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14 things you didn't know a Google Nest Mini could do

Google Assistant can do more than you think!

The front and back of the Google Home Mini smart speaker displayed on colorful backgrounds Credit: Reviewed / Google

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From setting reminders to playing your favorite music, the Google Nest Mini can help you manage your days with ease using Google Assistant—Google's smart assistant that lives inside of the tiny smart speaker.

When it comes to Google smart speakers, Google Assistant is the same across all of them. Larger Google speakers, like the Nest Audio, might offer better audio and some extra hardware features, but you won’t be penalized by buying a smaller speaker when it comes to how smart Google Assistant is.

What exactly can the Google Nest Mini do? Here are some of the things you might not have heard of.

Product image of Google Nest Mini
Google Nest Mini

Providing organization, entertainment, and control, the Nest Mini is an excellent addition to the home.

$50 at Best Buy
Product image of Google Nest Audio Smart Speaker
Google Nest Audio Smart Speaker

A capable Google Nest smart speaker that gives you full control.

$100 at Best Buy

What can the Google Nest Mini do?

1. Make your smart home even smarter

Google Assistant works with thousands of smart devices, across all kinds of smart home categories. And, with the Matter smart home standard on the way, Google will start to work with even more devices in the very near future.

All you have to do is ask your Nest Mini to control a certain device, and if it’s set up properly, it will do so.

For example, you can ask it to turn off the lights, change the temperature on the thermostat, and even start your robot vacuum. In other words, you could clean the house with nothing more than a voice command.

2. Help you find your phone

Sure, Google can call (and hang up on) anyone from your contacts list with a few simple commands, but that’s not the full beauty of the Nest Mini call feature.

If your phone has disappeared, there’s no reason to waste hours searching for it.

Instead, call out an “OK, Google, find my phone.” Your phone will ring, and you can continue with your day without having to search the couch cushions.

3. Start your day right

If you’re anything like me, a little help starting the morning can be helpful. In the Google Home app, you can create a routine for when you wake up.

Say to your Nest Mini, “Hey, Google, good morning,” and it can respond by automatically starting your coffee and then telling you the day’s weather, the traffic you can expect to encounter on the way to work, the biggest news headlines for the day, and a reminder of what you have on your calendar.

You can create other routines, too. For example, you can create routines for going to bed, leaving the house, and more.

4. Make an announcement the whole house can hear

A Google Nest Mini smart speaker on a colorful background
Credit: Reviewed / Google

The Google Nest Mini can function as an intercom system of sorts if you have other Google Nest smrt speakers throughout your house.

The beauty of having more than one Google Assistant-enabled speaker throughout your home is that when you have an announcement you want to make to your entire brood, you don’t have to yell it down the halls.

This is as simple as saying, “Hey Google, broadcast that breakfast is ready,” or, “OK, Google, broadcast that it’s time to go.” You can even use your phone to broadcast to anyone who may be home that you’re on your way there, too. Each Google smart speaker in your home will re-broadcast the message.

5. Remember where you left things

Google Assistant can help you keep track of more than just your phone. While humans have a memory that can fail, Google Assistant’s memory is pretty good.

Simply say “Hey Google, remember that my passport is in the box under the bed,” and Google will do so. Then, if you ever can’t find your passport, simply ask Google where it is, and it’ll tell you where you told it you hid the item.

6. Entertain the kids for days

Equipped with a library of knock-knock jokes and animal noises, the Google Nest Mini can provide your kids with endless fun. Just teach them to say, “OK, Google,” and they’ll be set for hours of enjoyment. Especially if you start with, “Hey, Google, did you fart?”

However, it’s a good idea to fine tune the content settings for your kids by enabling parental controls on your smart speaker.

7. Help you get to sleep

If you like falling asleep to music or white noise, but you don’t want it to be playing all night, just say, “Hey Google, set a sleep timer for one hour,” once the sound is playing.

The sleep timer doesn’t just have to be for nighttime, and can be set for any duration you want.

You can also use it as a guideline to yourself for how long you need to work on a project that day, as a timer for when you need to get out of the shower, or as a way to keep your pets company while you’re gone.

8. Speak the multiple languages you speak

A Google Nest Mini smart speaker on a colorful background
Credit: Reviewed / Google

The Google Nest Mini is skilled in speaking multiple languages.

Your Nest Mini is well-versed in a number of languages. And it can even be set to respond to two languages at a time including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese.

Adding a second language can be accomplished through the Google Home app on your smartphone or tablet.

The Nest Mini can also act as your translator when you say, “How do you say [word or phrase] in [language]?”

9. Help you keep track of the big game

Google Assistant can help you keep track of your favorite sports teams, too.

Simply ask Google who won the Liverpool-Manchester United game yesterday, and it’ll tell you the score. You’ll never have to lose track of your teams again.

10. Track your packages

Google can even help you track your packages, if tracking information has been sent to your Gmail. Simply ask Google Assistant to track your package, and it’ll find any active tracking information and let you know where the packages are. It’s perfect for the chronic online shopper.

And, if you have a Google video doorbell, like the Nest Doorbell (Battery) or Nest Doorbell (Wired), your Nest Mini can announce when a package gets delivered at your front door.

Product image of Google Nest Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Battery Operated
Google Nest Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Battery Operated

This powerful video doorbell can be installed without a hardwire.

$180 at Best Buy
Product image of Google Nest Doorbell Wired
Google Nest Doorbell Wired

A Nest Video Doorbell is your portal to your front porch.

$180 at Best Buy

11. Order an Uber

A Google Nest Mini smart speaker on a colorful background
Credit: Reviewed / Google

Need a ride? Ask your Google Nest Mini smart speaker to call an Uber for you.

Rushing around the house to get out as quickly as possible for that meeting you’re late for? You don’t have to pull your phone out to manually order an Uber.

Instead, you can ask Google Assistant to order one for you.

You’ll need to have your credit cards set up with Google, but if you do, it’ll ask where to Uber to, and order the car.

12. Make decisions for you

Deciding between two restaurants to order from? Or, perhaps you and your partner are at odds about a decision.

Google Assistant can help decide for you. Just ask Google to flip a coin, and it’ll randomly tell you heads or tails.

Alternatively, you can ask Google to roll a die, or pick a number between one and ten.

13. Help you focus

Working on something and need to focus? Your Nest Mini can help with that.

You can ask Google Assistant to help you focus, and it’ll turn your Android phone to not disturb and play white noise through the speaker.

14. Lighten the mood

A Google Nest Mini smart speaker on a colorful background
Credit: Reviewed / Google

The Google Nest Mini can brighten your day with a happy fact to make you smile.

If it’s been a rough day, consider calling out, “OK, Google, tell me something good.”

The result will be a happy news story sure to warm your heart and bring a smile to your face.

Google Nest Mini and privacy concerns

A photo showing the mic mute button for the Google Nest Mini
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

There is a mic mute button for the Google Nest Mini on the side of the smart speaker.

Google says it will not automatically store your conversations with Google Assistant unless you give the device permission to do so through your Google account. You can delete your Google Assistant voice recordings.

When using the Google Nest Mini, there is a toggle switch on the bottom of the device to mute the mic.

If you’re concerned about a sensitive conversation being recorded, just manually power off the microphone.

Product image of Google Nest Mini
Google Nest Mini

Providing organization, entertainment, and control, the Nest Mini is an excellent addition to the home.

$50 at Best Buy

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