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Alexa gets more powerful when you include its library of third-party skills, but you often need to know the specific wording to make things work. For example, if I ask Google Assistant, "Where is Blade Runner 2049 playing near me?" it will give me movie showtimes, automatically. For Alexa, you have to specifically "Ask Fandango." I can ask Google Assistant directly for a fried chicken recipe; with Alexa, you need to remember to enable the Allrecipes skill. That said, Alexa's recipes then come from Allrecipes, a reliable source; Google's came from some site I'd never heard of. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The Google Home Mini is the predecessor to the Google Nest Mini.
But there just aren't that many Chromecast-enabled speakers, and you can plug an Echo Dot into anything. You can get similar results by connecting a Chromecast Audio to your favorite speaker and using it with the Mini, but that's an extra purchase and step that will be a deal breaker for many people. The Google Nest Mini is a refreshed Google Home Mini model, with all the same Google Assistant features and integrations plus added quality of life enhancements in the hardware department. Ask your Google Nest Mini to play your favourite songs on Spotify, stream your favourite movie through a Chromecast, or adjust your Philips Hue lighting, all using just your voice.
What's the difference between Google Home Mini and Google Nest Mini?
I wouldn’t call it room-filling sound but it’s still fairly loud and clear when maxed out. Compared with some of our favorite Bluetooth speakers , you could say that the Mini's 40mm drivers sound tinny and harsh. At arm's length, it can be up to 10db louder than the weak little Dot, with a much rounder sound that at least it suggests bass. The Google Assistant's voice sounds considerably more natural and human than Alexa's does. That said, this is still a secondary speaker; if you want to kick back and enjoy music, you need to get the larger Google Home.
But, keep in mind that it’s best viewed as a supplement to the Home family, not the foundation. This device’s specialty, aside from being oh-so smart, is mainly to reward those who are already within Google’s Cast-enabled walled garden with a cheap, new device. If you want to solely use the Home Mini as a set of Bluetooth speakers, the Google Home app offers up pairing settings, though they are rather buried within the app. The Google Home Mini is the most affordable Google Assistant-enabled speaker available and thankfully, its voice recognition doesn’t suffer from the reduction in size and price.
Speakers, Mics and Sensors
The developer provided this information and may update it over time. The Google Home app is designed to show you the status of your home and keep you up to date with what you may have missed. Check in on your home anytime and see a recap of recent events. You can also get a notification if something important happens while you’re away. Placing a finger on the left and right sides of the speaker lowers and raises the volumes, as you might expect. And lastly, whenever you navigate with your voice or touch, the Home Mini will illuminate four LEDs on its top to show that your action has been registered.
In my studio apartment, I grouped together a Google Home, a Chromecast Audio-connected soundbar and the Google Home Mini to build a surround-sound setup. When in this grouping, the Home Mini stood out as the star of the highs, pushing the vocals through extra hard when the larger Home was more focused on the mids. This easy to use voice assistant features four LED lights and two buttons for volume control, making it sleeker than ever. You can set the Home Mini to always play music out of a Google Cast-enabled speaker or the Chromecast Audio dongle, but cannot link it to a Bluetooth speaker.
Speakers, Mics, and Sensors
With Nest Mini and Nest Audio, all your Matter devices will work seamlessly with Google Home. Build a home audio system – or just fill a room with sound, and listen to music, news, podcasts and more wherever you are in the house. Choose your Google Home Mini voice assistant in either chalk, charcoal or coral to match your home.
See your activity, delete it manually, or choose to delete it automatically. Ask questions like “Where can I change my privacy settings? ” to get answers to the most common privacy and security questions. Create Routines that allow you to turn on compatible lights, check the weather, play the news, and more with one simple command. If you’re in the market for a cheap speaker, the Google Home Mini will do the trick for many.
Google Home Mini review
Also, if you like to compare tech to food, this device looks like a macaron. In spite of that fact however, it’s impossible not to recommend this little device. Its Assistant smarts, large list of features and low price make it easy to take the plunge on the Home Mini.
Home size, materials and layout can affect how sound travels. Enclosure consists of fabric, housing, foot and a few smaller parts. Nest speakers fit beautifully into any room – or every room. Pair your Google Home with your Chromecast to stream shows, watch videos on YouTube or view your favourite shots on Google Photos. Speed and helpfulness claims based on internal testing on pre-production devices. We're committed to using recycled or renewable material in all Pixel, Nest and Fitbit products by 2025.
The Home Mini is also a smart home hub in that it can also integrate with Internet of Things devices from the likes of TP-Link, Philips Hue, Wemo and more. One of the most popular developments in technology in recent years, voice assistants are found in homes all around the country. Google Home Mini voice assistants are compact and easy to use, giving you access to the intelligent Google Assistant. From light coloured models to darker units, you'll find a Google voice assistant to match your home. Home Mini is capable of hearing you over fairly loud noises, such as the a cooker hood going full blast, but struggles a little when it is playing music at full volume. At volume level 10 you can hear it over the sound of a loud washing machine in the kitchen.
The first screen of the app should automatically detect the Home Mini. (If it doesn't, tap the Device button in the top right and then tap the Add New Device button to get instructions on how to find the device.) Tap Set Up. Check out Google's privacy statement regarding the Google Nest Mini states the company's commitment to the care of your data and information. If you're ever concerned about your use of the Nest Mini, however, you can take a break by switching the microphone off completely. Safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share your data. Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region, and age.
We review products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions from buying links on this page. Find out about the latest update to the Google Home platform and the totally redesigned, more personalized Google Home app. Enter your address if you want to get customized local data for traffic, weather, and other services. We're working on the problem and expect to resolve it shortly.
Nest Audio and Nest Mini is designed to protect your privacy by allowing you to control your information, delete your history, turn your microphone off and use Guest Mode. You can easily turn off the mic with a switch at the back. When the mic is off, the LED lights turn from white to orange. To activate this smart assistant, simply say 'Ok Google' and ask a question.
Google Nest Mini
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. The Home Mini is the cheapest way of buying into the Assistant yet for those looking to buy into Google’s smart home ecosystem. While it's a good value for the price, its poor sound performance makes it a better desk buddy than a standalone speaker. Matter is the new universal standard that simplifies smart home compatibility. It connects and controls all of your Matter devices so that your smart home is easier to build, faster to set up and more responsive and reliable.