iSee - Using various technologies from a blind persons perspective.

Google Home Demo - What games can I play?

Here in Australia, the games that I can access with my region set to Australia are a bit different to other regions.

Consequently, every now and again I ask Google Home (or mini) what games can I play? as the number is always expanding.

To give you a snapshot of waht currently is on offer, here is the answer to What games can I play? for July 15 2018 in Australia.

Google Home demo - paring Google Home to a Bluetooth speaker

In this demo, I show you how to pair the Google Home to a bluetooth speaker so if you choose you can use this BT speaker as a default play source for music.

I also show you how to unpair the speaker if you don't want it associated with the Google Home.

Note - this is different to Enabling Bluetooth on Google Home to use it as a Bluetooth speaker from another device such as your iPhone or Android phone etc.

Demo of reading (listening) to an audio book on Google Home

In this demo I take you through the process of purchasing an audio book from the Google Play Store

https://play.google.com

 

and then show you how to as Google puts it, Read and navigate an audio book on Google Home.

FYI - audio books on the Google Play Store became available in the last week of Jan 2018.  If you are using PlayBooks on iOS, you can search and sample audio books plus play audio books you have already purchased.  Whilst on PlayBooks for Android and the website, you can search, sample, add to wish list, purchase, and of course play.

Demo of playing music to Google Homes or Chromecast Audio devices whilst listening to an Audible book on my iPhone

In this demo, I show you how I use Google Play Music to play to Google Homes or Chromecast Audio devices around my house whilst I enjoy listening to an Audible book on my iPhone. 

Google Home Mini update covering recent added gestures

In this demo, I show you the new updated gestures which became available for the Google Home Mini towards the end of 2017: Pause/Play music, and stop an alarm or timer.

Demo of changing the bass and treble on Google Home

In this demo, I show you how to change the bass or treble settings on the Google home.

I tend to change these settings depending on whether I am listening to music or spoken word.

Demo of using the Shopping List function on Google Home

In this demo, I take you through the following:

adding and checking items on the Shopping List using Google Home,

Adding items from the Google Assistant app running on my iPhone, and

deleting, editing and adding items to the Shopping list using http://shoppinglist.google.com

In all cases for Google Home, Google Assistant, and the Shopping List website, I had previously logged in to my Google Account.

Just a final note, you'll need to download the Google Assistant app from the iOS App Store to use it on the iPhone:

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/google-assistant/id1220976145?mt=8

 

Setup and demo of the Google Home Mini

In this demo, I give you a physical description of the Google Home Mini, take you through setting it up, setting the accessibility option on, and go through a number of things you can ask the Google Assistant.

In some ways I prefer the Google Home mini as it uses a micro USB port for power, side switch for mic mute, and not deep base which is nicer for listening to spoken word audio such as radio, podcasts etc.

Price is great, in Australia Mini is $79 and the Home is $199.

 

 

Demo of Google Home giving you your next bus, train etc time simply by asking

In this demo, I show you how easy it is to get the next bus or traing times from Google Home simply by asking.

To have this function work from your Home address or Work, you'll have to set these within the Google Home app.

After the recording I also asked for the next ferry here on the Central Coast New South Wales from Ettalong Beach to Palm Beach and Google Told me the next ferry time as well.

I also did several different locations for bus and train and got the same result: i.e. next time of a bus or train.

Here is hoping that Home Pod will do a similar thing.

Demo of Chromecasting from Google Play music to individual speakers and groups

In this demo I give you a brief demo of Chromecasting from Google Play Music on my iPhone to individual speakers in my house and speaker groups.

Like Airplay, VoiceOver speech stays local on your device whilst the music goes out to individual or group speakers.

Demo of using Google Home Speakers and Chromecast Audio groups

In this demo I show you how I have organised my Google Home Speakers and Chromecast Audio devices (attached to various speakers throughout my house), and then take you through setting up and using groups to pla audio.

I also demo my favorite couple of features that of being able to tell what is playing on a speaker, adjusting volume, and then being able to adjust individual speaker volumes within a speaker group.

For me, this is just a cost effective way of setting up speakers through out my house without having to spend to much money by using the existing speakers.

Using the Google Home Speaker as a Bluetooth speaker

In late August 2017 I discovered within the Google Home App on my iPhone (Device, DeviceName, Settings, Bluetooth) that I could now use my Google Home Smart Speaker as a Bluetooth speaker.

In this demo I take you through the steps of setting up the Google Home smart Speaker as a BT speaker using my iPhone and of course the Google Home app.

I just wish when these firmware updates became active that the user got notified such as "Hey, did you know your Google Home Speaker can now do Bluetooth".

The great thing is that when your using the sGH as a BT speaker, the Google Assistant is stil active as well as the physical gestures for the GH speaker itself.

A bit sluggish with VoiceOver gestures, but not to bad for short navigation sessions.

Setting up and using Chromecast Audio for use with Google Home

In this demo, I give you a physical description of the Chromecast Audio device, go through the setup via the Google Home app, and show you how to use it via the Google Home speaker.

Note - Chromecast Audio is purely to play music etc to speakers that can take a 3.5mm audio jack.  For watching Youtube, Netflix etc You will need a Chromecast device.

Since I purchased my AQ Smart Speakers several years ago which not only support Airplay but take a 3.5mm audio jack, I've been able to turn all of my Airplay speakers in to Chromecast Audio speakers.  This means that I can setup speakers in a group and control their volume etc independently of each other.

Looking forward to purchasing more Chromecast Audio devices.

Google Home - changing the Assistant speech language

In this demo I show you how to go about changing the Assistant speech language (I did from US back to Australia) as there appears to be more functionality with various languages: i.e. with the US voice there seems to be more games than currently with the Australian voice.

How to enable Accessibility sounds on Google Home, and description/use of ChromeCast with Netflix

In this demo I show you how to enable the Start and End sounds for Google Home so that you know it has reacted.  I also describe the ChromeCast device and show you how easy it is to stream a movie from Netflix.

A comparison of Google Home in Australia and the Amazon echo

In this demo, I take you through a number of common tasks between Google Home which is officially supported in Australia and the Amazon Echo which is not.