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Keep in mind that you can also view all your visible devices under android.com/find. Having previously relied on IFTTT add-ons, Google introduced native compatibility to find your phone using its smart speaker. Google Home and Nest Audio speakers can make your phone ring when you’ve left it under a cushion or in the other room, even when it’s on silent. All you have to do to get the job done is say, “OK Google, Find/Ring my phone”.
With Google Assistant at the ready, there’s plenty more you can do with either version of Google’s smallest smart speaker. Unlike the Home Mini, the Nest Mini comes with a built-in wall mount. It also provides better sound, with improved bass response, although the physical speakers in both devices use 40mm drivers. Since the Google Home Mini has all of the same functionality as the Google Home, it makes a good entry-level smart speaker.
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It’s the best way to voice control Google Play Music, and Google’s wealth of internet knowledge provides more answers to queries than any other voice assistant. The Home Mini comes in three colors — light gray, dark gray, and coral red — all entirely inoffensive and designed to blend discreetly into a modern, HGTV-slash-Apple-Store home décor. The top of the Mini is covered in a textured fabric, which looks great when it’s brand-new, but I worry that it will become a dust collector in short time. Having to vacuum the top of my smart speaker instead of just wiping it off with a rag is something I never thought I’d have to consider, yet here we are. Cat owners may also have to contend with their pets viewing the Mini as a toy or scratching pad. One of our favorite Google Home tips makes this process simpler with its “Guest Mode”.
If your router is located in an obscure area that is blocked by objects, then your device will have difficulty accessing the WiFi signal. Google’s not done with its Home ecosystem, however, and it’s been adding features and plugging gaps quickly in the year since the first Home debuted. Its next trick is more hardware in the form of the Google Home Max, so stay tuned for that.
What is the Nest Mini?
Simply follow the prompts and instructions on your mobile device to finish setting up your HomePod. If you’re curious about how smart devices work, check out our article on How the Internet of Things Works. The only other item of interest on the Home Mini’s hardware is the physical mute switch on the back of it. Slide the switch and the Home Mini will turn off its always-listening microphones; slide it back and it will return to its normal, surveillance state.
If you don't have a YouTube Music Premium account,you'll get a station of songs inspired by the song, album, or artist you asked for. You can't get specific songs, or albums on demand, but you can ask for music based on genre, mood or activity, or for YouTube Music's curated playlists. If you have a YouTube Music Premium account,you can play content on demand.
Listen to music on Google Nest and Google Home speakers and displays
Now that you’ve turned voice collection off, you can delete what Google already has. Just click on “Manage Activity” beneath the toggle on the Activity Controls website. Google may be storing everything you say to your Google Home and keeping the recordings forever, just as Alexa does. Google recently changed the default behavior not to keep the recordings. And get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. You'll get different music based on the content partner and your subscription.
It’s possible that during the initial setup, your device recognized your network, but somewhere along the way, you made changes . But despite the good-sounding speaker and far-reaching microphones, the calling feature, which lets you ask the Home or Home Mini to place a call, does not work very well at all. Calls sounded choppy and distant on the Home Mini, while callers on the other side complained of similar issues. Expanding your smart home beyond a single Google Home hub opens up a world of possibilities. The first add-on you should consider is a Chromecast, freeing your TV to stream pretty much anything from the internet.
With a very affordable price point, you can pick up a Home Mini and try it out to see if you could benefit from having smart speakers in your home without spending a lot of money. Needs a mobile device to be set up, like an iPhone or iPad, rather than a Mac or PC. When you're setting up your HomePod, it will automatically connect to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone or iPad, so you don't have to follow any particular steps to connect it to the internet. Once your HomePod is paired with your iPhone or iPad, it's time to customize settings and preferences for your device.
When you do connect Google Home to the internet, you unlock the functionality of Google Assistant. The way it works is you say "OK Google" or "Hey Google," and then talk to the device almost like you would talk to a person. This will temporarily disable access to the device in question, but if you ever want it back, don't worry, all you need to do is reconnect it. The good news is that Google has said it won't share personally identifiable information . Still, the company won't tell users anything more about how it plans to use the data.
You can even tell Google to “play the sound of rain”, and it will pull up an hour-long recording. This Google Home tip can give you something to do to whittle away a few minutes, thanks to a selection of games. True or False is a classic guessing game and with third-party app integration, you can test your trivia knowledge with the True or False action integration.
This includes smart light bulbs, switches, cameras, locks, and every other smart home device you can think of. Enabling this Google Home feature in its settings allows other people with the Home app to quickly connect to your home’s devices by bursting an inaudible four-digit PIN to your guest’s smartphone. The person will then receive an email with instructions on what to do.
Ever taken a pause to ponder a word or phrase while reading a book or article? Sometimes we get so busy, we forget that we need to take care of ourselves. If you like to exercise at a certain time of the day or week, you can ask Google Home to remind you to work out at a specific time.
An internet connection is required for Google Home Mini to function properly. If you've done all the steps above and you still can't get it to work, you'll need to contact Google for support. They can either replace your device or walk you through extra troubleshooting steps. WiFi signal interference is a common cause for Google Home Mini not to connect to WiFi.
The first thing I did when I got home was check my Google Home My Activity portal. Everything that’s supposed to be there is what’s there – mostly just setting timers and playing music. If you're sold on the whole concept of talking to your virtual assistant, control your entire smart home through Google Home with voice commands. With Google Home as the centerpiece of your smart home, use voice commands to turn your lights on and off, control your television and other smart electronics, adjust your thermostat, and more. The original Google Home device is essentially a single two-inch speaker and some computer hardware packaged up in a housing that looks something like an air freshener.
Looking to buy one of the Google Home or Nest Audio smart speakers, or a Chromecast? Perhaps you want to make the most of the one you already own? Here’s a list of the best hidden Google Home and Nest Audio features, along with some Google Chromecast tips. As a smart speaker, Google Home excels when used for entertainment purposes. Use several Google Home devices together to create a stereo entertainment system, have one in each room of your house to listen to music wherever you go, or arrange these devices in any other way you like.
