We recently had the opportunity to test the Yasmina Midi smart speaker, and it’s safe to say that this device is more than just a speaker—it’s a culturally immersive, AI-powered assistant that seamlessly blends into our daily lives. Designed specifically for the GCC region, Yasmina Midi offers a unique combination of advanced technology, impressive sound quality, and features that cater to local cultural nuances. Here’s our detailed take on this smart speaker.
Design: Sleek and Functional
The Yasmina Midi boasts a sleek, minimalist design that fits effortlessly into any room. Its compact cubic shape (96 x 96 x 110 mm) and fabric-covered body give it a modern yet understated look, while the rubber anti-vibration base ensures stability. Available in white, black, and emerald green, it blends well with most home interiors.
One of the standout design features is the customizable LED lighting on top of the speaker. We loved how it adapts to the music or the surrounding environment, creating an immersive atmosphere. The touch controls are intuitive, and the easy-to-read display shows useful information like time, weather, and even emotional expressions from Yasmina herself.
Sound Quality: Small but Mighty
Despite its compact size, the Yasmina Midi delivers impressive sound quality. It features three active drivers—two side-facing tweeters and a downward-firing woofer—along with two passive radiators, producing a rich, immersive sound experience. With 24 watts of power, it fills medium-sized rooms (up to 300 square feet) with clear, balanced audio.
We were particularly impressed by its ability to adapt its audio output based on the acoustics of the room. The Yango Play app also offers an equalizer and preset sound modes for different genres like hip-hop, pop, classical, and electronic music. Whether we were hosting a party or relaxing with some soft tunes, the Yasmina Midi delivered a satisfying audio experience.
AI Assistant: Culturally Relevant and Bilingual
The Yasmina Midi’s AI assistant is where this speaker truly shines. Powered by YangoGPT, Yasmina engages in lifelike conversations in both Khaleeji Arabic and English, making interactions feel natural and culturally relevant. It’s not just a generic voice assistant—it understands local dialects, cultural references, and even local humor. For example, Yasmina can recite Quranic surahs, play Adhans, and provide Hijri calendar dates, which is a thoughtful addition for religious users.
The assistant also recognizes up to four different family members by their voices and tailors content recommendations based on individual preferences. Whether it’s suggesting music, helping with daily tasks, or providing weather updates, Yasmina feels like a personalized assistant for the entire household.
However, we did notice some limitations. While Yasmina excels in understanding Khaleeji Arabic and English, it struggled with non-standard Arabic dialects like Moroccan Arabic (Darija). Additionally, it occasionally took longer to process commands or failed to respond, which could be frustrating at times.
Smart Home Integration and Privacy
The Yasmina Midi doubles as a smart home hub, allowing us to control connected devices like lights and thermostats using voice commands. Its Zigbee and Wi-Fi capabilities make it a versatile addition to any smart home setup. We also appreciated the privacy-focused features, such as the mute button that disconnects the microphones, ensuring Yasmina isn’t listening when we don’t want it to.
Multiroom Audio Experience
One of our favorite features is the Multiroom Mode, which lets us sync multiple Yasmina speakers (like the Yasmina Mini and Yasmina Max) across different rooms. By linking the speakers to one account and connecting them to the same Wi-Fi network, we enjoyed seamless, synchronized music playback throughout our home. It’s a fantastic feature for creating a cohesive audio experience.
Yango Play Subscription
To unlock the full potential of Yasmina Midi, including personalized music recommendations and access to Yango Play’s extensive library of movies, series, and mini-games, a subscription is required. While the 90-day free trial is a great way to explore the platform, the subscription is necessary for long-term use. We found the personalized content recommendations to be a nice touch, but the additional cost might be a consideration for some users.
Performance and Room for Improvement
Overall, the Yasmina Midi is a powerful and culturally relevant smart speaker that excels in sound quality, AI capabilities, and smart home integration. However, there’s room for improvement in its ability to process commands more quickly and accurately. We also wish it could support more Arabic dialects and offer basic language-learning features, which would make it even more versatile.
Final Thoughts
The Yasmina Midi is a standout smart speaker for those in the GCC region, offering a blend of advanced technology, impressive sound, and culturally tailored features. Its sleek design, customizable lighting, and bilingual AI assistant make it a valuable addition to any home. While it has a few minor drawbacks, its strengths far outweigh them, making it a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to enhance their smart home setup with a touch of local flavor.
Price: AED 449
Availability: Virgin Megastore, Jumbo Electronics, Sharaf DG, and noon.com
If you’re in the market for a smart speaker that understands the Arabic culture and delivers exceptional sound, the Yasmina Midi is definitely worth considering.
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