I can control my tv. You can i guess maybe with Siri. But you have buy something else also like a harmony hub. I can control my Directv set box just by asking Alexa to tune into ESPN etc. I can control my Xbox from Alexa. Those are some of the more common things i can think of. My thermostat can be controlled by either since i have an Ecobee. In the case of the Ecobee. I prefer ios. Cause i can simply go into control center and change the temperature or use a voice command. My lights are the same. I can control my phillips lights with either. To be honest i am still learning about Alexa. So I rely on forums to learn what things it can do that i can take advantage of.
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HomePod Some Apple employees livid that Apple Music is coming to Amazon Echo
- Thread starter Rogifan
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I’m not sure I see those benefits. I guess it changes for those who are more integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. I watch all of my TV through AppleTV. I have a cheap $5 basic cable subscription that gives me access to content on tvOS apps which appear in TV app. I don’t even have a cable box plugged in. All my content from tv shows, to sports, to news are accessible via Siri.
So Siri controls my TV. An upcoming HomePod update will allow you to control your AppleTV without the Siri remote. Just ask HomePod.
So Siri controls my TV. An upcoming HomePod update will allow you to control your AppleTV without the Siri remote. Just ask HomePod.
I do believe a future update will enable me to request a show via the HomePod and for it to play on my Apple TV. Siri on the iPhone and iPad can already do it.
I also watch 100% of my content via my Apple TVs and have for several years.
On top of being heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, 2 x iPads, MacBook, Apple Watch, HomePods, 2 x Apple TVs, AirPods). So whilst I find the echo and google home to be more interesting from a features point of view, I find my HomePods far more functional because of the deep integration into the ecosystem. For example my google home minis can control my chromecast, turn on the tv, switch inputs and play shows. However I don’t use my chromecast and I’ve no desire to really.
I have to respectfully disagree. Like others, I purchased my HomePods (5) one at a time as open box or on sale so they would cover the rooms in my house. Compared to Sonos, which I use for surround sound for our home theater, $199-$250 is a bargain IMHO. HomePods are not limited in functionality in our house in the least. They control exterior door locks (Schlage); Hue lighting in most rooms and house exterior; 2 state of the art Ecobee thermostats (Alexa disabled of course :0); Canary Security Cameras on the interior; and a WeMo enabled CrockPot for turning on/off/to warm when away from home. I also love being able to use Siri to control our entire home to look "lived in" when gone for a period of time. Like others, while I love smart home technology and it's ease of use, I would rather have a "dumb" home than trust our privacy to Amazon or Google.
I haven't yet found anything I want to do that I can't do on the HomePod natively or with shortcuts. Our home was built in 1811 and has thick plaster walls and is 2 stories over nearly 5,000 sq. feet....hence 5 HomePods bought over time at discount. So yes, some of us do purchase multiple HP's and have a good reason to do so. However, I can now stand anywhere and just say "Hey Siri" and a response is almost immediate. "play everywhere" fills the house with wonderful music and, as as someone who loves music, have found Apple Music to be more than sufficient in quality, breadth, and genre. I know sound is subjective, but I prefer the HP sound to my Sonos surround sound for all music, with Sonos being great for TV and movies. It is still amazing that I can have a smart home with HomeKit in this old house. I guess I don't need a smart speaker for much other than HomeKit, Podcasts, AudioBooks, and Music; Weather, Travel conditions, and simple factual information; and all that works great on HP. I order online....phone,iPad,desktop, or laptop....in order to compare prices and read reviews or look at menus, rather than just asking an assistant to do it.
Can someone please tell me what the objection is to having Siri answer on multiple devices or on something other than the HomePod? That happens all the time to me via HP's, AppleWatch, MBP, MAC, IPP, and iPhone. But it seems like Siri sorts out which device needs to do what seamlessly and the requested event occurs. It doesn't bother me at all. It just works.
Can someone please tell me what the objection is to having Siri answer on multiple devices or on something other than the HomePod? That happens all the time to me via HP's, AppleWatch, MBP, MAC, IPP, and iPhone. But it seems like Siri sorts out which device needs to do what seamlessly and the requested event occurs. It doesn't bother me at all. It just works.