Last updated on August 25th, 2021
Not long ago, Amazon extended its stable of resounding items with the Echo Dot, the little sibling of the bigger Echo speaker. What’s more, now, even before the year is finished, the organization has conveyed a more up to date, less expensive adaptation of the Echo Dot. We should investigate the distinctions.
There is a bit of confusion about what exactly the Echo Dot is. Is it an extension of the echo? Is it a completely independent product? What do you need to make the most of it? Even after reading the product documentation, we had a lot of questions like everyone else.
The essential differentiation between the Echo and Echo Dot is the speaker: The Echo Dot is fundamentally the upper bit of the general Amazon Echo, without the skilled speaker underneath. Or maybe, the Echo Dot is related to external speakers.
Since the exceptional intensifier is gone does not mean it can be watered down. However, this compromise is more than worth it because it drops the price of the Echo platform from 99.99 dollars for the large-scale echo to just 49.99 dollars for the echo Dot. The price is almost 40% less, but the functionality is 100% the same.
In addition, all functions and commands that work with the Amazon Echo work with the Echo Dot: You can ask questions such as, “What’s New Today” (and even fine-tuning the weather, traffic, and sports updates to your liking), you may ask him to play music (even though Spotify), and even bombarded with questions about dimensional transformations and history.
Also, the Echo Dot is a completely independent product of the Echo product line. You do not need another echo or Amazon product (such as the Amazon Fire TV) to use the Echo Dot. If you already own Alexa-enabled devices like the original Echo, and Echo Tap (Amazon’s battery-powered Bluetooth Echo), or an Amazon Fire TV 2nd generation, the Echo Dot simply acts as another Alexa unit in your home, so you get better coverage (for both commands and features like music playback).
Echo Dot vs. Google Home
A new weight challenger: Google Home
Arrived well after the Amazon model, Google Home is nonetheless a very serious competitor. The main reason for this is its direct link to the company’s famous search engine, which makes voice interaction much more interesting. Difficult to have information on its sales, my rumors say they would have quadrupled in two days on Christmas Eve. Some comparisons of these two will be made in the following parts.
The Expense Battle
Amazon Echo Dot
Let’s start with what is the good news of these smart home speakers. Like the Google Home Mini, the Amazon Echo Dot is very affordable since its price is 49.99 dollars. For the moment, the speaker is officially available only in the English-speaking and German-speaking countries, territories where Alexa, the voice assistant, is compatible. Be aware, however, that it is easy to import into the hexagon. The Echo Dot is Amazon’s littlest associated speaker that additionally advertises other bigger models: Echo (99.99 dollars), Echo Plus (149.99 dollars), and Echo Show (229.99 dollars).
Google Home Mini
In itself, Assistant is free from any cell phone with Android 6.0 or later can be discharged from standby by the words “alright Google”, voice highlight to dispatch the wizard. On Google Home and Google Home Mini, it is also possible to launch the wizard without a button. These devices cost respectively 129 dollars and 49 dollars, but you can find them at a lower price on other platforms (especially during Black Friday).
You can also opt for speakers from other manufacturers that are compatible with Google Assistant. Their number is constantly increasing, brands such as JBL, Sony, and Marshall also offer better results in terms of sound.
The Configuration
Amazon Echo Dot
As is often the case for smart home objects, it is necessary to go through an application after connecting your device. Since Echo Dot does not have a screen, you will proceed with a setup on your telephone. To utilize the Echo Dot, you have to download the Amazon Alexa home application. The rest is entirely simple. Take the directions and inside minutes you’re finished.
Once the Echo Dot is enacted, you won’t have the capacity to control it by means of the application, however by means of your voice. To “wake up”, you will need to use the Alexa password (but you can also set Amazon or Echo).
Unlike the Home Mini, the Echo Dot can connect to other existing speakers via the mini-jack available on the Echo Dot or via Bluetooth. This is a significant advantage because it allows you to enjoy better sound quality with a multi-room sound.
Also recently, Alexa can recognize several voices catching up on Google Assistant. Alexa can recognize voices to read messages, call, allow access to shopping without a confirmation code, read news flashes and access Amazon Music Unlimited Family, based on the person speaking. Finally, if you have several Amazon Echo speakers, only one configuration is necessary with Alexa since it will apply to all compatible devices.
Google Home Mini
What was explained to the Echo Dot is largely valid also for the Google Home Mini. The wizard is configured on your smartphone, it is not impossible that you have already done. Assistant accesses your Google Account information so he already knows a lot about you.
It is very unfortunate that the Home Mini cannot be connected to another speaker. Google assumes that your next stereo speaker will be compatible with Google Home or other to be connected via Chromecast. This allows you to connect multiple speakers to multiple rooms and play music via “Play Johnny be Goode all over the house”.
Once setup is complete, things become very simple since Google Assistant is the same on all your devices. Little more, several different users can use it, the device can differentiate up to 6 participants.
What can be done (Their Abilities)
Amazon Echo Dot
In spite of its little size, Amazon Echo Dot is rich in highlights on account of its Alexa partner. Alexa has nothing to envy Google Assistant, despite what might be expected. You can utilize the Echo Dot to see the climate, make race records, deal with your logbook (Google, Microsoft …), and deal with your savvy home (Philips Hue lights), play music (Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, Sirius XM …). Apple Music or Google Play Music? No.
It must also be kept in mind that Alexa is continually improving. He arrives for example in cars. The Echo Dot can thus be used to adjust parameters inside your compatible vehicle (adjust the heating, enter a route …). Of course, Amazon is committed to protecting your privacy. You will have the option to erase the voice commands later.
Google Home Mini
To be honest, Google Home does not do much more. With her many possibilities, Alexa is even ahead and the many vocal possibilities can even get stories to put the children to sleep at night.
The integration of connected devices is different. We find products from different manufacturers but the orders are the same: say “lower the brightness in the living room” and it will obey, whether you have equipment from Osram, Philips or IKEA. It is obviously the same for the speakers in multi-room systems.
Designs and Formats
Amazon Echo Dot
Accessible in two hues (dark or white), the Echo Dot is a generally cautious speaker with an assembling quality considerably higher than one may suspect at a gadget of this cost. Its reduced size is ideal for a room.
Regarding its outline, the Echo Dot is more straightforward than the Home Mini. It has a blue and orange LED light around the device that sets it apart from other more conventional speakers. A no-touch button is present but four physical buttons, including a Mute button to disable voice recognition, are in the game.
On the sound side, the Echo Dot is, of course, no miracle given its size. This is not bad in itself but the bass is limited and treble is quite hard. Amazon has further thought of this speaker as a small booster speaker that you can connect to another speaker or an Echo. For example, the sound is less powerful than the Home Mini.
Languages
As for Amazon Echo, Google Home is not yet able to interact in French. Even worse, no date has yet been announced for marketing these products in Enlightenment. In the meantime, we recommend that you take a look at our Google Home test to see if the product is right for you.
Conclusion (Which is better)
The Google Home Mini Google seems a little nobler and with its panel of invisible commands (very easy to use). It is a more modern look than what can be seen on the Echo Dot which has a design a little too “hockey puck”.
If the differences are not so many, the Echo Dot is a complete product than the Google Home Mini. It allows you to benefit from (almost) all the advantages of your big brothers but at a much more affordable price to easily become familiar with the world of connected speakers. In addition to the qualities of Alexa, Amazon’s small speaker can be used to create a more sophisticated audio system through its better connectivity. In the end, only the language limits of Alexa are its greatest weakness compared to Google Assistant.
At first, Amazon was in the lead but Google has caught up. The Home and Home Mini are unfortunately not as interesting as can be the Home Plus with its smart home antenna or the Echo Dot with its potential of connection to other speakers. That said, Google Assistant will soon be available on many other types of connected speakers so there will be no need to worry.
Personally, I’m more comfortable with the wizard because I use a lot of Google services. The wizard can use them and answer my voice commands to interact with these services. On Amazon, I had to make a big migration with the settings, then hope everything works.
Where the Google system shows all its talent, it is at the level of the caste system that can launch streams on specific devices. “Throw Game of Thrones in the living room” and hop, the series appears on the TV. The latter is either compatible with Google Casto or is coupled with Chromecast.