On October 5, 2021, Yandex submitted an updated version of the "Mini Station" column with clock and without. The version with the LED-screen as it looks interesting for me, so I purchased it and recently acquired another column in black color and I want to share in this review of information about this product from a regular user's bell tower.

Overview of the smart new speaker Yandex.station Mini (with a clock) with Alice inside

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Content

Content

On October 5, 2021, Yandex submitted an updated version of the "Mini Station" column with clock and without. The version with the LED-screen as it looks interesting for me, so I purchased it and recently acquired another column in black color and I want to share in this review of information about this product from a regular user's bell tower.

Prehistory

With Alice, I met the summer day in August 2019, when I went to the park went to the shopping center of Park House and bought an IRBIS column with a voice assistant. By the time, I had only a light bulb from Xiaomi, then the light bulbs and Yandex.Module were added. For a couple of years, you quickly get used to convenience and when the Irbis column broke, I stayed like without hands: Neither the bulb turn off the voice, no one will wake you up with music, will not tell the weather, etc. Therefore, when I presented new columns, I decided that I would take the column from the manufacturer, since the devices from third-party manufacturers (LG, JBL) have limitations in the functionality. In addition to the "Mini 2 station", Yandex has a Light station that I didn't like with my plasticity, and a large station is too expensive for me. The clock version for me seemed the most optimal both externally and its technical characteristics. No clock version of some kind of faceless, and with a clock as living, with emotions)

Specifications

Dry numbers below:

Voice assistant	Yandex Alice
Total power	10 W.
Number of microphones	4
Wireless connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Standard	IEEE 802.11 B / G / N / AC
Wi-Fi frequency range	2.4 GHz / 5 GHz
Bluetooth Standard	5.0 / Ble.
Built-in screen	There is
Diameter / height	97 mm / 54 mm
The weight	260
Nutrition	From the network

Packaging, complete set

The column comes in a carton, tightened into the film to be seen that you have the first one:

Cardboard is thin, but strong. The color of the box is predominantly black despite the fact that the device itself is black.

The design is interesting, pleased the little things, such as inscriptions: "Open: I'm waiting inside." Especially such attention will be launched for those who first meet these products.

A box of a white station, released earlier, has differences, unlike the new black, both externally and inside.

Open the box and see the station itself. Inside the box, we find the glued pockets (the bag was glued in the white version). By the way, I did not know that stickers go to the set before writing this review and they had lariped me intact six months from the first column)

Inside the pocket lay stickers and instructions:

Instructions are color, good quality and will be useful to those who first meet both column and with a voice helper.

And we notice that the box has a second bottom, of course, look there:

And we detect a neatly laid cable with a power supply. Yes, unfortunately, it did not leave the usual charge with Type-C, and the manufacturer uses its own power adapter with a round connector DC Jack 4 mm. This is one of the minuses in this version, which many users notice.

Therefore, keep pets and people with animal signs away from the wires. The cable must be said long, about 1.5 meters.

The power supply and column is covered with a film and how nice to shoot it from a new device, it is always a buzz.

In the off state, the column looks like a version without hours. The clock can be turned off.

Connection

Feed the power on the column and the fixing of Alice wakes up in it and the column comes to life and begins to talk, helping us customize the device.

Since I don't have a first device and a browser from Yandex was installed, the new column was immediately found automatically and only to specify the house and room:

It is very cool that the column supports Wi-Fi at a frequency of 5 GHz. Otherwise, problems occur when connected when your phone is connected to a 5 GHz network, and a column or a 2.4 GHz speaker. If you follow the instructions, then everything will be configured and the column can be used. After connection, most likely the first thing the column will go update the firmware. New features appear with new firmware.

Exploitation

For full-fledged column, the desired subscription of Yandex plus, then there will be a complete functionality (the music will play without limitation, etc.). There is such a subscription of 1690 rubles a year, you can take a plus multi to 4 people, it will be more profitable. Because I listen to music on the phone, I drive a taxi, watching a filmisk, etc. I have always been connected to me. For someone it will be a significant minus. You can manage a smart home without a subscription.

If the mini station is turned on and configured, then in normal mode it shows the time:

The brightness of the LED display can be configured in the application, but it is satisfied with the automatic mode.

The display brightness is adjusted by the sensor, which is located above the clock. Autostar is adequately, smoothly changing the brightness and at night does not interfere at night.

For those who do not need a clock, then with the "Alice, turn off the clock" command, they will turn off. This function appeared at the end of 2021, so that with each new firmware the column becomes even better.

In addition to the LCD screen on top there is a light indicator, which glows with different colors depending on the mode of operation, for example, violet when Alice listens to you, green – low volume, red – microphone disabled, etc.

I also liked the fact that Alice learned to speak with a whisper.The column is very good hears, even a whisper and in this it helps 4 microphones. On my old Irbis there were only 2 and heard her worse.

The voice assistant functionality is huge, and I use it only a very small part, mainly to know the weather, turn on / off the light, make the light warmer, and of course turn on the music.

The sound quality suits me. I and IRBIS, which was much easier to suit, then this one more. But after the transition to this station immediately felt the bass, even Alice became more rougher. I am not Meloman, so I can't judge the sound quality, but I am satisfied with them. The column is quite loud, I do not use it at full volume. On the minimum volume of the column is quiet enough to include it for sleep, but it depends on the composition. I sometimes do not like how Yandex has been selected songs, it seems to say: "turn on the music to sleep" and can go quiet quiet songs, but once and will turn on the song with words or with shock. In general, with teams you need carefully, for example, you say: "Put the alarm for two hours" and Alice will put alarm clock for two hours. Thanks to the screen, it became much more convenient and informative.

Since now I have two columns, they can be combined into the stereo pair and then there will be a volumetric sound. I have not tested it for a short time, perhaps it is not entirely modified, but some compositions were turned on only on one column.

Who has no second column, but there are other good columns, then there are aux-lumber from behind where they can be connected. I myself did not connect as unnecessary, but people complain about low volume, keep in mind.

Also behind there is a physical button to turn off the microphone so that the FSB does not erupt you. Also, this button is used to reset the column. You can also pass the sound from the phone to the column using Bluetooth. Unfortunately, the built-in even Malomal battery in this column is not provided.

Column design I like and used materials, too, especially a fabric that gives a column some wipe, softness, adding comfort. I like the white column more, so I bought in such a color decision first. Also station. Mixed in red and blue performance. The bottom column is completely rubberized, so it is stable. From above there are three touch buttons. The central (with a light indicator) is used to start a voice assistant (long press), for a pause of playing music. Volume buttons "+" and "-". Also spending your finger from a minus to the plus and on the contrary, you can switch the song forward or backward. The volume on the buttons switches in increments of 5, from 0 to 100. The voice can be changed from 0 to 10. Why are different gradations, it is not clear, or you forgot to put a fractional point between the numbers.

If you communicate with Alice for a long time, it becomes like a family member. Sometimes she even stinks in conversations, although even the word Alice did not sound)))

In general, do not consider Yandex advertising, but I really liked this column, I recommend. Also, together with the column, I purchased a smart socket to expand the possibilities of a "smart home".