The Google Assistant has added GE microwaves to the growing list of devices that can be controlled by the voice-powered AI aid.
The microwaves, which already have Amazon Alexa support, have received a software update that brings the Google Assistant into play, making them the first of their kind to do so directly.
Now owners can use the personal assistant of their choosing to start, pause, stop and add time to whatever’s in the microphone simply by using their voice. Users will need the Google Home app to bring the Assistant into play on the $144 microwave.
While it’s nice to have the features built into the GE microwaves, it’s not that clear how necessary it is. You still have to put the food in the microwave and, when it’s done, you’ll still need to manually make a determination as to whether more time is needed. GE’s selling point is that if you’ve been handling raw meat in the kitchen, you can control the microwave without mauling your microwave, which is fair enough.
However, it’s not like an oven where you can stick a joint of meat in and then adjust the temperature, or turn the oven off, after leaving the house. Anyway, seeing as everything has access to the personal assistants these days, what’s the harm?
The connected appliances also feature a neat scan-to-cook feature, which will automatically set the correct cooking time just by scanning the barcode on the packaging. “Take the guesswork out of microwaving frozen foods and prepare your favourites exactly how the manufacturer intended with just a scan of a barcode,” GE writes on its website. Heck, it’s not like it actually has cooking instructions on the actual packaging is it?
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
