Which virtual assistant is best?

Remember when touchscreen phones first appeared? It was like the mobile as we knew it had changed forever, and that was only the beginning. There is now a range of smart devices that respond to our voices and some can even control other smart devices within the home, including heating and sound systems.

With the help of broadband, virtual assistants are becoming ingrained in people’s lives, both personal and professional. From checking the weather to setting an alarm without moving an inch, the likes of Siri and Alexa are changing the way we do things, and they are here to stay.

But which virtual assistant is best? That really depends on what you are planning on using it for. Here is a quick rundown of the key players in this industry and their greatest strengths.

Amazon, Alexa Amazing for the smart home

Alexa available via Amazon's Echo smart speaker range has been dominating the headlines recently and quite rightly so, considering its wide (and ever-increasing) range of capabilities.

Yes, it can play music and create to-do lists. However, what currently sets this virtual assistant apart is its smart home device support. Of course, you need a good WiFi connection and have to make sure that it is compatible with other smart devices, but this assistant has the skills required to turn off lights and adjust thermostats.

The Echo is also probably a wise choice if you are already signed up with Amazon services such as Amazon Prime and Amazon Music as you can access these through the speaker to make your next purchase or request your favorite tune.

Google, Google Assistant Great for information

For years, Google and the internet have been interchangeable, therefore it makes sense for the search engine giant to broaden its horizons with a virtual assistant and the Google Home smart speaker collection. Similar to Amazon's Alexa, this virtual assistant can connect to your broadband and pretty much organize your life for you. Its core strength, though, lies in the fact that Google Home can utilize its own search engine expertise enabling it to provide accurate, detailed, and up-to-date answers, as well as surrounding context. By far, Google Home is the smartest virtual assistant and facilitates more natural interactions. It also beats the other devices in the music world with a variety of services including Google Play Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Moreover, it can link in with its own ecosystem including Gmail and the likes.

Apple, Siri Super for socializing

This was the first voice-activated technology to hit the mainstream via the iPhone4S which earns it serious brownie points and it is now available across all Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. The strength of Siri really lies in its ability to help people communicate, which isn't entirely surprising considering that it was originally designed for a phone. It can't be beaten for identifying contacts, making calls, composing, and sending texts. You can also send correspondence via other channels including email and WhatsApp. The big plus of this virtual assistant lies in direction. Be it calculating the time it will take you to get to a specific location, offering you the best route to a destination, or finding a nearby place of interest, you won't (or should we say shouldn't) get lost with Siri around.

Of course, all of these virtual assistants are only as effective as the connection available within the home. In other words, having a good broadband service will ensure that you get the most out of your virtual assistant. At Pure Telecom, we provide a nationwide uncongested broadband service, which means we can deliver the fastest broadband speeds available in your area. We provide fibre broadband with speeds up to 100MB to more than 1,300,000 homes in Ireland. However, if fibre broadband isn't yet available in your area, we recommend our uncongested Next Generation Broadband Service. When fibre does arrive, we'll upgrade you for free.

Moreover, we offer unlimited usage to all Pure Telecom customers (please note, fair usage applies). Unlimited broadband means that you can interact with your virtual assistant as much as you want, without worrying about that monthly bill at the end of the month.

Whatever your internet requirements, we pride ourselves on finding the best available broadband in your area and delivering a service that best suits your individual needs. Our customer service team will give you the choice and is on hand to discuss what options are available. Find out more about the great range of broadband products and services that we offer by visiting the Pure Telecom website here.