Google reinvented the wheel when it came to the Chromecast. A small, inexpensive piece of hardware that changed the way we used our television. Can they do it again with a speaker that hopes to change the way we deal with life

Google Home is an excellent entry into the burgeoning smart speaker race that's revving up between the big US technology companies. Amazon's Echo and Alexa have a head start, but Google's Assistant is highly capable in many ways, but strangely half-baked in others.

great understanding; can answer lots and lots of questions; good sound; small

variable volume makes control difficult; can't always hear you; not much good for a non-Google user; privacy concerns

Starting point Overall, I'm pleased with the Home and happy that Google has opted to finally bring the device to Canada. Home could easily replace my Echo and probably will given how it matches the functionality Amazon's IoT device is capable of, but also features Google Assistant.

Sleek looking; Actually officially available in Canada; Reasonable price tag

Google Assistant sometimes disappoints; Multi-user support isn't available in Canada; Sound quality is lacklustre

Google's AI helper gets even more tempting

Cheaper than the Echo; Chromecast support; Easy to use

Voice recognition and speech capabilities are slightly lacking

The Google Home was a joy to have some hands-on time with, however brief it may have been. The problem Google has on its hands with the device is choosing to focus heavily on its built-in AI, or more on supporting additional apps and smart hardware to make it more useful.

The speaker might be small – it's a shade over 14cm tall – but it can be a big help every day. Think of it like a friend that knows everything that's constantly on call. You can ask questions, get it do things, play your music, keep you up-to-date and get you ready for your day.

Easy to set up; affordable; decent audio quality; amazing source of information; gets better the more you use it

Took a while to link smart devices

Purchased to provide cover over my whole house to around 20-22 devices. TV's, games consoles etc. Setup was as simple as it states in the instructions. Around 10-15minutes and was then a case of adding all the various devices and setting names.

For all intents and purposes, Google Home is pretty much a year old and needs to do more. In the U.S., the smart voice box has already been on the market long enough to give app developers time to implement the actions, but so far, the added value is limited to few areas.

Good music control; Accurate voice recognition; Integrates smart home devices from many different manufacturers

Does not use any Phillips Hue scenes; Too few compatible apps

Google home is a great product and good for all ages! Great search engine and amazing speaker quality. Would definitely recommend and can guarantee you will love it. So many other products which can be used with google home.

I have Google home and Alexa. Prefer Google over Alexa because it is a search engine. Have more answers than Alexa. I find that Alexa speaker base is better quality.