While visiting relatives, there was this tiny, circular speaker sitting on an end table. From this four inch (in diameter) grey mesh sphere, music was blasting out of it. I'm talking, blasting, as in, "turn it up to 11, boys!!". With a white tail leading to a wall outlet, I found out that this hockey puck answers to "Google" and be told to "shut up".
Yes, my cousin told Google to stop
I didn't ask too many questions outside of "does the thing that answers to a specific Internet name need to not hear its name?" and "when did you get the thing we can't say its name?". Yes, the Google Home Mini answers to "Hey, Google" and does respond with various commands. It was given to the owner as a Hanukkah present from one of the children.
Upon my own research, the Mini can not be bought on Amazon, but via the Google Store as well as various big box retailers (price ranges from $39-$59 depending on where you're buying it). Conversely, Amazon sells various accessories for the assistant, including the persuading of buying their own version of the smart device.
While I didn't get a lesson in how the whole thing works, I will say this: it's pretty easy on the eyes, with it's rounded mesh top and white bottom, as well as the audio level can be enormously high for the hard of hearing.
I wonder how it would fare with other smart devices connected to it, and how it connects with the Google Store. Do you have to have a Google / Play account in order to use this device (much like it is "recommended" to have Prime for Amazon's toys), or can you link to a (third party) retailer to be able to purchase items (do you have to purchase items)? What are the other recommendations for this device? If you don't need an account to anywhere, how will it play music and do you need a credit card attached to some website to be charged accordingly (ie you ask it to play Bobby Darin but don't have your phone connected to it. Does it play from the Google Store and Google automatically bills you)? How does it play with other developer apps (as in, non Google apps)?
There are so many questions that need sorting out, and one of the other major ones include "what is the drive by ratio to this?". As in, when I read some reviews about Alexa, people were saying security is key and king to these devices, and users were finding their speakers hijacked via drivebys. At what rate is Google's assistant being tested with?
I guess this all means I need to look into all the competitors and see who's doing what these days, and what the pros and cons are with each device people are buying. Now that I've see two big players' speakers, what else am I missing, and what can I compare it all to?
Pictures or this post is moot:
Happy Super Bowl Sunday. Behave yourselves and "Go Pats"!
Cheers;
See Also:
Amazon Keyword Search "google home mini"
Amazon Keyword Search "google speaker home mini"
