The Google Home Mini and Max are here to take on the Amazon Echo

Google Home is growing up... and shrinking down.

Google surprised us all by launching not one, but two new Google Homes to round out its lineup of voice-enabled speakers: the Google Home Mini, a $49 hockey puck-sized speaker, and Google Home Max, a bassy $399 "premium" speaker.

The smaller cloth-covered Google Home Mini comes in a similar color scheme as the Google Home and Home Max: chalk, charcoal, and coral. Underneath the cloth cover is a five-watt speaker and four LED lights. 

While the disk shape and limited color options won't fit with everyone's decor, I have to say I agree with Google's assessment that it's preferable over Amazon's black plastic in the Echo and Echo Dot. Read more...