#new homepod

[iosnextgen]

🌟 Apple's Next Gen Revolution: What’s Coming in 2025! 🌟 Get ready for Apple TV 2025, the HomePod Mini 2025, and exciting updates in iOS Next Gen! With a new Apple networking chip, Apple is pushing the boundaries of smart home integration and device connectivity. Learn more about iOS 18 rollout delays, the next iOS update plans, and Mark Gurman’s predictions for Apple's future. Stay ahead with the latest on NextGen iPhone features and Apple's evolving ecosystem. 🚀

[tez-world1]

Headline: Siri Just Got a Whole Lot Smarter! 🤯 Body: HomePod 18.2 is HERE and it's a game-changer! Say goodbye to robotic Siri commands and hello to natural language music control. Now you can ask Siri for "upbeat tunes" or "something relaxing" and it actually understands! Check out our latest blog post to see how this incredible update transforms your listening experience. Link: http://tezlinks.blogspot.com/2024/12/homepod-182-siri-gets-natural-language.html Image: [Image from blog post] #HomePod #Siri #AppleMusic #SmartSpeaker #TechUpdate #Music #AI #Apple

[tmarshconnors]

Living in the Apple Ecosystem

For years, Apple has been synonymous with innovation, sleek design, and a user experience that’s second to none. As someone who’s grown to appreciate tech that not only works but works effortlessly, I’ve found myself deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem. It wasn’t planned—it just happened, bit by polished aluminium bit.  

Let’s take a stroll through my collection. It all starts with my iPhone 16 Pro, a marvel of modern engineering. The titanium finish feels premium, the 1TB storage means I’ll never run out of space, and the Dynamic Island feature? A game-changer for multitasking. It’s my pocket-sized powerhouse that I can’t imagine life without.  

Then there’s the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the ultimate companion. It tracks my fitness, keeps me connected, and even has a battery life that can survive my busiest days. The black titanium design adds a touch of rugged elegance, making it my constant wrist buddy.  

On the audio front, my AirPods Max have transformed how I consume media. Whether it’s blocking out distractions with Active Noise Cancellation or indulging in Spatial Audio for a truly immersive experience, they’re indispensable for productivity and relaxation alike.  

For heavy-duty tasks, my MacBook Pro steps in. It’s not just a laptop; it’s my creative workstation, my writing hub, and my multitasking beast. Paired with the iPad Pro, which serves as my digital sketchpad, second screen, and mobile productivity tool, these two are the perfect duo for any endeavor. The seamless continuity between them—thanks to features like Universal Control and AirDrop—is a testament to Apple’s genius.  

The best part of this ecosystem is how effortlessly everything connects. Need to transfer files? AirDrop. Want to copy something on one device and paste it on another? Universal Clipboard has my back. Notifications and calls? They appear on every device, so I’m always in the loop. It’s a tech symphony, and I’m the delighted conductor.  

Now that I think about it, there’s just one thing missing to complete the set: the HomePod mini. Once Siri gets a much-needed update to make her smarter and more intuitive,(Yes I am looking at you Apple Intelligence)  I’ll likely make the leap.

After all, a smart home deserves a smart speaker, and nothing fits the bill better than an Apple product. Until then, I’ll continue enjoying my Apple wonderland—one seamless experience at a time.  

What’s your favourite part of the Apple ecosystem? Let me know in the comments below! 

[macsources]

Apple introduces the new HomePod with breakthrough sound and intelligence

Apple introduces the new HomePod with breakthrough sound and intelligence @apple #homepod #music #news #newproduct

Apple HomePod Gen 2 delivers incredible audio quality, enhanced Siri capabilities, and a safe and secure smart home experience Apple today announced HomePod (2nd generation), a powerful smart speaker that delivers next-level acoustics in a gorgeous, iconic design. Packed with Apple innovations and Siri intelligence, HomePod offers advanced computational audio for a groundbreaking listening…

[alectoperdita]

Listening to yesterday's Vergecast episode where they interviewed someone who runs an independent HomePod repair service, including the fact that he will stream the repairs he does so people can be involved and also learn about the process.

And that got me thinking about Jounouchi and his Duel Disk. In DSOD, we see Honda repairing Jounounchi's. But what if eventually Honda gets too busy to help him out and he just has to try and fix it on his own. Because he sure as hell isn't going to pay an arm and a leg to use the official KC repair service.

He starts by googling and watching tutorials made by others who are in a similar situation as him. And he's able to put it into practice for other people, breathing new life into Duel Disks that fellow duelists are convinced are gone and resigned to buying the newest model from KC.

Now in terms of scale, Jounouchi can't significantly affect Kaiba's bottom line. He's just one guy and he's repairing the Duel Disks of people who would otherwise be hard-pressed to upgrade anyway. There are always going to be people who want the newest and shiniest.

But when he finds out that Jounouchi has a booming small business of refurbishing last-gen Duel Disks, Kaiba gets pissed. He gets pissed for all the reasons. One, Jounouchi is probably violating some warranty terms. Two, who does Jounouchi think he is, digging through the guts of Kaiba's products?? Three, Jounouchi!!! HOW DARE?!?!

Jounouchi gets slammed with a cease and desist. And that can only mean one thing: war.

[hyruviandoctor]

I think that if you buy a brand new iPhone you should get at minimum a HomePod Mini for free. That's $100, that's chump change for them. If you buy a Pro you should get the newest Apple Watch for free too. Start bundling shit like Samsung and Google have to to sell their phones.

[ryotarox]

HomePod. The new sound of home. Directed by Spike Jonze. Starring FKA twigs.

(Spike Jonze for Apple HomePod - Welcome Home - YouTubeから)

HomePod. The new sound of home. Directed by Spike Jonze. Starring FKA twigs. 2018

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ちょっとミシェルゴンドリーっぽい。デジタルな視覚エフェクトを大道具の実写で再現。 こういうデジタルエフェクトは坂本龍一『async』（2017）ジャケットのほうが先なのか。

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『インターステラー』（原題: Interstellar）2014年

[chad-der-box]

Sept. 2023 Apple iPhone Event

This year we are expecting the biggest change of all to be the transition from the Lightning port to USB-C ports on all iPhones and some iPhone accessories. The Pro models will see thinner bezels, a titanium frame, and the replacement of the mute switch for a new action button.

Let’s get started!!

Starters

Starting off with a typical video showcasing how Apple’s hardware improves lives, health and people’s connection to each other

Showing actual stories of people who’s lives have been saved by Apple Watch and iPhone features

Bets they show the people saved by the satellite feature during the Maui fires?

And right over to Tim Cook who confirms this event will revolve around iPhone and Apple Watch

Oh but first we’re starting with…

The Mac?

Recapping the introduction of 15" MacBook Air and Mac Pro earlier this year

macOS Sonoma launching on 9/26

Oh also mentioning the Vision Pro which still doesn’t have a launch date other than early next year

And that’s it I guess for Mac? Random.

Apple Watch

OH ITS pink

Oh HAND GESTURES TO CONTROL IT

SERIES 9

New S9 chip with faster CPU and GPU (this is the first actual big chip upgrade for the Watch since the Series 6)

Still sticking to 18 hours of battery life

Siri now processes requests on the Watch instead of relying on the Phone

Siri can also reference your health data for you on the Watch. Think “Siri, how long did I sleep last night?”

(Also reminder that Apple is removing the “hey” in “hey, siri”)

Watch can now more precisely tell you where your iPhone is using a new ultra wide band chip

Media suggestions pop up on the Watch when you approach a Homepod

Display is 2x as bright as the Series 8 and can get even darker for when you’re in environments like a theater

Double Tap

Series 9 can now recognize hand gestures to control the watch

Double-Tap controls the main button in apps. You can double tap your fingers together to answer or end a call. Scroll through widgets. Snooze an alarm.

It sounds like a small feature but actually expands the amount of time you can use the watch exponentially

Double-tap available next month

Series 9 Aluminum available in Pink, Starlight, Midnight, Silver and Product Red

Stainless Steel available in Gold, Silver, and Grahite

Starts at $399 for Aluminum model

Pre-Order starts Today, Available on 9/22

Environmentality

Environmental goals updatge. Starting with a cute video of Mother nature, played by the wonderful Octavia Spencer, visiting Apple Park and everyone (including Tim Cook) being very nervous.

Apple states they’re eliminating all plastic in their packaging by the end of next year.

No more leather in iPhone cases

Operating on 100% clean electricity in offices, data centers and stores

Y’all should watch this video once its uploaded just because the acting by Octavia is hilarious (2030 Status | Mother Nature | Apple - YouTube)

Net zero climate impact from Apple by 2030

Tim Cook and Octavia Spencer staring each other down for 30 seconds was not on my bingo card for today

Sport Loop is now 80% recycled materials

Apple will match 100% expected energy use of Series 9 with investments in clean energy projects

Series 9 packaging is 100& fiber based and smaller packaging so they can ship more with less effort

Claiming the Series 9 is apple’s first “carbon neutral” product

Apple no longer using leather in ANY of their products, starting today

New material called FineWoven that feels “suede-like”

Even Hermes is launching new environmentally friendly bands

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Also getting Double Tap feature

Display now goes up to 3000 nits, 1000 more than the Series 9

Very minor improvements across the board for this one

I think they mainly just needed to add the new chip and call it a day

Ultra 2 is 95% recycled titanium

Ultra 2 starts at $799

Pre-Orders available today; Available 9/22

All new models are carbon neutral depending on what band you get

iPhone 15

Dynamic Island makes its debut on the base model

6.1 and 6.7” OLED displays

Display can go up to 1600 nits of brightness for HDR Photos and videos, or 2000 nits in direct sunlight

Available in pink, yellow, green, blue and black

Now has c urved aluminm edges instead of the sharp edges of the 13 & 14 models

Has “ceramic shield” which is tougher than any smartphone glass so its built to last longer

100% recycled cobalt in the battery

They haven’t shown the bottom yet… it’d be hilarious if they just don’t tell people about the change in charging port

iPhone 15 Camera

New camera is 48mp. This was previously limited to the pro models last year.

Depending on the mode, it will be adjusted to 24mp

Pixels also allow for a 2x telephoto optical zoom option with 12mp resolution

Portrait mode getting improved colors and better performance in low light

If the camera detects a person or animal, it’ll automatically capture the data for a portrait photo without you switching modes. You can choose to make the photo portrait later on.

You can also switch the portrait photos subject after the photo is taken

Improved Night Mode & Smart HDR as well

iPhone 15 is getting the A16 chip, the chip used in last year’s iPhone 14 Pro; but with only 2 cores instead of last year’s 4 for the Pro

Battery size increased from last year but no specifics

OH TIME TO TALK ABOUT “CONNECTIVITY”

2nd Gen Ultra Wideband chip so it can connect to other devices that are farther away and make it easier to find your friends in crowded places

Better noise cancellation on phone calls so your voice stands out

Emergency SOS Satellite now available in 16 countries

Now adding Roadside Assistance via Satellite, partnering with AAA; free for AAA members

TIME TO TALK CABLES hehehehehe

Confirmed: iPhone 15 has USB-C

Earpods and AirPods Pro 2 also updated with USB-C

Confirming FineWoven iPhone and AirTag cases going on sale now to replace Leather accessories

iPhone 15 starts at $799; 15 Plus starts at $899

Pre-Orders start Friday 9/15; Available on 9/22

iPhone 15 Pro

iPhone 15 Pro now made out of titanium and Action button also confirmed

Lol “the most pro iphone we’ve ever created”

Titanium means these are the lightest pro models ever

New countoured edges and thinnest borders of an iPhone

Dimensions of phone smaller with the same display sizes as the 14 Pro models

“Toughest glass based materials in the industry”

Available in white, black, blue and “natural”

New architecture inside makes the device more repairable

Action Button

Still ring/silent switch by default but you can reprogram it to do things like open the camera, turn on the flashlight, start voice memos, etc.

A17 Pro Chip

The first 3nm chip in the industry

First iphone with USB-C speeds of 10gbps

They can do ray tracing on a phone now…

Kinda crazy to me how they always talk about how good gaming is on a battery driven iphone chip and they’ve made absolutely zero push to make gaming a bigger feature of the Apple TV

iPhone 15 Pro Camera

Camera time babbbyyyyy

Bigger 48 MP sensor to enable better low light performance

“equivalent of 7 camera lenses in your pocket”

Reduced lens flare (finally)

You can now choose a default lens size, including 24 mm, 28 mm and 35 mm focal lengths

2x better low light performance

Nightmode and Smart HDR seeing big improvements

15 Pro Max now gets 5x optical zoom; regular 15 Pro still at 3x optical zoom

Periscope lens utilized for the first time in Pro Plus to achieve that better zoom

USB-C allows faster transfer speeds and the ability to shoot video directly to an external device

The 15 Pro can record spatial video that you can then view only on your Apple Vision Pro… lol

New 6TB and 12TB iCloud plans announced to store more high quality photos and videos (at $29.99 and $59.99 per month, respectively)

iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999 for 128gb

iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1199 for 256gb

Pre-Orders start on Friday; Available on 9/22

Takeaways

That's a wrap on this event and rumors are saying it was Apple's last one of the year! If they do have anything else in store (there's a possible iPad Air refresh in the works or more devices with USB-C) it'll most likely just be done via press release.

For those following the rumor mill, there wasn't much surprising in this event except for maybe some of the camera specs. But if you're reading this you probably heard it all for the first time.

So now the question is, is upgrading worth it?

If you have any of last year's phones or watches my answer is short and sweet: No.

If you have older devices, the answer gets murkier. The iPhone 13 line from 2021 still holds up well against this lineup, but chances are you're noticing your battery doesn't hold up as long as it used to. The watch upgrades this year could be significant too depending on how old your model is.

Also chances are, there are no features on the Pro models of the iPhone or the Watch Ultra that you need. If you want to save money, chances are you won't notice much of a difference other than slightly better battery and display. A normal iPhone 15 model will last you a few years if you take care of it

Personally, I will not follow my own advice and will be upgrading my phone. I do it every year so please don't think this is anything special. I'll be getting the iPhone Pro Max in Blue with the base 256gb storage.

The watch is less of a sure fire thing. I think people tend to believe that I upgrade all of my Apple products often but the reality is I only splurge on a phone upgrade every year. My Watch is a Series 5 from 2019, my iPad is a 2018 iPad Pro and my laptop is a 2012 15" Retina Macbook Pro.

Four year seems like a decent amount of time between upgrades though and my watch's battery doesn't last as long as it used to so we'll see. If I do upgrade, it'll be the smaller silver stainless steel model.

OK. I think that's all. Let me know what questions or comments you have. Interested to see everyone's thoughts this year!!

You can view the whole keynote from today below or a quick video recap from Apple as well.

Tour of new iPhones: A Guided Tour of iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Pro | Apple - YouTube

Full Keynote: Apple Event - September 12 - YouTube

[estimote]

Why Apple's 2nd Gen UWB Chip is Exciting?

With over 10 years of experience in spatial and location technologies, including Bluetooth, Ultra Wideband, and Cellular IoT, we at Estimote are thrilled about the newly announced iPhone 15 and its upgraded second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

In this blog post, we'll explain why we're excited, we will try to forecast the potential use-cases of this second-gen chip, and highlight the opportunities for developers to create groundbreaking context and location-aware apps.

SPATIAL AWARENESS

Many people aren't aware, but every iPhone from the iPhone 11 onwards has a hidden super-power. It can measure the distance and orientation to nearby phones or other compatible devices. Think of it as an invisible string connecting your phone to objects with AirTags attached, a HomePod, or even your car.

This super-power is made possible by the first generation Ultra Wideband chip (U1 chip). This chip is a small radio transmitter that sends, receives, and processes tiny radio signals. These signals are so low-power that they're almost indistinguishable from the background noise in a broad range of frequencies (5-9 GHz). That's why it's called Ultra Wideband, or UWB for short.

Whenever a nearby device communicates with an iPhone using UWB, the phone calculates the duration of this interaction. The greater the distance, the more time it takes for the radio signal to make the round trip. The U1 chip then multiplies this travel time by the speed of light to determine the inch-level distance to nearby phones or tags.

iPhones equipped with the UWB chip use this distance data to create magical user experiences. For instance, when you AirDrop files to friends close by or search for your misplaced keys, your iPhone directs you to the corresponding AirTag. And when you walk into your living room your music can seamlessly start playing on your HomePod. These are just a few examples of what the U1 chip offers, and there's so much more on the horizon.

LOWER POWER UWB CHIP

The new iPhone 15 as well as new Apple Watch Series 9 feature a second-generation UWB chip. Reports indicate that a primary difference with that model is the shift in the chip manufacturing process from 16nm to 7nm. This simply means that the transistors have become smaller. As a result, they use less energy and switch more quickly, leading to enhanced performance, greater range, and new possibilities.

Why is power consumption so crucial? Reduced power usage can result in a superior user experience and introduce entirely new use-cases and applications. For instance, with the new UWB chip, new AirTags when upgraded could last up to 2-3 years on a single coin battery, as opposed to the current 1-year lifespan with the U1 chip.

Having more transistors also means stronger computing power, better signal processing, and more effective noise filtering. This is why Apple also announced a 3x improvement in UWB range and unveiled a new precision finding feature for the Find My app to locate friends around.

UNTRACKED INDOOR LOCATION

Another potential future application of the lower power UWB chip might involve a technique named Downlink TDoA. This stands for "time difference of arrival," a new standard championed by the FiRa organization. It lets UWB-enabled phones passively receive signals from UWB beacons or anchors.

Imagine your car in a tunnel where GPS is unavailable. UWB beacons in the tunnel transmit radio signals to your phone. Your phone captures these signals, and using the time difference of their arrival, it can calculate the exact position of the car inside the tunnel. With Downlink TDoA, beacons don't collect any data from to the phone. The precise location is determined solely by the UWB chip on the phone. This approach is seen as safer and more privacy-centric than traditional real-time location systems (RTLS). As a result, it's often referred to as Untracked Indoor Positioning.

This innovative, privacy-centric way of determining indoor positioning could also be applied in airports, malls, museums, and more. It could effectively deliver what the iBeacon promised years ago, but with inch-perfect accuracy and superior security.

To make such experiences possible, a low-power UWB processor like the second-gen chip is essential. The phone would need to constantly detect UWB signals from nearby beacons, and it's crucial that this happens efficiently.

SPATIAL COMPUTING AND VISION PRO

There's also speculation that the UWB chip may eventually interact with Apple's new smart glasses. This makes a lot of sense. Currently, Vision Pro determines its spatial orientation in a room using computer vision and image processing. Using the UWB chip and radio signals for this purpose would use order of magnitude less power. Preserving power could allow Apple to design more compact and lighter smart glasses in the future.

FUTURE APPLICATIONS OF UWB

Ultra Wideband technology has many more uses than just distance positioning. It was originally developed for military use in radars. Essentially, UWB signals sent from the phone could reflect off nearby objects and return to the UWB chip. By examining these reflections phone can identify the shape, orientation, or movement of objects.

RADAR AND HEALTH MONITORING

There are many research papers where UWB radar is used to count people in a room or even detect human heartbeats. Given Apple's focus on health & fitness, it's entirely possible for future iPhones equipped with UWB on your nightstand to monitor heart rate or breathing. Non-contact monitoring could be useful for elderly individuals living alone or young children. It could identify falls or irregular heartbeats and notify caregivers or family members. This might not be implemented on the second-gen processors, but could be expected from the future UWB revisions and the new software.

HANDS-FREE PAYMENTS

Another potential use for an improved UWB chip could be in payments. While NFC has been popular for close-range payments, UWB could transform the entire experience. Imagine approaching a payment terminal, and without needing to pull out your phone or move it near the terminal, the payment is processed securely. This technology might lead to genuinely hands-free shopping. Customers could just grab items and leave the store. With devices powered by the UWB chip communicating with other UWB-enabled tags and payment terminals, the items someone has would be detected, and the cost automatically taken from the associated account, all while ensuring security through spatial authentication.

Beyond shopping, UWB could also make peer-to-peer payments easier. Instead of sifting through apps, just being nearby could prompt a payment screen on your iPhone, asking if you want to split the bill, recognizing your friend's device by its spatial position.

ACCESS CONTROL AND HANDS-FREE AUTHENTICATION

Finally, Apple's new second-gen UWB chip, can revolutionise the way we access and interact with spaces. Imagine arriving at a hotel. As you approach your room, the door recognises your smartphone and automatically unlocks without you having to fumble for a keycard or even touch the door.

Workplaces, especially those that involve machinery or secure data access, can benefit from hands-free authentication. Consider a research laboratory with multiple machines and computers. Instead of using passwords, keycards, or fingerprint scans, devices equipped with UWB sensors could detect the presence of an authorised UWB chip-carrying employee and unlock automatically.

The incorporation of the second generation UWB chip into a broader range of devices could dramatically transform the way we interact with the world, making our experiences smoother, more intuitive, and more secure. From hotels to workplaces, the possibilities for hands-free access and seamless interactions are vast and exciting. If you are interested to learn more about UWB and differences between BLE and UWB see our other blog-post about our UWB Beacons and try Nearby Interactions API and our SDK building next-gen mobile apps.

[surajworldnews]

HomePod update could become the new AirPort we always wanted

A couple of weeks ago, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reported that upcoming Apple TV and HomePod mini devices are coming in 2025 with a bigger new feature: Apple’s custom-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. According to the report, the codenamed Proxima chip will be available with the new Apple TV, HomePod mini, and iPhone 17 models, and a new iteration of this processor will be available on iPad and…

[digitsland]

The HomePod update could be the new AirPort we've been wanting

Enter and Win Robux Coins A few weeks ago, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reports that The upcoming Apple TV and smaller HomePod devices are coming in 2025 with a major new feature: Apple’s custom-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. According to the report, the codenamed Proxima chip will be available with the new Apple TV, HomePod mini, and iPhone 17 modelsand a new iteration of this processor will be…