Google Assistant is gradually making its way to non-Google devices. There is the Bose QuietComfort II headphones and then there is the Mobvoi TicHome Mini. There are more that have been announced but are not yet available for purchase yet. However, none of them has a display. Enter the Lynky, a smart home hub which not only comes with Google Assistant but also packs a touchscreen display.
Lynky is quite different from other AI Assistants as while those are smart speakers first with limited support for controlling other smart home devices, Lynky is a smart hub first before a smart speaker.
Lynky has support for multiple protocols. From Bluetooth to Zigbee to Wi-Fi. There is also support for IFTTT and more services can be added via its open API settings. You can also create custom scenes and modes with paired devices. The hub can control IoT devices from Philips Hue, IKEA, LIFX, Nest, Ring, August Home, TP-Link etc.
There are two versions of Lynky available – a desktop version that can be placed on any horizontal surface around the home and a wall-mounted version that can be connected to a light switch or fan switch.
Both let you control connected devices via the screen, voice, or the Lynky app. You can also decide to pair multiple Lynky units together if you have a large home. Since it comes with Google Assistant built-in, all assistant’ commands are available. You can ask questions, set reminders, set reminders and even stream music from the internet.
Lynky has a 5” HD display, 2 far-field microphones, and two 2W stereo speakers. There is also a button at the top to turn the microphone off. It has a quad-core cortex A7 processor and runs a custom version of Linux. The desktop version is powered via USB while the wall mount version draws power from the light switch.
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Lynky is available on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo and is expected to start shipping in Q1 2018. Early backers will get it for $99 for a single unit or $188 if you want two units. Final retail price when it goes on sale is $149.
