Upcoming HomePod Software to Add Call Support, Multiple Timers, Find My iPhone, Lyric Search and More

[simon3163]

A workaround that won’t work for all. But is useful.

I ask Siri ‘what’s my calendar for tomorrow’

My wife asks ‘what’s Kate’s calendar for tomorrow’

Siri then only reads ‘her calendar’

In my settings I have her calendar as a shared one but it’s off so I don’t see them on my iPhone.

This works for reminders too.

We also have joint calendars and kids calendars and they all work fine.

Not perfect. But saying:
‘add to or read my calendar..
add to or read Kate’s calendar..
Toms calendar etc is simple.. The kids love coming home and asking ‘what classes does Tom have tomorrow etc...

Works for us just fine. We all share these calendars between us anyway so me being the ‘host’ really doesn’t matter..

If your an early adopter of any Apple product there is a certain amount of experimentation added to them.. I personally like that. If you don’t, wait or get something else.

 

[Diatribe]

A workaround that won’t work for all. But is useful.

I ask Siri ‘what’s my calendar for tomorrow’

My wife asks ‘what’s Kate’s calendar for tomorrow’

Siri then only reads ‘her calendar’

In my settings I have her calendar as a shared one but it’s off so I don’t see them on my iPhone.

This works for reminders too.

We also have joint calendars and kids calendars and they all work fine.

Not perfect. But saying:
‘add to or read my calendar..
add to or read Kate’s calendar..
Toms calendar etc is simple.. The kids love coming home and asking ‘what classes does Tom have tomorrow etc...

Works for us just fine. We all share these calendars between us anyway so me being the ‘host’ really doesn’t matter..

If your an early adopter of any Apple product there is a certain amount of experimentation added to them.. I personally like that. If you don’t, wait or get something else.

Yeah but the thing is that I do not care about Apple being the first at something. I care about Apple being the best at what they do and here they clearly aren't.
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Hence why Google is ahead...all it costs is your privacy. Digital assistants are much easier to develop further when you don’t care about your customer. Apple’s been putting a lot into their Siri development of late, but it’s still a harder road for them and sticking to their privacy stance. Siri has been getting better, just not getting credit for that. Shortcut features is one aspect. It’s machine learning is also impressive. I got in the car today, as I do every day, to go to work and once my Carplay connected it started playing a Sirius show I listen to every morning on my way in. So I think more big things are coming.

The things is, while I generally agree with you, I do not buy that argument in this specific case. Identifying different people or different language has nothing to do with privacy. But Apple has not been very focused on catering to a diverse set of people anyhow in the past on iOS (e.g. if you set location to the US you have to live with certain date, number, etc. formating while on macOS you can freely change those).

 

[simon3163]

Yeah but the thing is that I do not care about Apple being the first at something. I care about Apple being the best at what they do and here they clearly aren't.

Then don't get it. Its not a hard decision for you.

 

[Diatribe]

Then don't get it. Its not a hard decision for you.

No it is not, unfortunately there is nothing else either, so what's wrong with holding Apple to a higher standard?

 

[Mtmspa]

I am single and love both of my HomePods. Can wait for the update.

 

[G5isAlive]

I don’t really appreciate the name, as I think it’s an attempt to imply it’s something it’s not. It’s fine for a sound bar, but you consider it great for music? Maybe paired with a sub. If I wanted Sonos I’d rather spend the extra money for a play:five.

You make some good points... great for music? I would argue that there is never just ONE speaker great for music, I like stereo. But sure, the beam or the HomePod for music? Slight nod to the HomePod. But the beam is not bad. I like them both. But what I really like is the connectivity of the beam, and thats where my comments started. As for the play five... actually, if i had to just have ONE speaker, it might still be the beam. It just sounds more immersive. I have a play five and it’s MUCH better when I need volume (i.e. party). The beam is low volume to my ears.

Choice is great, and when discussing the HomePod, the beam, and play5... you cant go to wrong (as long as you are in the Apple universe).

P.s. I more or less ignore the name. And .. TWO HomePod? Now that is amazing stereo sound!
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This already works, I use it every day.
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What do you find far superior about the beam? I have a Playbar and find the sonos software absolutely awful. We use it for the TV, but other than that it would be gone. My HomePod stereo pair sounds much better and is far easier to use.

So.. my original post was somewhat tongue and cheek, someone said they wanted a HomePod without having to rely on Siri, you know, just a speaker that would work with Airplay 2. And I said, “its called the beam.”

So, having said that, I love stereo pairs of the HomePod, agreed.

I disagree on the Sonos software, or at least, its not that relevant these days that new Sonos speakers work with Airplay 2 (sonos screwed us old timers with the older speakers). But sure with AirPlay 2 on my beam, i can ignore the sonos software except when I want to tie in my whole house of older Sonos speakers (including the play bar).

Anyway, there is no doubt the beam is superior to the HomePod in connectivity, HDMI is there, Optical audio, and works with other players. Sound wise? To my ears, not quite the volume of the HomePod, but otherwise pretty damn good. So yeah, if you dont want to be limited to just Apple world... beam is worth looking at IMHO.