I would like Sonos to consider making a screen-equipped voice-controlled speaker like the Amazon Echo Show.
I have an Echo Show in my kitchen. In this room I find a screen-equipped, voice-controlled speaker more useful than a standard voice-controlled speaker. However, because its not a Sonos device I can't control it from my Sonos apps and and I can't group it with my Sonos speakers. Furtherore the sound quality is not as good as my Sonos speakers.
I would hope a screen-equipped Sonos device would support both Alexa and Google Assistant.
Would anyone else be interested in something like this?
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I like the idea, but I think there are some problems with it, and there's a better solution to the problem.
First off, I complete get the need. I have an echo in my kitchen as well, and the screen is rather helpful over a regular echo.
As far as the problem, I don't know that Amazon would be willing to license out the video aspect of Alexa, and I'm sure they would charge a bit for that. It's also going to be a more complicated integration, meaning more bugs. And Google doesn't have a video aspect, so it would only work for Alexa. Last, I doubt the sales of the echo show (or spot) show that there's enough of a market for more video/voice assistants.
As I'm sure you know, you can request to play music on a Sonos speaker from any Alexa device. So you can have an echo show and sonos speakers in the same room. The only really downside to this (besides maybe cost) is that you have to target your commands. 'Alexa, play XXX on the kitchen Sonos'. If Amazon would allow you to pair a sonos speaker to an alexa device for music playback, you could drop targeting and every music request would play on Sonos by default.
IMO, that's a better solution overall to having a seamless video/voice control/sonos audio experience.
First off, I complete get the need. I have an echo in my kitchen as well, and the screen is rather helpful over a regular echo.
As far as the problem, I don't know that Amazon would be willing to license out the video aspect of Alexa, and I'm sure they would charge a bit for that. It's also going to be a more complicated integration, meaning more bugs. And Google doesn't have a video aspect, so it would only work for Alexa. Last, I doubt the sales of the echo show (or spot) show that there's enough of a market for more video/voice assistants.
As I'm sure you know, you can request to play music on a Sonos speaker from any Alexa device. So you can have an echo show and sonos speakers in the same room. The only really downside to this (besides maybe cost) is that you have to target your commands. 'Alexa, play XXX on the kitchen Sonos'. If Amazon would allow you to pair a sonos speaker to an alexa device for music playback, you could drop targeting and every music request would play on Sonos by default.
IMO, that's a better solution overall to having a seamless video/voice control/sonos audio experience.
As far as the problem, I don't know that Amazon would be willing to license out the video aspect of Alexa, and I'm sure they would charge a bit for that. It's also going to be a more complicated integration, meaning more bugs. And Google doesn't have a video aspect, so it would only work for Alexa. Last, I doubt the sales of the echo show (or spot) show that there's enough of a market for more video/voice assistants.
As I'm sure you know, you can request to play music on a Sonos speaker from any Alexa device. So you can have an echo show and sonos speakers in the same room. The only really downside to this (besides maybe cost) is that you have to target your commands. 'Alexa, play XXX on the kitchen Sonos'. If Amazon would allow you to pair a sonos speaker to an alexa device for music playback, you could drop targeting and every music request would play on Sonos by default.
IMO, that's a better solution overall to having a seamless video/voice control/sonos audio experience.
Google do have a video interface for Google Assistant and it (currently) entirely rests on 3rd parties to provide the hardware
https://www.cnet.com/news/google-home-assistant-smart-displays-echo-show-lenovo-lg-sony-jbl-ces-2018/
https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/26/17616560/lenovo-smart-display-review-google-assistant-smart-speaker-screen
I think you're right in saying Amazon currently doesn't license the Alexa video interface but I expect Sonos and others are in a good position to ask Amazon to consider providing it, especially since they could license the video aspect of Google Assistant.
I personally don't like the option of having both an Echo and a Sonos speaker in my kitchen as I prefer to avoid clutter and and I think it would be a better experience to have all the speakers in my house integrated into the Sonos ecosystem rather than a mish-mash of Sonos and other devices.
Can't really counter your point about sales of video/voice assistants as I don't know the figures. But I'd guess we are in an upward trend.
Google do have a video interface for Google Assistant and it (currently) entirely rests on 3rd parties to provide the hardware
https://www.cnet.com/news/google-home-assistant-smart-displays-echo-show-lenovo-lg-sony-jbl-ces-2018/
https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/26/17616560/lenovo-smart-display-review-google-assistant-smart-speaker-screen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfw21fmsVC8
🙂
Alexa Cast in the Amazon Music app should allow exactly this from your phone or tablet. Unfortunately, Alexa is disabled in the app when it’s casting to another device, including Sonos, Echo and Chromecast devices.
The old WD-100 wireless dock, with a 30-pin adapter, works perfectly, however, by auto playing it on a set of Play:1s. Charges my phone while acting as a voice portal and display. I wish Sonos would come out with a replacement, but unlikely until USB-C is fully standardized vs Apple’s ridiculous proprietary connectors.
The old WD-100 wireless dock, with a 30-pin adapter, works perfectly, however, by auto playing it on a set of Play:1s. Charges my phone while acting as a voice portal and display. I wish Sonos would come out with a replacement, but unlikely until USB-C is fully standardized vs Apple’s ridiculous proprietary connectors.
The old WD-100 wireless dock, with a 30-pin adapter, works perfectly, however, by auto playing it on a set of Play:1s. Charges my phone while acting as a voice portal and display. I wish Sonos would come out with a replacement, but unlikely until USB-C is fully standardized vs Apple’s ridiculous proprietary connectors.
I'm not quite sure what you mean (the bit I have made bold)
It doesn't seem to me to be related to what I've suggested, unless I'm missing something.
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