The privacy concerns far outweigh this device's usefulness. Register now and take advantage of ProductReview's Brand Management Platform! It is spying at best. You can ask it questions. It is not learning. Let's get this straight immediately. Google Home is the closest thing Australia has to J.A.R.V.I.S., but it's going to be a long time before any of us suit up in iron armour to save the world. He also enjoys turning lights off with it and annoying his sisters. Again, no problem with Google Home Mini. Google, as well as Amazon and Apple, have been caught spying on people with these devices. Recently added Echo Dot and Echo Input to my home on top of the Google Home Mini that I already have for quite a while. I absolutely love the morning routine. Product manager for Google Home Raunaq Shah said in addition to teaching the product to understand 'Strayan, the assistants soft, female voice was also made to sound Aussie. 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. On paper, Echo Dot wins. By Tim Biggs. * Ability to call Apple phone not possible with Google Home. See the Best Speakers in 2020 as rated by Australians on ProductReview.com.au. The Google Home Mini may have been usurped by the Nest Mini last year, but we don't think you should write it off just yet – not least because you can find some fantastic Google Home Mini deals as a result. Or stream to Nest Mini from your phone. Unique product. This gadget works like a news caster everyday once you greet her. Nice and compact. Yes it has some good tie-ins if you have gone 'all-in' on Google devices, such as Chromecasts. Purchased in August 2018 at JB Hi-Fi Retail Stores. The Google home mini is great if you can't find the tv remote so instead you ask Google to turn the tv on or off, it doesn't change the channel though, that would be good if it did. Therefore, on the grounds of better voice, more natural language and voice assistance capabilities mean Google Home Mini wins imho. I hope it is not listening when it is OFF!! The palm-sized Home Mini gives off a look that its fabric mesh is just for looks, but it’s actually conductive to your touch in a few areas. But putting aside its smart capabilities for a moment, the Home Mini boasts an impressive set of features that are available right out of the box for those who can’t be bothered to talk to their speaker or connect it with extraneous services. So, use it if you want. * Microphone - Echo Dot seems to be able to hear better, probably because she has 4 microphones compared with 1 that Google Home Mini has. Sometimes it doesn't pick the voice But it talks to you like real human. Well over 80% of my inquiries lead to the most common response you will get - "I'm sorry, I can't help you with that, but I'm still learning....". I don't know how the design difference impacts UX in this case. Further details in the disclaimer. When I use it as a bluetooth speaker with my laptop, it will regularly drop its connection with my laptop. While it's a good value for the price, its poor sound performance makes it a better desk buddy than a standalone speaker. Ltd. All Rights Reserved. WhatsApp. As such, you’ll find the fabric texture on the top of this device with the matte plastic on the bottom half. Tell it to do things. Can I buy 4 or 5 minis and sync them all using a sing audio source.? Google Home Mini has been replaced by Google Nest Mini. Purchased for my 10 year old son together with a smart lightglobe and he loves it. When I say, "Turn off everything." B.S. Google Home Mini otoh continues to use its built-in speaker for dialogue. With the Echo Dot, I couldn't get it to play a number of radio stations on TuneIn. But all these 'great deals' like 2 for $79 available on this product is just Google's attempt to saturate more homes with the...Read more. There's nothing I couldn't already do from my phone that this speaker offers; just with an audio interface. Google Home Mini (Speaker): 3.9 out of 5 stars from 121 genuine reviews on Australia's largest opinion site ProductReview.com.au. Google Home Mini Australia get hands-free help in any room It's powered by the Google Assistant. Purchased in April 2019 at Google Store for A$79.00. This warranty applies if you purchased your Google Home Mini (all referred to as a “Google Home Mini”) in Australia. Write a review on ProductReview.com.au! The quality of sound and microphone both work really well. Similar to the Amazon Echo Dot, it's clear that the Home Mini is Google’s attempt at getting the Assistant into as many homes as possible. Once your smartphone is set up with the Home Mini, it’s simple to begin listening. I bought it from JB HiFi because there was a promotion going on I think I saved my money. Admittedly, my verdict is at odds with Tom's Guide which has a nice review comparing the two. Google provided TechRadar with a coral (peach-colored) model, but the Home Mini is also available in chalk (grey) or charcoal (black). While skilled in pulling up the most obscure music you can think up from a fairly wide variety of streaming services, the Mini has a difficult time doing them justice because of this speaker’s diminutive profile. Grab a bargain from Australia's leading home appliance store. Similar opinion? * Integration - the breath of compatible products is larger than Google Home. 5. Save. I don't have nbn or adsl and I usually hotspot all my devises from my mobile phone. I can ask it to play my NetFlix or Spotify, information about weather and any GK question. Connecting is a breeze through the Google Home app and is quick to teach you a thing or two about the Home Mini, like how it works and resources that provide instant access to a wide variety of free audio content. Highly recommended and good value for money. It’s more than enough if you’re simply using it to get a glimpse at your calendar, hear the latest news or phone a friend with its free voice calling (available now in US, coming later in the UK). technology; Review: Does Google’s smart speaker, Google Home, work in Australia? Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for. [3] A little help with the Google Assistant. Contact google Australia but that has been a nightmare. 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. Otherwise these LEDs are just not visible. 353. The voice recognition is very advanced and responsive. 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. Search the world's information, including webpages, images, videos and more. As the name implies, the device does everything a Google Home does in a much smaller package. * Connectivity - 3.5mm stereo port and voice command to pair and unpair bluetooth speaker. When I want to play music all I have to say is hey Google Play YouTube and boom YouTube plays not only that it tells me the weather for today as well just something small and great, The reviewer stated that an incentive was offered for this review, Great product, easy to set up, very good speaker to blue tooth your music at home, and a affordable price, can get it in other colours to match home. The speaker performance is great as well as the microphone. The first device that I’ve seen to use this is the Nest Hello . But, keep in mind that it’s best viewed as a supplement to the Home family, not the foundation. Echo Dot tells me she can't find a device called Everything. Please refresh the page and try again. I give it a ten. * Voice command - not as rigid as Echo Dot, understand commands better. General disclaimer: All third party trademarks, images and copyrights on this page are used for the purpose of comparative advertising, criticism or review. And with Voice Match, you can hear your personalised schedule, commute times, reminders and more. 5.0 (401 Reviews) 5 Star. Bad idea. You can place a call for free in the US, a feature that's also recently launched in the UK, as well as stream music through an assortment of music apps like Pandora, Spotify, YouTube Music, iHeartRadio and more. But that’s where the comparisons stop. The Google Home Mini looks as if Google turned the Home upside down, then smushed it down to size. This isn’t a problem if you have other speakers picking up the slack, but by itself, the Home Mini just isn’t mighty enough. But wow, the speaker quality is good and the two-way conversation with google home is seamless. The basic idea behind the Google Home Mini is minimalism, and Google seems to have nailed it on that front. To give Dad something he actually loves - and uses daily - read on for a list of Christmas gift ideas on Dad's secret wish list. The soundstage – despite being pitched as 360-degrees – falls a little flat. There was a problem. But I have three those and didn't find myself using that feature anyway. Shop Online for Google GA00781-AU Google Nest Home Mini (Charcoal and more at The Good Guys. Yes, the Google Home Mini is less than half the price of the larger Google Home, and half its size, too; however, it just doesn’t sound like we’re getting half its performance – we’re getting something a bit less. ... Stephen is the Tech Guide editor and one of Australia's most respected tech journalists. Playing Spotify playlist, I have to utter the exact sentence - Alexa, play Spotify playlist xxx. Home assistant is a keyboard / voice commander and doesn't attempt to replace such as Spotify. 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. We tried to set this up in Google Home. Echo Dot and Google Home Mini are both voice assistance products. This Google Nest is very attentive once you started asking question. Wont recommend a google home specially buying anything from Google directly. Google kept things simple with the Mini's design. Its Assistant smarts, large list of features and low price make it easy to take the plunge on the Home Mini. It does what it should but I don't like how it tries to push Google Assistant with everything. If you’re in the market for a cheap speaker, the Google Home Mini will do the trick for many. This is a public forum presenting user opinions on selected products and businesses, and as such the views expressed do not reflect the opinion of ProductReview.com.au. That's about it really. Got my Home Mini a few weeks back, took a spot my bathroom, sound is just right for the small space and come in handy during the morning for weather and local radio streaming. 4 Star. Google's smart speaker is great for those with a Home-enabled home. Great value! I still have the faulty unit and hasn’t been sorted in last 5 months! Tell you the weather. Linkedin. Your trust is our top concern. As Tom's Guide pointed out, vocal is better with Google Home Mini and like I said, it is a voice commander to me. However, if you already own a Google Home or have a speaker set up with a Chromecast Audio, the Home Mini will make your audio arrangement even sweeter with its expertise leaning on the highs in the sound profile. In spite of that fact however, it’s impossible not to recommend this little device. Plus there's the leaked transcripts that clearly reveal it was listening in when it shouldn't have been and those recordings made it back to Google. Pinterest. Really unhelpful and forced me to re-ask my questions on multiple occasions but out of earshot of the Mini. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ProductReview.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links. Updated July 21, 2017 — 11.05am first published July 19, 2017 — 1.12pm. Whether shouting from across the room or speaking gently 10 feet away, the Home Mini yielded similarly great results. But if you’re looking for something that will faithfully reproduce your favorite music, this isn’t the best solution out there. Vocals and the like chime through clearly, but come in at the expense of, well, everything else. Purchased in January 2020 at Kmart for A$32.00. I have my Google Home Mini's on their side so LEDs face forward. I mean the same song or playlist being played in all the speakers? Purchased in January 2020 at Officeworks for A$35.00. 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. Companies can't alter or remove reviews from ProductReview.com.au. [4] Control your home … Powered by the Google Assistant, you can ask it questions and tell it to do things. That said. To sum it up in one line, Echo Dot hears you but doesn't understand sometimes. Google's smaller smart speaker, the Google Home Mini has been available in Australia for some time now, but it's only relatively recently that we've … It plays the weather, news and then music on Spotify (free) for me. That's all. Tie Purchased in August 2019 at JB Hi-Fi Online Store for A$54.00. * Aesthetics - looks is a personal thing so I am only going on the grounds of functionality. Thanks Google. TechRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. I love love love this. It seems there is a way to do so with HP printers however I have a Canon.Apart from the above I've had my mini for about a month and I seriously like it.RegardsPete Ashmore, Bega, Australia. Review: Google Home Mini. Face-palm! I have a large living room. Not to be afraid of smart technology! Future Publishing Australia ABN: 96 734 906 323 | PO Box 1077, Mount St, Turns out this only works if you have a Telstra mobile number. Although I like the fact the Echo Dot comes with 3.5mm stereo jack, Google Home Mini's built-in speaker continues to work for dialog, despite it is paired to a bluetooth speaker, only music goes to the paired speaker. It will give you the things you need based on your preferences and settings of your account. Google Home is a 'smart home' gadget that responds to your voice commands in a variety of ways. It costs $129 for the standard Home speaker, $49 for the Home mini version, and $399 for the audio-enhanced Google Home Max. Watch out, Amazon Echo Dot. It would turn off automatically every now and then. I meant to say better than Siri :) I have even connected google mini with wifi light bulbs and they are working great! I don't use their built-in speaker for music. * App - each to its own, Amazon Alexa tries to be a one-stop shop with music play capability. Tom's Guide, like me, favours the Google Home Mini for voice assistance. Sometimes it will be fine for a few hours, other times it will just drop within minutes. 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. Visit our corporate site. This is much more intuitive. While the fabric on top occupies most of the surface, it is there for more than just looks. Google Home Mini is a smart speaker that performs plenty of things for you such as gives you daily updates about your day, it solves your math problem, translate phrases to any other language and much more. Armed with first hand experience of both eco-system here is a little comparison: For Google Home Mini* Search - much better search capability thanks to Google. Since many mothers tend to spout selfless phrases like ‘please don’t spend any money on me,’ Christmas is a great opportunity to spoil your Mum. Easier to add new device also. I find the Echo Dot easier to see given LEDs cover the whole circumference of the unit. In reality, it is not as clear cut. We put the Google Home Mini to the test. Great value as well. At that, the sheer amount of capabilities that the Google Home brings in addition to its chic, premium build and the low price make it an instant star. Worked ok for first few months and then from October started playing up. Google Home Review. With Google Home Mini, if you get her attention, she tends to do what you want. so I am satisfied! The Google Home Mini is, basically, Google's spin on an Amazon Echo Dot. Google Home And Google WiFi: Australian Release Date, Specs And Pricing. Tried to play a particular song, like advertised, and it says you need YouTube Music account to do that. The Google Nest Mini is basically the same speaker as the Google Home Mini. * Construction - heavier, feels more solid. Google Home Mini – Australian Review. Discover the key facts and see how Google Home Mini performs in the portable speaker ranking. The Home Mini is the cheapest way of buying into the Assistant yet for those looking to buy into Google’s smart home ecosystem. Google Home Mini ⭐ review. For Echo Dot* Sound quality - more bass and louder, but vocal sounds muddier than Google Home Mini....Read more. Just ask and get the best of Google – weather, news or almost anything. I tested my two for about 6 months and then after the controversy mentioned above I unplugged them both and put them away. Moving down to the lower half, the Home Mini features a micro USB port on its rear to provide power (this device is battery-free, like the Amazon Echo Dot) and a microphone switch that enables you to turn off active listening, making this a speaker that you’ll have to tap to interact with. He uses it to set alarms and play ambient music before he goes to bed. DJI Mini 2 drone review – small in size but huge on features and quality ... Google Home Hub review – the smart speaker is even more versatile with a screen. Placing a finger on the left and right sides of the speaker lowers and raises the volumes, as you might expect. Echo Dot won on the grounds that it has better sound, broader range of integrated products and design. There is not much else to it and after a few months there is a high possibility you will grow out of it, and it will just sit there collecting dust! Verdict © Jason Murray - 24 October 2017. Google Home Mini Review: The First Great Echo Dot Rival The Google Home Mini looks and sounds better than Amazon's smallest Alexa speaker, but it’s not quite as versatile. Not much use for this product besides it's voice commands. For example, tapping the top pauses and resumes play. I would rather spend money on Mini then any other speaker. The Google Home Mini is a no-nonsense smart speaker. Speaking of Cast, Google’s latest speaker works best within a crowd of other Cast-enabled devices. NSW 2059. Bought a home mini off google store in May last year. My go to for everything ! It loses one star as I am a bit uncomfortable that it stores all my voice commands and searches, breach of privacy I think. The Google Home Mini is an ideal starter product for smart speaker virgins. [Update: The latest Google Assistant speaker is here – the Google Nest Audio comes with upgraded sound quality, a new design, and costs $99 / £89 / AU$149. The affordable Google Home Mini does something that most of the best Bluetooth speakers can’t: it comes equipped with Google Assistant, which is always at the ready to help you find answers, turn on the tunes, dim the lights, start a TV show and more by using nothing but your voice. * Radio - more channels are supported. Things would have been easier if I bought it from JB HiFi! It's cute, it's compact, and it was only $49 / £49 / AU$79 at launch (although you can generally find it for less than half the price these days). What does it do? Coming soon to The Good Guys. Ok, so. It's a voice activated alarm clock and timer. The device does not just wait for the "Hey Google" but it gets triggered by totally unrelated words, phrases and TV audio. Twitter. Therefore, on the grounds of being a voice assistant, Google Home is more reliable and more capable of the two. There’s certainly an aspect of subjectivity in judging sound quality, but most would agree that what the Home Mini is capable of isn’t a whole lot. You will receive a verification email shortly. However sometimes it disconnects from my phone in the middle of songs and I have to reconnect a few times. ProductReview.com.au has affiliate partnerships. I know you're collecting data on everything I say but give me the option to opt-out easily. Recently installed my mini. If you search the google support forums, you will find that its a common issue/flaw that they know about, but have yet to find a way to solving it even after all this time. This gadget acts as a speaker and weather boy - but that is about it. For everyone else, not so much. I have setup some automation with light switches that work great with voice commands too. * Dialog - sounds more natural. But I can also do that from my phone. It's cute, it's compact, and it was only $49 / £49 / AU$79 at launch (although you can generally find it for less than half the price these days). Google Home Mini review: Finally, an affordable way to have Google all over your house. Google had plans to allow for the Assistant to be summoned by tapping and holding on the middle, but has since permanently (via: 9to5Google) disabled the feature due to privacy concerns. 35. Speaking of audio, there were quite a number of times where I'd ask Google a question and my phone and the nearest Mini would be triggered into a response but the audio would come out of the Mini about 10-15 metres away instead of the phone in my hand! No problems with Google Home Mini. Google Home is a brand of smart speakers developed by Google. If you hop onto Google and type in ‘Christmas gifts for Dad,’ you’ll likely be met with a barrage of ads for personalised beer glasses and novelty socks. The device works fine but sometimes it talks randomly without saying "OK Google" or "Hey Google" which is so weird. The novelty wears off pretty quickly. But, on its own, the Google Home Mini shouldn’t be used as much more than a desk buddy. It's your own.. Google Home Deals, Coupon Codes, Prices, Reviews. Countless HOURS on the phone has not got me anywhere. Also good if you need information quickly. As a smart speaker alone it's pretty decent product. So, use it if you want. Purchased in June 2019 at JB Hifi Home for A$45.00. To make life easier you can set the Home Mini to automatically play music through another speaker by default, so you don't need to explain this to Google Assistant every time, but unfortunately the Mini lacks the 3.5mm audio line-out found on its Amazon counterpart the Echo Dot – which lets you connect the Dot to an external speaker. 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. REVIEW: Google’s smart speaker, Home, is finally out in the US and promises to run your life. The Home Mini is also a smart home hub in that it can also integrate with Internet of Things (IoT) devices from the likes of TP-Link, Philips Hue, Wemo and more. Google Home Mini is a powerful little helper. Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. Good for controlling smart devices like WIFI plugs etc . This is Perfect ! North Sydney If you don't think this happens then are too naive and should unplug at once! This mini speaker can get fairly loud, but there’s no bass in the delivery. Product Reviews. In terms of what the Home Mini can take control of, the list goes on. The only downside is I get sick of hearing Hey Google! Anything else it does is so mundane it lowers your IQ after listening to it. Can I do this with the mini? Exposing its bottom, you can see a circular rubber mat to keep still on whichever surface that you place it on. But all these 'great deals' like 2 for $79 available on this product is just Google's attempt to saturate more homes with the... ir spying devices so they can use your data for their own devices, usually to make a profit by selling it to third parties. Google Home Australian review: does your house need one? 3 Star. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices, The microphone toggle switch (Image credit: TechRadar), Four lights appear on the Home Mini when it's listening and thinking (Image credit: TechRadar), Google Home vs Google Home Mini vs Google Home Max, The new Mass Effect trailer could be the first sign of a true Mass Effect 4, Obscure Chinese company unveils $399 Dell XPS 13 wannabe business laptop, Samsung Galaxy S21 release date and details confirmed by official store, PS5 restock update: here's the next likely order date if the schedule holds, Samsung Galaxy S21 cameras show up in first real world photo leak, Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K max details is a strain for even the Nvidia RTX 3090, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: release date, cast and what we know, Cyberpunk 2077 on mobile could bring about Google Stadia's renaissance, We compare Google's two tiny speakers in our. It's a dinky device that comes with Google Assistant and can be used purely as a wireless speaker or as a smart hub, through which you can control other Google Home or Chromecast-enabled speakers around your house. Echo Dot on the other hand, once paired or plugged into the 3.5mm jack, would talk to you through the paired speakers. Logitech Stereo Speakers Z120 Computer Speakers, Google Home Mini trumps Echo Dot as voice assistant with some draw backs. However, this can be a tricky feat if your mum hasn’t told you what kind of gift she’d be happy with. Google Home's lame attempt feels almost insulting. This device is about 10 years too early to market. OK Google, so you want me to pay an extra $70 per month to use this $40 toy. It is now available for the Australian audience and here is a review to take a look at. It's pretty useless as a speaker for music but it's ok for audio books. Either give the speaker a shout for some tunes, being as specific or vague as you’d like, or just hit the Cast button near the top to give your phone free reign to push its audio straight to the Home Mini. The Google Home Mini is an obvious competitor to the Amazon Echo Dot, a device that looks like a can of chewing tobacco and offers a lot of the same capabilities as … The problem is justifying its own existence as the middle child with a cheaper alternative in the Google Home Mini ($30 at Best Buy) and a more expensive model, the Google Home … Limited Warranty. And that part I don't even mind if it actually learned something from all that spying! Google has recently added announcements into Google Home, which lets the speaker notify you in real-time of certain events. Set timers and alarms. Google claims it has 40 percent more bass, but the difference is negligible to our ears. He is a regular on radio and TV talking about the latest tech news, products and trends. Purchased in December 2019 at Officeworks. Dialogue volume should be configurable as a minimum. ... Like any Home, the Mini does all the Google … By. Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! It launched alongside the Pixel 5 and a new Chromecast at the company's Launch Night In event on September 30.]. Easy to set up and very easy to use. 12. Google just announced a lovely hockey puck of a gadget called the Google Home Mini. It can send a request to pull up a YouTube video over to your Chromecast to effortlessly begin viewing. For a limited time, you can grab a Google Home Mini for just $36 from Bunnings Warehouse. If you purchased your Google Home Mini in Australia, the following applies to your device: Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian … I got a google home mini for Xmas.. it’s an awesome product...full of information just ask it and it gives you a reply ...a bit like the missus...welcome to the 21st century Duck rogers!!