ISSUE 68 • ANDROID ADVISOR 89like about asking Google to turn up the heat using a
nearby Nest Mini speaker?
Speaking of Nest, the Nest Mini makes for a great
companion to Google’s about-to-be-cheaper-
and-better Nest Aware subscription service, which
(starting in early 2020) you’ll be able to join for as
little as £4 per month. In particular, we’re thinking of
Nest Aware’s upcoming ability to warn you if it hears
suspicious sounds or anything that portends danger,
such as breaking glass, dogs barking, or the whine of
a carbon monoxide alarm.
Given the Nest Mini’s inexpensive price tag, you
could easily boost Nest Aware’s listening coverage by
putting several of the small speakers throughout your
house, especially near doorways or smoke detectors.
Music and sound quality
Google says its added a custom driver to the Nest
Mini to give it up to twice the bass response of the
Home Mini, while software improvements should
help to deliver clearer sound with less distortion.
Still, you shouldn’t expect great audio performance
from small smart speakers like the Nest Mini or
Amazon’s 3rd-gen Echo Dot.
After A/B testing the Nest Mini and Home Mini,
I’ll say the new driver and Google’s software tweaks
help the Nest Mini sound at least marginally better
with music. It’s a little clearer and punchier than on
the tinny, bass-deprived Home Mini, but don’t expect
anything rivalling that of the Google Home (£89 from
fave.co/32hZ91Q), an Amazon Echo Show smart
display, or a Sonos One (£99 from fave.co/2Ccmt6r).