[untog]

I have Google Homes in my house and I agree that after the initial feeling of huge usability it really doesn't achieve all that much. Chromecast integration is both wonderful and awful - I can say "OK Google, play <TV Show> on the living room TV" and it'll do exactly that... but if I want to pause it I have to talk over the show I'm currently watching.

All that said, I wonder what it would offer an elderly person. If my Grandma were still alive I'd be very tempted to rewire all her light switches to be wi-fi enabled and set them up with a Google Home/Alexa. I can see it being a huge, huge benefit to the old and frail.

[bradbatt]

I'd be interested to see how older people interacted with the device. I know someone who got their parent a device and they kept "Alexa" written on a post-it because they couldn't remember the device name.

It's a big shift in technology, but since it is voice interactive, rather than computer/smart phone, I think it does provide an ease of use for older people who might not be as technology savvy.

SNL did a great skit on this … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvT_gqs5ETk