Friday, January 18, 2019

KB Home Amps Up Tech Connectivity With Google Assistant Integration

Lake Forest-based home builder KB Home is ramping up its connectivity--and hoping to appeal to tech-savvy buyers--with a new deal to add Google Assistant capability into its new homes at two of its Orange County developments. According to KB Home, it is offer Google Assistant as a standard feature at its Highmark at Ironridge in Lake Forest and Prado at Cadence Park in Irvine, as part of its "KB Smart Home System". KB Home also said it will offer up that system to all buyers who purchase a new home at any of its other communities in Orange and San Diego counties. Google Assistant is being used to allow homeowners to operate, via voice, such features as lights, window shades, cameras, and other home devices. That integrates with KB's other "smart" home devices, including the Nest video doorbell, use of Google's WiFi mesh network system, and the Google Home and Google Home Mini "smart" voice control speakers.