How to run your home through your smart speaker

Kya deLongchamps outlines the potential, reality and unintended consequences of living cabins in back gardens

When it's all about sound, Nest Audio is a favourite. Google Assistant included, €100, various suppliers

OFFERING seamless wifi capabilities, Bluetooth, AI, and voice assist, a smart speaker can be transformative — amusing, educating, and organising our week, keeping us company through banal tasks or feet-up-on-the-couch moments. 

There are three major platforms used to control a smart speaker — Siri (Apple Homekit), Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. Each is distinct for its functionality. For instance, Alexa is a renowned shopper, while Siri’s word recognition is excellent. 

Bluetooth-only speakers pair with your phone, while wifi speakers (smart speakers) can use your home network.

Music, radio, and podcasts

The most obvious additions to your life using a smart speaker are portable music, radio, and podcasts. You can use your smart speaker using voice-assist to send music or talk radio through the speaker itself and crucially, through other connected devices. This content could be from your own playlist, a favourite radio station, or a random shuffle conjured by the assistant. Fancy some soft French jazz while you cook dinner, or a fascinating Irish Examiner podcast while you do pilates? Just use the safe, wake-words “Hey Google” to wade into the information wonder of the world wide web, or nestle into your own music library. Instant information is a huge help.

Need a quick calculation of ounces to grams while cooking? Get that answer hands-free, plus add a timer set on a smart speaker to ensure you are oven-ready. Speakers only store data for a short period after the wake-words for privacy and security reasons.

Commands

The responsiveness of the speaker to all voice commands is important — look up reviews for the model you’re considering. With the help of Alexa, be woken or alerted at a set time by a sound, morning chorus or a pick from your personal playlist. 

Set a more sedate alarm for the weekends when you might want to snooze through it. Alarms and reminders are especially useful when you have several balls in the air, but remember, you’ll need to be within earshot. 

Speakers with small displays make excellent alarm clocks offering a number of decorative faces (Echo Show 5 from €65). With music lists, keep in mind that Apple Homepods do not directly stream Spotify (€84-€350 depending on model).

Entertaining

When hosting a party, link your smart speaker to your smart lighting and set the level of illumination in percentages. Choose a dramatic colour to set the mood.

Put together your playlist for the whole night and take requests on the fly (park the smart speaker off in a quiet area where only you can dictate what it performs). Smart plugs used for standard lighting can turn lighting on and off using your voice, and smart thermostats can trim the temperature without you leaving your chair. 

Look for speakers with integrated smart-home hubs to get them working effortlessly with appliances and other technology. Nest Audio is regarded as one of the best premium smart speakers on the market and has Google Assistant built-in (€100).

Automation and phones

Voice automation can also be tailored to work with your smartphone — for instance, if you are in the kitchen making bread, your arms deep inside a Mason Cash bowl and the phone tootles; with a nearby smart speaker, you can call out, and the voice-activated access will answer the call, without missing one thump on the dough.

For a busy parent bathing the baby, not having to dive on the phone and fidget with it? A blessing. Google Nest speakers for example can make and receive calls using their Google Meet tool. Just match up your calling service or app. This will allow you to add a variety of personalising detail including synching to your contact list.

Smart speaker-managed lists and routines using voice-assist area ideal for work and play.

Some parents use their smart speaker app to not only nag but micromanage children by having the technology smugly reinforce a parent’s commands with some humiliating fact. Let’s not put AI at the centre of the family dynamic. Incidentally, the celebrated Apple Homekit is Alexa compatible with a bridge or hub.

Lists

I’m a huge believer in list-making. Smart speakers can be a real plus when preparing for a trip, planning a guest list, or just a progressive shopping list. Simply create a specific list by telling the speaker to do so, then add and remove items at will. You can access that list anywhere you go, as it will appear on your app on your phone.

Shopping

If you shop on Amazon, Alexa can update you on items saved to your Amazon cart, Amazon wish list or Saved-for-later. A light on the speaker will let you know there’s a notification for say that new Alessi kettle, updating you on its status. There’s even voice-purchasing available. Protect yourself from dire virtual shopping deeds by the kids by activating voice recognition (tuned to you) and/or a four-digit code.

Routines

We all need routines in our lives to smooth out the chaos. A morning routine is a great way to use an Echo or similar speaker linked to Alexa. As you are pouring your coffee, just trill a “good-morning” to your wireless buddy. It will give you a nice, friendly affirmation, tell you what the weather is going to be like and offer a heads up on the traffic, reminding you of any appointments you have in your lists for that day. 

With Apple Homekit (Siri) you can create a “Scene” called “Good Night” that turns off all of the lights and locks the front door — all at once.

It’s important when using commands for this or any service on these apps to use a clear voice and logical wording. Smart speakers are not infallible. Expect to repeat yourself from time to time. Try a different wording for streaming responses if the confusion persists.

Protection

Smart speakers can be protective little fellows. Linked to your smart speaker’s technology everything from cameras to alarms, can all be put on point as you walk out the door, and can add some texture too. Nest Aware (Google) can “listen” for a smoke alarm or the sound of breaking glass for instance.

Amazon Alexa can be linked to a Ring Doorbell. Tell Alexa to enable Burglar Deterrent (free to download). This will deliver a sound-environment, delivering the illusion that your house is occupied to deter potential intruders with the racket of daily activities such as cleaning, talking, laughing, barking dogs, and kitchen clatters. 

Smart speakers can be protective little fellows.

This should only complement your existing security arrangements. You can choose Activity Level High (with lots of household business going on) or just set it to play music — indicating that the house is occupied. The app’s premium features allow you to ask for room-specific noises, and those appropriate to day or night.

Compatibility and display

When you choose your speaker, ensure it’s compatible with the platform that offers you the most of what you want, and your favoured search engine (for example Google or Bing). Can it link with other smart-home platforms you’re using like Samsung Smart Things? A good speaker will identify compatible devices when you first turn it on. 

For a complete beginner, the Amazon Echo Dot with Alexa included (fifth Generation, from €40 on offer), and the Google Nest Mini, €60, are great choices for getting a smart-house humming. As a step up, look into smart displays that combine the virtual intelligence of a speaker with a display and video calling (Echo Show 8, from €140).