Some quick thoughts on Amazon Echo and Google Home from a music lover point of view.
We have two Amazon Echo's and one Echo Dot in our home and I received a Google Home for review. As a music "nerd" the first thing I did was try music on my Google Home (I do subscribe to Google Music.) First up, it doesn't play music directly from the cloud. It casts from your phone, which I guess makes sense ChromeCast is a part of it. But that was kind of disappointing in that your phone is needed for that. Also, it doesn't play from your personal Music Library, which is often a mix of uploaded music and streaming music you personally add to library. It will play playlists you make though.
Whereas the Amazon Echo will play music from your personal Amazon Music/Unlimited library on command without casting. So for me, if you are in the Amazon ecosystem, it is a no brainer to go Echo. Plus the Echo's do also double as Bluetooth Speakers, so if you want to still "cast" Google Music, you can with Bluetooth.
I did decide to keep giving Google Home a try, so had it play my playlists. It would often get 1, maybe 2 songs in and just stop, so guessing the casting on my phone failed.
I am sure the Google Home will be refined over 2017. But I think the Echo is much more mature and useful especially if you love Amazon as we do.
We have two Amazon Echo's and one Echo Dot in our home and I received a Google Home for review. As a music "nerd" the first thing I did was try music on my Google Home (I do subscribe to Google Music.) First up, it doesn't play music directly from the cloud. It casts from your phone, which I guess makes sense ChromeCast is a part of it. But that was kind of disappointing in that your phone is needed for that. Also, it doesn't play from your personal Music Library, which is often a mix of uploaded music and streaming music you personally add to library. It will play playlists you make though.
Whereas the Amazon Echo will play music from your personal Amazon Music/Unlimited library on command without casting. So for me, if you are in the Amazon ecosystem, it is a no brainer to go Echo. Plus the Echo's do also double as Bluetooth Speakers, so if you want to still "cast" Google Music, you can with Bluetooth.
I did decide to keep giving Google Home a try, so had it play my playlists. It would often get 1, maybe 2 songs in and just stop, so guessing the casting on my phone failed.
I am sure the Google Home will be refined over 2017. But I think the Echo is much more mature and useful especially if you love Amazon as we do.