A certain Walmart retail outlet has apparently already put a Google Home unit on its shelves for public display ahead of its official launch date on Nov. 4.
Google Home was unveiled during the company's Oct. 4 launch event, joined by a number of products which include a pair of Google-branded flagships, a refreshed Chromecast, a dedicated home router called Google Wifi.
Apparently, a still-unidentified Walmart outlet has decided to display the Google Home box, certainly not the first time to happen. The slight mishap comes as an added confirmation of the retailer's proclivity to display certain products before the actual and official release date, just like when the Xiaomi Mi Box appeared on Walmart's shelves way ahead of release.
Now that Google Home has popped up, it remains to be seen if other Walmart stores would follow suit and display other devices such as the Google Wifi or the new Chromecast as well.
Despite showing up on shelves, Walmart refused to sell Google Home to a potential consumer, as reported by Android Police, citing a tipster as their source. It seems like Walmart is simply displaying them earlier as prescribed and will sell them on launch day.
Google Home is best described as a virtual assistant for one's household. It is a relatively sizable cylinder that tapers thinly upward, with a slanted surface atop. On the bottom are speaker grills. The device is essentially an omnipresent ear that listens to every command issued by the homeowner. The commands are of course limited to what Google Assistant can perform, but even that alone implies a lot.
You can play music, ask queries, ask it for help on planning things, and even control connected smart devices using your voice. It's a nifty expansion and peripheral for those who find it a slight inconvenience to lug their smartphone around when doing household chores.
Google is basically playing catch up with direct rival Amazon with its similar product called the Amazon Echo, though Google undoubtedly has the advantage in this race, carrying a trump card no other company can ever surpass: search.
The release of Google Home means that there are now two devices where users can take advantage of Google's virtual assistant, the first being smartphones. Google Assistant is available on phones through the company's messaging app, Allo; on Pixel smartphones, the assistant is system-wide, meaning users can press and hold the home icon anytime and bring it up.
Google wants to do away with the robotic and mechanical anti-appeal of modern virtual assistants. Instead, it wants to turn its own virtual assistant into something that is friendly but smart and acerbic, masking as a true person on the other end of the line instead of a bland, soulless algorithm.
Google Home hits shelves Nov. 4 and will cost $129, but users can preorder it from a number of retailers now.
