Battle between Google Home and Alexa
THE DEVICE THAT CAUGHT OUR FANCY WAS GOOGLE HOME, A SMART SPEAKER TAKING VOICE COMMANDS
In the digital age, as the 21st century has come to be known, rapid high tech progress has resulted in tremendous impact on everyday human life. The unprecedented change witnessed in the last two decades is simply incredible, as it has revolutionised our perspective of the world. A number of functional and utility devices such as smart phones, smart watches, smart TVs and tablets have made our lives easier, faster, better and more fun. Perhaps no other generation has or will ever witness the pace of change that those of us born in the 1950s, the first generation post-independence, have witnessed.
During our recent trip abroad, it was interesting to see how the smart phone users are taking full advantage of mobile applications for making payments. From self-operated payment counters to settling bills online for gas, flights, discounts, hotels, books and car repairs, everyone’s saving immensely on time and money.
The latest device that caught our fancy was Google Home, a smart speaker taking voice commands. My son would constantly be asking questions: “Hey Google, what’s the weather like today?” Or “What’s today’s schedule of football matches? Can you find my phone for me? Play some music. Wake me up every morning at 6am.” It amused us to hear a very prompt response from a female voice answering all his queries.
Thrilled with this small device, my husband would have his own set of questions and enjoy it thoroughly. Ultimately, he asked our son to order one for him as well. I am not very sure what attracted him to it; the convenience and the excitement of operating it and getting an instant response or “her” voice. Whatever it was I was a little disappointed. Till now, most of the time he had been asking me to Google things for him as he felt, “You have more patience for the internet than I have.”
Now he would be asking Google instead! But then I could understand his situation. At last, he had found something, or rather someone who would listen to him patiently, respond with very objective replies without being judgmental or a bully; without cross-questions or arguments.
Then another virtual assistant came into our lives. As my ten-year-old Kindle malfunctioned I went in for the latest one, which had provision for Alexa. Someone who’s quite content getting information through the mobile or laptop, I was encouraged by my son to use Alexa.
And ever since, a competition ensued between ‘Your Alexa’ and ‘Our Google’. When I tried to take up the battle on behalf of Alexa by saying, “Look, when I ask Alexa a question, the response comes not only as an audio-clip, but the text also appears on the Kindle screen; their meek defense was, “Google is smart, sharp with a crispy voice, Alexa is dull.”
The banter continued. We also argued about the right way to address these ‘ladies’. When I told my son not to be curt; he laughed at me, “It’s not a human being, but a machine.” My argument would be: “I know, but still, it doesn’t hurt to speak politely?”
Well, all said and done, what was wondrous about the whole issue was that my association with the world of English letters began with phatti, kalam and dawaat (wooden slate, reed pen and inkpot). Ant then there I was, interacting with Alexa!
What a quantum leap in one lifetime!