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Spotify Family plan subscribers in the UK can get a free Google Home Mini
Last year, Spotify gave away a free Google Home Mini speaker to US users, and this year, it's bringing that offer to the UK. Starting today, both new and existing Premium for Family Plan subscribers can sign up to get a free device -- normally priced at £49 -- until May 14th while stock permits, Spotify said.
Google kills its Chromecast Audio dongle
If you've been thinking about whether to pick up a Chromecast Audio to make your audio setup a little smarter, you should probably make your mind up quickly. Google has confirmed it's discontinuing the device.
Google's minty Home Mini arrives after month-long delay
Now that the Home Hub is widely available, Google is releasing its other smart speaker update this year: namely, that Aqua Home Mini it was supposed to ship in late October (yes, roughly a month ago). The minty-colored puck costs the same $49 as other Minis and doesn't offer any functional advantages, but it might be just the ticket if Coral clashes with your living room or you want to coordinate with an Aqua-tinted Home Hub.
Engadget giveaway: Win a Smart Light Starter Kit and Home Max courtesy of Google!
If you haven't dabbled in the smart home sector yet, but would like to enjoy some of the perks without investing big bucks, the new made-for-Google Smart Light Starter Kit from GE is tailor-made. This package includes a Google Home Mini and a GE-C Life smart bulb, both of which can talk to each other by Bluetooth, obviating the need for any hubs. It's that easy to set up voice-controlled ambiance with any of the Google Home smart speakers. Plus, since the Home devices are WiFi connected as well, you can remotely control your lights. Additional bulbs can be added without too much cost and if you purchase one of the Google/GE kits between November 22nd and 26th, there are some major discounts to be had at the Google Store. This week, Google has provided us with a Smart Light Starter Kit for two lucky readers, along with a super-sized Google Home Max so you can really crank up the tunes. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to four chances at winning one of these Google smart home packages. Good luck! Winners: Congratulations to Jesse D. of Antioch, CA and Antonio P. of New York, NY!
Spotify gives away Google Home Minis to US family plan subscribers
Spotify has a treat in store for Premium for Family subscribers in the US: you can claim a free Google Home Mini. The offer will be available for current and new master account holders starting Thursday, and you have until the end of the year to register for the smart speaker.
Google Home Mini gets a new minty-fresh color option
When the Google Home Mini debuted last year, it was available in a dark "Charcoal" grey, a lighter "Chalk" grey and a pinkish orange "Coral." Today, a week before Google's annual Pixel event, the company is unveiling a brand new hue of the Home Mini -- a minty blue "Aqua."
Google Home Mini was the top selling smart speaker in Q2
Alexa had better watch out: Google, not Amazon, had the bestselling smart speaker worldwide in Q2 of 2018. The Google Home Mini had a 20 percent market share during that quarter, selling 2.3 million units. It was followed closely by the Amazon Echo Dot, at 2.2 million. Rounding out the top five were the Amazon Echo, Alibaba Tmail Genie and Google Home.
Five years later, the Chromecast still holds its own
There aren't many gadgets that I'm still using five years after I buy them, except for maybe a laptop. Even then, that's getting quite long in the tooth given how quickly upgrades arrive these days. Chromecast and Google Cast are still things that I use multiple times a day, every day. When Google introduced the Chromecast in 2013, the company promised to make any TV with an HDMI port a smart display with the combination of a thumb-drive-like dongle and your home WiFi. That it did, but in the months that followed, Google expanded the tech undergirding its TV accessory well beyond that $35 device.
Google Home now handles three requests at the same time
Google Home speakers can already perform two commands at the same time. But what if you live in a particularly connected household, where you may need to juggle more tasks? The company has an answer: support three simultaneous requests. So long as you form full queries with "and" in between, you can multitask like a pro using only the spoken word. This could be particularly helpful if you want to turn on the lights, increase the temperature and play some tunes without having a Routine in place.
What we're buying: A pair of Google Home Mini speakers
This week's hardware IRL is timely, as Google is about to showcase what's coming next at its annual developer conference. It's the perfect occasion to hear Timothy J. Seppala's thoughts on the Google Home Mini, the company's entry-level smart speaker. He ended up buying two, but they haven't quite delivered on everything he was hoping for.
Engadget giveaway: Win a Logitech Harmony Elite and Google Home Mini!
Universal remote controls have been around for a while, but with a product like the Logitech Harmony Elite, simplicity and future-proofing go hand-in-hand. The Elite's Hub system lets you control IR, Bluetooth and even network-based products beyond your home entertainment system. Not only can you condense your media remotes into one easy-to-set-up package, but your power extends to connected home products like Philips Hue lights or Nest thermostats. That power goes one step further when you link a smart speaker like Google Home Mini to the Hub. Now that single remote can get a little dusty as you turn on your TV and navigate to preset channels using your voice alone. Logitech has provided us with its Harmony Elite and a Google Home Mini for two winners this week, so they can sample they joys of smart home controls and deepen that groove in the couch cushion. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this Logitech Harmony Elite universal remote and smart speaker combo. Good luck! Winners: Congratulations to David F. of Parsippany, NJ and Carlos L. of Boynton Beach, FL!
Nest's $229 video doorbell is a useful addition to its ecosystem
Last September, Nest introduced several products to its connected home lineup: the Nest Secure home security system, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor and the Nest Hello video doorbell. While both the Secure and the IQ outdoor cam have been out for a few months, the Hello had not come to market yet. That is, until now. Both the Hello and the previously-announced Nest x Yale Lock are now officially available for $229 and $249 respectively. Oh, and Nest is introducing something today as well: the Nest Temperature Sensor.
Google brings voice calling to Home speakers in the UK
It's taken a while, but finally Google Home speakers in the UK can be used to make hands-free voice calls. The feature was announced at Google I/O 2017 and introduced in the US last August. Brits have waited patiently since then (or switched to Alexa, which has offered voice calls since October) for the same functionality — today, that mental fortitude pays off. To get started, simply say "Ok Google" or "Hey Google" followed by the person or business you'd like to call. You don't need your phone either — the speaker will use Google Contacts as an address book and place the call over Wi-Fi. Update: As one of our readers pointed out -- Alexa-based calls only work between Echo devices (or a smartphone with the Alexa app installed). Google's implementation is, therefore, different and drastically more useful.
Google sold a Home speaker every second since the Mini launch
It's been difficult to gauge how well smart speakers are selling outside of unofficial estimates, but Google just provided a clearer picture. The search firm revealed that it has sold "more than one" Home speaker per second since the Home Mini started shipping on October 19th. If you perform some back-of-the-napkin math, that suggests Google sold at least 6.4 million speakers between the Mini's debut and the end of 2017. Google hasn't split those sales by device, but it's safe to say that many (if not most) were Minis.
Mod gives Google's Home Mini speaker its 'missing' line-out jack
For many, Google's Home Mini speaker has one key disadvantage over Amazon's Echo Dot: there's no line-out jack. If you want more powerful sound without buying a higher-priced model, you have to stream to a Chromecast-equipped speaker system. However, that didn't deter SnekTek -- the site has added an aux audio port to the Mini through a clever homebrew mod. To say this required some delicate surgery would be an understatement, mind you. The procedure involved boiling the adhesive off the bottom, finding the one space where a headphone port would fit, and carving out a hole. As with the iPhone 7 headphone mod, the product clearly wasn't designed for this -- there won't be any doubt that you voided your warranty once you're done.
Google re-enables touch controls for audio playback on the Home Mini
There's an update on the way for those of you with a Home Mini speaker. Google is rolling out a new feature that lets you use the sides of the device to play or pause whatever you're listening to, be it music, news or if you want to end a call you're on. Right now, the touch-friendly side area of the Home Mini only works to control the volume, but now with a long press of the unmarked spots you can have some extra functionality.
Google Home Mini is crashing when cranked up to 11
The Google Home Mini is a great, low-cost option for putting Assistant all over your house. Like your smartphone, though, its built-in speaker isn't the type of thing you'd want to use for any sort of critical listening. In a pinch it might be better than nothing, though. If you feel like cranking the volume on its diminutive driver, however, consider the following warning: Depending on what you're listening to via Google Play Music, the smart speaker could crash.
New in our buyer's guide: Apple, Google and a little Sonos
Separate from our holiday gift guide, it was time for us to update our year-round shortlist of recommendations. Since our last round of additions, three months ago, we've reviewed a boatload of flagship handsets, with the iPhone 8/8 Plus and Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL all making the list. (It's not that we don't recommend the iPhone X, but we recommend the 8 and particularly the 8 Plus for more people.) While we were at it, we also decided that the Sonos One, Google Home Mini, Apple TV 4K, second-gen Daydream View VR headset and the GoPro Hero6 were also worthy of this list. Find all that and more in the Engadget buyer's guide.
The best audio gear to give as gifts
Maybe there's an audiophile on your list, or maybe you're shopping for someone who recently acquired a new phone and could use something better than the pack-in headphones. Either way, we have a slew of recommendations in the audio gear section of our holiday gift guide. On our list you'll find smart speakers from Google and Amazon alike, along with Sonos, whose new "One" speaker includes Alexa built in, with Google Assistant support coming soon. When it comes to headphones, our selections run the gamut from the affordable (Jabra's Move headset) to the high end (Bragi's Dash Pro wireless earbuds and these noise cancelling headphones from Sony), with a couple mid-range options in between. Rounding out the list, we have a soundbar, drum machine, synth app, the Amazon Echo Show and one of our favorite portable Bluetooth speakers. Find all that and many more items in our holiday gift guide, at the link below.
Google Home can cast HBO Now to your TV of choice
The Google Home platform keeps getting more capable with each passing week. Now the smart speaker can cast HBO Now to the TV of your choice. According to the Google blog post, you don't need to open the app and pick something to watch first, either. Simply say something like "Okay Google, watch The Deuce" and Assistant will start playing the '70s New York period piece on the TV of your choosing.
