Siri
Latest
Beats' Solo Pro headphones feature Pure ANC and always-on Siri
If you wanted active noise cancellation (ANC) on a pair of Beats headphones, you had one choice: the Studio3 Wireless ($349.95). That changes today. The Solo Pro ($299.95) brings ANC and more to the Apple-owned company's on-ear model. They cost $100 more than the previous version, the Solo3 Wireless, but this new model also packs Apple's H1 chip for audio sharing, fast pairing and always-on Siri access.
iOS 13.2 beta gives you more control over Siri recordings
Apple is acting on its promise to offer more Siri privacy controls in the wake of reports that quality control contractors were listening to sensitive info. The second beta of iOS 13.2 adds options to not only opt out of sharing Siri and Dictation audio, but to delete the entire history of interactions associated with your device. You can't scrub recordings that have already been used to improve Siri, but those are already disassociated from your hardware.
Siri can now play Spotify tracks on iOS 13
With Spotify's latest release for iOS 13, you can finally ask Siri to play albums, songs and playlists, confirming a rumor that the two companies were working together. To use it, you simply install the update and ask Siri to play a track "with Spotify." The new integration also works with CarPlay, giving you hands-free control over Spotify tunes while you drive.
Ikea's smart blinds miss their US launch (again)
Ikea is once again delaying the US launch of its FYRTUR blackout smart blinds. In a statement to The Verge, a spokesperson for the company said Ikea will release the blinds stateside "later this year." Ikea didn't tell the website why it was delaying the blinds again, nor did it provide a revised date.
Siri will learn your calling and messaging preferences
Apple has come under fire in the last couple of years for appearing to promote its own apps over competing services in the App Store. In response, last month the company changed its App Store search algorithms to make its own apps less dominant and boost the visibility of third-party apps. Soon it will go further, making its digital assistant Siri more flexible in which messaging apps it uses by default.
Apple releases fix for iOS 13's battery drain and Siri issues
Apple is still racing to fix iOS bugs days after the release of its latest iPhones. The tech giant has released an iOS 13.1.1 update (plus a corresponding iPadOS 13.1.1 version) that tackles a number of glaring problems. The most notable is a fix for a battery drain issue plaguing users across the board, but there's also a solution for Siri's problems recognizing requests on the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. This addresses issues with restoring your device from a backup, too, so you won't want to skip this if you're interested in safeguarding your data.
Nike’s Adapt Huarache are self-lacing sneakers you’ll actually want to wear
This probably isn't shocking to anyone who knows me, but I love sneakers perhaps too much for my own good. So when Nike introduced the Adapt BB with power laces earlier this year, I was pretty intrigued: It brought two of my favorite worlds together, sneakers and technology. But for me, the problem with the Adapt BBs is that they're designed to be a performance basketball shoe, meaning they're bulky and not something I could wear every day. Now Nike has created the Adapt Huarache, a reimagined version of a classic lifestyle sneaker from 1991, which also features its FitAdapt self-lacing technology.
You'll soon be able to ask Siri to play songs on Spotify
It's been a long time coming, but it looks like you'll soon be able to queue up songs on Spotify with the help of Siri. If you own an iPhone, the lastest Spotify beta allows you to ask Apple's digital assistant to play songs, albums and playlists, says The Verge, which was among the first to spot the new functionality.
Google vows to never store Assistant recordings without permission
Google has announced that it will do more to protect user privacy for its Google Assistant and confirmed that it doesn't save voice recordings by default. The news comes after revelations that a Google contractor was leaking private user audio recordings meant to improve its translation service. "It's clear that we fell short of our high standards in making it easy for you to understand how your data is used, and we apologize," wrote the company wrote in a blog post.
HomePod radio streaming arrives on September 30th
Apple didn't really discuss the HomePod at its iPhone 11 event, but there was still some news that (almost) slipped under the radar. The tech firm quietly updated the HomePod's product page to reveal that the vaunted radio streaming feature will reach the smart speaker on September 30th. TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Radio.com will offer 100,000 global radio stations just by asking Siri. Given that this is considered a staple of other smart speakers, it'll be both welcome and overdue. For other features, though, you'll have to sit tight.
Apple rewrote Siri to dodge questions about feminism and #MeToo
Siri may be in favor of equality, but just don't call her a feminist. That's the gist of multiple internal Apple documents obtained by The Guardian that instruct employees to program the digital assistant to avoid and deflect questions about "sensitive topics" like feminism and the #MeToo movement. The documents date to June 2018 and were leaked to The Guardian by one of the contractors that worked for Apple's Siri "Grading" program, which the company suspended in August.
Apple will still review Siri recordings, but only if you opt in
Earlier this month, Apple suspended the program which used contractors to review clips of audio gathered by Siri. Users were up in arms after they learned that the contractors sometimes heard sensitive information, like medical records, personal interactions and criminal activity. Today, Apple issued an apology and promised changes.
Apple fires hundreds of contractors hired to listen to Siri recordings
In the wake of revelations that Apple has people listening in to some Siri requests, Apple has fired more than 300 contractors in Cork, Ireland. As The Guardian reports those contractors were hired as part of a "grading" program that reviewed audio recorded by Siri. News broke last month that those contractors often heard sensitive information -- like medical info, criminal activity and "sexual encounters." After temporarily suspending the program, Apple has reportedly decided to terminate it.
Apple is reportedly in talks to let Siri play Spotify tracks
You wouldn't think that Apple and Spotify's relationship would be thawing out anytime soon, given that Spotify has lodged an antitrust complaint against its streaming rival in the EU. However, the two companies are reportedly discussing a plan to let iPhone users play Spotify songs, playlists and albums using Siri voice commands, according to The Information.
Apple suspends the Siri program where people listened to your questions
Just last week a report by The Guardian dug into a program where third-party contractors listened in to anonymized recordings of Apple users asking Siri questions to judge the assistant's responses, and now Apple has shut it down. In a statement to TechCrunch, the company said that while it conducts a "thorough" review, it's suspending the program globally. This comes shortly after Google announced it would temporarily shut down a similar effort, but only for users in the EU. While Apple has touted the privacy built into its products and derided models that mine user data for advertising, just like Amazon and Google it relies on real people to improve its AI assistant. However, as The Guardian's report indicated, listening in on real-world recordings could mean picking up all kinds of situations, including criminal activities and sexual encounters. As TechCrunch notes, its terms of service indicate that these programs exist, but exactly how much end-users understand about the possibility of being overheard by a real person -- even if less than one percent of queries are ever reviewed -- is unclear. While we don't know what will happen with the program or when it may restart, according to Apple a future software update will give users the option to explicitly choose whether they want to participate in grading. Apple: We are committed to delivering a great Siri experience while protecting user privacy. While we conduct a thorough review, we are suspending Siri grading globally. Additionally, as part of a future software update, users will have the ability to choose to participate in grading.
Neato's robotic vacuums will soon work with Siri Shortcuts
If you're using one of Neato's robotic vacuums and also use Apple devices, they should work better together soon. Neato just announced that its products will work with Siri Shortcuts starting in the fall, which means you can set up your own custom voice commands to deploy a vacuum in your home. When the feature rolls out, you'll be able to control your vacuum with four different actions: start cleaning, pause cleaning, go to the dock or base and "zone" cleaning.
Apple contractors frequently hear sensitive info in Siri recordings
As much as Apple emphasizes privacy, it hasn't completely avoided eyebrow-raising behavior. The Guardian has learned from a source that Siri quality control contractors regularly hear sensitive info, including medical info, criminal activities and even "sexual encounters," much like their counterparts at Amazon and Google. They're only listening to less than one percent of daily Siri activations, and frequently only for a few seconds each, but some of them include request-linked data like app info, contacts and locations. Like its peers, Apple is gauging how well its voice assistant is fulfilling requests and wants to know what happened after a command.
Jabra Elite 85h review: Noise cancellation to rival Bose and Sony
Jabra shocked the world (OK, maybe just me) in 2018 when it unveiled the Elite 65t true-wireless earbuds. Those headphones quickly shot to the top of a lot of "best of" lists, including a couple of Engadget Buyers Guides. The Elite 65t have dependable controls, solid audio and cost less than much of the competition. For 2019, Jabra is tackling over-ear noise-canceling headphones with the Elite 85h. However, no matter how good they are, they're not as good of a deal at $300.
A closer look at the Bose 700 noise-cancelling headphones
As great as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones sound, let's be real: they look like they were designed for dads on a business trip. And listen, as someone who's into the whole chunky, dad-shoe trend, I'm not here to judge if you're into their design. I'm just saying that I need something with a more modern style. Thankfully, Bose has introduced its latest flagship model, the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, which features a newly designed stainless steel headband that gives them a more stylish and thinner look than the QuietComfort line. Bose says that the wireless 700s were designed from the ground up and, compared to the QC35 IIs, they also have all-new drivers, ear cushions and USB-C support.
Siri will play third-party audio apps in iOS 13
In the future, you might be able to ask Siri to play your Spotify music and podcasts. According to MacRumors, iOS 13 and iPadOS will open the SiriKit framework to third-party music, podcast, audiobook and radio apps. So, when it comes to playing DJ, Siri will be able to control more than your Apple Music, Podcast and TV apps -- formerly known as iTunes, RIP.
