Free Nest Mini released to some YouTube Premium subscribers

A new free Nest Mini has appeared in a sort of "offer" delivered to a number of subscribers to YouTube Premium. This isn't the first time Google's delivered their Google Assistant speaker devices to subscribers to their services. This usually signals that Google is preparing to release a new model – but it's also part of their overarching efforts to get as many Google Assistant devices as possible into the hands of users and potential users.

If you're eligible for the "offer" from Google, you'll find a link in your YouTube app (for Android or iOS) that'll lead to some selection screens. The process involves selecting a color – whatever's left when you get the link – and you'll pick from Chalk, Sky, Charcoal, or Coral. There's a free shipping tier, or you can upgrade to a shipping tier that'll cost you a few bucks.

Per text posted by Google, "Available only to users who are active paid members of an individual plan, student plan, or family plan head-of-household of YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium, or Google Play Music on May 19, 2020." You'll have an amount of time to redeem the offer, then a separate amount of time before you need to place a Google Store order for the device – that'll be until just before midnight, at the end of the day, on June 30, 2020.

The Google-made Nest Mini is a puck-sized speaker and microphone-toting device that works with the internet and Google Assistant. With this device, users are able to ask questions, get answers, and give commands to Google and connected Google devices.

As of October of 2019, the Google Nest Mini got louder and the ability to process Google Assistant requests locally. This little machine will normally cost an average consumer around $49 USD, before shipping.