange into fantastic shapes and then control via your smartphone. Nanoleaf Aurora is now compatible with Google Assistant meaning you’ll be able to control these rad lights with your voice.

The Rhythm Starter Kit sells for $229 and comes with nine light panels along with the Rhythm module that allows the light panels to respond to your music, putting on a pretty epic personal light show. 15- and 30-panel kits are also available.

Learn more

LG SmartThinQ

If it’s time to replace some of your appliances around your home, and you’re looking to invest in creating a smart home with appliances that you can control with your voice — we’re talking fridges, dishwashers, air conditioners, and your washer and dryer combo — you should consider getting some LG appliances with SmartThinQ technology. SmartThinQ is LG’s smart home app for controlling its latest connected appliances, and it also integrates well with Google Home.

Simply link your LG SmartThinQ account to your Google Home account and you’ll be able to check on the time remaining on your laundry load, make sure you remembered to turn off the stove, or control your LG air conditioner using just your voice.

Learn More

Smarter iKettle and Smarter Coffee

If you’re a Star Trek fan that wants to live in a world where you simply tell your “computer” to brew you a cup of “tea, Earl Grey, hot”, the folks at Smarter have made that nerd dream just a bit closer to reality with the latest generation of smart kettles and coffee makers.

The iKettle is a connected kettle you can control with your phone, set it to start boiling water when you wake up, or have the kettle ready for you when you arrive home after work. The Smarter Coffee Maker is the coffee lovers best friend. You’ll be able to load it up with your favorite coffee beans and then have coffee brewed on demand with just a few taps of your phone.

With added support for Google Assistant, you’ll be able to control these devices using just your voice — and the functionality extends further than just turning on the kettle or brewing a cup of coffee. You’ll be able to set a specific temperature for the kettle or change the strength of your coffee brew using just your voice and Google Assistant.

Learn More

Many, many more.

Google Assistant supports over 1,500 home automation products. Be sure to do some research if you want to design your smart home.

Learn More

Supported services

Spotify

Over 100 million people use Spotify for all their music streaming needs. Of those, 40 million are paid subscribers. The point here is that Spotify is massively popular and if you aren’t already using it, you probably know a bunch of people who do.

With Google Home, simply say “OK Google”, followed by your favourite artist, album, song, or playlist, and your music will almost instantly start playing through the Google Home speaker. This is absolutely perfect for playing music in the kitchen when your hands are too messy to be handling a phone, or for setting the right mood for a party or intimate evening. We’re also eager to see how smooth it is to use Google Home to cast your Spotify music to your Chromecast Audio-enabled speakers for an even better audio experience.

Pandora

Pandora is a fantastic music recommendation platform which is used by over 200 million people in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. It’s a customizable internet radio streaming service that allows you to curate your own streams using algorithms that recommends new music it knows you’ll love based on your musical tastes and how you’ve rated other music.

With Google Home, you’ll be able to throw on your favorite Pandora station using just your voice. In its current iteration, Google Assistant is unable to identify songs like Shazam or other apps of that sort, but we’d hope to see your Google Assistant give you the information about a song you’ve just discovered on Pandora, just by asking “what song is playing?” as well as an option to rate songs and skip if necessary.

Google Play Music

Kind of a no brainer, but Google Home will obviously play well with Google Play Music. And that’s great news, since Google has slowly build its core music app to encompass a full-fledged streaming service featuring 35 million songs available on-demand (with a subscription) along with mood- and activity-based stations (you may have known it as Songza), along with being a great option for podcasts. A natural fit with Google Home, you’ll definitely want to get a Google Play Music subscription if you don’t already have one.

TuneIn

Believe it or not, but some people actually prefer to listen to the radio. TuneIn is absolutely the go-to app for accessing online radio, music, and talk stations. Even with the free version, you get access to over 100,000 radio stations from around the world, along with over five million podcasts as well. If you decide to upgrade to the premium subscription, you’ll also get access to live NFL and MLB play-by-play, along with a large library of audiobooks.

It will be really interesting to see how third-party streaming services such as TuneIn are integrated into the Google Home experience via the Google Assistant, whether you’ll be able to make a broad request (“Play a top-40 radio station from the UK in TuneIn”) or stick to more specific requests based on your app usage (“Play my favorite local radio station in TuneIn”).

iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio is another great option for those that prefer to listen to the radio instead of newer streaming services. iHeartRadio is a free, ad-supported radio platform that connects users with over 850 radio stations from across the United States and Canada. The service also includes thousands of podcasts if you don’t want to strictly listen to music.

You can use your voice to play your favorite stations, skip songs, and control volume. Be sure to give iHeartRadio a try!

YouTube

YouTube is another obvious starting point for Google to incorporating video search and playback controls with Google Home. With so much content available on YouTube and natural alignment within Google’s existing ecosystem (hello, Chromecast), it offers the best experience when using Google Assistant.

YouTube is also the world’s largest music streaming service, becoming such a primary destination for lovers of music that they came out with the YouTube Music app. A subscription to YouTube Red is required.

The YouTube Music app isn’t available for everyone just yet, but it too is listed as being compatible with Google Home. The Pixel’s Google Assistant frequently completes music requests using YouTube, so we’d imagine it to be just as smooth an experience with Google Home. There’s also the YouTube TV service, which is not widely available in the U.S. let alone elsewhere in the world, that is also compatible with Google Assistant.

Netflix

Some days you just want to lounge on the couch and watch Netflix for hours. Other days you can’t even be bothered to find the remote. Fortunately, you can use Google Home to cast your favorite Netflix show or movie to your Chromecast-enabled TV. All you need to do is say something like “Play Arrested Development on Netflix”. If you have multiple Google Homes in your house, you may need to specify by adding “Play Arrested Development on Netflix on Living Room TV.”

You will need a Netflix subscription to access the content, and you will also need to link your Netflix account in the Google Home app.

Learn more

HBO NOW

Game of Thrones fans, did you know that you can settle in to watch your favorite show using just your voice? The HBO NOW app was already Chromecast-compatible, and the app recently joined the growing list of video apps compatible with Google Assistant.

All you need to do is ask Google Assistant to play your favorite HBO show, and it will intelligently find the show using the app. You will need an HBO NOW subscription of course, but with so much great content on HBO, why wouldn’t you have one, right?

Learn More

CBS All Access

CBS All Access is another recent service that added Google Assistant support. CBS All Access features all the content from CBS’s stable of popular shows including The Big Bang Theory, Survivor, and Star Trek: Discovery.

All you have to do is say “OK Google, play Star Trek: Discovery in the Living Room” and away you go. I mean, let’s be real here — it’s only fitting that you’re able to use a voice-activated computer to stream the latest Star Trek series to your Chromecast-enabled TV. Welcome to the future!

Learn more

IFTTT

IFTTT is a free web service that lets you create chains of conditional commands, called “recipes,” to automate processes between apps and smart home devices. IFTTT is an abbreviation of “If This Then That”, and that’s exactly how the recipes function. For example, say you’re concerned about your teenager getting into the liquor cabinet when you’re away. If you have a SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor on the liquor cabinet door, you can create an IFTTT recipe that goes “if the liquor cabinet door is opened, call my phone,” so you’ll know instantly if something’s up.

IFTTT is compatible with a ridiculous number of IoT devices, applications, and online services — including Google’s OnHub router — and is something you should definitely check out with or without Google Home.

Check out IFTTT recipes created for Google Assistant

What do you think?

Are there any services or products you’re hoping to connect and control via Google Home? Let us know in the comments!

Update July 2018: Added a section for the Lux Kono Smart Thermostat.

Google Hardware

• Google Wifi review
• Google Home review
• Chromecast Ultra: all you need to know
• Which Chromecast should you buy?

Google Wifi: Google
Amazon
Google Home: Google
Best Buy
Chromecast Ultra: Google
Best Buy

Amazon Alexa: Everything you need to know about the heart of the Echo

You wouldn’t have the Amazon Echo (or Echo Dot, or Echo Show, or whatever) without Amazon Alexa. Here’s what you need to know about the two.

Latest News

July 26, 2018 — Alexa Cast launches as a way to cast Amazon Music from your phone to Alexa speakers

If you own an Alexa-powered speaker, there’s a good chance you subscribe to Amazon Music. Amazon Music is a great service for using your voice to listen to tunes on your Alexa device, and today with a new update that’s rolling out to the app, you can finally use Amazon Music on your phone to cast music to your Alexa speakers.

Aptly called “Alexa Cast”, this works just like we’ve seen from Google with Chromecast for years. When listening to a song in Amazon Music on your phone, tap the Alexa Cast button, choose the speaker you want to send your tunes to, and it’ll automatically switch to it from your phone.

You can start using Alexa Cast after updating the Amazon Music app on your Android or iOS device.

April 18, 2018 — A new Call of Duty skill delivers personalized coaching, tips on objectives to complete, and more

We don’t blame you if you never thought of pairing Alexa with Activision’s Call of Duty: WWII, but someone apparently did and made a skill just for that.

The new Call of Duty Alexa Skill can connect to your Call of Duty account, and after doing so, you can ask your Echo about how to improve your game based on the last match you just played, get updates on new Contracts you should complete, see which friends are playing, and more. Activision says the skill allows for personalized responses to over 2,500 questions and can dish out 250,000 responses using a custom “solider” voice.

Although it’s still in beta, you can start using the skill right now by enabling it and then saying “Alexa, Ask Call of Duty ___”

What is Alexa?

Amazon Echo. Or Alexa. They’re one and the same, really. That is, an Amazon Echo without Alexa really isn’t any more than just a speaker. And Alexa without a speaker is just … Well, nothing.

Confused yet. I don’t blame you. Let’s explain the difference this way:

Echo is hardware, Alexa is software

Amazon Echo — and all of its permutations — is hardware. Alexa is software. She (and I have zero problem if you refer to Alexa as a she) is the brains behind the Echo, and all the things you can do with it. And because she’s software, she’s available on more than just Amazon’s own devices.

Anyone can put Alexa on anything. You can make your own Alexa speaker for just a few bucks and a little bit of nerdy know-how. There are third-party Alexa speakers that look like Amazon’s own Echo Dot. There are third-party Alexa speakers that look like speakers. You can get Alexa baked into a smart thermostat. She’s built into the HTC U11 smartphone.

The point is, Alexa can be built into pretty much anything these days.

But that’s just half of the story.

It’s all about the Alexa Skills, baby …

Alexa starts out by knowing what Amazon tells it. She already knows how to tell the time, and set alarms and timers, or answer general questions and read headlines. But Alexa also has the ability to learn more. A lot more.

Or, more precisely, you have the ability to teach Alexa new things.

See all of Amazon’s Skills here

Amazon calls these things “Skills,” and there are hundreds of them.

Want to teach Alexa to turn on your smart lights, or open your garage door, or do anything she doesn’t already know how to do? You need a Skill. That’s where developers come in. Amazon has made it so that anyone can write an Alexa Skill, and companies and their developers have been doing so for years now.

Think about the things you do every day. Listen to satellite radio? There’s a Skill for that. Lock your house after you’re already at work? It’s a little daunting, actually. There are hundreds and hundreds of Skills, of varying degrees of usefulness. (Dog facts, uh, OK.)

How to enable and disable Alexa Skills

Support for Sonos speakers

Amazon Echo speakers are pretty decent, but Sonos speakers are better! The latest version of the Sonos One speaker has Alexa built right in, making it arguably the best sounding Alexa speaker you can buy.

If you’ve already got a bunch of Sonos speakers set up around your home, don’t fear — simply use the Sonos Skill and you’ll be able to control all the different speakers around your home. It’s not the greatest experience with some very mixed reviews from users, but it’s still the best way to connect your high-end smart speakers with Alexa.

Alexa Routines makes life easier — now with music!

One of the coolest parts of smart speakers is the ability to get the latest news, play music, and control your connected smart home devices all with your voice. With Alexa and your Amazon Echo products, you have the option to do so on an individual basis or group actions together using Routines.

Routines are built right into the Alexa app and are entirely customizable. You can create your own Alexa Routines right in the app which can be triggered by a phrase you say (ex: “Alexa, good morning”) or at a scheduled time.

Each Routine can trigger a combination of up to seven different action types, which are each customizable to some extent depending on what you need Alexa to do:

• Alexa Says: Mostly silly stuff. You can set Alexa to say a specific greeting, wish you a happy birthday, sing a song, or tell a story or joke.
• Music: The latest feature to be added to Routines, you can use an Alexa Routine to trigger music. For example, saying “Alexa, it’s party time” could automatically play your favorite party playlist on Spotify.
• News: Adding this to a routine will trigger Alexa to read out the latest Flash Briefing news reports.
• Smart Home: Get Alexa to toggle or control your connected smart home products. For example, I have a routine set up for when I say “Alexa, I’m leaving” that turns off all the smart lights in my house.
• Traffic: To add traffic updates to an Alexa routine, you’ll first need to dive into the Alexa settings and enter location information for your daily commute.
• Volume: You can set a routine to automatically adjust Alexa’s volume. For example, if you’re a really heavy sleeper you can have Alexa crank the volume when you say “good night”.
• Weather: Adds a weather update to your custom routine.

How to set up Routines on your Amazon Echo

Alexa calling and messaging

All of that connected home stuff is great, and it’s important. But one of the more exciting avenues of potential lies in Alexa Calling and Messaging. As the name implies, it’s the ability to make calls and leave messages through Alexa. From the outset, it works with Echo devices and the Alexa app on phones and tablets. If you have an original Echo or Echo Dot, you can make voice calls. If you have an Echo Show, you can make video calls, or even “drop in” on a close acquaintance (they have to approve you first) without them having to hit a single button.

That’s where these $50 Echo Dots really make a lot of sense. Now Amazon has a means for you to communicate not just on that little Dot, but also on your phone. It’s two birds with one stone, and it’s really just the start of things. And it makes up for where Amazon failed in trying to make its own phone. Folks didn’t want a Fire Phone, but they do want an Echo — especially an inexpensive on — and in buying one they have to put the Alexa app on their phone.

It’s not quite a benevolent Trojan Horse, but it’s close.

Read: Amazon is getting close to being the king of all messaging

Update May 2018: Added sections on Sonos speaker support and Routines.

Amazon Alexa

• Which Amazon Echo should you buy?
• Get more Alexa Skills
• How to enable and disable Alexa Skills
• How to customize Flash Briefing
• How to get sports updates
• How to sync your calendar with Alexa
• How to shop with Alexa
• Send voice messages with Alexa

See more at Amazon

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