Drop-in replacement PCBs for Google Home Mini devices

#1

i got a Crowd Supply newsletter email today that included the MiciMike Home Mini, a drop-in replacement PCB for the Google Home Mini (Gen 1) - the puck-shaped smart speaker that uses a Micro-USB port for power. the board converts the smart speaker into an ESPHome device for use with Home Assistant.

it can be found on GitHub and crowdfunding is now available on Crowd Supply.

i'm probably going to get this. i got a Home Mini for "free" from a 2018 Spotify Premium promotion. (no, i don't pay for or use spotify anymore, nor am i saying you should)

...i can't tell if the GitHub README and Crowd Supply update are written with AI. they might have been. i'm not super bothered by this, but if you are, that's something to be mindful of.

if you have a Google Nest Mini (Gen 2) - a similar looking device that uses a barrel plug for power instead - there's a similar drop-in replacement PCB for that called the MiciMike Nest Mini. it's only on GitHub.

these projects and others like it are great! repurposing old hardware that may not necessarily be useful anymore is a great way to reduce e-waste and still be able to use that hardware long after it's decided it won't be supported anymore. outside of that, though, it lets you use open source solutions for these sorts of devices that process your voice only in your home, in an environment you have full control over.