Even if you aren’t experiencing those issues, it can be nice to have the help and the company if you’re on your own. Some smart speakers require third-party apps to place phone calls or send text messages. Just by speaking, you can turn the lights off when you’re in bed, turn on the TV, make coffee, unlock the door for a visitor, and start the shower. All you need is the right smart technology. You can also set your entire system on a specific schedule using a Google Home routine or a service like IFTTT. You can also play music through your smart speaker. Tune in to a radio station or, if you don’t like what’s playing, use a service like Spotify or YouTube Music to listen to precisely what you want. Last but not least, many smart speakers will play games with you, tell you riddles or jokes, or even sing. Some speakers also require specific wording. You need to learn and practice specific phrases to get the results you want—the AI isn’t that smart. Whether you must continually access the app (and thus the phone) depends on your speaker type and how you choose to use it. If you don’t have a smartphone and aren’t interested in using one, there are a couple of options available. You can get a lower-end phone that you’ll use only for installation and anything else smart speaker-related. Or you can ask a friend, family member, or caregiver if they’ll set up the speaker using their own phone. Just remember that if you want your smartphone to be more than a glorified iPod, you need to set up a plan with a carrier. Don’t get us wrong. Google Home or other smart speakers can help in an emergency. If set up properly, a person in danger can use a third-party app or skill to call a loved one, medical personnel, or law enforcement. But those functions need to be set up beforehand. And if the user fell or blacked out, they may not be in range of the speaker or conscious enough to talk. Overall, we’d recommend a medical alert device over a smart speaker for emergencies. Some home security companies (like Bay Alarm) and phone providers (like Lively, formerly GreatCall) also offer medical alert services. Those aren’t your only options, though. You can use Microsoft’s Cortana (we suggest integrating her with SmartThings) or simply go with a more generic speaker. If you don’t want to break the bank, both the Google Nest Mini and Echo Dot are affordable options for most income ranges. You just won’t have a smart display on the device.
