Uber is really leaning into getting users to collaborate more through a series of new features across its core app and Uber Eats. Many of the updates announced, including group rides and grocery orders, focus on digitally connecting friends and family.
On the primary Uber app, the company is removing any awkwardness for people who don't actually know their friends' addresses by heart (spoiler: almost everyone). Now each passenger can enter their own pick-up or drop-off location after being invited to the ride. According to Uber, other upcoming related features include changes to the stop order based on efficiency and charging each person for however long their part of the journey was.
Uber is also trying a new feature that has never been done before, especially not by taxis: calling to request a ride. People who don't have the app (or a smartphone) can now call the toll-free number 1-833-USE-UBER (1-833-873-8237) to schedule an immediate or future ride in English or Spanish. The rider will then get a text confirming their booking. It's a groundbreaking idea, to say the least.
On Uber Eats, there are two, slightly more unique, updates: group grocery shopping and video messages with gifts. The option for group groceries means that, instead of shouting upstairs to see if whoever you live with needs anything from the store, you can instead invite them to a shared shopping cart. Each person can add deadlines for when they need certain groceries bought, create a recurring order, and send other members a reminder to add what they need. Most participating stores on Uber Eats will also split the bill.
Anyone who uses Uber Eats to send surprises to loved ones can make use of another update the next time they add one to their cart. Gifts on Uber Eats are getting a more personalized touch with the option for senders to record and attach video messages. Right now, this feature is only available for gift cards, but Uber claims it will soon work with anything you send.
These updates come alongside a few family-centric ones, including Uber accounts for teens and car seat requests in select cities.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-call-an-uber-like-a-normal-taxi-150006675.html?src=rss
Sony is set to kick off a busy spell of gaming events as it will host a PlayStation Showcase next week. You'll be able to watch the stream at 4PM ET on May 24th on YouTube and Twitch. The company says the showcase will run for just over an hour and it will focus on PS5 and PS VR2 games. Expect to see first-party titles as well as games from third-party partners and indie studios.
As for the specific games Sony plans to spotlight, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll get more details on Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the biggest PlayStation Studios game that's currently on the docket for the rest of this year. It's scheduled to arrive this fall, but perhaps Sony will reveal a firm release date next week. (Sidenote: check out the prequel comic if you haven't done so. It's a good read.)
We may also learn more about the standalone The Last of Us multiplayer game, while rumors have been swirling for a while that the showcase will include Mortal Kombat and Metal Gear Solid announcements. In any case, the showcase is likely to be a bigger deal than a typical State of Play stream. With over an hour to fill, here's hoping for a lot of exciting news on the PS5 and PS VR2 fronts.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-next-playstation-showcase-will-take-place-on-may-24th-142349115.html?src=rss
An Amazon listing may have spilled the beans early, but today Beats is officially debuting its latest true wireless earbuds. That premature appearance was mostly accurate: the Studio Buds + have a familiar design with loads of improvements on the inside. Those upgrades include better battery life, retooled call performance and updated noise cancellation. There’s also a new transparent design option that offers a look at all of those internal components. However, they come with a slightly higher price tag at $170, which means the new version isn’t quite as good of a deal as the original.
Design
While the IPX4-rated Studio Buds + may look identical to the previous model at first glance, there are some subtle changes. The most significant is the addition of acoustic vents on both the front and the side. Beats says the updated design improves airflow to the transducer, which not only increases movement for sound but also allows for more effective active noise cancellation (ANC) and a better transparency mode. Interestingly, changing up the airflow was a key aspect of the improvements to sound quality Apple achieved in the second-gen AirPod Pro.
The vents also help relieve pressure so that the Studio Buds + are more comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I found that claim of increased comfort to hold true throughout my testing. Additionally, Beats added an extra small ear tip size this time around. The company says it did this after analyzing “fit success” for a variety of people and conducting hours of testing. With the new size the company says it can provide a better seal, and in turn improved sound quality, for more people.
The overall design is unchanged, but Beats says 95 percent of the internal components have been swapped out for new parts. This list includes custom-built transducers which it claims delivers “cleaner” bass with minimal distortion while providing overall “powerful, balanced” sound. The new microphones are three times larger and there’s 16 percent more battery capacity. There are also upgrades to the battery in the charging case and Beats managed all of the power improvements without increasing the size of either the buds or their holder.
Another key aspect Beats tweaked is the “b” button that facilitates the onboard controls. With the original Studio Buds, it was very easy to accidentally hit when trying to adjust the fit. The company says it “revised the design” for “better product interactions” and to cut down on “accidental button presses.” Reliability of the controls was never an issue and that remains true on the Studio Buds +, but after testing I’m happy to report the errant presses are a thing of the past.
Software and features
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
When it comes to the companion software for the Studio Buds +, there are no big changes. As before, everything is still baked into iOS for iPhone users. That includes one-touch pairing, iCloud device pairing and hands-free Siri. More settings are accessible via the device name on the Bluetooth menu, where Beats gives you battery percentage and noise control (ANC, transparency or off), alongside the ability to tweak the press-and-hold action, how you prefer to end calls and microphone priority. There’s also a shortcut to show the earbuds in the Find My app here. As is the case on other Beats devices, you can quickly access noise control via the volume slider in Control Center too.
On Android, there’s still a separate Beats app for button customization and firmware updates, but some features are available directly in the OS. One-touch pairing via Google Fast Pair as well as linking the earbuds to all of your Android and Chrome devices is here. Once those are synced, you can quickly switch between them thanks to the Studio Buds + multipoint pairing. These new Beats earbuds will also show up in Find My Device on Android, helping you locate them should they be misplaced.
The addition of onboard volume controls addresses one of my key gripes with the original Studio Buds. However, you’ll have to sacrifice noise control – the ability to toggle between ANC, transparency or off – directly on the earbuds. You’ll also forfeit the ability to summon a virtual assistant manually, which is key for Android users. Once you enable volume controls, the long press on one side turns the sound up while the other will turn it down. You can choose which you prefer on which side though, so there’s that.
Sound quality and active noise cancellation
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
Beats hasn’t always been known for balanced sound and clean bass, but that’s what the company is promising on the Studio Buds +. The overall tuning here is indeed a solid mix of highs, mids and lows – all of which stand on their own and cut through the mix with ease. Even more bass-heavy tunes like Underoath’s “Damn Excuses” are quite neutral sounding. The thumping kick drum and driving bass line don’t overpower the gritty, distorted guitars, backing vocals or the more subtle synth and keys underneath.
In fact, I’d like a little more bass on the Studio Buds +. Or perhaps a little fuller bass. There are times where the low end feels flat, like on other songs from Underoath’s Voyeurist. Hip-hop tracks fare better, but the driving, almost droning quality across Run The Jewels’ catalog is noticeably subdued. Beats certainly succeeded in achieving a balanced sound, but it did so by zapping some energy from the bass section of the EQ. And this holds true with both spatial audio and “regular” tunes alike.
In terms of noise canceling performance, Beats touts a 1.6x improvement thanks to the upgraded microphones, vents and the company’s second-gen chip. It’s a modest gain, but there is a discernible jump in the ability to block constant noise sources. There’s still work to be done when it comes to things like human voices and the random racket, though. The first Studio Buds did an adequate job of noise suppression and these are slightly better.
I don’t usually call out transparency mode in reviews because most of the time it’s just… there. But Beats says it improved this ambient sound thanks to the new mics, vent design and sound processing I’ve already mentioned. Indeed, there’s a noticeable difference on the Studio Buds + as compared to the previous version, but it’s nowhere near the level of what Apple achieves on some of its AirPods. Part of the reason for this is that Beats doesn’t feed the sound of your voice back through the earbuds. So while AirPods Pro and AirPods Max can make it seem like you’re not even wearing them in transparency mode, the Studio Buds + aren’t on that level.
Call quality
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
Beats says it “completely redesigned” the voice setup in the Studio Buds +. It did so by swapping out components and adding a new algorithm with the aim of suppressing unwanted noise and better focusing on your voice. To develop the algorithm, Beats explains that it used machine learning for the first time to train the system versus “a wide variety” of noisy scenarios with more than 7,000 hours of testing. In addition to new mics and a redesigned port to house them, the company says the larger components have an improved signal-to-noise ratio. The voice mic port was also relocated to the bottom side to underneath the multifunction button for upgraded voice detection.
All of that looks great on paper, but plenty of audio companies make lofty claims about call quality that rarely pan out as advertised. The promise of better noise blocking from the voice system does hold true and I consistently noticed less background roar in calls and recorded memos. However, the overall quality is good but not great. There’s a slightly muffled quality to your voice, and it lacks the clarity some other earbuds can provide. What’s more, the Studio Buds + confusingly disables transparency mode when you start a call if you have it active. Couple that with the fact that the ambient sound feature doesn’t pipe in your voice and that’s a perfect recipe for you to get shouty during a meeting.
Battery life
Beats promises improved battery life with the Studio Buds + over the previous model. The new earbuds can muster six hours of use with ANC or transparency mode on with three additional charges in the case. Turn noise cancellation and ambient sound off and you can get up to nine hours in one go (up to 27 additional hours with the case). That’s one more hour in the buds themselves and 11 more in the case. It’s a significant improvement and during my tests was an accurate representation of battery performance.
Indeed, I managed to hit six hours easily during my testing with a mix of ANC and transparency mode for both music and calls. In fact, I still had six percent remaining at that time, so you’ll likely get slightly better than Beats’ stated figures out of the Studio Buds +. The one knock against this model when it comes to battery is the lack of wireless charging. The first Studio Buds didn’t have it either and the company didn’t see the need to add it this time around.
The competition
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
The best alternative to the Studio Buds + comes from Beats’ own stable of audio gear. The Beats Fit Pro are my favorite in the company’s line right now, with fully adaptive ANC, and spatial audio that utilizes head tracking and personalization. I also enjoy the balanced, punchy bass on these. Battery life isn’t quite as good as the new model with ANC off, but it’s the same with noise cancellation enabled (six hours). No wireless charging here either, but the wingtip design offers a more secure fit for workouts. The Fit Pro debuted just months after the first Studio Buds in 2021, so perhaps they’re headed for a refresh too.
If you’re looking for a non-Beats option, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 remains our top pick for the best wireless earbuds. Simply put, no one comes close to the full suite of features the company offers. On top of great sound and effective ANC, the earbuds can automatically change settings based on your activity or location. What’s more, handy tools like Speak-to-Chat make quick convos a breeze thanks to automatic pausing via voice detection. iPhone users will have to sacrifice the tight integration with iOS, iCloud device sharing and hands-free Siri though.
Wrap-up
Like the Studio Buds were before, the Studio Buds + remain the best Beats option for most people. They have the design with the most general appeal and work in lockstep with iOS. The company has done significant work to make sure the earbuds sync up better with Android too. Factor in noticeable improvements to ANC and other tweaks, Beats has another compelling true wireless model here. With the price increase, these have crept out of the mid range and are approaching premium status. That makes them a less obvious value than the original model, but it’s far from a dealbreaker. Let’s just hope the company has some upgrades planned for the Beats Fit Pro too.
The Beats Studio Buds + are available starting today in black/gold, ivory and transparent color options for $170. The new model is currently for sale at Apple in the US, Canada and China.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beats-studio-buds-plus-review-140028329.html?src=rss
This is a good time to buy a mesh router if you want to boost your WiFi network's coverage at a low price. Amazon is running a sale with steep discounts on previous-generation Eero routers. Most notably, an Eero Pro is available for $80, or half its usual price — a bargain if you're looking for a tri-band system. You can also buy a three-pack of standard dual-band routers for $130, or 24 percent off.
Eero routers helped popularize mesh networking, and they're still a good choice if you're interested in no-fuss coverage across a wide area. They're simple to set up, and their compact design helps you tuck them into inconspicuous places around the house. You can control them using Amazon Alexa, and they play nicely with Apple's HomeKit. We'd add that newer Amazon Echo devices have built-in Eero WiFi extenders — you can buy a smart speaker and improve your wireless quality at the same time.
These are WiFi 5 (802.11ac) models, so you'll want to spend extra if you need the faster connectivity of WiFi 6 or 6e. And while every Eero node includes dual gigabit Ethernet jacks, you may want to look elsewhere if you need more of those ports in any one area. The price is right for what you're getting, though, and you might not need to spend more if your internet service is unlikely to overwhelm a WiFi 5 network any time soon.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eero-mesh-wifi-routers-are-up-to-50-percent-off-right-now-133648608.html?src=rss
Samsung and LG have a long-running rivalry, both Korean corporations, both make TVs, speakers, freezers, toothpaste (maybe?) and the rest. It’s a frosty relationship, with many trade shows revealing new TV products from both companies with nigh-on identical specifications and sizes. So it’s a bit of a shock to hear from Reuters that Samsung has inked a deal with LG to buy its white OLED (WOLED) TV panels.
The plan, according to the report, is for LG Display to supply two million panels next year, then three million and five million, respectively in 2025 and 2026. These high-end white OLED panels would be 77 and 83 inches, so they’re likely to be in Samsung’s most premium TVs.
Samsung could do with the OLED help: It has 6.1 percent of the OLED TV market, according to market research firm Omdia. LG Display's sibling LG Electronics is out in front with a 54.6 percent market share, while Sony has 26.1 percent. For the record, Sony also uses LG parts.
– Mat Smith
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With Global Accessibility Awareness Day just days away, Apple has detailed a raft of new iOS features for cognitive accessibility. These include Live Speech, Personal Voice and more. The biggest update is Assistive Access, designed to support users with cognitive disabilities. Essentially, it provides a custom, simplified experience for the phone, FaceTime, Messages, Camera, Photos and Music apps. That includes a "distinct interface with high contrast buttons and large text labels."
'Large quantities' of Apple data was found at his home.
A federal court in the Northern District of California has unsealed charges against Weibao Wang, a former Apple software engineer. Wang started working at the company in 2016, developing hardware and software for autonomous systems — technology that could conceivably wind up in self-driving cars.
According to the indictment, in November 2017, Wang accepted a job with a US subsidiary of a Chinese company that was developing self-driving cars but waited more than four months to tell Apple he was quitting. After Wang left Apple in April 2018, the company found he "accessed large amounts of sensitive proprietary and confidential information" in the lead up to his departure, the Department of Justice said.
Researchers posing as nine-year-olds were flooded with gun-related content.
YouTube’s recommendations are leading young kids to videos about school shootings and other gun-related content. According to the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a nonprofit watchdog, YouTube’s recommendation algorithm is “pushing boys interested in video games to scenes of school shootings, instructions on how to use and modify weapons” and other gun-centric content. As the report notes, several of the recommended videos appeared to violate YouTube’s own policies. Recommendations included videos of a young girl firing a gun and tutorials on converting handguns into “fully automatic” weapons and other modifications. Some of these videos were even monetized with ads.
Has that Horizon: Forbidden West DLC put you at your PS5 storage limits? Need space for Final Fantasy XVI this summer? We’ve got you covered. Here are the best SSD expansion options – and how to install them. Yep, it’s a little more complicated than a plug-in USB drive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-samsung-is-reportedly-sourcing-oled-tv-panels-from-rival-lg-111559968.html?src=rss
Skullcandy is refreshing its popular Crusher ANC headphones with a second-generation model that brings plenty of new features to the table, all at a lower price. Perhaps the biggest improvement with this iteration is the battery life, as these headphones get up to 60 hours of life with active noise cancellation disabled and 50 hours with ANC enabled. The 2019 original version of the Crusher ANC headphones maxed out at 24 hours of juice per charge.
The Crusher line has been widely praised for its bass-heavy audio response and the new ANC headphones continue this tradition. The exterior boasts a rotary dial for adjusting the bass on the fly, with the options to zero in on a specific number or choose from a variety of presets. You can also use the Skull-iQ app to create your own presets that transfer over to the headphones.
These are modern headphones so they ship with modern features like hands-free voice control, multipoint pairing, Bluetooth 5.2 and a dedicated button to launch Spotify. It also sports a quad-microphone design that Skullcandy says increases the efficacy of ANC, in addition to allowing for a transparent ambient mode.
This is the second version of the Crusher ANC, despite several Crusher models without active noise cancellation, so you’d expect a price increase to accompany the added features. Instead, the opposite is true. The new Crusher ANC 2 headphones cost $230, which is $90 cheaper than the original’s $320 asking price.
The new design looks similar to the old one, but the materials appear to be of a slightly higher quality. The Crusher ANC headphones are available today directly from the company.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/skullcandy-updates-crusher-anc-headphones-with-more-battery-life-and-better-bass-182609276.html?src=rss
Read-it-later service Pocket has unveiled some new features, including the option to create private lists of saved articles, videos and websites. Pocket Lists are only available in the US on the web for now, but the feature will be available globally starting next month and on mobile later this year.
You'll be able to create multiple lists with titles and descriptions. In the near future, you'll have the option to add several items to a list at once and attach notes to help you remember why an item is there. Later this year, Pocket will roll out the option to publish lists and share them with other users.
The Pocket team suggests that you might set up lists for things like recipes, trip planning or simply stuff that puts a smile on your face for whenever you need it. This is a handy update from Pocket, particularly for those who like to keep things organized. You might think of it as a bit like having bookmark folders in Pocket or a different place to save Pinterest-style collections.
Elsewhere, Pocket has built a new version of its iOS app with the aim of rolling out features more rapidly — the plan is to release updates every two weeks. You'll need to be on at least iOS 16 to use the latest app, which offers personalized recommendations and a more streamlined user interface, Pocket says. The My List tab is now called Saves, and it will offer access to features such as search, tagged items, favorites and a way to listen to audio versions of articles all in one place. One other handy update means that you'll be able to swiftly archive items with a swipe.
On Android, there's a very welcome update rolling out today. Pocket will now save log-in credentials for websites you've saved stuff from, so you'll no longer need to sign in every time you visit them. While in article view, you'll be able to move between saved items using Previous and Next buttons.
Pocket, which Mozilla bought back in 2017, added that it has removed some features. The team plans to bring back some of those within a few months, such as the option to highlight articles. Other features are gone for good, however, including the ability to recommend items to other users, which has been removed in favor of lists. To that end, here's hoping Pocket rolls out the option to share lists fairly swiftly.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pocket-users-can-now-create-multiple-collections-of-articles-videos-and-websites-160043227.html?src=rss
Lucifer ought to take the temperature of the underworld, because it seems like hell has just frozen over. According to Reuters, Samsung has inked a deal with LG to buy high-end white OLED (WOLED) TV panels from its long-standing rival. LG may start supplying the panels as soon as this quarter.
The plan, according to the report, is for LG Display to supply 2 million panels next year, then 3 million and 5 million respectively in 2025 and 2026. At least at the outset, the company will reportedly be making 77-inch and 83-inch WOLED panels for Samsung.
It's an unexpected partnership that may actually make a lot of sense for both sides. Samsung could use the panels to help it make up ground in the OLED TV market. The company has taken the approach that OLED displays are a better fit for smartphones and tablets than TVs. One reason for that perspective is that OLED panels are expensive — they tend to cost nearly five times more than LCD panels. On the TV front, Samsung has focused on making QLED models, which are cheaper than OLEDs.
Samsung has 6.1 percent of the OLED TV market, according to market research firm Omdia. LG Display's sibling LG Electronics is said to be out in front with a 54.6 percent market share while Sony has 26.1 percent. An LG Display deal could help Samsung overtake Sony in that realm or at least to better compete with Chinese manufacturers that are selling lower-cost LCD televisions.
The reported deal could help LG Display to turn its business around after four straight quarters of losses. LG Display also makes smartphone screens for Apple, as well as OLED panels for Sony and LG Electronics. However, its OLED manufacturing facility hasn't been running at full capacity. That, according to Reuters, is due to a drop in demand for new TVs and a "limited customer base." Analysts suggest that the Samsung pact could help LG Display max out its manufacturing capacity and account for between 20 and 30 percent of production in the first year. The agreement could add north of $1.5 billion to LG's bottom line next year.
Vincent Teoh of HDTVTest suggested to Engadget that Samsung might have taken this path to resolve volume and screen size availability issues. “QD-OLED panel production from Samsung Display is still limited in quantity at the moment, and the motherglass has to be cut to cater for both monitors (e.g. 34-inch 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitors which are greater in demand) and TVs (e.g. 55-inch QD-OLED TV).
"QD-OLED is also only available in 55-, 65- and 77-inch screen sizes at the moment, while the WOLED panels supplied by LG Display can go up to 83 and even 97 inches, or as small as 42 and 48 inches," Teoh said.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-is-reportedly-buying-oled-tv-panels-from-lg-143246449.html?src=rss
After launching in North America and Taiwan, Logitech's unusual and relatively expensive G Cloud Gaming Handheld is coming to Europe, the company announced. It's now available in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, with special launch goodies like six months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
With a seven-inch 1080p touchscreen and gamepad controls, the Logitech G Cloud resembles handheld gaming devices like the Razer Edge and Ayaneo Air Pro, or even a smaller version of the Switch or Steam Deck. However, it only packs middling specs like a mid-range Qualcomm 720G SoC, 4GB or RAM and Bluetooth 5.1/WiFi 5. That's because it's specifically designed for cloud gaming from services like Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now, and can also be used to stream console/PC games remotely.
Given the limited specs, the $350 price raised some eyebrows, though it normally retails for about $300. Since it shipped in December, Logitech has added a number of new features like virtual button mapping for touch-based mobile games, control customization settings and dead zones, and official support for Shadow PC. The latter service allows you to effectively "rent" a reasonably powerful PC starting at $30 per month and play games on it.
In any case, the G Cloud Gaming Handheld has apparently seen enough success for Logitech to bring it to territories outside North America. As mentioned, Logitech is throwing in up to six months of Xobx Game Pass Ultimate (depending on the country), along with a month of NVIDIA GeForce NOW Priority and a month of Shadow PC. It'll be available starting May 22nd for €359 / £329.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/logitechs-g-cloud-gaming-handheld-arrives-in-europe-141551128.html?src=rss
When we first reviewed Apple’s HomePod mini in 2020, we had some reservations. While it was a much better value than the original HomePod, it still had some of the same limitations of its bigger sibling. Siri wasn’t as bright as Alexa or Google Assistant, the HomeKit ecosystem was limited and there were no real alternatives to Apple Music for on-demand tunes. You bought a mini for Apple’s tight integration, and not much else.
Fast-forward to 2023 and it’s a different story. Apple has significantly expanded the HomePod mini’s functionality. It now has active temperature and humidity sensors, smoke and CO2 alarm detection, access to third-party music services (however modest) and support for the Matter smart home standard. With the recent 16.4 software update, the speaker can also make use of a revamped Home architecture that’s said to be faster and more reliable. The odds are that Apple has addressed at least one of your pet peeves in the past few years.
The market hasn’t stood still, however. Amazon has improved both Echo speakers and Alexa in the years since, and Google’s Nest Audio has received upgrades like a guest mode. Then there’s competition from Apple itself — now that the company has introduced a second-gen HomePod, the smaller model may not be as compelling as before. With that in mind, we’re revisiting the HomePod mini to see if it’s still a viable option.
Smart home upgrades
Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget
Ask HomePod users about their top gripe and they’ll probably point to basic reliability. It’s easy to find complaints of unresponsiveness, broken commands and generally buggy behavior that can make it difficult to consistently control a smart home. The 16.4 software and its overhauled Home architecture appear to have addressed these glitches in my month-long stint with the HomePod mini. Siri is quicker and more reliable, as expected, and there haven’t been any glitches interacting with other smart home gear (including an Apple TV 4K). While some users say they still have issues, it seems like Apple has ironed out some kinks.
The most practical upgrades are the unlocked temperature and humidity sensors, though — I’m getting far more use out of them than I thought I would. My HomePod mini test unit sits in my infant son’s nursery, and the readings let me check conditions in the room without reaching for the baby monitor. It’s about as accurate as that monitor, too. You can use the sensors to automatically toggle smart home devices (such as closing blinds when it gets too hot), although I didn’t have equipment that would benefit from the feature. Before you ask: Amazon’s Echo already has a temperature sensor, but it’s good to see this functionality spread to other platforms.
Other improvements are more subtle, but still welcome. The 16.3 update added the option of setting up recurring automations using Siri. I can turn on my Hue lights every day at dusk, if I’m so inclined. And while there’s no Pandora access in Canada, it’s good to know I can use Deezer as well as radio services like iHeartRadio, Radio.com and TuneIn. Just don’t expect Amazon Music — that was promised in 2020, but hasn’t materialized. Smoke alarm detection works as promised, although I’d rather have a connected alarm (such as Google’s Nest Protect) if I was truly worried about fires breaking out while I’m away.
Matter support also makes a difference. I’ve largely relied on Amazon Echo speakers in my home precisely because the range of HomeKit-compatible devices is still small. Matter opens the door to devices that were previously off-limits, including Google’s Nest lineup. While the list of Matter-ready hardware is currently modest, it’s growing quickly enough that I can comfortably recommend a HomePod mini to someone who wants compatibility with major-brand security cameras and thermostats.
Does the sound quality hold up?
Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget
The HomePod mini design hasn’t changed since launch apart from a wider choice of colors, like my test unit’s orange. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. As we explained in 2020, the mini punches above its diminutive weight. While it’s only somewhat larger than the third-generation Echo Dot in my nursery and the Google Home Mini in my office, it blows them away — the sound is comparable to the larger, more powerful second-gen standard Echo in my living room. There’s a surprising (though not awe-inspiring) amount of bass, detailed highs and distinct instrumentation.
The mini isn’t the loudest smart speaker in its class, and I typically set the volume to 50 percent or more if I want to listen from another room. However, it also maintains the fullness of its sound across volume levels, even at the 15 percent I use for lullabies in the nursery. While I would rather have the regular HomePod and other louder alternatives for a house party, I’d be happy to use the mini as an office or bedroom speaker.
With that said, the HomePod mini fares better with some music genres than others. A jazz tune like Ahmad Jamal’s live take on “Poinciana” sounds surprisingly immersive, while a treble-rich classical work like Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2” sparkles. Mid-range rock like Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” also plays well. However, the speaker sometimes strains to handle the mids of dance tunes like Above & Beyond’s “Gratitude,” and sounds a bit hollow with rap like Run the Jewels’ “Close Your Eyes.” Updates like lossless audio support haven’t improved matters, either.
The sound is nonetheless enjoyable, and holds up well next to my standard Echo. While the HomePod isn’t as loud, it provides more consistent detail. The problem, as you might guess, is that a roughly comparable sound isn’t a draw by itself. Apple has a size advantage, but that’s about it. And it’s safe to say that you’re better off spending extra for higher-end speakers like the regular HomePod or Sonos Era 100 if you care about fidelity or tricks like the HomePod’s support for spatial audio.
Some things are still broken
Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget
As much as Apple has improved the HomePod mini over time, certain elements are just as frustrating as they were three years ago. For one, Spotify support is missing. That’s not under Apple’s control at this stage, and we wouldn’t expect Spotify to warm up when it’s still engaged in an antitrust battle over pricing and app integration. Nonetheless, it rules out the most popular streaming music service on the planet unless you’re willing to use AirPlay.
And no, Siri isn’t much brighter than before. Most of the updates since launch have revolved around Apple TV support (such as playing a movie), Find My friend locations and compatibility with the cheaper Apple Music Voice Plan. Siri does a solid job with straightforward tasks like playing music or checking the weather, but it has neither Alexa’s third-party skills nor Google Assistant’s talent for answering general knowledge questions.
For that matter, the HomePod mini isn’t necessarily the best speaker for a nursery or shared bedroom. You can adjust Siri’s volume or peg it to that of your voice, but there’s no Alexa-style whisper mode that responds in hushed tones. If you’re not careful, you’ll inadvertently startle someone by cuing up a playlist — trust me, I know. You can tap your iPhone on the HomePod to silently transfer music (still one of Apple’s best tricks), but that’s not much help if you’re rocking a child to sleep.
Support for other platforms remains non-existent. You still need an iPhone or iPad just to set up a HomePod mini, while the absences of Bluetooth audio and a line-in jack rule out even basic connectivity with non-Apple devices. While Matter support improves the range of smart home devices you can use, the mini remains a no-go if you use Android.
A better value, for the right person
Photo by Jon Fingas/Engadget
Even with all those hangups in mind, the HomePod mini is a better value now than it was in 2020. It’s more useful and reliable in a smart home, and you aren’t as locked into Apple’s ecosystem as you were before. You’ll be pleased with the sound quality for the money, especially if you want a smart speaker that doesn’t occupy much space on an end table.
Moreover, the HomePod mini may be appealing precisely because it’s not part of the Amazon and Google ecosystems. My Echo speakers irritate me by peppering Alexa responses and notifications with unwanted pitches — no, I don’t want to subscribe to Amazon Music or rate the power cords I bought last month. Google isn’t as egregious, but it frequently offers unwanted tips. While the HomePod’s functionality is more limited, I’m tempted to switch just to escape the annoyances of its rivals.
These days, the HomePod mini is also tempting if you’re particularly privacy-minded. I’m not too fussed about it myself, but it’s no secret that Apple’s rivals generally collect more data. Amazon and Google grab personal profiles and contact information Apple doesn’t, for instance. Both likewise use queries to help target ads, and Amazon defaults to collecting voice recordings for service improvements where it’s strictly opt-in for Apple and Google. HomePods still have to gather some data, such as IP addresses and device names, but I’d feel more comfortable with the mini than its alternatives if I wanted to keep info sharing to a minimum.
Having said this, the mini is still best-suited to Apple devotees. It makes the most sense if you subscribe to Apple Music, and the proposition gets better the more Apple hardware you have. HomePods just aren’t as alluring in mixed-platform households. You may also want to wait for more Matter-compatible devices if you’re going to use this speaker as the cornerstone of an elaborate smart home setup.
This is still a stronger purchase than the high-end HomePod for most people. You’re getting the same environment sensors and voice assistant features, and the sound is pleasing if you’re either a casual music listener or tend to listen to spoken-word content like podcasts and news radio. The more expensive model is strictly for buyers who want the best possible audio quality from an Apple speaker, or want to try spatial audio without spending $450 on the Sonos Era 300.
Versus Amazon and Google, it’s more complicated. We noted in our smart speaker buying guide that the fourth-generation Echo and Nest Audio are both louder and punchier than the HomePod mini, although they pay for that with larger enclosures and less consistent sound across frequencies. They aren’t tied to one mobile platform, however, and they have rich smart home ecosystems even without Matter playing a part. Throw in more flexible voice assistants, wider hardware variety (there’s no Apple equivalent to an Echo Dot or Nest Mini) and well-established ecosystems and they’re the safer choices.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/after-two-years-of-updates-the-homepod-mini-is-actually-pretty-good-133056756.html?src=rss
