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Google Assistant's 'Continued Conversations' Rolling Out to Reduce Need for 'OK Google' Commands
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Didn't realize dedicated in-home popcorn makers were a standard item these days.
Careful, Google (and Apple, and Twitter, and...)! You're liable to lose touch with the average person whom you pretend to serve.
Nah, that's too sinister given what we saw this year. The updates in iOS 12 to SiriKit show that they're working hard to turn her around and quickly.
They are incredibly massive, to the point that I would have never expected it from them given the previous few years of "progress". Obviously something has changed drastically internally with that team and there is focus, finally.
Siri needs continued conversations badly.
In fact, Siri needs a lot of catching up badly.
I don't get why Apple is letting Siri get so far behind while the competition moves forward so much faster. They have the money, the team, the development. Apple trickle features so slowly and I don't think they would have a 'we caught up' release with everything it should do which means it just keeps falling behind further and it feels like Apple are carrying a dead weight. It's like Apple maps vs google maps. Even people I know who love Apple Maps check google maps to verify Apple has the right data!.
Apple if you're reading ....get some Siri courage.
In fact, Siri needs a lot of catching up badly.
I don't get why Apple is letting Siri get so far behind while the competition moves forward so much faster. They have the money, the team, the development. Apple trickle features so slowly and I don't think they would have a 'we caught up' release with everything it should do which means it just keeps falling behind further and it feels like Apple are carrying a dead weight. It's like Apple maps vs google maps. Even people I know who love Apple Maps check google maps to verify Apple has the right data!.
Apple if you're reading ....get some Siri courage.
Blame Google. They decided they were too good for HEVC, an industry standard codec.
IIRC the Microsoft edge browser natively supports HEVC, while vp9 is supported by chrome, Firefox and edge. Highly doubt Google is blocking Apple, but more so Apple wants their way, and Google isn't budging. And I don't blame them either.
But on the other hand, HEVC would have some benefits over vp9.
Please tell us the key things that the HomePod can't do that any significant number of smart speaker users want to use their smart speaker for?
LOL. Exactly my point, you're wrong. One of my family members has Spotify and streams just fine through the HomePod. Try again.
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You're making the point for me. You're struggling to come up with things and these are not things that are important to how most people use their smart speakers for, and some aren't accurate, e.g., much slower, but that's beside the point, the point isn't which you prefer, it's the myth that somehow there's a meaningful set of things that the HomePod can't do.
I could point out that there's universal agreement that on the the HomePod can hear you without shouting when you're listening to loud things like music, which is a capability that everyone benefits from, and that the HomePod's audio quality is far superior which is, again, something everyone benefits from, or that only the HomePod protects your privacy, but this thread was destroying the myth that there are a bunch of capabilities that matter to most people that the HomePod can't do.
We're still waiting for you to come up with something that significant numbers of people want to do with their smart speakers that Siri can't do.
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This was supposed to be things that most people are using their smart speakers for. You're getting closer with "making phone calls, " as a nice feature that is coming in software update, but surveys show that isn't something is done by most people with their smart speakers. And when "intercom" is on your list, you know you are losing the argument .
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We can debate Siri overall on another post, but this was about the HomePod and the repeating of internet myths that is omnipresent on the web that other smart speakers have capabilities that most smart speaker users care about that the HomePod doesn't
I am very realistic about the HomePod and in fact have a list of things that I am waiting for Apple to provide in over the air updates (thank heavens they future proofed it with such a powerful processor), but out of the box, it already does what the vast majority of people use smart speakers for, and offers audio quality, privacy and listening ability that is unparalleled compared to the other smart speakers.
You say that Google and Amazon are far ahead of Apple with their smart speakers and "moving at a heck of a pace." If that's the case, why is it so hard to come up with a list, much less a lengthy list as you imply, of capabilities that people use that the HomePod can't match? Yes, there's an Amazon "skill" where you can make Alexa fart through your smart speaker, but that's not important to most people.
LOL. Exactly my point, you're wrong. One of my family members has Spotify and streams just fine through the HomePod. Try again.
[doublepost=1529675275][/doublepost]
You're making the point for me. You're struggling to come up with things and these are not things that are important to how most people use their smart speakers for, and some aren't accurate, e.g., much slower, but that's beside the point, the point isn't which you prefer, it's the myth that somehow there's a meaningful set of things that the HomePod can't do.
I could point out that there's universal agreement that on the the HomePod can hear you without shouting when you're listening to loud things like music, which is a capability that everyone benefits from, and that the HomePod's audio quality is far superior which is, again, something everyone benefits from, or that only the HomePod protects your privacy, but this thread was destroying the myth that there are a bunch of capabilities that matter to most people that the HomePod can't do.
We're still waiting for you to come up with something that significant numbers of people want to do with their smart speakers that Siri can't do.
[doublepost=1529675603][/doublepost]
This was supposed to be things that most people are using their smart speakers for. You're getting closer with "making phone calls, " as a nice feature that is coming in software update, but surveys show that isn't something is done by most people with their smart speakers. And when "intercom" is on your list, you know you are losing the argument .
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The application for voice commands is far wider than just the HomePod.
How do you not see that?
By all means cheerlead for Apple, but at least keep some rational perspective on the issue.
Apple are far behind their competition and Google (and Amazon) are moving ahead at a heck of a pace.
Apple have been caught napping.
On topic:
This is excellent news for us, the users. It makes the whole interaction far more natural. Things flowing from one command or query to the next.
We can debate Siri overall on another post, but this was about the HomePod and the repeating of internet myths that is omnipresent on the web that other smart speakers have capabilities that most smart speaker users care about that the HomePod doesn't
I am very realistic about the HomePod and in fact have a list of things that I am waiting for Apple to provide in over the air updates (thank heavens they future proofed it with such a powerful processor), but out of the box, it already does what the vast majority of people use smart speakers for, and offers audio quality, privacy and listening ability that is unparalleled compared to the other smart speakers.
You say that Google and Amazon are far ahead of Apple with their smart speakers and "moving at a heck of a pace." If that's the case, why is it so hard to come up with a list, much less a lengthy list as you imply, of capabilities that people use that the HomePod can't match? Yes, there's an Amazon "skill" where you can make Alexa fart through your smart speaker, but that's not important to most people.
I absolutely agree with you about Homepod picking up hey Siri way better than any of the other devices. But that is literally the only thing it does BETTER than the others. I named multiple things I use my Alexa for daily and your response was, nobody does those things. I didn't have to search for things, those are things that annoy me.
Saying only a small percent of people use those features is burying your head in the sand. Those people (like me) are the early adopter/tech evangelists who convince others what to buy and teach others about those uses. It will only be a matter of time before they become well know features to the general population. I gave away 16 Echo dots to friends and family for Christmas. Some of those people have now chosen to focus on their amazon prime and amazon music accounts over subscribing to Apple Music. This is exactly how Apple loses ground in new markets when seed change occurs.
Has anybody been able to enable Continuous Conversation on their Google Home devices yet? I’m not seeing the option to enable it in Settings —> Preferences like the article states. I’ve got two Google Home Minis. Also, I just downloaded an app update for the Google Assistant app that was pushed today. Still no luck. I’m in the U.S., and my Google Home Minis have the latest firmware.
Edit: Nevermind. The feature showed up for me the day after I originally posted.
Edit: Nevermind. The feature showed up for me the day after I originally posted.
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I'm not saying no one finds those features useful, it's just that the majority of people don't care about them such that it's silly to say the HomePod is way behind when the HomePod can already do what most people want to do with their smart speakers. Also, anyone who buys a HomePod knows that it is just starting out and with its A8 processor, and now Siri Shortcuts, it will get over the air updates that will soon easily equal and surpass Amazon and Google's smart speaker features.
Also, keep in mind that the Echo is a loss leader by Amazon and isn't what Apple built the HomePod to compete with. It's not on the same planet as the HomePod when it comes to audio quality, design esthetics and other features, like being able to move it to another room or place and have it retune to the unique characteristics of the new place. Finally, remember that privacy and security are becoming ever more important to folks, and with Alexa and GA, you have none.
