LG XBOOM AI ThinQ Speaker: A Smart Home Audio Solution

In today's connected world, smart speakers are becoming increasingly essential for managing our homes and enjoying seamless audio experiences. The LG XBOOM AI ThinQ speaker emerges as a strong contender in this space, offering a blend of smart functionality and sound performance. This smart speaker integrates Google Assistant, enabling voice control over your smart devices and delivering immersive audio. Let's dive into the features, design, and overall experience this device brings to the table.

Design and Build Quality of the LG XBOOM

The LG XBOOM AI ThinQ speaker boasts a cylindrical design

, making it a stylish addition to any room. Constructed with a metal chasis, it offers a robust and premium feel. The speaker’s build quality ensures durability, protecting it from everyday wear and tear. The sleek, modern design effortlessly blends with various interior styles, making it a versatile choice for homes and offices.

Its form factor is designed primarily for stationary indoor use, which differs from some of the portable models. This smart speaker emphasizes a permanent placement, providing stability and consistent performance within your living space. This is a trade off, as it provides better quality and sturdiness as compared to light-weight, portable smart speakers.

Smart Features: Integrating Google Assistant and Smart Home Control

The integration of Google Assistant is a core feature of the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ. This enables users to control a wide array of smart home devices using voice commands.

Whether it's adjusting the thermostat, turning on lights, or managing other smart appliances, the speaker acts as a central hub. By simply saying "Okay Google," users can activate the speaker and issue commands, enhancing convenience and automation within their smart homes.

Connecting and controlling smart devices through the speaker involves a straightforward setup process via the Google Home app. Once connected, users can manage their devices remotely, creating a truly interconnected living environment. The Google Assistant integration isn’t just about device control; it also enables access to information, setting reminders, and much more, making the speaker an indispensable tool for daily life.

Connectivity and Audio Performance

Connectivity is another strong suit of the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ. It features Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to easily stream Music from their smartphones, tablets, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices.

This makes it simple to play favorite playlists or podcasts without complex setups. While it supports Bluetooth, it lacks AUX input connectivity. This could be a downside for users who prefer wired connections for older devices or specific audio setups.

The speaker incorporates Meridian Audio technology , promising enhanced audio quality. While the speaker provides a decent listening experience, the presenter mentions that it could be louder, particularly considering its size. However, it is loud enough for most indoor environments. The quality of sound is clear, with a rich and balanced output that makes for good general listening, and is suited for many types of music.

User Interface and Controls

The LG XBOOM AI ThinQ features an intuitive user interface, primarily relying on touch button controls located on the top of the speaker.

These touch-sensitive buttons allow for easy volume adjustments, play/pause control, and mode switching. The speaker also includes an LED indicator that displays the volume level, making it easy to monitor the audio output at a glance.

Additionally, a physical mute button located at the back ensures privacy by disabling the microphone. This is a valuable feature for users who want to prevent accidental voice activation or data collection. The combination of touch controls and a physical mute button strikes a balance between convenience and privacy, enhancing the overall user experience.

YouTube Integration and Compatibility

The LG XBOOM AI ThinQ speaker offers seamless integration with YouTube, allowing users to stream music and other content directly to their TVs.

However, it's important to note that this functionality requires an Android TV or a TV equipped with Chromecast. This setup enables users to issue voice commands like, "Okay Google, play music on YouTube," which will then stream the audio and video content to the connected TV. This integration is a significant advantage for users who enjoy visual content along with their audio experience.

To fully utilize this feature, users need to ensure that their Android TV or Chromecast is properly configured and linked to their Google account. Once set up, controlling YouTube through the speaker becomes effortless, enhancing the overall smart home entertainment experience. Keep in mind that the audio output can be directed to either the speaker or the TV, providing flexible listening options based on user preferences.

Step-by-Step Guide to Bluetooth Pairing

Pairing your smartphone or other Bluetooth-enabled device with the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ speaker is a simple process:

1. Activate Bluetooth Mode: Tap the touch button on top of the speaker once. The LED indicator will blink blue, indicating that the speaker is in Bluetooth pairing mode.

   

2. Enable Bluetooth on Your Device: Go to the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone or tablet and turn on Bluetooth.

3. Select the Speaker: From the list of available devices, select "Dining Room Speaker" (or the name of your LG XBOOM speaker).

4. Confirm Pairing: A pairing request will appear on your device. Confirm the request to complete the pairing process.

5. Start Streaming: Once paired, you can start streaming music and other audio content from your device to the speaker.

This straightforward process ensures that you can quickly and easily connect your devices to enjoy your favorite audio content.

Utilizing Google Assistant for Voice Commands

One of the key features of the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ is its integration with Google Assistant. To use voice commands, follow these steps:

1. Activate Google Assistant: Simply say, "Okay Google," to activate the speaker.

   

2. Issue Your Command: Once activated, you can issue commands such as:

   • "Okay Google, what's the weather today?"
   • "Okay Google, play rock radio on Saavn."
   • "Okay Google, play music on YouTube."

3. Adjusting Volume: Use the touch buttons on top of the speaker to manually adjust the volume, or say, "Okay Google, turn up the volume."

By following these steps, you can fully leverage the voice control capabilities of the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ to manage your smart home and enjoy seamless audio experiences.

Playing Music from YouTube on Android TV

Streaming music from YouTube to your Android TV or Chromecast-enabled TV involves a few additional steps:

1. Ensure Compatibility: Make sure your TV is either an Android TV or has a Chromecast device connected.
2. Connect to the Same Network: Ensure that both the LG XBOOM speaker and the Android TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. Issue the Voice Command: Say, "Okay Google, play music on YouTube."
4. Enjoy Your Music: The audio and video content from YouTube will start streaming to your TV, allowing you to enjoy your favorite music on a larger screen.

This feature significantly enhances the entertainment experience, bringing the visual element of YouTube to your audio setup.

Cost-Effective Home Automation

While pricing details aren't explicitly mentioned, smart speakers like the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ generally offer an affordable entry point into home automation. The cost of the speaker is an investment in convenience and enhanced control over your connected devices. Smart homes were only dreamed of a few years ago, and today this technology is available to most of the population!

Compared to more complex and expensive smart home systems, the XBOOM provides a budget-friendly solution for managing various devices and enjoying high-quality audio. The ability to connect seamlessly with other smart devices will greatly impact your daily life. The XBOOM is a good solution for beginners to the smart home era!

Exceptional Smart Speaker Design

This speaker is built to connect to Google Assistant and has many great qualities that makes it a great purchase. Here are some of the XBOOM's most important features:

• Voice Control: Integrated Google Assistant responds to voice commands

  making any process easy and seamless.

• Smart Home Connectivity: Enables easy control of compatible smart devices so controlling different rooms is no longer a hassle.
• Bluetooth Streaming: Allows seamless music playback from smartphones and tablets so that playing the songs and music you like is easy.
• Durable Build: Metal chasis offers long-lasting reliability making sure the smart speaker will be around for years to come.
• Touch Control: Intuitive to use with different touch-button controls so that any and every user can figure out how to use it.
• Mute Button: Ensures privacy with a physical mute button that disables the microphone so that the speaker knows when you don't want to be heard.
• Compact Design: It's cylindrical shape is easy to move and doesn't obstruct anything wherever it's placed.

Home Entertainment Hub

The LG XBOOM AI ThinQ speaker excels as a central hub for home entertainment. Users can stream music from various sources, including Bluetooth-connected devices and YouTube (via Android TV). The integrated Google Assistant allows for voice-controlled music selection and playback, enhancing the overall listening experience.

The speaker can also be used to enhance movie nights by streaming audio from the TV, creating a more immersive soundscape. Its versatility makes it an ideal addition to any living room or home theater setup.

Smart Home Management

Beyond entertainment, the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ simplifies smart home management. Users can control lights, thermostats, and other compatible devices using voice commands. This feature is particularly useful for creating routines, such as dimming the lights and adjusting the thermostat with a single command before watching a movie. The speaker’s ability to integrate with various smart devices makes it a valuable tool for automating daily tasks and enhancing convenience.

Hands-Free Communication

The LG XBOOM AI ThinQ can also serve as a hands-free communication device. Users can make and receive calls via Google Assistant, allowing for convenient communication without needing to reach for their smartphones. This feature is particularly useful when multitasking or when your hands are occupied.

The speaker's microphone sensitivity ensures clear voice transmission, even from a distance. This makes it a practical tool for both personal and professional communication within the home or office.