Google Home wants to be your assistant, heating the rivalry with Amazon Echo and soon, Apple

When Christine Ha's techie husband ordered the Amazon Echo, she says she rolled her eyes skeptically, expecting another device to begin collecting dust in a forgotten corner of their Houston home. Then they plugged in the Echo on the counter ledge between their kitchen and living room and Alexa spoke to Ha. Ha, the vision-impaired contestant who won season three of the amateur cooking show MasterChef on FOX, routinely asks Alexa, the Echo's digital voice assistant, for an assist with everyday tasks. No screens to touch or buttons to push, Alexa can play jazz riffs or convert one U.S. dollar into Japanese yen. When Ha's making homemade ice cream, she can set a two-minute timer for the eggs she's whisking while monitoring the cream and milk heating on the stove. Ha's Nest thermostat is now voice controlled by Alexa, too, as are the lights, even the coffee maker.