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Apple is reportedly in talks to let Siri play Spotify tracks
You wouldn't think that Apple and Spotify's relationship would be thawing out anytime soon, given that Spotify has lodged an antitrust complaint against its streaming rival in the EU. However, the two companies are reportedly discussing a plan to let iPhone users play Spotify songs, playlists and albums using Siri voice commands, according to The Information.
Steve Dent08.14.2019
Apple suspends the Siri program where people listened to your questions
Just last week a report by The Guardian dug into a program where third-party contractors listened in to anonymized recordings of Apple users asking Siri questions to judge the assistant's responses, and now Apple has shut it down. In a statement to TechCrunch, the company said that while it conducts a "thorough" review, it's suspending the program globally. This comes shortly after Google announced it would temporarily shut down a similar effort, but only for users in the EU. While Apple has touted the privacy built into its products and derided models that mine user data for advertising, just like Amazon and Google it relies on real people to improve its AI assistant. However, as The Guardian's report indicated, listening in on real-world recordings could mean picking up all kinds of situations, including criminal activities and sexual encounters. As TechCrunch notes, its terms of service indicate that these programs exist, but exactly how much end-users understand about the possibility of being overheard by a real person -- even if less than one percent of queries are ever reviewed -- is unclear. While we don't know what will happen with the program or when it may restart, according to Apple a future software update will give users the option to explicitly choose whether they want to participate in grading. Apple: We are committed to delivering a great Siri experience while protecting user privacy. While we conduct a thorough review, we are suspending Siri grading globally. Additionally, as part of a future software update, users will have the ability to choose to participate in grading.
Richard Lawler08.02.2019
Neato's robotic vacuums will soon work with Siri Shortcuts
If you're using one of Neato's robotic vacuums and also use Apple devices, they should work better together soon. Neato just announced that its products will work with Siri Shortcuts starting in the fall, which means you can set up your own custom voice commands to deploy a vacuum in your home. When the feature rolls out, you'll be able to control your vacuum with four different actions: start cleaning, pause cleaning, go to the dock or base and "zone" cleaning.
Nathan Ingraham08.01.2019
Apple contractors frequently hear sensitive info in Siri recordings
As much as Apple emphasizes privacy, it hasn't completely avoided eyebrow-raising behavior. The Guardian has learned from a source that Siri quality control contractors regularly hear sensitive info, including medical info, criminal activities and even "sexual encounters," much like their counterparts at Amazon and Google. They're only listening to less than one percent of daily Siri activations, and frequently only for a few seconds each, but some of them include request-linked data like app info, contacts and locations. Like its peers, Apple is gauging how well its voice assistant is fulfilling requests and wants to know what happened after a command.
Jon Fingas07.26.2019
Jabra Elite 85h review: Noise cancellation to rival Bose and Sony
Jabra shocked the world (OK, maybe just me) in 2018 when it unveiled the Elite 65t true-wireless earbuds. Those headphones quickly shot to the top of a lot of "best of" lists, including a couple of Engadget Buyers Guides. The Elite 65t have dependable controls, solid audio and cost less than much of the competition. For 2019, Jabra is tackling over-ear noise-canceling headphones with the Elite 85h. However, no matter how good they are, they're not as good of a deal at $300.
Billy Steele06.12.2019
A closer look at the Bose 700 noise-cancelling headphones
As great as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones sound, let's be real: they look like they were designed for dads on a business trip. And listen, as someone who's into the whole chunky, dad-shoe trend, I'm not here to judge if you're into their design. I'm just saying that I need something with a more modern style. Thankfully, Bose has introduced its latest flagship model, the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, which features a newly designed stainless steel headband that gives them a more stylish and thinner look than the QuietComfort line. Bose says that the wireless 700s were designed from the ground up and, compared to the QC35 IIs, they also have all-new drivers, ear cushions and USB-C support.
Edgar Alvarez06.05.2019
Siri will play third-party audio apps in iOS 13
In the future, you might be able to ask Siri to play your Spotify music and podcasts. According to MacRumors, iOS 13 and iPadOS will open the SiriKit framework to third-party music, podcast, audiobook and radio apps. So, when it comes to playing DJ, Siri will be able to control more than your Apple Music, Podcast and TV apps -- formerly known as iTunes, RIP.
Christine Fisher06.05.2019
Siri now sounds more like a human
While Siri sounds decent most of the time, it still comes off as a little robotic. With iOS 13, however, Siri should sound a lot more human. At WWDC, Apple said it's taken a "huge step forward" by incorporating a neural text-to-speech transmitter that makes Siri a lot more natural than before. It has a much more natural cadence, and better emphasis on certain words. In a demo on stage, Apple showed that the Siri on iOS 12 sometimes hiccuped her way through complex sentences. The version on iOS 13, however, sounded a lot smoother, with much more streamlined transitions and sounded a little less robotic. Last year, Siri Shortcuts debuted on iOS 12. With iOS 13, a new "My Shortcuts" space will make them much easier to find. Multi-step shortcuts will also apparently be easier to set up. Apple also mentioned Siri integration into other devices. You can set up EarPods, for example, to announce incoming messages while you're working out. With CarPlay, Siri also now works with third-party apps like Pandora and Waze.
Nicole Lee06.03.2019
HomePod will support multiple users and music handoffs
Apple just addressed some of the complaints about the HomePod in one fell swoop. A future update to the smart speaker will bring multiple major upgrades, most notably support for multiple users. Like its rivals, it can recognize who's speaking and customize the responses. This has rather large implications for messages, reminders and other info you might not want to share with everyone else in your household.
Jon Fingas06.03.2019
Apple CarPlay redesign puts multiple apps side-by-side
Apple CarPlay is getting a redesign. Apple announced at its annual Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) that it is overhauling the in-car entertainment system's dashboard to display more relevant information. Users will be able to see a map with directions, music controls, and Siri-powered smart suggestions for relevant apps and commands based on your location or time of day.
AJ Dellinger06.03.2019
Apple could make the iPhone's NFC more useful at WWDC
Apple has a lot in the cards for WWDC, and that might include improvements for... well, cards. The 9to5Mac team and Steve Troughton-Smith claim to have details of developer-friendly updates that will be unveiled in early June, and NFC support would be in line for a serious upgrade. App developers will finally have the option to read NFC tags based on ISO 7816 (usually ID and access cards), FeliCa (Japan's tap-based system) and MiFare (a popular mass transit format). In other words, you might use your iPhone to enter your office or hop aboard a bus in many cities.
Jon Fingas04.22.2019
Apple cuts HomePod price to $299
Apple has cut the HomePod price by up to 18 percent in various regions as it seemingly tries to gain more of a foothold in a competitive market. As spotted by 9to5 Mac, the smart speaker is down from $349 to $299 in its US store, $449 to $399 in Canada and £319 to £279 in the UK.
Kris Holt04.04.2019
The Powerbeats Pro are Beats' first true wireless earbuds
Reports may have tipped Apple's hand last week, but it was really only a matter of time before the company made a true wireless option that carried the Beats name. And thanks to a hint in iOS code, we knew they'd look very similar to their corded, but still wireless, predecessor. There was little left to announce, and today, Beats officially revealed the Powerbeats Pro: the previously rumored pair of $250 (£220) true wireless earbuds.
Billy Steele04.03.2019
IKEA delays its smart blinds until later this year
IKEA is delaying the launch of its smart blinds until later in 2019 in order to work on a firmware update. The Verge reports that the Swedish furniture maker pushed back the release date for the smart blinds, which were expected in Europe last month and in the US in April, because it found an opportunity for "improved functionality". What kind of functionality, exactly? Mainly, the smart part.
Amrita Khalid03.14.2019
Apple buys the voice tech startup behind Hello Barbie
Apple has acquired PullString, the startup behind the voice technology powering the interactive "Hello Barbie" doll Mattel released in 2015. PullString, previously known as ToyTalk, was founded back in 2011 by former Pixar employees. Its AI platform gave its partner companies and clients a way to create digital and physical characters and voice apps that can communicate with people. Hello Barbie was one of those -- an interactive Thomas The Tank Engine toy was another. The company previously launched software that makes it easy even for non-technical pros to create Alexa apps of their own, as well.
Mariella Moon02.16.2019
Waze adds Siri Shortcuts to its iOS app
Waze is playing even more nicely with Apple after it enabled CarPlay support back in September. The latest version of its iOS app lets you use Siri Shortcuts to find your way to a destination. You'll be able to set up shortcuts for things like your morning commute, the drive home and directions to your favorite places.
Kris Holt02.12.2019
'Child's Play' reboot trailer suggests Chucky is now a killer robot
It's not completely impossible that robots could turn against us, so it's no surprise killer robot movies have been popular for decades. The fear is real. We could be about to add another flick to the canon, as the new trailer for the Child's Play reboot suggests. Plot details haven't been confirmed yet, so it's not totally certain this Chucky is a robot, but there's enough to back up rumors it's a defective doll "whose programming code was hacked so that he has no limitations to learning and also violence."
Kris Holt02.08.2019
Abode will add HomeKit to its new smart home hub
Brilliant isn't the only smart home hub creator hopping on the HomeKit bandwagon. Abode has revealed its Gen 2 gateway, and it's "100% committed" to bringing HomeKit support to the platform. More details will come "soon," the company said. However, this already makes it one of the more flexible hubs to date. It can already communicate with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT, and it supports a raft of smart home devices using Z-Wave Plus, Zigbee and Abode's own abodeRF.
Jon Fingas01.22.2019
Arlo unveils a home security system with Apple HomeKit support
Arlo is already known for its 4K security camera and doorbell, but for CES 2019, the company has launched a complete security system. The key component is a new multi-purpose sensor that can detect window and door breaches, motion, smoke, carbon monoxide, water leaks and more. The other pieces are a siren, remote control and hub that works with Arlo's various cameras, along with Zigbee and Z-Wave devices.
Steve Dent01.07.2019
Google takes a Shortcut to link Assistant and Siri
As voice assistants go, Siri isn't up to scratch. Apple knows it, you know it, and so too does Google. That's why it wants to get iOS folk using its Assistant instead. There's just one issue: Siri is throughly baked in to Apple's platform, relegating other digital helpers to the wayside. To get past that, Google is turning to Siri Shortcuts. With the latest update for Google Assistant for iOS, you can now program Siri to open Assistant.
Saqib Shah11.21.2018