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Google Reveals New Home Mini Powered By Google Assistant

During today's Google Event, the company introduced a bite-sized competitor to Amazon's Echo Dot.

Chris Jarrard

October 4, 2017 10:01 AM

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The smart speaker market got a bit more interesting when Google revealed its Amazon Echo rival, Google Home, early last year. The flagship Google phones were the focal point of today's event, but the company also welcomed a new addition to their smart speaker line with the Google Home Mini. Introduced by Google Glass desinger Isabelle Olson, the Home Mini is designed to integrate itself into your home decor and seamlessly operate without drawing attention to itself.

The Google Home Mini is a small puck-shaped device upholstered in a special cloth fabric and features 4 LEDs that shine through the fabric and let the user know it is listening or thinking. Google says that this fabric was specially developed to be used with the device. Destined to be endlessly messed with by your cat, the Home Mini will be the cheapest way for buyers to enter the Google Home ecosystem. It will be available at retailers on October 19th and sell for $49.

While the Home Mini is not intended to play back music like its larger sibling, it can be paired with any Chromecast speaker to provide the tunes you need. To help it fit into all the different types of home decor, the Home Mini will be available in three different fabric colors: chalk, coral, and charcoal. The puck will be available all Google Home markets and deliver the full-sized Google Assistant experience.

Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.