DISH has begun rolling out a software update on its Hopper family of set-top boxes that allows customers to access the Google Assistant via the DISH voice remote at no additional cost. The update covers the company's Hopper, Joey and Wally video set-top boxes.
Customers can use the DISH voice remote to ask the Assistant questions related to what they're watching, as well as receive weather updates, find nearby restaurants, view photos on the screen, control smart home devices and more. The new capabilities build on the DISH voice remote's existing ability to control the TV, including navigation, search and channel selection.
To complement the integration, the company also debuted a Google-branded DISH voice remote. With a Google-branded voice button, users can speak commands into the remote to activate the Assistant. Existing DISH voice remotes also support the integration.
"Our customers have enthusiastically embraced voice control technology as a key part of their TV experience, so we wanted to find a way to provide even more value and entertainment with the introduction of the Google Assistant on Hopper family receivers," said Rob Sadler, DISH director of product development. "With this update, we've expanded functionality to allow customers to not just control their Hopper, but to ask questions, get answers and control their smart home all through their remote."
Customers with a DISH voice remote and a broadband-connected Hopper (all generations), Joey (all models) or Wally can access the Google Assistant once they receive the software update.