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# THE PROBLEM WITH SMART SPEAKERS
It’s a known fact that smart speakers are supposed to make our lives easier, not harder. When we give them commands, we expect them to obey and not engage in a conversation. However, this is not always the case, and it can be frustrating.
# GOOGLE’S CHANGES
Google recently announced that it is taking steps to improve its Google Assistant. It will now make the speaker chime instead of starting a conversation when you ask it to control smart devices, including switches, plugs, fans, blinds, TVs, and speakers. This change will roll out over the next few weeks.
# LIMITATIONS
Unfortunately, this feature is only available for the room you are in, meaning if you are in a different room, the speaker will still respond in its usual chatty manner.
# COMPARISON WITH OTHER SMART SPEAKER MANUFACTURERS
Google has been lagging behind other smart speaker manufacturers when it comes to knowing when to be silent. Apple’s HomePods and Amazon’s Echo devices are capable of not talking back to you every time you ask them to control smart home devices, regardless of the room.
# THE FAILURE NUT
Although these changes are welcomed, none of the smart speaker manufacturers have been able to crack the failure nut. When something doesn’t work as anticipated, all the various voice assistants will reply with an entire manual of instructions on what might be wrong and how to fix it and/or give you a long list of everything it couldn’t do. It’s infuriating.
# SOLUTION
A simple solution would be a chime for when a command does work and a gentle buzz when it fails. Troubleshooting instructions can be sent to the screen of your smart display or smartphone, should you wish to know.
In conclusion, smart speakers are still a novel technology with room for improvement. Hopefully, manufacturers will continue to roll out updates to make them even more user-friendly.
Source: Adapted from a blog post on Googlenestcommunity.com
