I was a heavy voice user of the old Google Assistant, as well as Google Home/Nest speakers, and have really grown to hate its Gemini based replacement on my phone. So often it screws up with basic commands that were intuitive and reliable on the old Assistant. It’s also slower and feels like a waste of resources to query an LLM for simple device and smart home commands

  • Ilandar@lemm.eeEnglish
    146·
    8 hours ago

    I’ve never used an assistant. Aside from the privacy issues, I’ve just always found them massively cringe unless they are being used for accessibility purposes. Sorry everyone in this thread, but when you guys talk to your phone or “smart home” stuff to complete basic 2 second tasks you look fucking stupid.

    EDIT: I get it, I triggered you guys. You aren’t gonna convince me by explaining how very smart you are telling your phone to flick a light switch for you.

    • Lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      4·
      14 hours ago

      Do you know what’s really handy when your hands are full, say, while cooking or cleaning? Having a voice assistant to handle minor tasks such as setting timers, dropping in on the device downstairs to tell the kids who are out of earshot to come up for mealtime (yet somehow they can always hear you quietly opening the oreo box no matter where they are), check the front door to see who’s friend is knocking, etc, etc.

      They have their place. It’s not for everyone.

    • ikidd@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      15 hours ago

      I think you look stupid pulling out your phone to do something i can do with a couple words.

      “Hey Mycroft, go to bed.” - Tv off, LR lights off, gate, door and motion sensors on, bathroom and bedroom lights on, furnace temperature turned down. Total cringe, huh.

    • dantheclamman@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      3·
      18 hours ago

      Well voice assistants are very handy in the car and great for safety. They also do save time around the house, to ask things like what’s the weather this weekend, set a timer for one hour, how many cups in a quart, play Radiohead on my TV speakers, what’s the humidity in my terrarium, how long will it take to get to work, turn off all the lights in the house, play the NPR update, etc. I am working to set up Home Assistant’s voice stuff to replace as much of this as I can but still tinkering with it.

      And fortunately I don’t care if you think I look stupid! ;)