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Google Now Lets Developers Write Apps For the Assistant On Google Home (techcrunch.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the OK-Google dept.

Google today announced it will open up Home to third-party developers, allowing all developers to start bringing their applications and services to the Google Assistant. Developers can start building "conversation actions" for the Google Assistant, which "allows developers to create back-and-forth conversations with users through the Assistant," writes Frederic Lardinois via TechCrunch. "Users can simply start these conversations by using a phrase like 'OK Google, talk to Eliza.'" TechCrunch reports: While the Assistant also runs on the Pixel phones and inside the Allo chat app, Google says it plans to bring actions to these other "Assistant surfaces" in the future, but it's unclear when exactly this will happen. To help developers who want to build these new Conversation Actions get started, Google has teamed up with a number of partners, including API.AI, GupShup, DashBot and VoiceLabs, Assist, Notify.IO, Witlingo and Spoken Layer. Google has also allowed a small number of partners to enable their apps on Google Home already. These integrations will roll out as early as next week. Given that users will be able to invoke these new actions with a simple command (and without having to first enable a skill, like on Alexa), Google's platform looks to be a rather accessible and low-friction way for developers to get their voice-enabled services to users. Google will have the final say over which actions will be enabled on Google Home.

39 comments

  1. Apps! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Yeah! I love apps!

  2. Little late now by bongey · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Google just screwed up on Google Home. Amazon echo had SDK access from the get go, not months after launch.
    Here are some more items:
    1) Walled garden approach, no one except a few companies had ability to integrate before launch.
    2)Stupid Android/iOS App only for configuration and setup. Echo has both App and web interface.
    3) Me too , late to the game, the Echo was release in Nov 2014.
    4)No bluetooth or stereo jack.
    5) Home automation support is current limited to 3 official products, good thing there is Hue Bridge, otherwise my 60 or so smart home devices wouldn't work.
    5) Google Home sucks for name, a few weeks ago searching for anything Google Home brought you articles about the Google Homepage.

    The only good thing it has going for it is the speech is better than Amazon by slight margin and it is bit quicker than the Echo.
    Hoping Google turns it around a bit.

    1. Re:Little late now by bongey · · Score: 1

      One more, get a simpler or custom wake words, "Ok Google" gets annoying and robotic , saying "Alexa" is much nicer.

    2. Re:Little late now by SirSlud · · Score: 1

      We're years before any of this is normal.

      --
      "Old man yells at systemd"
    3. Re:Little late now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      We're decades before any of this is even vaguely useful, let alone normal.

      Google Home, Amazon Echo and the rest are pointless "solutions" desperately in search of a purpose.

    4. Re:Little late now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This was configurable for me. I use "Hey Snuffleupugus" instead of "OK Google". I don't know what metric is used to suggest "Alexa" is nicer than "OK Google".

    5. Re:Little late now by jfrorie · · Score: 1

      Google just screwed up on Google Home. Amazon echo had SDK access from the get go, not months after launch. Here are some more items: 1) Walled garden approach, no one except a few companies had ability to integrate before launch. 2)Stupid Android/iOS App only for configuration and setup. Echo has both App and web interface. 3) Me too , late to the game, the Echo was release in Nov 2014. 4)No bluetooth or stereo jack. 5) Home automation support is current limited to 3 official products, good thing there is Hue Bridge, otherwise my 60 or so smart home devices wouldn't work. 5) Google Home sucks for name, a few weeks ago searching for anything Google Home brought you articles about the Google Homepage.

      The only good thing it has going for it is the speech is better than Amazon by slight margin and it is bit quicker than the Echo. Hoping Google turns it around a bit.

      1) Android is same way. A few companies get early access to code.
      2) If you have 6 Homes, do you want to go through 6 websites or a single server app?
      3) So was android.
      4) Stereo jacks and Toslink are provided by chromecast audio. Not sure what you are using a bluetooth mic for.
      5) And most of the others suck. It will take products like Echo and Home to get rid of the dead weight.
      5+) Agreed on name. Google has a lot more going on in the AI front. I don't remember Amazon participating in any of the Grand Challenges....

    6. Re:Little late now by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      Google Home, Amazon Echo and the rest are pointless "solutions" desperately in search of a purpose.

      We use our Echo all the time and it has plenty of purpose.

      Then again I grew up being inspired by Star Trek not scared of it.

    7. Re:Little late now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I changed my wake words to "Suck my dick!", which gives me the perfect excuse to lounge around my house screaming "Suck my dick!" as often as I want.

    8. Re:Little late now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Star Trek wasn't selling everything you say and do to the highest bidder for targeted advertising.

  3. Whatever happened to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



    dongles?

  4. So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    I swear, I'm going to design a pocket sized RF pulse generator that will fry the first stage of the RF receivers in nearby phones. Not jam, fry. Cell and WiFi connection ability...gone. Permanently. Then I'll post the design on the web so anyone can build one.

    1. Re: So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      regular uni bomber have you created your at tech manifesto yet.

    2. Re:So Sick Of Smartphone BS by GrumpySteen · · Score: 2

      I'm going to design a pocket sized RF pulse generator that will fry the first stage of the RF receivers in nearby phones

      You should probably do a some research on the power requirements to destroy a cell phone at any significant distance and the energy density of available power sources before you make statements like that.

      The only viable EMP devices that could destroy nearby cell phones and still fit in your pocket are explosively pumped flux compression generators. As the name suggests, they explode, which isn't usually something you want happening in your pocket.

      tl;dr - These already exist, but they'll blow your junk off.

    3. Re: So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      It's not so much the tech, it's the idiots tunnel-visioned on their tracking device's screen causing all sorts of accidents that kill people, or standing there recording video to post on YT instead of helping someone in trouble. Plus, the ability of those privacy-invading tracking devices to record anything *I* say and mark my location just by happening to have the bad luck to be near one of the sheep with their tracker in-hand.

      Uni-bomber? Fuck you. I do more for civilization before breakfast in one day than you'll do in your entire waste-of-a-life.

    4. Re:So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should probably do a some research on the power requirements to destroy a cell phone at any significant distance and the energy density of available power sources before you make statements like that.

      The only viable EMP devices that could destroy nearby cell phones and still fit in your pocket are explosively pumped flux compression generators. As the name suggests, they explode, which isn't usually something you want happening in your pocket.

      tl;dr - These already exist, but they'll blow your junk off.

      You assume I'm talking about an EMP device. You are wrong.

      I'm talking about transmitting a high-powered radio pulse on specific frequency bands or even specific frequencies. I built devices to blow out CB radio receiver front-ends back in the 1970s for truckers and 'outlaw CBers'. I'm an RF engineer with 45+ years experience. With the advances in battery tech since the '70s it should be quite do-able.

    5. Re: So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And this is what your contribution sounds like.

      FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP!

      Right on your breakfast. And then you eat it and go back to bed.

    6. Re: So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tech's not the problem. The Morlocks financing and co-opting it, is and always has been the problem. "unibomber" an idiot-savant patsy false-flag. MKUltra all the way.

      Yeah, tin-foil hat. Right.

    7. Re: So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...And that would still be far more of a contribution to humanity than you'll ever "contribute" if you lived 10 lifetimes. XD

      Now get off my lawn!

      https://cdn.meme.am/instances/...

    8. Re:So Sick Of Smartphone BS by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      I built devices to blow out CB radio receiver front-ends back in the 1970s for truckers and 'outlaw CBers'.

      You're so full of shit that your eyes are brown. The inverse-square law would like to chime in to tell you to shut the fuck up. The amount of RF power required to fuck up a CB or ham set at just 1000 feet would require your own dedicated electrical substation. You're a fucking poser and a liar, and not a very good one.

      -

      I'm an RF engineer with 45+ years experience. With the advances in battery tech since the '70s it should be quite do-able.

      What you are is a fat-assed liar who couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    9. Re:So Sick Of Smartphone BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What you are is a fat-assed liar who couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel.

      Holy shit. This is amazing. Stealing this. Plagiarizing is flattery, correct?

  5. If you're too lazy to operate a light switch... by Viol8 · · Score: 2

    ... using your finger, then you're probably too goddamn lazy to read the instruction manual to all this solution-looking-for-a-problem home automation basement dwelling nerds wet dream bandwagon that every company is jumping on because they can't actually think of anything original and useful.

    1. Re:If you're too lazy to operate a light switch... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      my wife and I live in a poorly designed bedroom or maybe it is just our furniture. It is very nice to say "alexa lights off" at night and in the morning. No reaching for pull chains/knobs/switches that we would have to get out of bed to even use. I think the whole automation benefit is currently shallow but definitely useful. Everyone is trying to figure out how deep they can go and still be useful.

    2. Re:If you're too lazy to operate a light switch... by Viol8 · · Score: 0

      "No reaching for pull chains/knobs/switches that we would have to get out of bed to even use."

      Oh no, having to get out of bed and walk a few feet, how awful! Far better to stay in bed and make sure those donut and burger calories stay on your waistline where they belong!

    3. Re:If you're too lazy to operate a light switch... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This one's getting too old to be an Eloi anymore. Schedule for processing.

      Now get offa my lawn ;-)

    4. Re:If you're too lazy to operate a light switch... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Citizen, have you fulfulled your consumption quota for today?

    5. Re:If you're too lazy to operate a light switch... by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      Do not confuse lazy with convenience.

      "If you're too lazy to operate a hoe you shouldn't eat food"...

    6. Re:If you're too lazy to operate a light switch... by Viol8 · · Score: 1

      The two do tend to dovetail quite frequently however. Drive-thrus for example.

  6. The new 3D TV by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, it's in Star Trek, but after a brief flash nobody's going to want this:
    intrusive and invasive market research done on your spoken word
    repeating yourself over and over - "No, I said PO-TAY-TO"
    not actually being useful

  7. Hello Computer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    But which of the major players lets you address their digital assistant as "computer?"

    This is important.

    1. Re:Hello Computer by JLavezzo · · Score: 1

      My Moto X lets me customize the "OK Google" invocation phrase. I chose "Computer, Comply!"

  8. Battery Tech: 1970s vs. Now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "With the advances in battery tech since the '70s"

    1970s: Guy walks into store, buys some AA batteries and a 9 volt battery.

    2016: Guy walks into store, buys some AA batteries and a 9 volt battery.

    1. Re:Battery Tech: 1970s vs. Now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "With the advances in battery tech since the '70s"

      1970s: Guy walks into store, buys some AA batteries and a 9 volt battery.

      2016: Guy walks into store, buys some 18650 lithium batteries that store orders of magnitude more energy than '70s AA batteries or 9-volts.

      FTFY

      HTH

      HAND

      Oh, and welcome to the 21st century. We've advanced technically, though in other areas like civil rights and privacy we seem to be in a descending spiral towards Orwellian-dystopia territory. :)

  9. can I change my TV channel? by goombah99 · · Score: 1

    Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place but is there a simple interface that I can just name the TV channel and have my TV show it? I don't want 10,000 different choices on hulu or crackle. I just want to be able say, show PBS and it gets the over the air channel or the cable channel by that name.

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    1. Re:can I change my TV channel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have a HTC 9 with the pulse app. It's as close as I've seen to what you want.
      The phone has infrared, and if you configure it it'll know what is on in your area. So you can just click on a show and it'll turn your TV on and take you to it.
      I also have an echo and a raspberry pi.. Now you have me wondering what I can accomplish...

  10. Never code against Google APIs! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Search online for the list of APIs they've killed. Labs for gmail, reader, ... basing your own hard work on remote APIs is madness. Tjey can be deprecated or shit down any time.

  11. lol google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    who still uses that public CIA asset?

  12. Google Home to be bricked? by fluke11 · · Score: 2

    Google Home only comes with a 1 year warranty. This is exactly the same length of time that Revolv Hub users had. Once the warranty ended, Google indicated it had the right to intentionally brick the device. I don't want to spend $129 on a device which is set to die by policy in just 12 months. And I really do not want to take the time to write to an API to encourage others to buy into the scam. Given how Google has clarified their policies to be so anti-consumer, I don't see how anyone could see this product worth spending time or money on.

    1. Re:Google Home to be bricked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The comparison is a little unfair. Google didn't sell the Revolv hub, they bought a company which was buying Revolv (which was obviously not doing well). As sad and upset as I was that mine turned into a brick, it was all but inevitable when Nest bought and then killed it. revolv had missed deadlines and fallen short on many many promised features. I wished Google /Nest had kept it alive at a loss for a bit longer (or opened it up), but thats the way it goes sometime on the bleeding edge. Having your failing product bought by a big company doesn't guarantee they will save it or run it at a loss; just as often they are after talent or technology or patents and the products are expendable.