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Hello Cameron, thank you for subscribing and sticking around for more videos. I’m glad that you appreciated the muting of Siri. I do try to avoid triggering devices. Thanks for watching and have a great day.
This video is still relevant! Yes, the new home pod 2 gen came out, but I just bought (2) used OG HomePods for a great price. So, watching this video made me feel even better! This is still such a good product. Thank you for this!
My HomePod is a vital part of my day. I use it as part of my security system to play alarms based on HOmeKit sensor changes when I'm not home. Great stuff!
I love the Reminders part of my Homepod. I use it constantly to add stuff to my shared Groceries list (with my gf). Then when I'm at the store, I pull up those same reminders on my Apple Watch and go shopping, checking off things as I go.
I bought 3 minis two weeks ago, and when searching for more info on them, I came to this channel and after watching a few tutorials I bought two full size HomePods, even if they discontinued them a few weeks ago. I totally missed out on them because they weren’t available in the Netherlands.
Just got another HomePod to mate my first, and they seem set to disappear from the market, but I’m back here for a refresher on how I can use more smart features.
i use it to call phones, control lights, fan, a/c, control my garage door. also, this is the inly smart speaker than can hear you while playing music on a max volume. the sound quality is GREAT!
@@CraigsTechTalk Apple priced it way too high. It's why Apple permanently dropped the original price by $50. In 2020, it's not worth $300, especially when it's still missing a lot of features and options that the competition seem to continuously add all the time. The Siri Shortcuts is needed because Siri and SiriKit development is so far behind the competition. Siri Shortcuts is a kludge because Apple developers cannot write the needed Siri apps. Yet both Alexa and Google Assistant can run circles around Apple's Siri and SiriKit development. The other thing is if your household has more than an Apple platform, then HomePod is definitely a NOT an option. But clearly Craig, it looks like you are mainly an Apple guy. So the HomePod works for you.
And overhyped product tbh. The reason for that is simple, why close out other music streaming competitors like Deezer, Spotify, etc. It’s a shame from apple to do that! Switching to bla bla Apple Music is Not an option because Apple do not offer an app for other devices.
I LOVE my HomePods-all of which were purchased on sale for $200 apiece. I resisted buying the HomePod when it was $350 each but at $200 each I think they were well worth the price. Thanks for the video. I always pick up a tip or two from your videos and this was no exception. If you have more HomePod hints, I’d love to see them!
Thank you Marian. I am glad that you enjoy the videos and the bring some value. That is great you got yours at $200. $200 is a much better price and where it should have been priced at in the beginning to have better success. I think Apple would have more market share if they started at $200. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
The $199 price tag definitely helps make it easier to buy them. Especially after using them. I jumped on the $199 Best Buy sale earlier in the year and regretted not picking up one of two more when they just went on sale. That’s great you are enjoying yours.
One nice NFC shortcut I have is set to play music and output to my paired Homepods, works more consistently than tapping the HomePod, ymmv. I have the sticker on my Qi charger and it works great.
I have 3 pairs. I use them for all Homekit devices and music. With Homekit security sensors you can have them play a sound. I use them to sound additional siren sounds around the house for my Resideo Lyric Controller that is HomeKit ready. I also use them with my Arlo cameras to play a different sound when each Arlo detects motion.
That is great that you have 3 pairs and are getting good use out of them. I like that you have the different sound notifications. That is cool. HomeKit does some great stuff and I think is under estimated by people who don’t use HomePods or HomeKit.
Brilliant video ! Lots of detail ! Although I’ve had my HomePods for a few years now I’ve learned something new from your video ! Thank you. In our living room I have Apple TV and two original HomePods set up in stereo. We watch Netflix , Apple TV+ and other streaming apps. Sound quality is unbelievable! Really recommend it!
I have a Harmon Karden Onyx Studio speaker that a friend gave me when he upgraded to a bigger HK speaker. I like to listen to a cappella music, and neither the HK nor iPhone speakers can produce the bass I get from headphones. I tested a couple songs on a HomePod at the Apple Store, and it played it all, so I took one home. But when I tried to watch a downloaded movie on my MacBook Pro with audio sent to the HomePod, the sound was about a half seconds behind the video. Is there a way to line them up better?
A really nice in-depth details video on what a HomePod would do. Thanks to you I just ordered one, it launched in India just a week ago. Your reviews are so informative that I ordered my echo show 8 also after watching your video and now this will be my second buy based on your reviews mostly (I have watched dozens on reviews on HomePod in UA-cam though 🤣) Thanks and keep these videos coming! Cheers all the way from India 🇮🇳
The most underrated feature of the homepod is how well it picks up voice commands. I have Google hone and echo speaker and both of them when something is playing somewhat loud i have to shout to get my command across and its a hit or miss. I can whisper to the homepod with music playing at 60-70% volume and it picks it up. Almost everytime.
Thanks for making this video. Pulled the trigger on one for $200 recently as I don’t think a newer one will be much cheaper than that and the current HomePod is pretty solid. Like the quality of music and base it generates.
You are welcome. I am glad you enjoyed the video. I am with you and do not see anything as good as the current HomePod being less than $200. Maybe a cheaper mini version. The current HomePod is great. Thanks for watching.
I appreciate the relevance of this video right after the Homepod Mini just dropped. Good prediction and rumors were true. Wanted a Homepod but dropping $300 for one in each room was a bit much. Glad they now have a $100 version so I no longer have to consider Alexa or Google's options.
Thank you for this.. I was on the fence but am really impressed with the handoff and stuff..I do enjoy being able to sync up my echos together for music in all the rooms of the house.. sad to see this isn't available on homepod
Glad to help. Handoff is awesome and so useful. You can have HomePods join in with a HomePod that is already playing. It is an extra step. It is nice that you can move music that is already playing to another HomePod without starting it over.
i love how your face, when talking to siri, looks like an admiral giving orders to his crew...very dignified....nostrils flared and everything!! Good vid as well!
I own two homepods and I use them as stereo speakers for my Apple TV, sound much better than my tv speakers and for music they sound even better , great video, didn’t know how to use the transfer feature correctly till this video
I have four Pods around my small house. There still seems to be some kinks with Personal Requests. My kitchen Pod often doesn’t recognize me when I want to add to a Reminder List, for ex. I walk to the bedroom Pod, make the same request and it gets done. I’ve tried everything suggested, including resetting all four (can you say annoying) Pods and checked each Pod’s Request setting in Apple Home. Some days the kitchen Pod just wants the day off.
Hello Renee, glad to hear that you are enjoying your HomePod. Apple did try to focus on the speaker side to distinguish themselves as a better speaker than Google or Amazon.
I really need to pay closer attention to the abilities of my devices. I have an entire Apple household including 3 HomePods and never knew about shortcuts and the little antenna sticker. Thank you as I now have something to consume my entire rain filled weekend.
Hello Skip, I am with you. I have to check in because stuff seems to slip out and before you know it these devices become even more useful. Thank you for watching.
Hi Craig. I love your videos and have learned A LOT about smart home gear. I’ve found a new line of z-wave products called Zooz that I haven’t seen anyone online review or talk about. I recently bought a smart switch and blind controller from the smartest house.com (local to me but amazon has it too). The cool thing about this switch is that for 3 way operation you just use a standard 3 way switch, no companion required. It works great with Hubitat, I cannot speak for other hubs a as I don’t have any to test. The blind controller is super cool too. It has loads of user programmable parameters, such as open/close position, blind rotation time and a bunch more I can’t even remember. It even has an input for a temperature sensor so you can trigger your blinds to open or close. I am using mine with a linear actuator to open and close a double hung window. So far it’s working great. The controller is super tiny about 1.5 inches square and a half inch thick. It’s designed to go right inside a switch box. Check em out and let me know what you think. Maybe you could even do a review. Keep up the good work! PS I am in no way affiliated with Zooz or thesmartest home.com. I’m just a consumer sharing info.
We have these on sale in the uk @ £199 I will be buying 2 thanks to this video. (I’ve watched many but this one tipped it) great details, learned things I didn’t know. AAA
I would try restarting the homepod. Also how close was your phone to the homepod prior to trying. I think if it has been sitting near the homepod it ignores it when you try to hand it off.
Craig great video , I have a pair of the Homepods and love the sound for sure. One thing I keep looking for is a better integration of the Homepods with Apple TV, specifically as part of a potential surround sound setup. Do you know if there are any plans to integrate this function directly from the ATV and the homepods They would potentially sell more units if you could put 5 of these in a room and be able to configure them as part of as 5.1 system directly out of the Apple TV device vs moving the decoding to the end point of the HDMI (smart TV or receiver ) which would potentially not be part of the apple ecosystem.
Thank you very much. That is great that you’re enjoying your pair of them. I have not seen anything that suggest Apple is going to do a surround set up. The only rumors have been about a mini version. It would be great if you could put them together and create a 5.1 system like you’re talking about. That would definitely add more value to the set up. I would be interested in trying that out. Thanks for watching.
Have you seen that Apple are bringing Dolby Atoms spatial sound to the big homepods? www.theverge.com/2020/10/15/21517321/apple-homepod-dolby-atmos-tv-4k-virtual-surround-sound-5-1-7-1
Another great video Craig, this was really appreciated as by coincidence I ordered a HomePod that was on special here in Australia $170 saving.!I’ll receive it on Tuesday and now can’t wait to set it up using your great videos. All the best Cheers Paul
This was absolutely great! Thanks for such a video in 2020! Please do more like this, and something to do with the Shortcuts feature that you mentioned at the end. Cheers! You've got a new sub in me!
Thank you very much Erik. I am glad that you enjoyed the video and are interested in learning more about Shortcuts. I will have to dive into it more myself and share what I learn. Thanks for watching.
Thank you very much Shane. I appreciate you checking out the video and leaving a comment. Glad to share your channel. You are bringing great HomeKit information in your videos. People should check it out. Thanks for all the good information.
Couldn’t agree more Craig, Shane’s channel has a lot of great info on creating a smart home without breaking the bank. And thank you Craig for these great tips, I finally figured out the correct command to play my local radio station on HomePod.
Awesome video! I really like the HomePod but I could do most of the Siri features from Siri in my ears, wrist or pocket. Does hand off work from the iPad?
Thank you very much, you are right about being able to do all the same things with Siri. I think the extra benefit lies in that the HomePod serves as your smart home hub and how it sounds for listening to music or other audio. Handoff only works with the iPhone.
I bought a HomePod recently and was blown away by the sound, however I found that the bass was much too heavy for communal living, and it was only when I called Apple that I found that I could access a basic EQ in the Music settings..... as there’s no native HomePod settings. Which is crazy. It’s deserving of a separate menu listing in settings. Then I saw that it’s been canned, and I can’t justify buying another one and it’s support being discontinued. So I bought three HomePod Minis and the AppleTV sounds great, I can only imagine how much better it would sound on the HomePod. If they decided to link them into a music system for bass and depth and the Minis as the satellites then they would dominate the market. I’m halfway between buying another big one, but....... it’s £700 between them and it’s too much of a gamble. I just want something that ‘just works’.
I adore my HomePod. Another use I think people should know I’d that Siri can call 911 and the HomePod can hear you even if your phone can’t. If you fall in the bathroom and can’t get up, Hey Siri! Call 911! And your HomePod will hear you and get help for you. Priceless. Apple is ahead of itself as usual but the others always try to catch up. Apple doesn’t work with some app makers because their security is skeptical. Apple doesn’t play when it comes to security. That’s my two cents worth. Thanks for the information.
From everything I am reading there is no updates to the HomePod mini coming. So I would say it safe to buy. Maybe color changes if anything. As for Spotify, you have to use airplay. Or you can use handoff. I made a video on that. It allows you to touch your phone to the HomePod and transfer the Spotify music over.
I heard this on my HomePod and I Dont Know why people don’t like it. I don’t regret my investment on this. Also, it was a smart move by you to mute the voice while saying ‘Hey Siri’ it didn’t bother my Siri, lol. But I like your video appreciate your efforts.
You can using AirPlay. Unfortunately you can’t pick a pair of HomePods to be your default speakers. Apparently that’s coming in the next update according to some articles I’ve read.
Hey. I saw your videos. Great content. One Question. My HomePod Doesn’t recognize the iPhone when I touch it to transfers the sound . Can you help me ?
Does it work as actual Stereo Speakers tied into Apple TV? (Obviously using 2) Can multiple HomePods be set up as ATMOS Speakers? (Using Apple TV 4K) Could an additional HomePod Speaker be set up as a dialogue Speaker that could be placed near to those with hearing difficulties?
Great video, I learned some things I did not know HomePod can do. I have all Apple Devices at home but I'm Google Home for my smart devices and just general use. For the HomePod can I listen to my music without a Apple Music suscription ? I have all my MP3s in my computer but I do not want Apple Music (no music rental for me) and I have my MP3 on the cloud but that takes the internet it would be nice to stream my music locally with Google Home you cannot to that. Thanks again.
Really good review of useful HomePod commands. Why do you have no lag following your Siri commands? I have a problem with my homepods (paired) whenever I say “Hey Siri ” I get a long pause she says “sure one moment” or similar then it’s hit or miss if she responds. Even if I say “Hey Siri stop” it’s not instantaneous like Echo or Google. My router is literally 6ft away on 5GHz WiFi, fast optic cable connections (175MBps up and down). I’m running the latest HomePod OS and have tried resetting everything, still I get a pause after my command. Why would this be?
Thank you very much. Glad you enjoyed it. That is very odd. I have rarely had the “sure one moment”. I think I have had that happen more often on my phone with Siri than the HomePod. Have you tried breaking up the pair and seeing if there is any change. I am wondering if there is any delay with them paired. One of the things that I tried with mine and I don’t know if it helped at all. I went to my devices and turned off the handsfree “Hey Siri” option. Then I turned it on and made sure each device understood me when I talked to it. I was hoping this would provide more accuracy in it recognizing me in my household. It seemed to help it know it was me. I don’t know if that would help in your case. My first thought would be that the stereo pair could possibly affect it. Sorry I don’t have a great answer.
Reset the HomePod, it might be that the cache is full, I had this problem and after resetting its been smooth and consistent since, it can also depend on the iphone you have weirdly, the older the iphone, the slower the command return
Craig's Tech Talk and Elise Reynold ;Thank you for both of your suggestions, your help is above and beyond! I’m going to do a systematic investigation :)
Another great review.... Like you, I have under utilized the many features of the HomePod....so appreciate your ideas as always. I would consider purchasing a small "less expense model of the HomePod..."
Can’t believe people bring this up as an issue when they carry “active listening/tracking devices” in your pocket every day. Besides, every one of this thing has a mute switch that actually does mute the listening. I use Apple, Alexa, and Google products so, I’m not “all-in” on anyone. Just dropping some common sense for the tinfoil hat brigade that kinda lose the plot of all this.
We use as spare Ipad as a IPADD. All music apps and various home automation apps are on this (less apps on our phones). Shame Handoff does not work for Ipados
I have only used my HomePod a few times as a speaker for my Apple TV. From what I have heard the connection is inconsistent to use as primary speakers setup for the Apple TV. The only way I have used the two together is with Shortcuts to trigger the Apple TV. I would like to be able to use two paired for speaker setup for my TV. I hope they upgrade the HomePod too.
Apple is the cheaper HomePod ready yet? My girlfriend got an Alexa Dot for one dollar through a promotion. I would pay 50 to 100 times that for a smaller HomePod (but not 200). I own almost every Mac device but not this one. I will keep using my I-pads until the price drops. Great video Craig.
I love love love my HomePods, with one major dislike. I dislike the music limitations because I don’t subscribe to Apple Music. I use iTunes Match because my music collection is very specific, and no subscription service can come close to my own library build. I feel that with my music on the cloud, I too should have more choices in my music requests on the pod.
You have 2 paired with Apple TV?? How did you pair them? That is amazing. I was going to get surround sound speakers but if I can do home pods that’s definitely the way.
I have one in my office and like it well enough, mostly it is just used for BMG but sometimes for other things... a cheaper Homepod would find itself in more homes... but for me... a better sounding even if more expensive homepod would be a welcome addition... I really care about sound quality... hence I do not have one in my home yet... I don't care about features so much as convenient good sound...
Awesome video! just subscribed! I bought a HomePod 2 days ago and this video is very helpful. I like your case where did you buy it?? I have 12 Pro Max Graphite and it looks perfect. Thank you!
Hey my phone doesn’t do the sound trade off on my new home pod. Is there something I need to update or change? Like when I do the physical phone to HomePod touch it doesn’t take my audio from my phone.
Hello Gregs, I would go under settings-general-airplay & handoff and check to see if transfer to HomePod is turned on. You could also try restarting your homepod if that is already turned on. Another thing is to take the phone farther away and back to the homepod to see if it hands off. I have found if the phone has been sitting next to my homepod, it doesn’t always transfer right away.
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The fact that you think to mute "Hey Siri" has earned you a sub! :D
Hello Cameron, thank you for subscribing and sticking around for more videos. I’m glad that you appreciated the muting of Siri. I do try to avoid triggering devices. Thanks for watching and have a great day.
Craig's Tech Talk you’re like the only UA-camr I know who does it. And thank you man!
Exactly! Same here.
Thank you for muting out “hey Siri” it triggers my HomePod every time when people don’t
You are welcome. Glad to not trigger your device. Thanks for watching.
I got one a few days ago. Along with the ios 14 update that auto plays music, my room has been a music haven 24/7 for the past four days.
This video is still relevant! Yes, the new home pod 2 gen came out, but I just bought (2) used OG HomePods for a great price. So, watching this video made me feel even better! This is still such a good product. Thank you for this!
My HomePod is a vital part of my day. I use it as part of my security system to play alarms based on HOmeKit sensor changes when I'm not home. Great stuff!
What security system do you use?
Brashaad Taylor I use an Aqara hub tied together with an Onvis alarm, and dorm dIY HomePod/HomeKit.
Omg I loooooove that you bleeped out the S___ & Al__a!! This is so cool!! I’ve had my homepods for 2 years and these definitely come in handy lol
Thank you for noticing and pointing it out. Glad to hear you are enjoying your HomePods. I think they are great. Thank you for watching.
I love the Reminders part of my Homepod. I use it constantly to add stuff to my shared Groceries list (with my gf). Then when I'm at the store, I pull up those same reminders on my Apple Watch and go shopping, checking off things as I go.
Reminders is awesome. I do the same thing using the Apple Watch while shopping. It is so convenient. Thanks for sharing and watching.
You’ve sold me on the whole tapping the phone to transfer sound thing! I already use a lot of HomeKit accessories so having a HomePod is a given.
I bought 3 minis two weeks ago, and when searching for more info on them, I came to this channel and after watching a few tutorials I bought two full size HomePods, even if they discontinued them a few weeks ago. I totally missed out on them because they weren’t available in the Netherlands.
Just got another HomePod to mate my first, and they seem set to disappear from the market, but I’m back here for a refresher on how I can use more smart features.
i use it to call phones, control lights, fan, a/c, control my garage door. also, this is the inly smart speaker than can hear you while playing music on a max volume. the sound quality is GREAT!
Love my homepods! Most underrated apple product i think
I agree, they are underrated. They do more than people think. I don’t think Apple has helped with people’s perception. Thanks for watching.
@@CraigsTechTalk Apple priced it way too high. It's why Apple permanently dropped the original price by $50. In 2020, it's not worth $300, especially when it's still missing a lot of features and options that the competition seem to continuously add all the time. The Siri Shortcuts is needed because Siri and SiriKit development is so far behind the competition. Siri Shortcuts is a kludge because Apple developers cannot write the needed Siri apps. Yet both Alexa and Google Assistant can run circles around Apple's Siri and SiriKit development. The other thing is if your household has more than an Apple platform, then HomePod is definitely a NOT an option. But clearly Craig, it looks like you are mainly an Apple guy. So the HomePod works for you.
And overhyped product tbh. The reason for that is simple, why close out other music streaming competitors like Deezer, Spotify, etc. It’s a shame from apple to do that! Switching to bla bla Apple Music is Not an option because Apple do not offer an app for other devices.
@@desk0z so overhyped i bought 8 of them. still want two more for the kitchen and bathroom.
I LOVE my HomePods-all of which were purchased on sale for $200 apiece. I resisted buying the HomePod when it was $350 each but at $200 each I think they were well worth the price. Thanks for the video. I always pick up a tip or two from your videos and this was no exception. If you have more HomePod hints, I’d love to see them!
Thank you Marian. I am glad that you enjoy the videos and the bring some value. That is great you got yours at $200. $200 is a much better price and where it should have been priced at in the beginning to have better success. I think Apple would have more market share if they started at $200. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.
Best Buy had Home Pods on sale for $199 so I bought one. Now I'm regretting not buying two or three.
They’ll go on sale again. I bought 2 of them open box but they weren’t $199 at the time but they sound AMAZING stereo paired 👌🏾
The $199 price tag definitely helps make it easier to buy them. Especially after using them. I jumped on the $199 Best Buy sale earlier in the year and regretted not picking up one of two more when they just went on sale. That’s great you are enjoying yours.
Hello Victor, I still have to get another one to do a stereo pair. Glad to hear it is working well.
The HomePods are $199 again at Best Buy just to let ya know
Victor Rodriguez appreciate the heads up. I just ordered another one. I think $199 is a good price. $299 is a little too pricey
One nice NFC shortcut I have is set to play music and output to my paired Homepods, works more consistently than tapping the HomePod, ymmv. I have the sticker on my Qi charger and it works great.
I have 3 pairs. I use them for all Homekit devices and music. With Homekit security sensors you can have them play a sound. I use them to sound additional siren sounds around the house for my Resideo Lyric Controller that is HomeKit ready. I also use them with my Arlo cameras to play a different sound when each Arlo detects motion.
That is great that you have 3 pairs and are getting good use out of them. I like that you have the different sound notifications. That is cool. HomeKit does some great stuff and I think is under estimated by people who don’t use HomePods or HomeKit.
Brilliant video ! Lots of detail ! Although I’ve had my HomePods for a few years now I’ve learned something new from your video ! Thank you. In our living room I have Apple TV and two original HomePods set up in stereo. We watch Netflix , Apple TV+ and other streaming apps. Sound quality is unbelievable! Really recommend it!
Wow, great video. I had no clue homepod could do all of this. Mainly impressed with the way you can send audio to it and bring it back to your phone
I have a Harmon Karden Onyx Studio speaker that a friend gave me when he upgraded to a bigger HK speaker. I like to listen to a cappella music, and neither the HK nor iPhone speakers can produce the bass I get from headphones. I tested a couple songs on a HomePod at the Apple Store, and it played it all, so I took one home. But when I tried to watch a downloaded movie on my MacBook Pro with audio sent to the HomePod, the sound was about a half seconds behind the video. Is there a way to line them up better?
A really nice in-depth details video on what a HomePod would do. Thanks to you I just ordered one, it launched in India just a week ago.
Your reviews are so informative that I ordered my echo show 8 also after watching your video and now this will be my second buy based on your reviews mostly (I have watched dozens on reviews on HomePod in UA-cam though 🤣)
Thanks and keep these videos coming!
Cheers all the way from India 🇮🇳
The most underrated feature of the homepod is how well it picks up voice commands. I have Google hone and echo speaker and both of them when something is playing somewhat loud i have to shout to get my command across and its a hit or miss. I can whisper to the homepod with music playing at 60-70% volume and it picks it up. Almost everytime.
That's a good point. I rarely find I have to repeat myself with my HomePod. Thanks for watching.
I bought one in Argentina, and it is very expensive piece of tech for us, but i can say the audio quality is AMAZING! Sound quality is supreme!
Yo lo encargué a Miami porque no lo venden en Chile 🇨🇱 nos encanta que sea el centro de la fiesta, nuestro stereo solo está de adorno ahora. saludos!
Glad to hear that you are liking your HomePod. Especially with like you said it is expensive. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for making this video. Pulled the trigger on one for $200 recently as I don’t think a newer one will be much cheaper than that and the current HomePod is pretty solid. Like the quality of music and base it generates.
You are welcome. I am glad you enjoyed the video. I am with you and do not see anything as good as the current HomePod being less than $200. Maybe a cheaper mini version. The current HomePod is great. Thanks for watching.
I appreciate the relevance of this video right after the Homepod Mini just dropped. Good prediction and rumors were true. Wanted a Homepod but dropping $300 for one in each room was a bit much. Glad they now have a $100 version so I no longer have to consider Alexa or Google's options.
Thank you for this.. I was on the fence but am really impressed with the handoff and stuff..I do enjoy being able to sync up my echos together for music in all the rooms of the house.. sad to see this isn't available on homepod
Glad to help. Handoff is awesome and so useful. You can have HomePods join in with a HomePod that is already playing. It is an extra step. It is nice that you can move music that is already playing to another HomePod without starting it over.
I love my 2 HomePods! whatever anyone says! The sound is awesomeeeeee!
They do sound great. Glad to hear you’re enjoying yours. That’s great that you have two of them. Thanks for watching.
Craig I love your apple reviews, you are to the point. None of that opinion joke stuff. Just business, and honesty. So thank you
Thank you very much Kyle. I am glad that you enjoy my style of videos. Thank you for watching and the nice comment.
i love how your face, when talking to siri, looks like an admiral giving orders to his crew...very dignified....nostrils flared and everything!! Good vid as well!
I own two homepods and I use them as stereo speakers for my Apple TV, sound much better than my tv speakers and for music they sound even better , great video, didn’t know how to use the transfer feature correctly till this video
Great stuff. The hand off is such a great feature. I could see Google using that eventually.
Anthony Renfro I don’t think they have the hardware to do so in their current prodcuts
Hello Anthony, it would be nice if Google and Amazon had the option. They need to steal the idea and put it in their hardware like Joshua talks about.
Hey Craig, t hanks for the WATCH TV SHORTCUT! Thanks! Will use a NFC tag with that! Love your content and honest opinions!
I have four Pods around my small house. There still seems to be some kinks with Personal Requests. My kitchen Pod often doesn’t recognize me when I want to add to a Reminder List, for ex. I walk to the bedroom Pod, make the same request and it gets done. I’ve tried everything suggested, including resetting all four (can you say annoying) Pods and checked each Pod’s Request setting in Apple Home. Some days the kitchen Pod just wants the day off.
Just got a HomePod on yesterday. And love it. Wasn’t it marketed as just a “speaker” Instead of a smart speaker
Hello Renee, glad to hear that you are enjoying your HomePod. Apple did try to focus on the speaker side to distinguish themselves as a better speaker than Google or Amazon.
i wouldn't have consider it Chris but after this video I am on way to purchasing one, thanks for the video.
Great video! Had no idea about the handoff feature by touching your phone to homepod and ive had one for a year!
Thank you Michael. Glad I can bring a new feature to you. Handoff is awesome and so easy. I appreciate you watching
I really need to pay closer attention to the abilities of my devices. I have an entire Apple household including 3 HomePods and never knew about shortcuts and the little antenna sticker. Thank you as I now have something to consume my entire rain filled weekend.
Hello Skip, I am with you. I have to check in because stuff seems to slip out and before you know it these devices become even more useful. Thank you for watching.
Hi Craig. I love your videos and have learned A LOT about smart home gear. I’ve found a new line of z-wave products called Zooz that I haven’t seen anyone online review or talk about. I recently bought a smart switch and blind controller from the smartest house.com (local to me but amazon has it too). The cool thing about this switch is that for 3 way operation you just use a standard 3 way switch, no companion required. It works great with Hubitat, I cannot speak for other hubs a as I don’t have any to test.
The blind controller is super cool too. It has loads of user programmable parameters, such as open/close position, blind rotation time and a bunch more I can’t even remember. It even has an input for a temperature sensor so you can trigger your blinds to open or close. I am using mine with a linear actuator to open and close a double hung window. So far it’s working great. The controller is super tiny about 1.5 inches square and a half inch thick. It’s designed to go right inside a switch box. Check em out and let me know what you think. Maybe you could even do a review. Keep up the good work!
PS I am in no way affiliated with Zooz or thesmartest home.com. I’m just a consumer sharing info.
We have these on sale in the uk @ £199 I will be buying 2 thanks to this video. (I’ve watched many but this one tipped it) great details, learned things I didn’t know. AAA
Hey. Great video. I was trying to transfer sound touching the iPhone ... but Didn’t work. Can u help me ?
I would try restarting the homepod. Also how close was your phone to the homepod prior to trying. I think if it has been sitting near the homepod it ignores it when you try to hand it off.
Craig great video , I have a pair of the Homepods and love the sound for sure. One thing I keep looking for is a better integration of the Homepods with Apple TV, specifically as part of a potential surround sound setup. Do you know if there are any plans to integrate this function directly from the ATV and the homepods They would potentially sell more units if you could put 5 of these in a room and be able to configure them as part of as 5.1 system directly out of the Apple TV device vs moving the decoding to the end point of the HDMI (smart TV or receiver ) which would potentially not be part of the apple ecosystem.
Thank you very much. That is great that you’re enjoying your pair of them. I have not seen anything that suggest Apple is going to do a surround set up. The only rumors have been about a mini version. It would be great if you could put them together and create a 5.1 system like you’re talking about. That would definitely add more value to the set up. I would be interested in trying that out. Thanks for watching.
Have you seen that Apple are bringing Dolby Atoms spatial sound to the big homepods?
www.theverge.com/2020/10/15/21517321/apple-homepod-dolby-atmos-tv-4k-virtual-surround-sound-5-1-7-1
Another great video Craig, this was really appreciated as by coincidence I ordered a HomePod that was on special here in Australia $170 saving.!I’ll receive it on Tuesday and now can’t wait to set it up using your great videos. All the best Cheers Paul
Thanks never knew how to hand off successfully - always hovered over the top.
Glad to share this with you. Thanks for watching.
This was absolutely great! Thanks for such a video in 2020! Please do more like this, and something to do with the Shortcuts feature that you mentioned at the end.
Cheers! You've got a new sub in me!
Thank you very much Erik. I am glad that you enjoyed the video and are interested in learning more about Shortcuts. I will have to dive into it more myself and share what I learn. Thanks for watching.
Wish I had this video 2 years ago! Awesome tips - had no idea tapping your phone to it did anything
Great video Craig! And thank you for the shout-out! 😃
Thank you very much Shane. I appreciate you checking out the video and leaving a comment. Glad to share your channel. You are bringing great HomeKit information in your videos. People should check it out. Thanks for all the good information.
@@CraigsTechTalk Thanks so much for the support! 🙏
Couldn’t agree more Craig, Shane’s channel has a lot of great info on creating a smart home without breaking the bank. And thank you Craig for these great tips, I finally figured out the correct command to play my local radio station on HomePod.
I’ve had my homepods for 2 years and didn’t know about some of these features! Thank you!
Also you’ve a new subscriber!
Oh my gosh FINALLY !! THANK U FOR BLEEPING OUT SIRI AND ALEXA!! FAVORITE REVIEW SO FAR
Thank you Jonathan, glad you enjoyed the video and the silencing the wake words. Thanks for the comment and watching.
Great review! Love the sound quality, just a shame I cant add my Bluetooth projector with a firestick.
Awesome video! I really like the HomePod but I could do most of the Siri features from Siri in my ears, wrist or pocket. Does hand off work from the iPad?
Thank you very much, you are right about being able to do all the same things with Siri. I think the extra benefit lies in that the HomePod serves as your smart home hub and how it sounds for listening to music or other audio. Handoff only works with the iPhone.
Really tempted to get another one now..
Thanks for sharing. Are you able to use Homepod as a speakerphone for Zoom or other meeting apps?
The nfc tags seems awesome I like that
Wow! Thanks for the awesome and detailed overview.
Thank you very much. I am glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for watching it.
Can you hold up an apple watch to the nfc chips?
I bought a HomePod recently and was blown away by the sound, however I found that the bass was much too heavy for communal living, and it was only when I called Apple that I found that I could access a basic EQ in the Music settings..... as there’s no native HomePod settings. Which is crazy. It’s deserving of a separate menu listing in settings.
Then I saw that it’s been canned, and I can’t justify buying another one and it’s support being discontinued. So I bought three HomePod Minis and the AppleTV sounds great, I can only imagine how much better it would sound on the HomePod. If they decided to link them into a music system for bass and depth and the Minis as the satellites then they would dominate the market.
I’m halfway between buying another big one, but....... it’s £700 between them and it’s too much of a gamble.
I just want something that ‘just works’.
Can I plug this into my computer to use as speakers? Also can I join more than two of these together to create whole home audio?
I adore my HomePod. Another use I think people should know I’d that Siri can call 911 and the HomePod can hear you even if your phone can’t. If you fall in the bathroom and can’t get up, Hey Siri! Call 911! And your HomePod will hear you and get help for you. Priceless. Apple is ahead of itself as usual but the others always try to catch up. Apple doesn’t work with some app makers because their security is skeptical. Apple doesn’t play when it comes to security. That’s my two cents worth. Thanks for the information.
Should you go for the homepod mini now? And can you use spotify with siri?
From everything I am reading there is no updates to the HomePod mini coming. So I would say it safe to buy. Maybe color changes if anything. As for Spotify, you have to use airplay. Or you can use handoff. I made a video on that. It allows you to touch your phone to the HomePod and transfer the Spotify music over.
@@CraigsTechTalk Allright, thanks!! Keep going with the awesome videos! Thanks to your vids, I want an apple smartwatch now lol
Thank you very much. I know that wanting to go for it. I would hate for you to miss something we may not know about.
Can you hand-off music played on Spotify to the HomePod?
Yes. Make sure you enable handoff in iPhone settings. There’s one specifically for handing off to HomePod.
I heard this on my HomePod and I Dont Know why people don’t like it. I don’t regret my investment on this. Also, it was a smart move by you to mute the voice while saying ‘Hey Siri’ it didn’t bother my Siri, lol. But I like your video appreciate your efforts.
Can I use it with my MacBook for playing music from UA-cam?
Yes. You can Airplay from your Macbook.
You can using AirPlay. Unfortunately you can’t pick a pair of HomePods to be your default speakers. Apparently that’s coming in the next update according to some articles I’ve read.
Hey. I saw your videos. Great content. One Question. My HomePod Doesn’t recognize the iPhone when I touch it to transfers the sound . Can you help me ?
Might depend on Bluetooth being on, wifi network the same too?
English Rural Doggy Nerd after upload HomePod, it works . Thanks
Great info. I have now purchased a home pod
Subscribed for your respect for our virtual assistant's wake words. I have Google, Alexa and Siri in this room, so you did me a great kindness!
This was a very thoughtful review. I appreciated all shown uses. This might be something I purchase for my room.
Thank you very much. That is very nice of you to say. I am glad that it was helpful for you. Thank you for watching.
I like more about the music genres possible in Apple Music.
Very nice review. I would love to learn more about shortcuts... I think that was the highlight of your video for me.
Can we get an in-home intercom system, I have HomePods in every room and it seems like huge miss.
That would be a great feature to add. It is silly they do not have it. Amazon has had it for a while. Thanks for watching.
They should do more but for the cost I guess it’s good enough for now. She makes the Apple HomeKit valuable
You have my attention, I would love to learn more please.
Thanks Sam, that is great you are interested in learning more. I will have to dive deeper into it. Thanks for watching.
Dude this is better than the apple reviews
the HomePod sound way better than all the competition... even better than google home max
Does it work as actual Stereo Speakers tied into Apple TV? (Obviously using 2)
Can multiple HomePods be set up as ATMOS Speakers? (Using Apple TV 4K)
Could an additional HomePod Speaker be set up as a dialogue Speaker that could be placed near to those with hearing difficulties?
Can HomePod be used as a speaker for my zoom call on MacBook Pro
Great video, I learned some things I did not know HomePod can do. I have all Apple Devices at home but I'm Google Home for my smart devices and just general use. For the HomePod can I listen to my music without a Apple Music suscription ? I have all my MP3s in my computer but I do not want Apple Music (no music rental for me) and I have my MP3 on the cloud but that takes the internet it would be nice to stream my music locally with Google Home you cannot to that. Thanks again.
i honestly hope they make an even bigger home pod
Really good review of useful HomePod commands. Why do you have no lag following your Siri commands? I have a problem with my homepods (paired) whenever I say “Hey Siri ” I get a long pause she says “sure one moment” or similar then it’s hit or miss if she responds. Even if I say “Hey Siri stop” it’s not instantaneous like Echo or Google. My router is literally 6ft away on 5GHz WiFi, fast optic cable connections (175MBps up and down). I’m running the latest HomePod OS and have tried resetting everything, still I get a pause after my command. Why would this be?
Thank you very much. Glad you enjoyed it. That is very odd. I have rarely had the “sure one moment”. I think I have had that happen more often on my phone with Siri than the HomePod. Have you tried breaking up the pair and seeing if there is any change. I am wondering if there is any delay with them paired. One of the things that I tried with mine and I don’t know if it helped at all. I went to my devices and turned off the handsfree “Hey Siri” option. Then I turned it on and made sure each device understood me when I talked to it. I was hoping this would provide more accuracy in it recognizing me in my household. It seemed to help it know it was me. I don’t know if that would help in your case. My first thought would be that the stereo pair could possibly affect it. Sorry I don’t have a great answer.
Reset the HomePod, it might be that the cache is full, I had this problem and after resetting its been smooth and consistent since, it can also depend on the iphone you have weirdly, the older the iphone, the slower the command return
Craig's Tech Talk and Elise Reynold ;Thank you for both of your suggestions, your help is above and beyond! I’m going to do a systematic investigation :)
Another great review.... Like you, I have under utilized the many features of the HomePod....so appreciate your ideas as always. I would consider purchasing a small "less expense model of the HomePod..."
I refuse to give Amazon or Google an active listening device in my home.
Keep in mind everything’s listening
Brian Rostro if you turn off hey Siri I believe it won’t listen
Garrett Driskill Im talking about more than just the homepod
But not apple?
Can’t believe people bring this up as an issue when they carry “active listening/tracking devices” in your pocket every day. Besides, every one of this thing has a mute switch that actually does mute the listening. I use Apple, Alexa, and Google products so, I’m not “all-in” on anyone. Just dropping some common sense for the tinfoil hat brigade that kinda lose the plot of all this.
We use as spare Ipad as a IPADD. All music apps and various home automation apps are on this (less apps on our phones). Shame Handoff does not work for Ipados
That is cool that you have an iPad as a control pad for your smart home. I like it.It is weird that handoff doesn’t work with iPads.
Hi Craig, have you tried connection with Apple TV & homepod?
I have an all Apple platform and hoping there will be an upgrade to the current home pod.
I have only used my HomePod a few times as a speaker for my Apple TV. From what I have heard the connection is inconsistent to use as primary speakers setup for the Apple TV. The only way I have used the two together is with Shortcuts to trigger the Apple TV. I would like to be able to use two paired for speaker setup for my TV. I hope they upgrade the HomePod too.
I use it all of the time and the speaker is very consistent and sounds amazing
Apple is the cheaper HomePod ready yet? My girlfriend got an Alexa Dot for one dollar through a promotion. I would pay 50 to 100 times that for a smaller HomePod (but not 200). I own almost every Mac device but not this one. I will keep using my I-pads until the price drops. Great video Craig.
Can you turn app on like hulu and sling
Wow had no idea about the tap function to transfer audio
I love love love my HomePods, with one major dislike.
I dislike the music limitations because I don’t subscribe to Apple Music. I use iTunes Match because my music collection is very specific, and no subscription service can come close to my own library build.
I feel that with my music on the cloud, I too should have more choices in my music requests on the pod.
Can you use it as a speaker for a 💻 MAC? Using Bluetooth?
You can pair it as a Bluetooth speaker. If you watch videos with it the audio will be out of sync.
I have 3,2 in the longe paired up with my Apple tv4k and one in my bedroom all sound amazing and used everyday 👍
Very cool. That is nice that you are using a stereo pair with your Apple TV 4K. They do sound good.
You have 2 paired with Apple TV??
How did you pair them? That is amazing. I was going to get surround sound speakers but if I can do home pods that’s definitely the way.
jason Paredes hi it’s sounds amazing go to the home app and HomePod from there you can pair speakers it’s step by step and easy
I have one in my office and like it well enough, mostly it is just used for BMG but sometimes for other things... a cheaper Homepod would find itself in more homes... but for me... a better sounding even if more expensive homepod would be a welcome addition... I really care about sound quality... hence I do not have one in my home yet... I don't care about features so much as convenient good sound...
Very good 👏🏽👏🏽
“Hi, everyone.” That was cool. 👍
I love my Homepod.
Afternoon Craig do u know anything about the echo sub
Just got one through Best Buy for only $199. Great deal. Will pick up the $0.99 Echo Dot so I can have Alexa for cheap.
Thanks for this video! You helped me to understand what I was doing wrong.
Awesome video! just subscribed! I bought a HomePod 2 days ago and this video is very helpful. I like your case where did you buy it?? I have 12 Pro Max Graphite and it looks perfect. Thank you!
Hey my phone doesn’t do the sound trade off on my new home pod. Is there something I need to update or change? Like when I do the physical phone to HomePod touch it doesn’t take my audio from my phone.
Hello Gregs, I would go under settings-general-airplay & handoff and check to see if transfer to HomePod is turned on. You could also try restarting your homepod if that is already turned on. Another thing is to take the phone farther away and back to the homepod to see if it hands off. I have found if the phone has been sitting next to my homepod, it doesn’t always transfer right away.
That was the happiest phone call ever
Can you use it as an external speaker for your Mac?
Yes you can, you can use the airplay option and select the homepod.
Yes you can, but you can only use stereo HomePods with Apple Music or Apple TV+. One works fine though.
is this available in the Philippines? alexa cannot be used in the Philippines.
I don’t think so. But I am not sure.