Best Color For Homepod Mini – A few months ago my original HomePod died. Premature death is likely an unfortunate side effect of a bad software update. And since Apple no longer sells the original HomePod after discontinuing it earlier this year, the only options are to buy a mini HomePod, buy a used HomePod, or look elsewhere.
While it doesn’t have the great sound quality of the original HomePod, the HomePod mini is a great smart speaker, and better than the original in other ways. With the release of three additional HomePod mini colors last week, I thought it would be a good time to look back at some of the best HomePod mini features.
Best Color For Homepod Mini
Announced at Apple’s MacBook Pro 2021 event, the HomePod mini gets three exciting new colors: blue, orange and yellow. This color follows the black and white color options that debuted at the mini’s launch. The original HomePod doesn’t have such color options, so if you’re tired of the same boring screen, the HomePod mini is a great way to add color to your environment.
Homepod Mini Faq: All Your Questions Answered
After leaving with three new color options, yellow and blue are my favorites. The orange HomePod mini just doesn’t do it for me, and I prefer red to orange. All three new color options come with a white touch surface, just like the original white HomePod mini.
Like HomePod units before it, the new color option features a color-matched power cable, completing the new digs. It’s very similar to the Lightning to USB-C cable that comes with current iMacs.
Apart from the color choice, this HomePod mini model is exactly the same as the previous black and white edition. Unless you just want extra HomePods for your home, there’s no technical reason to upgrade from your existing HomePod mini speakers.
On that note, the HomePod mini is the perfect product to experiment with fun colors. Something tells me this isn’t the last color line for smart speakers.
Homepod Mini 2021 Review: Small, Loud And A Dash Of Colour
When Apple finally dropped the price of the original HomePod by $50 (before dropping everything), the speaker debuted with a $350 price tag. So many people asked for a smart speaker that initially wasn’t really a smart speaker that today the day exists. As such, the original HomePod limped out of the gate and apparently never sold beyond its initial allotment, as launch units were still available years later. The HomePod mini, with its wallet-friendly price tag of $99, has no barriers to entry.
Compared to the original HomePod, you can’t ignore the fact that the HomePod mini is not that good. Two HomePod minis in a stereo pair sound better than HomePod minis solo, but I still like the big HomePod better, especially when playing music with a lot of low-end sound. Compared to two full-size HomePods in a stereo pair, it’s not comparable, especially at low frequencies.
While not a true HomePod replacement for audio enthusiasts, the HomePod mini sounds great for its size. It’s designed to emit 360-degree audio to fill the room with sound wherever it is, and the built-in Apple S5 chip enables computational audio to improve sound quality.
The original HomePod, while not huge, is larger and heavier than the HomePod mini. The mini’s small size makes it easy to place in places where the original HomePod wouldn’t fit. Because it’s relatively cheap and small, it’s better than the larger HomePod for high-traffic areas like the kitchen.
Which Homepod Mini (2021) Color Is Best And Which Should You Buy?
A pair of HomePod mini speakers make the perfect Apple TV 4K companion. In fact, like its larger siblings, a pair of HomePod mini smart speaker stereos can be used as the standard sound output for the Apple TV.
I’ve been using two original HomePod mini speakers with my Apple TV for a few months now and I’m having a great time with them. It obviously doesn’t provide surround sound, so it can’t compete with dedicated home theater setups in that way, but it’s a good-sounding solution that’s good for movies, games and Apple Music.
There’s even an option for eARC, currently in beta, which lets you use your HomePod mini speaker as an output for other input sources connected to your television. I use this feature with my 48-inch LG CX to output Nintendo Switch audio directly to my HomePod mini stereo pair. Even though it’s in beta and a bit unstable at times, I love the seamless experience it provides, with all audio routed to the same output regardless of source. You can find the eARC settings in Settings → Video & Audio → Audio Output → Audio Return Channel (beta). You also need to enable eARC in your television settings for it to work.
What I love most about using the HomePod mini as a dedicated Apple TV speaker is the fact that it doesn’t require any cables beyond the power connection. A pair of HomePod minis make for a very sleek speaker setup that sounds miles better than the stock speakers on your television.
The Homepod Mini Is Apple’s Last Chance At The Smart Home
One of the great things about the HomePod mini is that it has four microphones that help with noise cancellation. This allows the user to use the keyword “Hey Siri” in a noisy environment, or even far away from the speaker.
Siri still occasionally frustrates me with incoherent responses, long wait times, and occasional incompetence, but there’s no denying that the experience is better than when the HomePod first hit the market.
One of the most glaring omissions from the initial HomePod launch was the lack of support for multiple timers. Of course, Apple has finally resolved this issue and continues to improve the experience. For example, users can now use the intercom feature to communicate with other household members, while personal requests have been improved to recognize the voices of up to six family members.
HomePod, with Apple’s S5 system on the chip, contains iOS-based software and can receive over-the-air software updates like other products in Apple’s lineup. Apple has added a number of new features to the HomePod mini that were initially unavailable when the device shipped, and they will continue to do so.
Apple Homepod (2023) Review
One of the biggest problems with the so-called “always listening” smart speaker concerns privacy. The first HomePod mini only listens for the keyword “Hey Siri” before listening to your request. You also have the option to disable passwords completely and manually activate Siri with a physical touch.
When you ask Siri to do something, the request has nothing to do with email addresses, user IDs, etc. And some requests, like playing messages, are synced to your iPhone done directly on the device, which means that no information goes back to Apple.
One of the biggest incentives for adding a HomePod to your life is the control of HomeKit devices. Using just your voice, you can control all HomeKit-enabled smart home devices, such as door locks, lights, thermostats, TVs and more.
Better yet, just like the original Apple TV or HomePod, the HomePod mini becomes a HomeKit hub. The HomeKit hub lets you control your smart home devices while you’re away from home. I use this functionality all the time to check the status of my door locks, adjust the temperature, and check the camera when I’m away.
Apple Homepod Vs. Homepod Mini: A Smart Speaker Shootout
Unlike the original HomePod, the HomePod mini supports the Thread network protocol. Thread is operated by the Thread Group, a collection of several companies, including Apple. Apple’s first Thread-compatible product, the HomePod mini, can communicate with other Thread-compatible devices, such as smart lights, locks, sensors, etc.
In practice, Thread support means faster response times, fewer failed requests, and less delay when asking Siri to control Thread-enabled smart home products. It’s basically a way to make smart home devices more reliable. I tested the Nanoleaf light with Essentials Thread and the connection was solid and responsive.
The HomePod mini’s USB-C connection not only provides a way to connect to the included 20W power adapter, but also provides a way to connect the smart speaker to a Mac for software repairs. As someone who has experienced a bricked HomePod without the ability to restore the software, having this USB-C connection gives me peace of mind.
Even if you’re not an Apple Music subscriber yet, Apple recently announced a voice-only Apple Music subscription that seems best suited for the HomePod mini. The upcoming $4.99/month Apple Music Voice subscription is designed exclusively to use Siri commands to play songs, playlists, radio stations, etc. station is prompted to use
Homepod Mini Review: Lots Of Bang, Not A Lot Of Bucks
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