Turning the HomePod mini into a portable AirPlay speaker

When I reviewed the new Beats Pill last month, I lamented its lack of AirPlay support. After all, AirPlay offers some nice benefits and better stability compared to Bluetooth.

Instead of waiting on Beats to make good on its promise from 2017 to make an AirPlay speaker, I decided to take matters into my own hands and turn my HomePod mini into a portable, battery-powered, AirPlay speaker.

A portable HomePod mini with Siri and AirPlay

On Amazon, you’ll find a few different “Battery Base” options for the HomePod mini. I opted for one from a company called “PlusAcc,” and it’s served me well so far. It has a 10,000mAh battery inside of a base that’s designed specifically to hold your HomePod mini in place.

There’s a built-in cable management system, so you can wrap the HomePod mini’s USB-C cable around the base, then connect the end of it to the Battery Base’s USB-C port. The HomePod mini is held into place relatively well, but you’ll need to treat it with care to prevent it from falling out of the base.

This setup is far from perfect, but it does get the job done. You can carry your HomePod around like it’s a portable speaker, continue to use AirPlay, and even pair it with other HomePods as you move from room to room. Unlike normal Bluetooth portable speakers, you’ll also have full access to Siri. Of course, you can’t stray too far from home because AirPlay does need a Wi-Fi network to work.

Something else to keep in mind here is battery life. The PlusAcc Battery Base’s can last up to 10 hours when playing music at 50% volume, and up to 24 hours of standby time. I’ve been leaving mine plugged in, then unplugging it when I’m ready to take it around the house or outside.

This idea was inspired by Niléane at MacStories, who cleverly refers to her battery-powered portable HomePod as the “RoamPod.” In her story, Niléane outlines a bunch of ways Apple could improve the experience and truly turn the HomePod into a RoamPod. My response to all of her ideas is a simple, “Yes, please.”

You can order the “PlusAcc Battery Base” for HomePod mini on Amazon for under $40. It’s actually on sale for Prime Day at 20% off, so now’s a great time to make the move if you’ve been thinking about turning your HomePod mini into a portable, AirPlay-enabled speaker.

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