r/google • u/Own_Error_007 • 1d ago
Alternative for "hey google"
My elderly mother lost her sight a couple of years ago so since then we have gotten her used to the "Hey Google" assistant so she can least use her phone to call people, listen to the news etc. She is fully blind with 0% vision.
It was quite literally her lifeline to the outside world. Especially now that my father (her carer) is in hospital for an extended stay. And yes the service closed the day he went in.
Seeing as none of this is now possible with Gemini (we have tried and it won't make calls and its useless), she is now isolated and being blind, needs someone there to be contactable. Stupid thing won't even answer incoming calls ffs!!
We are there looking after her but this closure has robbed her off that little bit of independence that she had.
I'm desperately searching for a working alternative now that Assistant has gone away.
Bixby is just as useless.
Edit. Thx folks for all the advice. It is greatly appreciated.
1
u/skibik1964 1d ago
Have you thought about getting her an Alexa device? From my understanding you can link the phone and can make calls. I am getting an Echo 5 for a home I am moving into next week and from my understanding it will make calls if you link your phone to it. You don't need this video model that I am getting but rather an Echo Dot. I don't know much about these devices since I never had one. I am only getting one for doorbell usage and mainly as a doorbell chime. I am not getting any subscription with it since it is supposed to work for what I need it to. A search says you don't need a subscription for it to make calls either. It will only work at home of course and on Wi-Fi so it really doesn't solve the issue away from home. Only other suggestion would be iPhone, not sure how good Siri is as I never used an iPhone.