Table of Content
AptX is a codec used for transmitting audio wirelessly with Bluetooth. It is developed by Qualcomm, and supports 16-bit audio at a bit rate of 384kbps. Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology that allows sounds to be interpreted as three-dimensional objects. If you have a second speaker of the same type, you can pair them together to create a stereo sound setup. Inside Google's anechoic chamber, one of the testing facilities the company uses to gather speaker data.
The Google Mini seems a bit more intuitive than previous home assistants in that it was able to understand less specific instructions. So rather than having to tell Google to play Netflix on Chromecast, it worked when we simply told it to play Orange is The New Black. And when we asked it to show us pictures of Italy, it didn’t need us to tell it that we were hoping to view pictures from our 2010 Italy trip in Google Photos. Furthermore, the Google Assistant seemed to need less time to “think” about the responses she was giving. With basic setup now complete, you can begin to use the Home Mini, but to expand its capabilities, you will first want to decide how much you want the device to do for you.
User reviews
In a head-to-head audio test, the Home Mini simply blew the Echo Dot out of the water. Once connected, I said, "Hey, Google, turn on my dining room lights," and they responded instantly. Although the LEDs on the top of the Home Mini light up when they detect your voice, they're hard to see, especially if the Mini is across the room from you.
If you want to adjust the sensitivity whenever the wake phrase “Hey Google” is spoken, you can now do it through the Google Home app. It quickly answers specific questions like, “How much will it cost to remodel my kitchen? ” and then it listens for and immediately responds to follow up questions like, “How long will it take to remodel my kitchen? ” The answers it provides are becoming more and more useful, and also, more detailed. This particular review is based on her experience using the Google Home Mini over a period of three years, after purchasing when she moved into her current home.
Amazon Kindle Scribe review: absolutely adequate
Its knowledge graph is unrivaled, and Google is very good at answering any query you might have. As for the hardware itself, the Home Mini has a better speaker, a more attractive appearance and superior voice-calling features -- it's just too bad that the microphones don't offer better call quality. Google has done a strong job closing the gap between the Assistant and Alexa over the past 12 months -- as long as the Home Mini works with devices and services you use, it's well worth a look. Sound quality isn’t great, but that’s to be expected from a device this small. These mini smart speakers aren’t really meant for music, although performance is fine for listening to the weather report.
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. If you’re looking for something that’s a bit more functional than a stand-alone speaker, you have options such as the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 ($39).
Set-up
Until a few days ago, you could also tap and hold on the center of the Home Mini to activate the Google Assistant, but something went awry with that feature. I’ve had a Google Home since its early days, and have found it to be more sophisticated than the Echo. It’s better at understanding my requests, and it’s much more helpful when I’m seeking general information. But the Echo series is compatible with more devices, and it’s vastly superior at controlling my smart home system of choice.
This mini speaker can get fairly loud, but there’s no bass in the delivery. That means that the Home Mini is exactly like the larger, more expensive Google Home and even the much more powerful Google Home Max in that it can control your smart home devices. While the others make for very solid standalone speakers from a performance standpoint, the Home Mini can’t hold its own as the sole sound-maker in your house. We threw each speaker some rock tracks and some folk and found that the Home Mini is the undeniable victor of the two smart speakers. The Echo Dot can be used to listen to music but we wouldn't advise it.
This product features a fair-sized display that shows the clock, weather, and other data in addition to all the standard smart speaker tools. The Google Assistant hears me just fine, but voice calling is another story. When I called a few friends with the Mini, they all said that I sounded terrible. This isn't just a problem with the WiFi calling protocol that Google is using, either. I called the same people on the full-size Google Home and everyone said things sounded significantly better. That fabric-covered top is also the main physical interface for the Mini, when you don’t want to use your voice to control it.
Isn’t it annoying when you’ve misplaced your keys somewhere at home while running late to an appointment? Your Google Nest Mini can help you track them down, if you’re using one of Tile’s Bluetooth trackers. In order to track them down, you simply just say, “Hey Google, where are my keys? Google recently brought out the Google Nest Mini, which is incredibly similar to the original compact model but with a few key differences.
I wasn't a huge fan of the touch controls — they aren't quite responsive enough when you want to use them, and yet it's hard not to activate them by mistake whenever you pick the thing up. HomeKit is Apple’s very own smart home platform, and it enables smart home tech from central heating controllers to cameras, smart lights and smart appliances to communicate with your Home app. You can use it with Siri to control your entire home with your voice, and it’s easy to set up schedules and other automations to make your life easier.
The microphones are also making use of a new feature Google calls ultrasound sensing. The speaker emits tiny inaudible chirps, which bounce off objects in the environment, reflect back to the microphones and tell the device if someone is near. This is turned on when music is playing, but you can opt out of it if you like in the Home app. There's also the option to call your home speakers from the Home app if your mobile device has Google Duo installed. Google added several new features and improved sound quality to its second-generation smart speaker. Regardless of which color you go for, the Nest Mini has a fabric mesh on top that covers three touch-capacitive buttons for raising and lowering the volume, and play/pause.
Its next trick is more hardware in the form of the Google Home Max, so stay tuned for that. We consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry. A lower weight is also an advantage for home appliances, as it makes transportation easier, and for many other types of products. There is a control panel on the device body, so you can easily access the volume control or remote without having to interact with a cable or another device it's connected to. I tested this out with a hairdryer, and the Nest Mini automatically upped the volume as soon as I added that extra noise. The feature doesn't work with music, but it's one of those tiny updates that makes it feel like Google is really trying to solve those mundane, annoying moments in everyday life.
The Echo Dot with Clock will cost $10 more than the Nest Mini and you won't be able to mount it on your wall . However, you will get a practical LED display and the tactile joy of whacking the top of a smart speaker to snooze the alarm. The Google team also redesigned the speaker inside the Nest Mini, making it larger and just a bit heavier with more space around the components to create a fuller bass sound. In 2016, Google showed off its first smart speaker, the Google Home. Small but mighty, this speaker came with all the smarts of Google Home but at an affordable $49.
The Nest Mini is slightly heavier than the Home Mini , and you can feel the quality of the craftsmanship when you hold the Nest Mini in your hand. This much larger speaker pushes out way more sound and has advanced features such as the ability to adjust its audio output for the room it’s in. There’s also the Google Nest Hub ($99) if you want all of Google’s smarts in a smart display form factor. For example, you can create speaker groups and have them play the same song.
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