New report points to Google's Echo clone being called the 'Google Home'

Whether it's called Google Chirp or Google Home, Google seems very likely to debut a new Amazon Echo rival when Google I/O kicks off on Wednesday. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Google's voice-activated gizmo will be called Google Home, confirming an earlier report from Recode that Google would launch what it called "Google Chirp" at the I/O developer showcase in Mountain View. Both reports basically state the same rumor: Google plans to launch a small home device, which Recode claims will be shaped roughly like Google's OnHub Wi-Fi router, that will incorporate Google's voice agent. In 2014, Google added hotword or "trigger word" support to Android phones, which allow them to listen for and respond to the "OK Google" command that would presumably be used to command Google Home. Amazon's Echo device is a small cylinder that functions both as a loudspeaker as well as a microphone, reporting sports scores and crafting shopping lists, turning on an alarm clock and kitchen timer, and more, using Amazon's cloud-based digital assistant, known as Alexa.