When Google released the Home Mini, the lack of a line-out jack was a familiar complaint. It meant users wouldn’t be able attach the device to more powerful speakers and enjoy improved audio.
After-all, the Amazon Echo has one, giving it a major leg up on the latecomer to the party. Why did Google not do likewise?
However, one intrepid Google Home Mini user wasn’t about to stand for this and decided to perform a little surgery on the smart speaker.
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Tech modder SnekTek has added the missing aux audio port and posted the method to YouTube.
He had to steam off the adhesive on the bottom of the speaker, before finding a place for the headphone port, drilling through the case and splitting the audio.
You can see the method in the video below (via Android Police).
The best thing is, this doesn’t disable the internal speaker, but it does enable users to plug it into their best speakers and access all of those lovely voice and wireless controls.
As you can see, it works pretty darn well.
If you’re not feeling up to this challenge, then a Google Chromecast audio will do the trick and enable you to stream from the Home Mini over Wi-Fi.
Home Max is here
In less universal Google Home news, the high-end Max speaker went on sale in the United States on Monday. It can be snapped up today from Best Buy and Verizon stores.
The $399 device beats Apple HomePod to market, with Cupertino’s Siri-powered effort now delayed until 2018.
We still don’t know when Home Max will arrive in the UK, but we’d assume Google will open up international availability sometime in early 2018.
Have you snapped up a Google Home / Home Mini? Or are you waiting for the Max? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.