What we have learnt so far about smart speakers — in the Indian context — is that it can recite Hickory Dickory Dock to keep kids busy; it can blare out Tum hi ho without complaining; it can give a summary of news items; it can make for a reasonable festive season gift. Lately, there haven’t been too many developments on the smart speaker front in India, leaving the gadget to become more of a digital Wikipedia reader for children, who are sadly becoming less interested in activities like quizzing.

In rolls the Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker, just when the country is gearing up for the festive season, however much scaled down because of the pandemic. The idea is to steal the thunder from Amazon Echo speakers. Of course, the new smart speaker won’t solve many of the problems stated above but it sure punches above its weight, putting across the core strengths of Google Assistant.

Big, booming sounds

The voice throbbing inside the Mi Smart Speaker is that of the Google Assistant or as I like to call it, Goo Goo. Siri, the voice assistant, came before Google Assistant and Alexa but it’s the last mentioned name that has found a lot of takers in India because there is a range of speakers available to suit not just every room size but also wallet sizes. Showering less moolah means poorer sound, at least that’s what we are made to believe.

Personally, I like the looks of Google’s own smart speakers but Xiaomi has managed to make Mi Smart Speaker respectable. Recently

Amazon announced a new spherical shape for its Echo devices, which is a fantastic move because it may help in the way sound gets distributed, plus a distinct look matters. Xiaomi’s speaker looks like a stouter version of Echo, verging on the Apple HomePod (we will come to it later). It’s a modern look with a steel grille around the front. Some are talking about the 10,531 holes on the grille to make the sound rocking. We didn’t count the number of holes but it’s suffice to say that the Mi Smart Speaker beats the older generation of Amazon Echo speakers (we are yet to review the new devices) hollow. For a device that’s only 13.1 by 10.4 by 15.1 centimetres, the company hasn’t compromised at all on the sonic front.

As a music-only device, this one is far easier to set up than a stereo system, offering booming sounds but no, if I want to hear every instrument on a Beach Boys album or an Alan Parson Project title, it would be safe to stick to the good old stereo. But that’s an unfair comparison. I use the smart speaker for casual listening, like blaring out Ariana Grande’s 7 Rings; I want to enjoy a bit of Spotify. It’s not something that goes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 or Johann Strauss Jr.’s The Blue Danube.

The power of Google

Also working in favour of the Mi Smart Speaker is Google support. For news updates or getting questions answered, there is no substitute to Google Assistant. Google has the upper-hand when it comes to selling a streamlined vision for smart living using the many tools it has — Calendar, Search, YouTube, Gmail... it’s huge. Amazon is kick-ass on the hardware front. If a child has a question, chances are that Google Assistant will have an answer. It’s a better babysitter than Alexa. Let’s not forget that Google understands our English diction better than Amazon, besides being good with Hindi. But where Amazon wins is the range of devices it offers, which means more personalisation. Every year, Amazon makes an effort to improve the Echo line-up.

There is a sizeable population using Xiaomi products, so they may opt for the company’s smart speaker. Another selling point for the speaker is the built-in Chromecast using which you can stream shows, movies and music on your smart TV. Smart move indeed. Plus, pair two Mi Smart Speakers for a stereo experience.

Smart speakers can go beyond music

Having a subscription to a streaming service like Spotify can find a new meaning when heard through a smart speaker. It can offer a better way to listen to something like podcasts. Soon after waking up while pouring a cup of joe feel free to ask about the weather or news updates. In a way, smart speakers also cut down on a kid’s screen time; it’s better for them to listen to music and play short games rather than stare at a screen.

What about privacy?

Frankly, neither Google nor Amazon is a good example on the privacy front though we are living in a privacy-focussed era. There is a button on the speaker’s top panel to mute the microphone but the button could have been a separate one, outside the panel... just to highlight the privacy element better.

This is where the Apple HomePod comes in. It’s pricey and it’s for the Apple universe but the sound is closer to a stereo system than on any Google- or Amazon-supported smart speaker that we have seen thus far. Also, Apple is a company which is known to go big on privacy.

Should you buy it?

It’s a win-win situation for Xiaomi as the company already has several ecosystem devices available in India. It would be a great way to connect many of them through the smart speaker and this can happen seamlessly. At the same time, do you want another Google- or Alexa-powered device? While you ponder over bigger questions around the category itself, there is no denying that the Mi Smart Speaker is ‘boombastic’; the sound quality defies its size. And it’s reasonably priced to fit your festive season budget.

At a glance

Device: Mi Smart Speaker

• Powered by: Google Assistant
• Microphone: 2 mics, with far-field voice wake-up support
• Speaker: 2.5-inch full frequency 12W speaker
• Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz/5GHz
• Supports: Android 4.4 and iOS 9.0 (and above)
• Price: Rs 3,499