Apple Homepod Mini

Why Apple Needs a HomePod Mini

One of the most important markets for the tech industry is the connected home, from smart thermostats and lights to security cameras and app-connected door locks. I first wrote about the connected home in 2004; I saw its potential but was concerned about whether these devices had enough processing power and whether our networks could handle all that data. Back then, we did not have smartphones, smart speakers, or standardized wireless protocols that could make the smart home a reality. But I knew the technology would evolve to allow for internet-connected devices, which would most likely connect to a central hub. Initially, I thought the TV would serve as that hub. At the time, Creative Strategies was working with a semiconductor company that specialized in television processors and envisioned a smarter TV. Fast forward to 2018, and TVs are indeed smarter but don't really serve as the home's smart hub. It's clear now that smart speakers fill that role. With a voice interfac...

Apple HomePod Review

Technically the best-sounding smart speaker, the Apple HomePod is a compact marvel that automatically adjusts its sound based on where you put it. Double-up in a stereo pair and, pound-for-pound, you can't get better. Yet, for all the audio brilliance, Siri lags behind its smart assistant competition, and there's too much focus on Apple devices and services to make this a smart speaker for the masses.

Apple HomePod Mini: Apple launches smaller, rounder smart speaker and it's only £99

Apple's iPhone launch event ushered in a new smart speaker, the HomePod Mini, with improved smarts and a much lower price

Apple HomePod mini review: Making the world go round?

A move in the right direction, the smaller HomePod sounds great for a speaker of this scale. It will appeal to many Apple users, but against Amazon's Echo series it feels like it still fails to understand that people are more than happy with cheap and cheerful when it comes to kitchen-based listening.

Apple HomePod mini Review

The Apple HomePod mini speaker offers Siri voice assistance and smart home control in an attractive little orb design for just $99, but the Amazon Echo delivers substantially more audio power for the same price. There’s no shortage of smart speakers to choose from these days, but recent months have placed the focus on affordable, often spherical options. Apple's new HomePod mini, a $99 alternative to the larger, more powerful $299 HomePod, competes primarily against the $99 orb-like Amazon Echo (4th Generation) and the non-spherical $99 Google Nest Audio. If audio is your top priority, Apple's speaker is outperformed by Amazon's, as well as some other, non-smart wireless models in the $100 price range—the HomePod mini delivers solid, clean mono audio, but the Echo is substantially larger and more powerful, offering a stronger sense of bass response. That said, if you're already thoroughly invested in the Apple/iOS/HomeKit realm, the HomePod mini is still a strong smart speaker for the price.HomePod mini Design and Features The orb-shaped, 0.8-pound HomePod mini is available in space gray or white, and measures 3.3 by 3.9 inches (HW), with a flat panel on the top and on bottom preventing i...

Apple HomePod Mini review

In terms of price and performance the HomePod Mini is a direct rival for Amazon’s five-star Echo, but in size it’s more comparable to the smaller Dot. So why is it harder to recommend? From a musical point of view it comfortably outperforms expectations, offering a more balanced sound than something of this size would usually manage, but for now it still makes too many demands about where it gets its tunes from. Smart home skills still lag behind the competition a little too, and while Siri’s conversation skills are good, it can still sound a touch mechanical at times. Apple fans won’t mind those limitations much and there’s still a lot to love here, but for now the HomePod Mini falls just short of greatness. We’d still take one over that Thunderbolt cable though.

Apple HomePod Mini review review

Apple HomePod mini : Good things come in small packages

A very impressive smart speaker from Apple and, for once, the price isn’t too high

HomePod Mini review

The HomePod Mini excels in the audio department despite its small stature, but it falls over in terms of connectivity - not just the smart devices it can control, but the smartphones and services it's compatible with.

Excellent!!

Sounds amazing I brought 2 for a stereo pair for my master bedroom, amazing sound!