HomePod - page 2

It couldn’t be easier to set up HomePod or HomePod mini. Learn how to get started, use Siri, and exclude your kids’ music from your listening history.

Apple plans to offer financial incentives to artists and record labels who mix songs using surround-sound Spatial Audio technology Dolby Atmos, sources close to the matter said Monday.

Greater weighting placed on those audio streams starting in 2024 will likely mean higher royalties paid out.

Alleged photos of a HomePod prototype with an LCD screen on top have surfaced online. They showcase the smart speaker with a big touch-based LCD panel on top.

Apple’s current-gen HomePod has a small touch surface on top for controlling music playback and volume.

Apple is now offering refurbished units of its second-generation full-size HomePod at 17% off the regular price. This new version offers high-quality audio and additional smart-home features

Buying refurbs from Apple is a popular way to save on used electronics that can be relied on.

Now you can listen to more than 100 new podcasts from various apps and services in Apple Podcasts, the company said Tuesday.

“Subscribers to Apple Music, Apple News+ and participating apps like Calm and Lingokids can connect their subscriptions to access new shows and more,” Apple noted.

The revamped Sonos Move 2 portable speaker sports stereo sound, up to 24 hours of battery life — twice that of its predecessor — and a slew of design changes since the water-resistant speaker’s initial release four years ago, the company said Wednesday.

Sonos Move 2 becomes available September 20 for $449.

The owner of today’s MacBook Pro setup chose two Studio Displays over one Pro Display XDR to suit his workflow and because he realized he could bag one of the monitors at half price. Lucky him.

Several folks on social media noticed the damage, and some said they’d grab that deal, too, if they could.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Those EU technocrats plan to force Apple (and everybody else) to make batteries in their devices easier to replace. The specifics remain vague. But is forcing changes to the iPhone and iPad design a good thing or a bad thing?

Also on The CultCast:

• Apple gives us a peek at how the software sausage will be made for the upcoming Vision Pro headset. Looks promising!
• Some of the features coming to the Photos app in iOS 17 work wonders. Others not so much.
• HomePods are about to get a long-awaited feature — sort of.
• The latest Mac sales data seems impossible to believe.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Apple finally plans to make playing music from third-party sources easier on HomePods. Starting with iOS 17, you can ask Siri to play music on your HomePod from music apps installed on your iPhone.

Despite Apple providing the necessary apps, only a handful of music streaming services natively support HomePod. This change from Apple in iOS 17 is an excellent workaround to this problem.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The M2 Ultra chip gives the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro incredible powers, the first benchmarks show. And the new 15-inch MacBook Air doesn’t look too shabby, either. In fact, it seems like the ultimate Mac laptop for most people.

Also on The CultCast:

• We’ve got a great travel charger from Ugreen in this week’s giveaway.
• Erfon uncorks an update on the untimely death(?) and possible rebirth of his beloved original HomePod.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

What if, instead of saying “Hey Siri” to activate your HomePod, you only had to glance at it? Apple is considering this possibility, and recently filed for a patent on it.

Whether this will become part of a future Apple smart speaker depends on whether it’s actually better than the current activation system.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Well-placed sources say Apple’s AR/VR headset blew them away. Even the guy who dreamed up the Oculus Rift says it’s great.

The more we hear about the device nobody seems to need, the more intrigued we become. And with WWDC23 just weeks away, we don’t have long to wait for answers to our questions. In the meantime, we can imagine the possibilities …

Also on The CultCast:

• How Apple’s M3 chip will stack up against its predecessors.
• Five hidden features in iMessage that you should try ASAP.
• Erfon finally gives us an update on his beloved, but beleaguered, original HomePod.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: That old rumor about a HomePod with a built-in display for FaceTime calls and smart-home wizardry resurfaces. But this time, some fresh details make Erfon even more cranked up than usual about Apple’s smart speaker.

Also on The CultCast:

• It sounds like Tim Cook pulled a power move on Apple’s design team to make sure the company foists an expensive AR/VR headset on the masses sooner rather than later. Who’s excited? Show of hands?!?
• Apple TV+ racks up another Oscar, and Erfon is almost intrigued enough to resubscribe. (Especially if his “get three months free” trick works again.)
• The baton’s about to wave on Apple Music Classical. We’re all quivering with excitement!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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Apple could launch its first smart display as soon as next year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple is preparing a HomePod with a 7-inch display for H1 2024.

Launching a smart display under the HomePod branding is seemingly a part of Apple’s new smart home strategy.

Alongside the release of its new Era 300 and Era 100 speakers, Sonos said Tuesday it will “add support for spatial audio on Apple Music in what will be a significant expansion of its next-gen sound experience offerings.”

The company said customers can access spatial audio on Apple Music via the Era 300 and two older Sonos speaker systems starting in three weeks — Tuesday, March 28 (the new speakers’ shipping date).

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 16.4 doesn’t look earth-shattering or anything, but there are some cool new features coming.

Also on The CultCast:

• You need to toggle this switch on your iPhone ASAP so thieves don’t ruin your life.
• Working for Apple’s secret Exploratory Design Group sounds like a dream job.
• We’re giving away a very fancy backpack from Harber London.
• Erfon put his new HomePod stereo pair to the test in a head-to-head audio smackdown with the originals. The results are … disappointing.
• Windows users get a little taste of iMessage goodness. But just a taste!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

The CultCast host Erfon Elijah finally got our hands on the coveted HomePod 2 speakers. He put the 2023 model head-to-head with the 2018 model the way it’s meant to be enjoyed: in a stereo pair.

The new HomePod comes loaded with new features: smart home connectivity, a brighter top panel, a U1 chip, temperature and humidity sensors … but the big question is, how does it sound?

A new leak indicates Sonos will release its new Sonos Era 100 and 300 smart speakers in March with a slew of features that challenge Apple’s recently relaunched HomePod.

Of the two new Sonos speakers, the pricier Era 300 features a version of spatial audio. Both support Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB-C line-in for versatile connectivity. The Era 100 is likely to replace the much-liked Sonos One, launched in 2017.

A teardown video from iFixit shows that getting into the recently launched HomePod 2 is dramatically easier than opening up its predecessor. That’s going to make repairing the new smart speaker far simpler.

The video is an interesting deep dive for anyone who just wants a glimpse inside the latest HomePod.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first reviews of the 2023 HomePod make Apple’s updated smart speaker sound pretty formidable. We can’t wait to hear for ourselves. (Unfortunately, if you didn’t already place your HomePod order, you’re probably looking at a substantial hang time.)

Also on The CultCast:

• An iPad with a folding screen might be just around the corner.
• Retina alert: Apple Watch Ultra might get an even bigger, brighter screen next year.
• Former Apple design chief Jony Ive’s latest creation is … a bright red nose!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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The first reviews of the updated HomePod say the new smart speaker sounds excellent but doesn’t break much new ground.

Compared to Apple’s original smart speaker, the second-generation HomePod is more of an asset in a smart home than before. However, the device’s limitations on playing music from third-party sources mean that the home in question better be an Apple household.

Order the recently unveiled HomePod 2 from the online Apple store today and it might not arrive until March. Preorders for the revived version of Apple’s full-size smart speaker have surpassed the launch-day supply.
There seems to be some pent up demand for the product.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first reviews and early benchmarks reveal impressive performance boosts from the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini. We’re talking the pros and cons of upgrading — including one very important “buyer beware” scenario.

Also on The CultCast:

• What’s new in iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3 and macOS Ventura 13.2? We walk through the updates.
• A great giveaway from Goldenerre, maker of fine Apple Watch bands.
• Our beloved old-school HomePods just got some upgrades — including one Erfon’s been dreaming of for years.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

HomePod 2 and (surprise!) HomePod mini both include temperature and humidity sensors. These can be used by Apple’s Home app to control HomeKit accessories. Or just tell you how hot or cold it is in your living room.

Here’s how to use the sensors in Apple’s large and small smart speakers.

The new Mac mini and the high-end MacBook Pro are the first Macs to receive Apple’s powerful new M2 Pro and Max chips. But should you upgrade to the new MacBook Pro (or Mac mini) or not?

That depends on what Mac you already have. Our charts and video will walk you through the decision-making process if you’re considering buying a new Mac. (Bonus: We also break down the pros and cons of the new HomePod versus the original and the HomePod mini.)