Gabe Turner: Hi, folks.
This is Gabe with Security Baron.
Today, we're taking a look at the upgraded Google Home Mini -- the Google Nest Mini.
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Gabe: In today's review of the Google Nest Mini, we're going to go over some pros and
cons, its design, its feature set, the user experience, the installation process and mobile
application, to make sure you have all the information you need to make the right decisions.
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Gabe: If you'd like to see a list of our favorite smart speakers, google, "Security Baron best
smart speakers."
If you have a question about today's review, leave us a comment, and I'll get back to you.
Let's kick off today's review of the Google Nest Mini, going over some pros and cons,
beginning with the pros.
Right off the bat, I want to talk about its ability to hear you better.
That comes from two things.
The first is it's added a third microphone for far-field detection.
The range is better.
I can just hear you, literally, from farther away.
On top of that, they've done some things internally to help with its ability to hear you over
ambient noise.
It should be able to understand you better when there's music playing, people talking,
and things of that nature.
On top of that, they've actually given you the ability to pair two Nest Minis.
You can have a right and a left for richer stereo sound in any particular space.
Finally, they've localized some of the computing so it doesn't have to send every question
immediately back to the Google Cloud server.
It actually gets to know you over time in the things that you ask so it can answer you
and help you out more fluidly.
Now, when it comes to cons, we do wish the Google Nest Mini had an auxiliary jack so
that we could incorporate it into larger sound systems.
Let's a look at some of the pros and cons on the Google Nest Mini.
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Gabe: Now that we've gone over some pros and cons for the Google Nest Mini, let's talk
about its design.
Now, a lot of folks say it looks like a hockey puck.
Go Predators.
However, I want to say that I'm a big fan of its subtle design.
It doesn't really call attention to itself.
It comes in four colors -- Chalk, Charcoal, Coral, and Sky.
It's a minimal device.
It's not going to do much in terms of bringing attention to itself, but I do think it can
inject a nice pop of color, especially if you get the Sky or Coral versions.
In today's age of minimalism, it definitely fits that interior idea.
In fact, it even goes the next step by allowing you to clear up some space on your counter
or your shelf, because it is mountable.
This mountable element is what really distinguishes it in some senses from its predecessor, the
Google Home Mini.
Otherwise, it's just as simple and minimal.
One thing you'll find is that it has one power port.
This is a proprietary Google cord.
Make sure you don't lose it.
If you want to mute the device, you do so physically.
You can simply move this button from one side to another and know that no one can hear your
conversation through any of the Nest features.
Finally, I really want to talk about the recycled bottle top.
This fabric is actually made of recycled plastic bottles.
We love to see sustainable initiatives like this here at Security Baron and hope to see
more going forward.
Overall, I'm a big fan of the humble swagger on the Nest Mini.
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Gabe: Whoa, hold on.
I hope you're enjoying today's review of the Google Nest Mini.
If you want to be kept up to date on the newest in smart speakers, cyber security, smart home
security, and more, subscribe to our channel, Security Baron.
We're dropping new content weekly.
All right, let's get back to the video.
We've gone over the pros and cons.
We've gone over the design.
Let's talk about the features set on the Google Nest Mini.
Now, it has three microphones now for far-field detection, which means it can just hear you
better.
I live in a small New York apartment, so it could probably hear me regardless of how many
microphones it has, but if you live in a house, you're going to really enjoy that improved
range and accuracy.
Now, if you want to actually hear it, it actually has ambient IQ.
What does that mean?
Well, it means that it takes into consideration ambient noise, like a loud ceiling fan, and
actually adjust the volume for you.
If it's not adjusting the volume for you, you want to do it for yourself, you can actually
hover you hand over the Google Nest Mini, and the LED display will come up showing you
the volume controls.
When it comes to volume, it's improved the bass.
They actually state that it is double the bass that the predecessor Google Home Mini
came with.
Finally, if you want to pair two of your Google Nest Minis together, you can do so.
You can pair a right and a left to get that nice stereo sound.
When it comes to being a smart device, Google Assistant paired with the Google Nest Mini
is still the leading service for answering life's questions in a thorough manner.
That's just the leg up you get when you're based on the Google search algorithm.
When it comes to the internal capacity, it has machine learning so it gets to know you
and your queries over time so it doesn't have to send every single question you ask it back
through the Google Cloud.
It can just answer you directly.
On top of that, it's mountable.
It makes it easier to mount with this mounting port so it gives you more flexibility in where
you're going to place your Nest Mini.
If you're trying to give someone a call, you can do so directly with the Nest Mini using
the Google Duo service.
That's a look at the feature set on the Google Nest Mini.
Moving on from the feature set, we want to talk about the installation and mobile application
experiences.
Typically, these would be separate sections.
However, because this experience is one and the same, we're going to go ahead and do them
at that same time.
Let's go ahead and dive in on my iPhone 7.
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Gabe: Here I am going through the installation and mobile application experience for the
Nest Mini on my iPhone.
One thing to note is that you're going to want to go ahead and plug it in and give it
about 30 seconds to boot up and then you can go ahead and set up the device.
Go ahead and get that process started.
I go to the upper left-hand corner.
We see that plus sign.
From there, I go to set up device.
Put it here in the Baron office.
Now, it's looking for new devices.
Here it says Google Home 8898 found.
Would I like to set up this device?
Say yes.
I did hear the sound.
It asked me, did I hear the sound.
I hear it.
I hear it, yes.
Yes, I'm in.
Let's call this the office.
Now we're going to connect to the WiFi.
Security Baron, put in the WiFi password.
It's now connecting to the WiFi.
Connected.
We're connected.
It's going to walk us through a couple of elements of setting up our Google Assistant.
I said yes.
I want activate the voice match on this device.
Of course, I have activated voice match on other devices so this could be a faster process
than usual.
Linked a few different services, like Netflix, HBO, and I can actually get started with voice
calls.
It's going to link my number.
Put in the address.
Now I can learn about the controls on the Nest Mini.
Tap the center for play and pause.
Change volume on each side.
I can turn the mic completely off and when I do that, I'll see that orange on top of
the device.
Now the office speaker is ready to go.
Automated Voice: Hi, I'm your Google Assistant.
I'm here to help.
To learn a few things you could do, continue in the Google Home app.
Gabe: Now there are a few more elements we're going to check out.
Few more, finish that setup.
Now it's set up.
Got a new device, this office speaker.
Let's go check it out.
You see here I can change the volume.
I hear it on the actual device itself.
Go back down, becomes quieter.
If I go into settings in the upper right-hand corner, you can see a few different settings
like the equalizer for the bass and the treble.
I can tap on that, I can change that if I want a little more bass for my hip-hop songs,
that is an option for me.
I can change the device settings, right now it's on default speaker.
I can have a night mode or a do not disturb mode.
I can pair it with various Bluetooth devices.
It's great that you do have a little bit of flexibility here in the app.
Even for a device that is so voice control centered like the Nest Mini.
If I pop out of there, you can go directly to that equalizer right to the left of the
settings button.
That is pretty much all the functionality you get out of the Google Home app and your
Google Nest Mini.
Everything else essentially, you're going to be doing with your voice and your Google
Nest Mini or the Google Assistant mobile application.
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Gabe: Let's go ahead and show you how you can add more actions to your Google Assistant
mobile application, which will get you more functionality out of your Google Nest Mini.
For example, I can simply go into the Google actions and I can search for EufyHome.
EufyHome will allow me to control so many elements of my smart home using my voice and
my Google Nest Mini.
I simply tap on Setup and then from there you'll see that there are a number of devices.
Home, Nest, things of that nature.
I can go to my Eufy and control different elements.
You get a lot of functionality out of the Google Nest Mini with the Google Assistant
mobile application.
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Gabe: Here I am checking out the Google Nest Mini's user experience.
You have some touch control capabilities, so if I go and touch the center, I can pause
it or play.
If I go to one side, I can go ahead and turn it down.
I can turn that volume up.
Let's go ahead and check out some of the capabilities you get with the built-in Google Assistant.
Beginning with just playing music.
Play "Oceans" by Valise Alps.
Automated Voice: OK, Oceans by Valise Alps.
Here it is on Spotify.
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Gabe: Turn off music.
What about things you want to do out in the world?
Maybe you want to go see a basketball game.
You can say, "When is the next Brooklyn Nets home game?"
Automated Voice: The Nets will be playing the Pacers on November 18 at 7:30 PM.
Gabe: Maybe you need some directions to the game.
You can say, "What's the best way to Barclays Center?"
Automated Voice: The best way to get to Barclays Center by car is via Flatbush Avenue extension
in Flatbush Avenue, and it will take about 14 minutes in heavy traffic.
You can see the full route on your phone.
Gabe: The next Brooklyn Nets game is actually going to be in Utah against the Utah Jazz,
where they have a player I always like named Rudy Gobert.
I was wondering how to say basketball in his native language of French, so I could just
ask Google, "How do you say basketball in French?"
Automated Voice: In French, that's basketball.
Gabe: Sounds pretty similar.
I can handle that.
Maybe I've been inspired to play some basketball now and I want to play it, but you know what,
I need a new basketball.
I can just ask Google, I say, "Add a Spalding basketball to my Google Shopping Cart."
Automated Voice: OK.
The first thing I found on Google Shopping is Spalding TF-1000 Classic basketball, from
Target for $54.99.
How's that sound?
Gabe: That sounds good.
Automated Voice: All right, I added it to your cart.
Your Target order qualifies for free delivery now.
Do you need anything else or are you ready to check out?
Gabe: No, thank you.
I'll check out later.
Automated Voice: OK.
Gabe: All of this googling has me exhausted.
I cannot be bothered to even lift a finger, turn out the lights.
Fortunately I can use my Google Nest Mini to control my smart home and just say, "Turn
off the Baron lamp."
Automated Voice: Sure.
Turning off four lights.
Gabe: While I get probably get some work done, so let me get these lights back on.
"Turn on Baron lamp."
Automated Voice: OK, turning Baron lamp on.
Gabe: The final thing I wanted to test with the Google Nest Mini is the implementation
of a new feature called Ambient IQ which allows the Google Nest Mini to understand you, even
when there's a lot of ambient noise in the vicinity.
I'm going to test it out for about 10 feet away.
Let's go ahead and knock it out.
I've got my Amazon Echo show queued up at about 50 percent volume, and right beside
it I have my Google Nest Mini.
Let's see if it can hear my commands through the music.
"Continue playing music."
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Gabe: "Play Fruitflies by Gabriel Garzon-Montano."
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Automated Voice: OK, Fruitflies by Gabriel Garzon-Montano playing on Spotify.
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Gabe: "Turn off music.
Pause music."
That's a look at the user experience on the Google Nest Mini.
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Gabe: We've given you some highlights on the Google Nest Mini, but let me provide you with
the Mini break down.
It fits any homes interior with its four colors and subtle design.
Along with the ability to be placed not only on a counter or shelf, but even up on a wall.
It gives you the ability to control your smart home solely using your voice and provide solid
sound quality.
It's not going to replace your dedicated hi-fi speakers, or even its larger cousin the Google
Home, but it's a great device at an affordable price point of just $49.
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Gabe: That concludes our review of the Google Nest Mini.
If you appreciate today's video, give us a like and hit that subscribe button.
As always, this is Gabe at Security Baron, be secure.