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Home Assistant’s new voice assistant answers to ‘Hey Jarvis’
Home Assistant, a popular open-source smart home platform, has finally launched its first-ever voice assistant hardware device. This revolutionary product is designed for voice control and can work without an internet connection on Home Assistant hardware or the cloud.
The Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition is priced at $59 and offers a locally controlled, privacy-focused voice assistant that comes with the plug-and-play package. Using this device, users will be able to give voice commands to manage their smart home devices, set timers, and execute other useful commands without relying on an internet connection.
One of the standout features of this new product is its ability to run independently in a user’s home. Unlike popular Big Tech voice assistants from companies like Amazon and Google, Home Assistant does not store or use user data for training purposes. This means that users can control their smart devices without compromising their privacy.
For those who have been seeking an alternative to always-listening microphones in their homes but still want the convenience of voice control, this new device offers a compelling option. While it may not be ready to replace popular Echo or Nest smart speakers just yet, the potential for Voice PE is huge.
The Verge’s Callie Wright, a Home Assistant superuser, has been testing the Voice PE for several weeks and is impressed with its capabilities, although they did experience some trouble understanding voice commands when there was background noise. However, they acknowledge that Amazon’s Alexa still offers some key features that Voice PE cannot currently provide.
While it may not be perfect just yet, Home Assistant aims to surpass Big Tech voice assistants in the future. Paulus Schoutsen, the founder of Home Assistant, acknowledges this and has chosen to launch the device as a Preview Edition. However, he notes that for some users, the current capabilities of Voice PE will be sufficient, especially for simple tasks like setting timers or managing their shopping list.
The good news is that Voice PE can connect to supported AI models, such as ChatGPT or Gemini, to provide more advanced features and fully replace the Home Assistant voice assistant. Users who want to access these additional features can opt-in and start using them once they become available.
For those seeking a simple, inexpensive device that offers basic voice control without relying on an internet connection, Voice PE is an attractive option.
Source: http://www.theverge.com
