https://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-readies-echo-like-speaker-with-touchscreen/

I have wanted an echo but I have held off to buy a google home instead because I am more plugged into the google echo system than the amazon system.

I've also heard apple has a device in the works.


What I don't understand is can't google and apple just leap frog the Amazon Echo through software with their phones and tablets?

A while back I jerry-rigged an old galaxy phone to a speaker, kept the phone plugged in and turned on the google voice feature to constantly be listening. It worked fine enough.

It seems that if apple or google made a docking station that connected to a speaker, you could have a phone or tablet do the work of an amazon echo.

Wouldn't it be that easy?


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

>
>Wouldn't it be that easy?
>

Prime factors would be cost and quality control. When you set something up like that yourself, you're more tolerant of its flaws. If you pay $200 for it, your expectations are a lot higher.

There are a gazillion quality docking stations with speakers that cost less than $100.

But you really don't need the docking station unless you want a dedicated speaker.

So then it's just a software question. Google Now is already there. You can leave it on listening. I wish it had a feature where it only listens when you plug it in but thats software fix.

Echo needed the hardware speaker because it doesn't have a real phone player in the market.

It just seems strange to me that apple and google would think it has to go the same route as Amazon when they already have the hardware.






>>
>>Wouldn't it be that easy?
>>
>
>Prime factors would be cost and quality control. When you set
>something up like that yourself, you're more tolerant of its
>flaws. If you pay $200 for it, your expectations are a lot
>higher.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"