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The Home Mini is significantly smaller and fades more readily into your home decor, and it also costs a lot less. The Home Mini can also do everything the regular Google Home can do, but the larger device does provide richer sound that does a much better job filling a room. When using the Google Nest Mini, there is a toggle switch on the bottom of the device to mute the mic. If you’re concerned about a sensitive conversation being recorded, just manually power off the microphone.
You can also extend music to other external speakers through Google Home Mini. However, the device can only pair with Google Chromecast-enabled speakers and devices. That would entail a Chromecast dongle that’s connected to a Chromecast-enabled device. Still, once Chromecast is linked to Google Home, you can control the Chromecast device through your Mini. You can instruct Chromecast to play a specific song by speaking with your Mini (i.e. “Hey Google, play Radiohead’s All I Need”).
things you didn't know a Google Home Mini could do
You can set it up so that it will play a sound when your baby cries or makes a noise. Google Home mini is a voice-controlled assistant that does a lot of things from playing music and controlling smart devices to providing information and helping you manage your day. The Google Home Mini can connect to multiple software on the same network. As a smart speaker, it can connect to your Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music, and more to keep your space well-entertained all day long.
Voice calls are currently limited to within the U.S. but we’re expecting Google to expand that feature towards other territories in the future. Users who often find themselves shouting commands repeatedly at their devices from across the room may prefer the Echo Dot. While I get Spotify, thank goodness, I don’t get YouTube Music, iHeartRadio, Apple Music, Pandora, Deezer e.t.c. I don’t have Live TV or Podcasts. I also don’t get Nest Aware either and it’s not from lack of trying. These apps don’t support most regions outside their privileged enclave in the Northern Hemisphere.
How is the Google Home Mini Different From Google Home?
Google home mini and chrome cast are faithful servants who can never fail you. Google home mini devices also have inbuilt support for home automation. If you want to playback videos or photos, all you need to do is to give a voice command. With the right features enabled, the Google Home Mini can raise your productivity through the roof. Forget about typing your queries and then hitting search or, for that matter, opening Google Maps manually before you leave for office.
We also appreciate the fact that the device alternates as a walkie-talkie or intercom throughout your home when you need to speak to other family members. On the opposite end, you can also use the device as a smart hub to activate and control other devices within the home. Therefore, if you want to use the smart speaker for playing music with better audio quality. But, if you have a cast speaker, you can make most of the Google Home Mini. Like all Google Home devices, the Home Mini is built around the Google Assistant virtual assistant, so it is operated almost entirely via voice commands. It listens for a wake word, which is "Okay, Google," and then records anything it hears after the wake word.
Amazon Echo Dot vs. Google Home Mini
Add another account – (To find, tap the down arrow next to your account.) Set up devices and services, add household members, and create speaker groups and homes. Multi-room audio — Group any combination of speakers and displays, or Chromecast Audio with Chromecast Audio built-in together for synchronous music throughout the home. Both Home Mini units I tested immediately installed what I assume is this software update upon setup, so I was never able to use the tap-and-hold feature. The activity logs in my Google Home app did not show any suspicious or inadvertent recordings, either, so it appears that I did not encounter this bug.
You can control thousands of compatible lights, cameras, speakers, and more. You can also check your reminders and recent notifications, all from a single app. The Google Home app is available on Android phones and tablets, and iPhones and iPads.
You can also use your Android or iOS phone to broadcast a message through all the smart speakers in the house. The device’s microphones are also sensitive enough to pick up voice commands from within a radius of 40 feet or 12 meters. But when it comes to sound range, there’s a little bit of an issue. This range is ideal for playing music in a normal-sized room, but perhaps not suitable for a larger venue like a lecture hall or garden.
The Mini is louder, sounds smoother with music and has decent bottom end for a device the size of a hockey puck. Of course, we wouldn't use either of these if we had a choice -- the Oontz is the better of all three and makes music sound like music, plus it's portable and will accept a line-in. Remember, each of these monitors provides different features and benefits, so be sure to read reviews and compare before making your purchase.
Here are five reasons to buy the Google Home Mini and three reasons to pass on it. I noticed that my Google Home mini appeared to have mic blindspots despite the circular shape. The spec sheet mentions two far-field microphones but the farthest I could be heard was about 16 feet away.
Thanks to the third-party app integration, you can have your share of fun and play one of the best games — Akinator, the Genie. Want to start over with Stranger Things, just say ‘Ok Google, play ‘Stranger Things’ season one’, sit back and enjoy. So, sentences such as, “Play the workout music on Google Play Music” can be shortened by phrases like Play or Party time. Having done that, all you have to do is ask ‘how long will the commute be’ or ‘how long will it take to get to work’ and the smart assistant will have the answer ready for you.
One of my favorite Google Home features is its ability to double up as a broadcaster. With your Assistant on your smartphone and all you have to say is “Broadcast” followed by the message. Start off by going to More settings, select Videos and Photos and tap on the Link icon. Once the link is active, just sit back and enjoy your favorite shows with the voice-activated speaker acting as your remote.
The device also possesses a standard USB power port for charging as well as a reset button at the bottom. It's hard to believe that a device as small as the Home Mini could deliver a great sound, but this smart speaker gets the job done. It will do your music justice, with balanced audio and rich bass. In our head-to-head testing, its audio quality blew the Echo Dot's out of the water.
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