Sony Announces Google Assistant on Google Home Support for Audio and Video Products

Sony continues its love-affair with Google by promoting integration of its most recent audio and video products with Google’s Voice Personal Assistant. Sony speakers with Chromecast built-in and Sony 4K HDR televisions with Android TV now work with Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. This allows activating and controlling streaming music services, and even multi-room features. But you have to say “Ok Google” out loud a lot…

There are all sorts of projects on Kickstarter, including those for electronics and DIY audio enthusiasts. French company Audiophonics has successfully funded a combination of both, leveraging the Raspberry Pi 3 and ESS Sabre DACs in its RaspTouch Open Source high-end audio player and DAC with touchscreen. Those interested still have three days left to pledge for one of the available options on Kickstarter, from the simple aluminum chassis to a complete kit and top ES9018K2M output DAC.

In its continuing effort to compete with every single technology company on Earth in order to expand its own software and services ecosystem, no matter the cost, Google announced a new set of hardware launches. Among the products announced there’s a $35 Chromecast Audio device that turns any powered speaker into a networked wireless audio system via Wi-Fi, with support for Spotify Connect direct streaming.