Free Mini replace your Echo/Alexa

[Pigman]

Ditto
I think it goes by when you received it. I received around November 7th which is almost 4 weeks.

Well I received mine on Oct. 18th, still no mini code

 

[pseudoware]

I chatted w/Google support. They told me codes are sent 4-6 weeks after actual shipping date.

 

[Mike Dee]

No they will start sending the codes after the return period expires.

The return is only two weeks ..right?

 

[bhatech]

The return is only two weeks ..right?

Yep

 

[strikeIII]

I find the mini only useful when I am near it. When I am in any other room and I query my Pixel 2 XL the mini answers....It even makes phone calls when I do not want it to...Its made voice searches to my phone useless. It is going to be relegated to the garage. It is useless for me until it can allow my phone to answer.

I much prefer my dots and echos. If I need a smart search I prefer my phone which is always on me.

This is pretty much what I thought, and why I didn't see a reason to switch. Anything I can do with a mini, I can already do with my phone.

The smart home stuff is already been covered for 2 years with amazon devices.

Having said that, if they just fix the proximity to device issue, the mini is faster to turn on lights , has less errors in voice command detection and of course can answer questions much better and more intelligently than the echo's/dots.

How they can allow it to make phone calls when its 30' away astounds me...Did no one at Google test this thing while owning a Pixel? Not once have I seen any review mention this deal breaker.

Also if I am making an intelligent search, while it is not usually personnel or private, who the heck wants its broadcast across the house. The rest of my family doesn't want to hear my searches and I don't want to hear theirs...

You query the Home mini with "Hey Google" instead of "OK Google" and your Pixel won't answer.

 

[Jaycemiskel]

You query the Home mini with "Hey Google" instead of "OK Google" and your Pixel won't answer.

Unless you have your phone setup to answer to hey Google as well.

 

[strikeIII]

Unless you have your phone setup to answer to hey Google as well.

Lol well don't have it setup the same. Simple. But my default your Pixel is OK Google and the Mini will answer to both.

 

[Jaycemiskel]

Lol well don't have it setup the same. Simple. But my default your Pixel is OK Google and the Mini will answer to both.

Yeah but seem people may have already set it up. I know for my phone, I don't have it setup for hey Google but it still responds to it sometimes now. It's quite annoying.

 

[Pigman]

Well chatted with support, and they were able to get me my code immediately. I had to talk to the preferred care support, since I purchased the insurance.

 

[technomom]

Google Home. I already owned several Chromecast video and audio devices so the choice was easy. Happy with my Google Home and Mini.

 

[garak0410]

I am a long time Echo user and I've finally made the decision to go to Google Home. I weighed the options heavily for a few months and decided what I'd miss from the Echo would be minimal. Here are some of my thoughts:

• I only need one music service and decided Google Play Music Family with YouTube Red was the best deal.
• The 2nd Generation Echo has subpar sound quality, so it did help push me to the Home, especially with the Google Home Max coming.

• I use Google Assistant on my phone and Android Wear watches, so it made sense to keep one "Assistant" Ecosystem.

• Google has a lot more on the fly information than Alexa.
• Family Link works with Google Home. The only drawback is it doesn't use my childs Play Music account when they use Google Home for music. If they are allowed to have their own account, then they should be able to play it on their Mini.

I have a few issues or concerns but not enough to make me go back to Alexa:

• When listening to music on the Home, it will cut off songs that end on the final second. If this can be fixed, let me know.
• Vocal commands music control aren't as robust as Echo.
• This biggest issue: Where Is Google Home Max??? Not a single bit of news on it since it was announced beyond it hitting the FCC. No release date (best buy took down their 12/11 estimate), no updates from Google, nothing. Yes, I am going to pay this price if the sound is as good as it says it will be.

 

[infinidim]

I've been using Alexa for quite a while now and I am very happy with it. She is improving each week. There are still the odd issues but as I find them and report them to Amazon they get fixed.

 

[angus1357]

I've had both, I've exhaustively tested both. Here's what I found in our house: Alexa works better. Hear me out here! The assistant definitely knows more and is more en tune with everything in my day, that being said it only worked 70% of the time. The rest of the time it said it "Couldn't verify my voice". The Alexa, while having no context of my calendar, can make calls, run my fire TV's, and not once has it failed to recognize my voice. The smart home portion worked pretty much the same on both but the Alexa covered more smart home providers than Google. Finally (and Im sure there will be some blowback about this one) "Alexa" is just easier to say than "Hey Google", a single word instead of a 2 word phrase just seems to be easier to deal with.

 

[jacksmith21006]

Purchased an Echo when they first came out in late 2014. But now have several Google Homes. The big difference is the Echo requires rigid language or basically commands to get it to do things. Versus the Google Home for most things supports natural language and is far easier to interact with.

I think what happened is many started with an Echo and then purchased a Google Home and since the Google Home supports the Echo commands they do not see the difference. But for new people it is very noticeable.

Then the obvious the Google Home is a lot smarter. Can not see any reason to recommend the Echo or Dot any longer.

 

[anon(10362402)]

Does Google Home work with G-Suite accounts now? I have a choice of 1 if not.

 

[pseudoware]

I want to use both voice assistants at home. Alexa seems more "amiable" to this, not interfering when I set up a new device and sync it up with Google Assistant. The Alexa app allows me to Echo-disable any device.

Google, otoh, wants to hijack any smart device on my network. It took over some stuff I had set up w/Alexa (requiring an un-link/re-link), and I see no option to disable on a per-device basis. Even when I re-enabled something for Alexa, Google won't let it go.

Google Home already won't let me bluetooth out to speakers, which for me, is an almost non-starter. I'd really like to work with both, but Google is like the petulant child that wants to always have it's way.

 

[Almeuit]

I want to use both voice assistants at home. Alexa seems more "amiable" to this, not interfering when I set up a new device and sync it up with Google Assistant. The Alexa app allows me to Echo-disable any device.

Google, otoh, wants to hijack any smart device on my network. It took over some stuff I had set up w/Alexa (requiring an un-link/re-link), and I see no option to disable on a per-device basis. Even when I re-enabled something for Alexa, Google won't let it go.

Google Home already won't let me bluetooth out to speakers, which for me, is an almost non-starter. I'd really like to work with both, but Google is like the petulant child that wants to always have it's way.

Oh trust me Amazon is in other ways as well .

 

[pseudoware]

Oh trust me Amazon is in other ways as well .

He he, no doubt no one has "clean hands". I just feel betrayed. GA told me she wanted to be Alexa's friend.

 

[Chex313]

You query the Home mini with "Hey Google" instead of "OK Google" and your Pixel won't answer.

Yes it does....The mini answers to either...I just tried both now and with the TV on and the Mini nearly 30" away it still freaking answers. I have to whisper or type...Its OK I am all in on Echo's and Dots. I do not want my account used anyway. My wife is in a wheelchair and is the one who needs the music accounts tied to what she wants, and it is set up to her voice to control lights. It helps here to practice her enunciating. I have the app on my phone to schedule lights and turn everything on before we get home.

My searches and info I need, I prefer to just use my phone.

 

[Torisen1]

Any Alexa users considering how Google Home might fit into your connected existence? I'm interested to know what others have in mind.

At first glance for me, the inability for the Mini to "Bluetooth" to other speakers (w/o Chromecast) is a significant strike against.

I have a Google Home, have not received my mini yet.

Still I'm thinking about getting a small Alexa just for the Audible audiobook stuff, I have tons of audiobooks.