Latest news with #HomePod
Engadget
7 hours ago
- Business
- Engadget
The Sonos Era 300 is 20 percent off in this home speaker sale
A number of Sonos speakers are on sale right now at Sonos direct and Amazon. This includes the well-regarded Era 300 smart speaker, which is on sale for $359. This particular model is one of Sonos' newest, and it has rarely gone on sale in the past. We enjoyed the Era 300 enough to give it a score of 80 in our review. It has excellent sound quality and offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company's lineup, even the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers like Apple's HomePod. It's simple to set up and offers the company's proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It's pretty nifty. As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party. This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it's sublime and sometimes it's kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale. As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar, which is 26 percent off at $369. These deals are available via Sonos itself. There's also an ongoing sale on portable speakers. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice .
Stuff.tv
a day ago
- Stuff.tv
Here's why I'm more excited for Apple's in-home tech than iPhone updates this summer
As Apple's WWDC 2025 developer conference approaches, all eyes are on iOS, macOS, and Apple's other software releases. While a redesign in the next major iPhone update is exciting, I'm more excited for Apple's in-home tech. Namely, we're expecting massive updates to the Apple TV and Apple's first foray into smart home hubs to finally arrive. Read more: I think iOS 19 will be the biggest free iPhone upgrade yet The Apple TV is apparently in for its biggest glow-up in years. The rumour mill says that the latest version of tvOS 19 will come with a major redesign. This will bring it in line with the rest of Apple's platforms, and will likely be inspired by visionOS. We've seen updates trickling in over the years, but this could be the first meaningful shift in years. And while there's no official whisper about new hardware just yet, it's hardly out of the question. The existing Apple TV 4K still runs on the A15 Bionic, which is a few years old now. If the brand wants to push its Apple Intelligence ambitions in the living room, it'll need more power under the hood. A new Apple TV box would likely also support Wi-Fi 6E or 7, potentially with better streaming stability and upgraded internals. Apple's long-awaited home hub is also due to finally arrive. While we've heard rumours about multiple different versions of this, it seems the firm has settled on one with a screen. Picture a HomePod and an iPad having a slightly awkward child – a HomePad, if you will. While the screen and Home control centre would be helpful additions, the software is set to be the main selling point. This new device will apparently run on something called homeOS. Derived from tvOS and iPadOS, it's rumoured to pull in Apple Intelligence and push Siri front and centre. Hopefully not the half-asleep Siri we know, but a more responsive, useful version. Also expect built-in video calling, app support, and features borrowed from the iPhone's StandBy mode. Since both of these new developments are software focused, I expect we'll hear about them at WWDC 2025 if they are coming later this year. And given how often I use my TV and HomePod speakers every day, I'm more excited for this in-home tech than iOS 19.
Engadget
2 days ago
- Business
- Engadget
Sonos home speakers are up to 26 percent off right now
Sonos is selling a bunch of its speakers at a discount via Amazon. This includes the well-regarded Era 300 smart speaker, which is down to just $359 . That's 20 percent off and notable because this particular speaker rarely goes on sale. It's a Sonos miracle! The deal applies to both the black and white colorways. The Era 300 is a highly capable device that we praised in our official review , saying that it "sounds excellent." We went on to say that it offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company's lineup, like the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers like Apple's HomePod . It's simple to set up and offers the company's proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It's pretty nifty. As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party. This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it's sublime and sometimes it's kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale. As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar, which is 26 percent off at $369 . These deals are available via Sonos itself. There's also an ongoing sale on portable speakers. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice .
GSM Arena
5 days ago
- Business
- GSM Arena
Apple is preparing to launch several new smart home products
In the last few years, Apple has been trying to penetrate markets outside its traditional ones, including the automotive industry. Now, according to the latest report from Mark Gurman, Apple is eyeing the smart home market as well. In the past, Apple dipped its toe with the HomePod and HomePod mini, but it wasn't the success the company hoped for. It looks like Apple is taking a second shot at this with several new smart home products that will likely be released by the end of 2025 and in early 2026. One of them is an iPad-like device with a robotic arm. This sounds like a futuristic device, but the report doesn't go into details about what the purpose of the device will be. Additionally, the company is preparing a lower-end model without the robotic arm. It's codenamed J490 and was supposed to launch sooner, but Apple is reportedly ironing out some issues with Siri. If all goes well, it can see the light of day by the end of this year. Source
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Top-secret Apple device could launch in 2025, and the rumor mill is in overdrive - here's everything we know
Apple may be secretly planning to venture into a whole new product category, and according to the latest report, a much-mulled smart home device may soon be launched before the end of this year, as per The Sun. Speculation regarding this secret project has been going on since 2022, but a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has now indicated that Apple could be releasing its long-awaited smart home hub by the end of 2025, according to the report. A new Apple device Apple is developing its first smart home hub ever, a product that will rival the likes of Amazon's Echo Show. It is said to have a 7-inch square screen, a bulky bezel, and a design that feels like a cross between a HomePod and an iPad, according to The Sun. ALSO READ: From cocaine to a slap, Emmanuel Macron is in the news for all the wrong reasons as netizens seize the opportunity to troll him The device is said to use a brand new operating system named homeOS, one that will be dedicated to managing other smart home devices, along with a rechargeable battery, as per a report. It's expected to have a camera at the top and have video apps like FaceTime and may also include other Apple apps, like Apple TV, Apple Music and Photos, as per the report. Live Events According to The Sun, Apple is also said to be planning a more advanced smart home display with a robotic arm for the future, which will have a "unique AI personality", according to The Sun. The expected starting price of this device is anticipated to be $1,000 (£738), reported The Sun. Siri may finally be catching up Apple is apparently holding back to release a significant Siri upgrade as part of its larger artificial intelligence plan, Apple Intelligence, according to The Sun. The idea is to have Siri be more contextually aware, able to interpret questions such as "What time does dad's train get in?" by pulling on a person's individual data within apps, as per the report. But Apple confirmed in a statement to Daring Fireball, "We've also been working on a more personalised Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps. It's going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year," quoted The Sun. This is the reason that experts speculate that the new Apple gadget could be released around the same time as the super-smart Siri later this year, reported The Sun. FAQs When will Apple's smart home hub launch? According to reports, Apple is aiming to launch it by the end of 2025, though it may depend on when their updated Siri is ready, as per The Sun. What makes this different from Amazon Echo Show or Google Nest Hub? It's expected to come with Apple's own operating system (called homeOS), Apple apps integration, and possibly a smarter version of Siri. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
