Tag: siri
Microsoft’s CEO calls Alexa and Siri ‘dumb’ – but ChatGPT isn’t much smarter
Apple Releases tvOS 16.3.3 With Fix for Siri Remote on Latest Apple TV
The tvOS 16.3.3 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System > Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 16.3.3 automatically. Note that this update is only for the third-generation Apple TV 4K.
tvOS updates are usually minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. According to Apple’s release notes, this update fixes an issue that could cause the Siri Remote to not work with the third-generation Apple TV 4K.
This update fixes an issue where the Siri Remote can become unresponsive on Apple TV 4K (3rd generation).
Apple shares information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch.
This article, “Apple Releases tvOS 16.3.3 With Fix for Siri Remote on Latest Apple TV” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases HomePod 16.3.2 Software With Fix for Siri Request Failures
According to Apple’s release notes, HomePod software version 16.3.2 addresses an ongoing problem with HomeKit-related Siri requests, which could fail.
This update addresses an issue where asking Siri for smart home requests may fail, and also includes general performance and stability improvements.
There have been multiple complaints about Siri failing to correctly respond to a HomeKit-related requests the first time a request is received, with a timeout occurring. The update should fix that problem for those who have been impacted.
This article, “Apple Releases HomePod 16.3.2 Software With Fix for Siri Request Failures” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
New HomePod Reviews Offer Hands-On Look at Sound Quality, Siri, and More
Priced at $299, the new HomePod features a virtually identical design as the full-size HomePod that Apple discontinued in March 2021, but with two fewer tweeters and microphones. The Siri-powered speaker is also equipped with a four-inch high-excursion woofer, an S7 chip for computational audio, and a U1 chip for handing off music from an iPhone. The speaker supports Matter for smart home accessories and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos.
A new sensor in the HomePod can measure temperature and humidity in indoor environments, and this feature was also enabled on the existing HomePod mini with a recent software update. Sound Recognition will also be coming to the new HomePod with a software update this spring, allowing the speaker to listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send a notification to the user’s iPhone if a sound is identified.
The new HomePod can be pre-ordered on Apple’s online store, with white and midnight color options available. In-store availability and deliveries to customers will begin Friday, February 3 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, and 11 other countries and regions.
Written Reviews
The Verge‘s Chris Welch said sound quality is very similar to the original HomePod:
After several days of listening to the new HomePod (both solo and in a stereo pair), I still think its sound signature remains true to the original HomePod. If you were a fan of that speaker, you’ll be satisfied with the second-gen version. Sure, you can hear subtle differences in how music is rendered when comparing both generations side by side with the same track. The newer HomePod might bring out a guitar solo with slightly more emphasis than the original. But the central traits are the same.
The Wall Street Journal‘s Nicole Nguyen also said the new HomePod sounds the same as the original:
The updated HomePod looks a lot like its discontinued predecessor—and sounds similar, too. I tested the new HomePod, as a single unit and grouped as a stereo pair, in a room that’s roughly 370 square feet. For most tracks, keeping the volume at 30% was enough to fill the space.
If you look at spec sheets comparing the old and new HomePods, you might scratch your head. The new one has a fast processor but fewer built-in microphones and speakers, and supports an older Wi-Fi standard. But in person, the new HomePod sounds and performs the same as the original.
Pocket-lint‘s Britta O’Boyle was impressed with the new HomePod’s sound quality too:
In terms of hardware, there are five tweeters, a “high-excursion woofer” capable of moving an impressive 20mm, and a four-microphone array. It’s a slightly different setup to the original HomePod – that had seven tweeters for starters – but the performance is equally excellent. Make no mistake, the HomePod (2nd generation) sounds fantastic.
In the midrange, you get vocals that are detailed, crisp and crystal clear, while at the lower end, the HomePod packs in plenty of bass. It’s lovely and deep for its size, while still offering expression and punch. It’s not as bassy as the Sonos Five – which is a bigger and more expensive speaker – and HomePod is arguably a little more muddled in the mid-range when playing tracks like Skrillex’s Rumble compared to the Five, but it is still very impressive overall – and that is a pretty tricky track to keep up with anyway. You can reduce the bass in the Home app, though we didn’t find this necessary.
Engadget‘s Billy Steele said that while Siri had several shortcomings when the original HomePod was released in 2018, the voice assistant has improved over the years. He also said the new HomePod’s two fewer microphones compared to the original did not impact Siri’s ability to detect his voice — even in a noisy room:
When we reviewed the original HomePod in 2018, one of our biggest gripes was with Siri’s limited abilities. Sure the speaker sounded good, but the lack of polish with the voice assistant made it seem like a work in progress. Apple has done a lot to improve Siri over the last five years, so a lot of those issues with the original have been fixed.
First, the HomePod, like Siri on your iPhone, is capable of recognizing multiple users. Personal Requests can allow it to peek at your Calendar, Notes, Reminders, Messages, Find My and more when you ask. Plus, HomePod can give each member of your family (up to six people) their unique responses from certain iPhone apps. What’s more, Siri can create recurring home automations without you having to pick up your phone and swipe over to the appropriate app.
Even with fewer microphones to pick up your voice, the new HomePod doesn’t suffer any performance setbacks. It’s just as capable as ever at picking out your voice even in a noisy room.
MobileSyrup‘s Dean Daley was impressed with Spatial Audio on the new HomePod:
A fantastic song to test out spatial audio is also one of my favourite tracks for karaoke, “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. It sounds decent at first, but after the “I see a little silhouette of a man” section of the song, the 2nd-Gen HomePod takes it to a whole other level, perfectly utilizing Dolby Atmos’ surround sound and spatial audio with harmonies and melodies to create an epic concert in the entertainment space. This was definitely my favourite song I tested out, and one I showed to several friends.
TheStreet‘s Jacob Krol touched on the new HomePod’s larger backlit touch surface:
The most significant design change lives up top and involves the screen. While there isn’t really new information being shown and the dream of a HomePod with a true display contains to be just that a dream, the top surface is larger. It gives one more control with tapping to play or pause among other controls and it can glow brighter, and larger in different colors.
Rather than having the volume controls appear after a touch like on the original HomePod, the “+” and “-” are now etched into this backlit touch surface which makes it easier to adjust the volume at a moment’s notice. When playing back music, the HomePod’s top will glow in colors that resemble the album artwork of what you’re listening to and when communicating with Siri it will glow with all of the colors you’d expect.
TechCrunch‘s Brian Heater tested audio handoff on the new HomePod:
Start a song with Apple Music on your iPhone, hold it near the HomePod and it will start playing there, accompanied by a satisfying haptic fist bump. Move the phone near the speaker again and you can transfer it back. I really like this feature. It’s a good example of how nicely hardware can play together if you make your own devices, software and chips. It’s also surprisingly receptive. In fact, I found myself having to disable it while the HomePods are on my desk, otherwise it will accidentally trigger when I’m using the iPhone two feet from the speakers.
Video Reviews and Unboxings
This article, “New HomePod Reviews Offer Hands-On Look at Sound Quality, Siri, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple might use Siri to create apps for its mixed reality headset
Well, that’s one way to do things.
According to a report from The Information, Apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset could have a truly funky method for designing user-created apps. Put simply, users may be able to speak animated AR objects (like animals) and other elements into existence using Siri. This apparently might also include the ability to scan 3D objects using an iPhone to turn them into AR models.
The Information also reported that users may be able to upload their created apps to the App Store. This would, obviously, negate or at least substantially reduce the need for someone to know how to code in order to make something for Apple’s long-rumored headset. It’d be a pretty significant leap forward for XR development, in theory, but its actual implementation could end up being simplistic or restrictive compared to real coding.
That said, it’d give people who buy the headset (said to be priced at around $3,000) something to do with it. The device, which has been dubbed “Reality Pro” in previous reporting, may be aimed more at developers than the common consumer. Apple is said to be working on a second, cheaper headset for a later release, but that one could still ring up a $1,500 price tag whenever it comes out.
Regardless, it may be fun to ask Siri to generate a giant dog or something, if this ever comes to pass.
Apple’s Headset Will Reportedly Let Customers Create AR Apps via Siri
Interestingly, the report claims that customers will be able to create and release AR apps for the headset via Siri, even if they do not have the ability to code:
With the software tools, Apple hopes that even people who don’t know computer code could tell the headset, via the Siri voice assistant, to build an AR app that could then be made available via Apple’s App Store for others to download. The tool, for example, could allow users to build an app with virtual animals moving around a room and over or around real-life objects without the need to design the animal from scratch, program its animations and calculate its movement in a 3D space with obstacles.
The report likens Apple’s tool to Minecraft and Roblox, which allow anyone to easily create 3D tools and worlds. Apple is said to be utilizing technology that it acquired from Montreal-based startup Fabric Software in 2017, and customers would be able to distribute the AR apps they create on the App Store alongside developers.
Apple already offers some AR creation tools like Reality Composer on the iPhone and iPad that could be expanded to the headset.
It’s worth noting that the report cites sources who last saw demonstrations of the tool in 2021, so the report is based on older information and it’s possible that Apple’s plans have changed at least slightly in the time that has passed since.
Apple is also working on AR content for the headset, according to the report:
People familiar with Apple’s content strategy for the headset say Apple executives are emphasizing health and wellness including proposals for AR apps that assist with meditation and exercise. One early AR demo allowed users to sit inside a Zen garden, the four people said.
Apple’s headset is expected to be released later this year and will reportedly have an iOS-like interface with a grid of apps, advanced eye and hand tracking, and the ability to function as an external display for a Mac. The software tools for the headset could be revealed at Apple’s annual developers conference WWDC in June, giving developers time to create AR and VR apps for the headset before it launches to customers later in the year.
This article, “Apple’s Headset Will Reportedly Let Customers Create AR Apps via Siri” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Google Assistant Takes the Crown Beating Bixby and Siri In Voice Assistant Test
Apple’s Siri took second place in the competition. It performed well when asked to complete tasks like setting a timer and searching the internet, but struggled when asked to answer more complex or conversational questions. Additionally, Siri was unable to perform tasks that required interacting with apps. In contrast, Samsung’s Bixby excelled in device control thanks to its integration with Samsung devices. This integration enables Bixby to control system settings and integrate more deeply with apps than any other voice assistant. Bixby can send text messages, check sports scores, turn down screen brightness, check your calendar, launch apps, and more.
Of all the digital assistants, Amazon’s Alexa performed the worst in the voice assistant test. This is due to several factors. Firstly, Alexa is not integrated into smartphones, which means it lacks the personalized touch of other voice assistants. This can make it feel less intuitive and less convenient to use. Secondly, Alexa’s inaccuracy in finding facts, inability to interact with other apps and poor conversational models all combine to create a subpar experience when used on a phone. These issues make it difficult for Alexa to provide useful and reliable information, which is a key expectation of voice assistants. In addition, the inclusion of Amazon advertisements between tasks can be annoying and disrupt the user experience.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
You’ll soon be able to talk to Home Assistant without Google, Siri, or Alexa
Home Assistant, the open-source smart home platform, is getting its own voice assistant. Its founder, Paulus Schoutsen, posted a blog last week announcing a new project that could localize all voice commands that control smart devices — without the need to connect to a cloud that assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant have. The voice assistant is targeted to be available sometime in 2023.
Schoutsen also runs Nabu Casa, a company that provides what’s effectively first-party cloud services for Home Assistant and also contributes to the development of the free platform. In addition, it’s making the Yellow out-of-box hardware solution that can run Home Assistant in your home without your needing to manually build one on a computer…