for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

NFT: EchoDot or GoogleHomeMini?

NoPeanutz : 2/19/2018 9:27 am
Thinking of getting one of these. I'd use it to stream music and radio while I'm hands free around the house and in the kitchen, and also to set timers, alarms and reminders.
Any of you have these machines, and could provide impressions, recommendations or advice?
The dot has an audio out  
ron mexico : 2/19/2018 9:31 am : link
While the google doesnt.
This only matters if you want to connect to a stereo system.

Ive only used the amazin system, but im sure they are comparable.
I have the Google Home Mini  
antdog24 : 2/19/2018 10:18 am : link
The sound out of that little speaker is surprisingly good. I use it to set timers for my kids when they are using their electronics, stream Pandora, set alarms and reminders. It works really well.
Depends Amazon hooks up to Sirius (other radio stations as well like  
TheMick7 : 2/19/2018 10:22 am : link
WFAN)If you buy your music through Amazon,much of it can be played through the dot.Since I shop through Amazon almost exclusively,I use Alexa. Not sure what Google offers!
We have an Echo Dot.  
GiantGolfer : 2/19/2018 10:42 am : link
If you are looking to stream music through it, you may want to connect to a speaker. The audio for music is okay, but not ideal. It’s great though for everything else. The original Echo has the better speaker.
echo dot has  
Gordo : 2/19/2018 10:52 am : link
more support for home automation. Although Google Home is getting there. If you are going for echo, get the Echo + comes with the built in hub for zwave devices.
We have an Echo Dot.  
batman11 : 2/19/2018 10:54 am : link
We bought a Mokcao Power+ cordless speaker that you insert the Dot into the top of. The sound is pretty good.
Depends on what services you use....  
UAGiant : 2/19/2018 10:56 am : link
I have both - strictly judging them as a device, the Google Home Mini is significantly better than the Dot. The Google Home Mini has much better software to set it up and integrate with (Amazon's software is seemingly the worse in the business in everything they operate in - Amazon always has terrible UIs....). Google also has a better microphone and its speaker is night and day better than the Dot (Dot - tin can, Home Mini - serviceable speaker).

What it really boils down to is - Do you have Prime? Do you have Google Music/Youtube Red? Are you using Google Audiobooks or Amazon's Audible? Do you have a Sonos system? Do you have a Chromecast setup? Are you using Gmail/Google Accounts and want to know things like how long your commute is? Do you buy a ton of things from Amazon and find it useful to tell your device to purchase something for you? Etc.

Of course no ecosystem plays nice with the other, so looking at what you're already setup on is going to impact what it makes sense to invest in. Both support Spotify, but otherwise you're on their platforms for any content.

If you want to buy a device and tell it to set an alarm and answer trivia questions and nothing else - get the Google Home Mini.
Echo Dot  
PhiPsi125 : 2/19/2018 11:06 am : link
Having the ability to create playlists full of free(ish) music through Amazon Prime and play through the Dot has been pretty cool.
If you want a better speaker,  
Simms11 : 2/19/2018 11:52 am : link
Get the Amazon Echo....Alexa.....the Dot is only good for certain things, but the speaker is not as good. Love Alexa, she’s the bomb!
I went google mini  
Svengali : 2/19/2018 3:22 pm : link
And I’m all in, I just thought the upside would be better. The mini has a speaker that is surprisingly good. Sounds like people like both.... it’s a tough choice.
I've got the echo dot and echo  
fkap : 2/19/2018 7:49 pm : link
the dot absolutely sucks for sound. the echo is decent, but I doubt it's going to satisfy anyone who remotely considers themselves a music system aficionado. It's good enough for my old ears, while the dot is pathetic. I think you can triple or quadruple up the price and get an echo with a good speaker, but I'm guessing if you're that into it, you would just plug it into your regular sound system.
RE: I went google mini  
NoPeanutz : 2/20/2018 2:46 pm : link
In comment 13836253 Svengali said:
Quote:
And I’m all in, I just thought the upside would be better. The mini has a speaker that is surprisingly good. Sounds like people like both.... it’s a tough choice.

What are you using it for? Do you find that you have come to really use it for anything that you didn't expect? Is there anything that you are surprisingly disappointed to find that it doesn't do?
Back to the Corner