The trend of smart speakers started in 2014 when Amazon released Echo and the Echo Dot to support its virtual assistant technology, Alexa. Over the years, other technology giants created and designed their own range of smart speakers. Each supports a different voice assistant (Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and Cortana). You may even find some smart speakers that support more than one assistant. Picking a smart speaker is not tricky if you know what you are looking for.

• L Link 20 : This smart speaker is known for its usability and convenience. The most interesting part of the Link 20 is that it is waterproof, and it can float! Mobility and portability are basic features of any smart speaker. You need to be able to move the speakers around the house without worrying about low battery or weak Wi-Fi signals. With the Link 20, you do not have to worry about any of this as it comes with indicator lights for battery and Wi-Fi. This speaker uses Google Assistant, and it is compatible with Google apps, Pandora, YouTube Music, and Spotify. The Link 20 is available for around $150.
• Sonos Beam : This is quite similar to the far more popular Sonos One but more compact than that. It is made to be connected to the TV. It is compatible with three of the major voice assistantsAirPlay, Alexa, and Google Assistant. Moreover, the Sonos Beam can be connected to other Sonos speakers without any hassles. If you want a surround sound effect, you can use this soundbar with two other Sonos speakers. You can even add a Sonos Sub to this to enhance your experience. The price of the Sonos Beam is around $399.
• Amazon Echo Show : Looking for a smart speaker with a screen? It’s a great idea to pick the Alexa-powered Amazon Echo Show. It is not only better than third-party Alexa speakers but has also been known to beat other Echo speakers when it comes to performance. Its display screen can be quite helpful in checking out your music playlist and looking for the lyrics of your favorite songs on Amazon Music. Additionally, it comes with a video version of Alexa’s daily flash news briefing and lets you play Amazon Prime videos. Moreover, it can make calls and networks with other Echo speakers. It also supports voice and video calls. However, video calls can be only made to another Echo show devices. The price of this device is around $230.
• Google Home Mini : This is one of the most affordable smart speakers with voice assistant available in the market. If you are not very keen on listening to music, or if you want to jazz up your existing speaker set, get the Google Home Mini. It supports Google Assistant and is compatible with Chromecast as well. You can do a lot of cool stuff with this smart speaker; it will inform you about the weather, the traffic on your usual commuting route, it will answer random questions and play white noise to help you sleep soundly. It is available for around $49.

Tags: voice assistants