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Set next to one another, it’s apparent that the new spherical shape of the Echo Dot makes it look larger than the Nest Mini — nearly double its height. John is a technology journalist specializing in smart home devices, security cameras, and home security systems. John holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley University. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting countless DIY projects he has yet to complete.
Still, most major smart home device makers like Philips Hue and Samsung SmartThings support both. In just a few short years, virtual assistant technology in homes has come leaps and bounds. What started as support playing music soon evolved to doing our washing for us and tucking us in at night by switching off the lights and reading a story or playing soft music to lull us to sleep. I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade.
Can Alexa drop in on Google Home?
With Google Nest Mini, there are fewer compatible music services sources, but you can use Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Deezer, and Google Play Music, among other options. The Nest Mini may not have a clock option, but it still uses LED dots to communicate, and it’s available in chalk, charcoal, coral, and sky. Again, the build quality is excellent, and the Nest Mini’s pincushion form gives the device its own identity. Google’s recent design upgrade made the nest Mini more eco-friendly too. But, what sets it apart is the notch on its underside, which allows you to hang it on a wall. In contrast, the Google Nest Mini has three far-field microphones for voice detection, as well as a 1.57-inch speaker driver.
To reply on Google Assistant, the fam can say "Reply" or "Send a reply," followed by your message. Unfortunately, Alexa doesn't support replies to general announcements, but you can use Drop In to establish an audio connection between two Alexa speakers, which works similarly. Both brands have location-based reminders where you can get a reminder upon arriving home, to work, or custom location. For example, if you ask for a reminder to get eggs at Walmart, the smart assistant will ask which store you want to use and give you a reminder on your smartphone when you get there. One recent Alexa feature, Hunches, even allows it to automatically turn off lights when it thinks everyone's asleep or out of the house. Hunches can also change Alexa Guard to Away mode for added security when you leave for an evening run.
Best smart home routines: Amazon Alexa
Reliability is important for any sort of assistant, virtual or not. I kept track of how often I needed to repeat myself or rephrase a question for an assistant to get it. Both Google and Alexa did pretty well, occasionally requiring a repeated or rephrased query but generally answering requests promptly and to the best of the devices' abilities. While these assistants offer many of the same features, each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Google Home can control more than 1,500 smart home products so you can ask it to turn on your microwave, turn up the lights, and switch off the TV. Stepping down from those models, the Echo Dot has a bit of an edge over the Nest Mini, which has fairly weak bass and midrange. Of course, these smaller speakers are much more suitable for nightstands and desks than serving as a room's main audio device. Stay updated on the latest products and services anytime, anywhere.
Main Differences Between Google Nest Mini and Alexa
Now, the Next Mini, on the other hand, actually has the lights underneath the fabric. So, from a distance, if you were trying to talk to this speaker, it's going to be hard to see if those lights are on, and it's actually listening to you. If you're looking to bring some smarts into your home, we've got two great candidates right here.
The 3rd generation Dot features a 1.6” speaker and a larger driver than previous generations, producing up to 70 percent better sound than before. You’ll really hear the difference when streaming music, but even calls sound better with the Dot. The Mini produces a slightly tinny sound that can make it difficult to make out what the person on the other line is saying. If you haven’t picked a platform yet, we go into more detail on the platforms individually in our Echo vs. Google Home speaker comparison to help you decide.
Smart features
Not only is it lovely to look at, but its sophisticated digital assistant will be able to interpret even the most complex demands to make your life easier. We think more people may like the softer, rounded look of the Home Mini more than the Echo Dot, though neither is something to set in the middle of your dining room table. The Echo Dot comes in white or black, while the Home Mini comes in white/light gray, dark gray, or red/orange with matching fabric covers. At best, they disappear into the background equally until they light up upon hearing their names. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks. Check out these 11 voice-activated smart home products that will revolutionize your life.
Otherwise, you can only play music that is already in your Apple device’s library, including iTunes purchases. What makes the Google Assistant different is that you can play your own library of music that you upload to the cloud. YouTube Music lets you upload up to 100,000 of your own audio files to its cloud service and listen to them for free. If you can only afford the entry-level devices, and music remains a top priority for you, go for the Google Home Mini, which sounds a lot better than the Echo Dot. Unless you hook up a Dot to another speaker over Bluetooth or the 3.5mm jack, it's just too thin and harsh to fully enjoy. Recently Google launched a follow up to its smallest smart speaker; the Google Nest Mini comes with three speakers (that's one more than the original), and is made from recycled materials.
PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. In the end, the race was a close one, with Alexa pulling ahead of Google Assistant, thanks to strong performance in the smart home and communications arenas. But Google was certainly no slouch, and the fact remains that both are still strong choices, depending on which capabilities you prioritize.
If you want a voice assistant that's easy to talk to, a Nest speaker will be better. And, of course, any smart home devices you already use should be factored into your decision. You can make free phone calls using Alexa and Google Assistant to anyone in your contacts list, a business, or by speaking the phone number directly.
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