Google Home Guides

In the Made by Google 2019 event on October 15, 2019, Google released an updated version of Google Home Mini under the name of Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen).

Google started to brand their smart home devices under Nest in 2018. Google Home Mini actually is the last Google Home device getting the Nest brand.

As the 2nd generation of Google Home Mini, many owners and potential buyers want to know the differences and improvements of Google Next Mini (2nd Gen).

This Google Home guide compares Google Nest Mini vs Home Mini and explains the new features and some unchanged features.

The layout of Google Nest Mini (Google Home Mini 2nd Gen) can be found here.

Google Nest Mini vs Home Mini: what’s not changed?

Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen) looks like the Google Home Mini. There are many unchanged features/design.

Price ($49)

Google Nest Mini has an identical price tag ($49) as Google Home Mini. It is one of the most affordable smart speakers in the market.

Similar to other Google smart speakers, Google (and some retailers) will very likely try to give you a free Google Nest Mini when you purchase some other products.

Some … Read the rest

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You need to know the Nest Audio layout and understand the functions of each part if you want to use the device effectively.

This Google Home guide explains the contents in the Nest Audio box, Nest Audio layout and functions of each part to help you get started with the Nest Audio. A few questions you may have on the layout of Nest Audio were answered as well.

As explained in this page, Nest Audio is a successor of Google Home, not a competitor to Google Home.  Google acquired the Nest brand and has used it for smart home products.

Contents in Nest Audio box

In your Nest Audio box, you can find:

• Nest Audio device.
• Power adaptor with non-detachable cable.
• Documentation bundle.

Nest Audio is the main part, of course. It is far heavier than Google Home.

The power adapter and the jack are proprietary, unfortunately. So, do not lose or damage the cable and adapter. Google is not selling spare ones. There are no third-party power adapters for it yet. In fact, among all Google smart speakers, only the 1st gen Google Home Mini used a 5v/1.8A USB power adapter.

There is a … Read the rest

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Although Google Home can do so many things after setting up Google Home, it only has one button.  Most of the controls are achieved through voice.

The touch panel and LED colour also play an important role in using Google Home.

This guide will show you Google Home layout, functions of individual parts and how to change the base of Google Home.

Please note, Google Home layout and buttons are different from those of Google Home Mini (including Google Nest Mini), Google Home Max, Nest Audio (2nd Gen Google Home).

For owners of Google Home Mini, please check Google Home Mini layout and buttons page. Google Nest Mini layout was explained in this guide, and Nest Audio layout in this guide.

Google Home layout: front and top view

Front and top view of Google Home is shown below.

In front of Google Home, actually, there is nothing.

In the top of Google Home, you can find:

• A touch panel.
• LED indicators (LED lights).
• Two microphones

A touch panel

The entire top surface of Google Home is a touch panel. You can swipe clockwise to increase the volume and anticlockwise to reduce the volume.

You can … Read the rest

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Why you need to customize Google Home settings?

After settings up Google Home, you can start to use it immediately.

But you may not know you can customize Google Home settings to meet your needs and to get more from your Google Home.

All customization for Google Home settings can (and must) be done through Google Home app.

In this guide, I will show you how to customize Google Home settings (and Google Assistant settings), and what the options are for all Google Home devices and what are for individual Google Home devices.

What are the options to customize Google Home settings?

Google Home is actually powered by Google Assistant as explained in this page.

So, to customize Google Home settings, you have the following two options to:

• customize Google Assistant, which is tied to your Google account for all Google Home devices.
• customize Google Home (and Google Assistant) settings for individual Google Home device.

These two options to customize Google Home settings work to compliment each other, both from Google Home app.

Some Google Assistant settings and customization will affect all your Google Home devices using Google Assistant.

This means if you have more than one Google … Read the rest

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You can control Nest Audio with the touch control panel or your voice (Google Assistant).

This Google Home guide explains the functions of the touch control panel and the available switches/buttons on Nest Audio, and then show you how to control Nest Audio for specific tasks including adjusting Nest Audio volume, powering on and off Nest Audio, controlling media play on Nest Audio.

Control Nest Audio with the touch control panel

As explained in the Nest Audio layout, there is a touch control panel near the top of the front side of the Nest Audio speaker.

Just like the touch control panel on Google Home Mini (and Nest Home Mini), the touch panel is divided into 3 sections:

• Left.
• Centre.
• Right.

The left side of the touch control panel

As shown in the picture below, you can tap the left side of the touch panel to lower the volume (by 5%).

When you tap once, you will hear a click sound as feedback, and the LED lights up indicating current volume level (relative). Of course, the volume will lower a bit at the same time. You may need to tap up to 20 times to silence Nest Audio.… Read the rest

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Nest Audio (released in 2019) is the successor of Google Home, which was released in 2016. And it is sometimes called the second generation of Google Home. Nest Audio guides are just for it!

Nest Audio and Google Home are substantially different: there are many improvements and a few new features, as explained in this guide.

So, many Nest Audio owners need some guides for the unique features on the device.  Of course, some Google Home guides, and even some Home Mini guides, apply to Nest Audio.

About Nest Audio Guides

Nest Audio guides explain the features and functions of Nest Audio and demonstrate how to use them with detailed step-by-step illustrations.

Some common features among Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Nest Home Mini (Google Home Mini 2nd Gen), and Nest Audio, are also listed so that you can find all guides you need for your Nest Audio.

All generations of Nest Audio are covered in this section. We will highlight the unique feature for each generation when applicable.

How to use Nest Audio guides?

Most of the Nest Audio guides include a very detailed explanation of the feature discussed so that you will not only know how … Read the rest

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In addition to using Google Home, Google Home Max and Google Home Mini as a Bluetooth speaker (for your mobile devices), you can also connect Google Home to a Bluetooth speaker so that you can route the audio output to the Bluetooth speaker.

All Google Home devices (Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Nest Mini, Google Home Max) can now connect to a Bluetooth speaker and send audio output to the Bluetooth speakers. Although only Google Home is used in the text, the guide also applies to Google Home Mini (including the 2nd Gen of Google Home Mini) and Google Home Max.

This Google Home guide shows you how to use, set up and connect Google Home to a Bluetooth speaker.

What’s the difference between using Google Home as a Bluetooth speaker and connecting Google Home to a Bluetooth speaker?

When you use Google Home as a Bluetooth speaker, you can play media from your mobile device and hear the sound from the Google Home speaker.

The audio was transmitted to Google Home (or Google Home Mini, Google Home Max) using the Bluetooth connection between your mobile device and Google Home.

You may need this option when … Read the rest

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What are Google Home promotional offers?

Google, like other companies, usually have some promotional offers when a new product is launched, or during some special seasons (e.g., holiday seasons).

For example, Chromecast owners enjoyed various Chromecast offers in the past varying from free movie rental to Play store gift card, to a few months of free Netflix in a few regions.

Even better, for Chromecast and Chromecast Audio owners, some new offers are also available for old devices. This is different from other companies.

Google Home is not an exception, I guess.

You may not be aware that there may be some Google Home promotional offers waiting for you.

Like other promotions, there are always terms and conditions associated with such offers. You need to redeem the Google Home offers in the specified period.

And, most importantly, most Google Home offers may be region-specific.

So, it is important to know how to check and redeem Google Home promotional offers.

Please note, Google Home promotional offers are tied to individual device. But some offers may allow you to redeem only once (e.g., Netflix, Google Play music or YouTube Red) even if you have multiple eligible devices.

In addition, some vendors … Read the rest

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Google allows you to adjust the equalizer (EQ) of Google Home, Google Home Mini, and Google Home Max with the Google Home app.

You can boost or cut the bass and treble for your Google Home devices to get desired audio effects.

This Google Home guide explains what an equalizer is, when you may want to adjust the equalizer of Google Home, Google Home Mini (including Google Nest Mini),  and Google Home Max, and how to adjust the EQ for your Google Home devices.

What is equalizer (EQ)?

In a nutshell, an equalizer boosts or cuts specific ranges of the frequency of your audio without distorting it.

For example, when you use an equalizer to boost the bass (low-frequency range), the low-frequency audio signal becomes louder. A good equalizer will deliver the desired loudness of the bass. At the same time,  the change of the loudness keeps smooth so that the audio is not distorted (i.e., unbalanced).

When speakers or headphones leave factories, the manufacturer usually tunes the hardware so that the best audio quality can be achieved for most users.

High quality usually means balanced responses of all frequencies. Some audiophiles can tell you immediately whether the audio … Read the rest

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When you need to change Google Home WiFi network settings?

After setting up Google Home, normally you will not change WiFi settings although you may change other settings for Google Home.

Some Google Home settings can be done through voice command, or through the touch panel, or through Google Home app.

For example you can adjust volume of Google Home with any of the 3 methods.

Because Google Home can only save one WiFi network info, you may have to change Google WiFi network settings if you change your WiFi network.

Sometimes, you may have to factory data reset the Google Home due to WiFi network changes.

How to use a new router without changing Google Home WiFi network settings?

You can use a new router without changing Google Home WiFi network settings.

Some guides in the internet may mistakenly tell you that you must factory data reset Google Home if you change router.

But actually, it is NOT necessary to factory data reset your Google Home.

Actually, it is not necessary to change anything in Google Home if you follow these two rules:

1. Use the identical WiFi network name (SSID) when you set up the new

… Read the rest

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