As a home audio device, Apple's HomePod is a hit with critics, who have lauded the $349 accessory's superior sound quality. But the standalone speaker has not addressed the shortcomings of Siri, an area where HomePod lagged behind the capabilities of competitors Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

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While the $399 Google Home Max and the $349 Apple HomePod are roughly aiming for the same market, both have taken very different approaches. AppleInsider compares the hardware, and delves into which speaker might work the best for you.

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After a teaser suggested new voice options could be coming to Alexa, the release of Amazon's full Super Bowl spot reveals it was all just a joke, setting up a primetime ad where celebrities substitute in for Alexa -- and poorly.

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With days to go before the launch of Apple's Siri-powered HomePod smart speaker, Amazon will unveil changes to its own personal assistant, Alexa, likely to come in the form of new voice options.

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Owners of the HomePod -- shipping on Feb. 9 -- should be able to ask Siri to stream any files uploaded to iTunes Match, not just material hosted on Apple Music.

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A one-hour hands on period with the HomePod found sound quality beating out offerings from Google, Amazon, and Sonos, with security provisions preventing personal information from being read aloud by the HomePod when the primary user's main device isn't on the home network, preventing other users in the house from getting calendar items read or other personal notifications.

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Consider Apple's release of a new music-oriented device priced higher than its perceived competitors--which have already established an enthusiastic audience base over the past few years. How can it possibly survive in such a difficult position? The answer was: by being better in key ways that matter to users. iPod went on to become a legendary franchise in personal audio. Now Apple is doing the same thing again in home audio with HomePod.

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Not only can Apple's HomePod be used to control HomeKit devices, but it can take the role of a HomeKit hub, allowing for access and control of compatible peripherals from outside the home.

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Apple's HomePod, Files in iOS, and QuickTime Player in macOS all support FLAC playback, but Apple's media management tool iTunes still does not making it more difficult for Apple users to use the high-quality file format than it could be.

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Apple's HomePod will be shipping soon -- but beyond the features initially promised but not immediately arriving, there look to be a few more things coming to the HomePod in the future. AppleInsider gives you a full rundown of what to expect from HomePod in the weeks and months after it launches.

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Apple buried a tasty tidbit in Tuesday's HomePod press release, revealing that its Siri virtual assistant is being "actively used" on over half a billion devices, a figure up from more than 375 million in June.

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Apple's HomePod is finally available to preorder this Friday, January 26th, and arriving in stores starting Friday, February 9th. AppleInsider delves into the device pre-release, and tells you everything you need to know before you drop $349 on it.

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Apple's HomePod may be shipping in the beginning of February, but multiple-room audio support and stereo sound between two HomePods will be absent at launch.

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Apple's long-awaited HomePod arrives in stores beginning Friday, February 9 and is available to order online this Friday, January 26 in the US, UK and Australia.

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Delves through iOS beta firmware released on Friday has revealed some HomePod iconography, showing an Apple TV, assorted environmental icons probably for HomeKit, a muted microphone icon associated with the HomePod, and other graphics associated with use and setup of Apple's Siri speaker.

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Now you can stay informed about the events of the day without ever touching your phone, thanks to a new podcast tweak to the hands-free mode in Apple's personal digital assistant.

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Apple continued to build out its Siri virtual assistant this week with new data integrations for golf and tennis, additions seemingly timed to coincide with next Monday's start to the Australian Open.

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Plumbing hardware giant Moen is building out its U by Moen smart shower system with the latest virtual assistant technology from Apple and Amazon, allowing users to turn on fixtures, adjust temperature settings and more with their voice.

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Smoke detector manufacturer First Alert is getting into the premium speaker business with its Onelink Safe & Sound smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, an in-ceiling device that boasts integration with Apple's HomeKit platform.

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The shutdown of Microsoft's Groove Music service has eliminated music recognition capabilities in the software giant's Cortana personal assistant, giving Apple's Siri -- and its tight integration with Shazam -- a leg up on the competition.

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