What Can You Control With the Google Home Mini: A Detailed Review
Google has a couple of devices in its smart hub lineup. This includes the Google Home Mini, which is a compact but very well endowed smart hub, which begs the question ofwhat can you control with the Google Home Mini.
The Google Home Mini is powered by Google’s own Google Assistant. Google Assistant is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant, that helps you to search the web, play or pause music, dim smart lighting, start a TV show, and plenty more besides.
The Google Home Mini controls a lot of devices that we will look at in detail; they include thermostats, smart lighting, cameras, switches and plugs, locks, all major small and large appliances. This review will look at the devices the Google Home Mini controls as well as the specifics of the Home Mini.
Devices
The Google Home Mini is compatible with various devices, including:
Thermostats
You can link your Google Home Mini to the thermostat to alter temperatures within your house and other settings as well. The Home Mini works well with thermostats such as the Ecobee 5th Generation. This is an Alexa controlled thermostat but also one of the best Google Home compatible devices out there. You can use it to configure temperature for each room or use its remote sensor for control.
Smart lighting
Connecting your Google Home Mini to smart lighting such as Philips Hue Lights will enable you to do more than just switch the lights on and off. You can adjust the brightness, sync your lights, or change the color in certain rooms. You even can remotely ask Google if you left the lights on.
Cameras
The Google Home Mini works with a number of reliable cameras such as the Nest Cam. This is a reliable indoor camera that is good for simple surveillance tasks. This camera also includes outdoor versions if you wish to expand your surveillance options to the outer surroundings of your property.
Switches and plugs
There are many switches and sockets that are smart; some of them do not require a hub for control but just an application. The Google Home Mini allows you to control your switches and plugs, whether you are around or away. With some smart switches like the WeMo smart plug, you are able to switch your appliances on with your voice.
Security and locks
The Google Home Mini allows you to control smart locks such as August’s Smart lock Pro with your voice. This lock works seamlessly and locks or unlocks the door when you approach. It even has a sensor that lets you know if your entry has been securely locked. It also enables you to give access to your household to people for specific periods like an hour, and then it locks itself.
Tips and Tricks
Link your smart speakers
The Google Home Mini has a speaker linking feature called speaker groups that lets you connect all smart speakers in the house to play music from a common source. This will help you to have loud and surround music without investing in high-end audio equipment.
Broadcast messages
The Google Home Mini broadcast feature enables you to send an audio signal to all google devices within the network. Basically, it acts as a public address system to all other devices. This is a useful feature because people from the other end will hear your message loud and clear and have the option of responding.
Set up routines
The Google Home Mini helps you to set up routines to streamline your day’s work by enabling you to trigger the execution of multiple tasks with a single command. Google has six preset routines; good morning, leaving home, I’m home, commuting to work, commuting home, and bedtime. For example, if you trigger bedtime, it will; switch your phone to silent mode, set your preferred alarm time, and switch off your lights.
Relax
The Google Home Mini has its own selection of music for when you need to sleep, meditate, or just generally relax. You can say `Ok Google help me relax’ and it will automatically play relaxing music, or you can also say play relaxing sounds, and it will do it.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, we have seen what the google home mini is all about and what can you control with the Google Home Mini.
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