theverge--2020-11-11--Robot wolves prevent Japanese bear attacks, are also very creepy

No , this is not a Halloween decoration someone forgot .
This robot — “ Monster Wolf ” — is actually a bear deterrent .
The city of Takikawa , Japan , deployed these robowolves to prevent bear attacks .
And yes , bear attacks were something of a problem : 157 people were attacked by bears in 2019 .
But since the Monster Wolves were installed , no attacks have occurred , The Guardian reports .
Black bears ’ recent attacks are probably due to a shortage of acorns in the Japanese wilderness , according to conservationists .
Bears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-hibernation diet , and without the high-calorie nut , they ’ ve started edging closer to cities to forage for food .
Deforestation and growing cities have shrunk the barrier between bear and human homes .
This leads to more bear-to-human contact , prompting attacks .
So naturally , robowolves are the decidedly human response to that problem : The wolves scare away bears in the same way kids are instructed to do at summer camp : they move and make loud noises .
They ’ re also robotic and lifeless , producing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of the real-life wolves upon which these robots are based .
Black bears and wolves used to share the central and northern regions of Japan , but the wolves were driven to extinction by hunting and resource competition .
In a way , the robowolves are their modern ghosts .
They ’ re effective at dealing with Japan ’ s current bear problem , but these “ wolves ” may also be a portent of a possible future for the black bears if a better solution isn ’ t found .

No, this is not a Halloween decoration someone forgot. This robot — “Monster Wolf” — is actually a bear deterrent. The city of Takikawa, Japan, deployed these robowolves to prevent bear attacks.
And yes, bear attacks were something of a problem: 157 people were attacked by bears in 2019. But since the Monster Wolves were installed, no attacks have occurred, The Guardian reports.
Black bears’ recent attacks are probably due to a shortage of acorns in the Japanese wilderness, according to conservationists. Bears rely on acorns as part of their pre-hibernation diet, and without the high-calorie nut, they’ve started edging closer to cities to forage for food. Deforestation and growing cities have shrunk the barrier between bear and human homes. This leads to more bear-to-human contact, prompting attacks.
So naturally, robowolves are the decidedly human response to that problem:
The wolves scare away bears in the same way kids are instructed to do at summer camp: they move and make loud noises. They’re also robotic and lifeless, producing a flavor of scary appropriate to the history of the real-life wolves upon which these robots are based.


theverge--2020-11-11--There’s a question mark hanging over Apple’s Arm Macs

Apple has finally introduced its first Macs with processors it designed itself : a 13-inch MacBook Air , a 13-inch MacBook Pro , and a Mac mini .
Apple is promising significant performance benefits over Intel processors and , for the laptops , a huge increase in battery life .
( To give you an idea of the level of improvement Apple is touting , Apple claims the new MacBook Pro can get up to 20 hours of battery life . )
They ’ ll also be able to natively run iOS apps , meaning Macs will theoretically have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jump .
But before you turn those exciting promises into a preorder , you should know there ’ s still a big question mark hanging over the new computers .
The reason they can natively run iOS apps is because the new Apple M1 is based on the Arm instruction set , just like your smartphone , instead of the x86-64 instructions used in Macs and Windows PCs .
But the reverse is also true : we ’ re currently taking Apple ’ s word that existing Mac apps will work well when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yesterday ’ s was the second presentation in a row where we saw canned demos and unlabeled graphs instead of actual benchmarks and performance comparisons .
We know what we ’ re getting with Intel .
With Arm , we don ’ t .
And while there are good reasons to think Apple has figured it out , history hasn ’ t always been kind to other manufacturers who have tried Arm-based computers .
Back in 2012 , Microsoft launched an Arm-based version of its new-at-the-time Surface tablet , dubbed the Surface RT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tablet hybrid , and at $ 499 , it seemed like a promising new Arm-based device .
Confusingly , though , the Surface RT didn ’ t run the also-new-at-the-time Windows 8 .
Instead , it ran Windows RT , which was a stripped-down version of Windows 8 that couldn ’ t run traditional Windows programs .
Even Microsoft support reps had trouble explaining what would and wouldn ’ t work on Windows RT .
That confusion probably contributed to the Surface RT ’ s eventual failure .
In its fiscal Q4 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million loss because of Surface RT “ inventory adjustments.
” The Surface RT ’ s failure didn ’ t stop Microsoft from making more runs at Arm-based Surface computers , though .
The company released the Surface Pro X last year , which has an Arm processor co-developed by Microsoft and Qualcomm .
We thought the hardware looked great , and once again , the Arm processor let Microsoft make it thinner than the Intel-powered Surface Pro .
But while Windows itself was well-optimized for Arm , many apps were slower than they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some didn ’ t work at all .
Tom Warren found that a newer second-generation Surface Pro X had fewer app compatibility issues than the original , but some apps still didn ’ t work , including Adobe ’ s Creative Cloud ( with Photoshop and Lightroom ) .
It ’ s not just Microsoft that has struggled with Arm-based computers .
Samsung released the Surface-like Galaxy Book 2 in 2018 , but you likely won ’ t be shocked to hear that The Verge ’ s Dan Seifert had problems running certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into similar issues while reviewing the Lenovo Flex 5G in July .
Microsoft is still working to improve Windows ’ app compatibility on Arm with x64 emulation .
We ’ re optimistic , but we ’ re not close to recommending Windows on Arm over Windows on Intel options .
And while budget Google Chromebooks can often run perfectly well on Arm , most have adopted Intel and AMD these days .
Apple seems extremely confident in its transition to Arm-based processors , though .
Apple has already removed all Intel-based MacBook Airs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new Intel-based Air back in March .
While Microsoft , Lenovo , Samsung , and others have always offered a choice between Arm and Intel , Apple expects to transition the whole Mac product line to Apple silicon in about two years .
The company ’ s sending a clear message that Arm is the future of Mac , and big software companies like Microsoft and Adobe are already listening : Photoshop is coming next year , Lightroom is coming next month , and Microsoft Office is on the way .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also going to have to get on board .
Apple may be able to avoid some of the same app-compatibility traps other manufacturers have run into .
Microsoft , for example , badly assumed developers would embrace its Windows Store by releasing universal apps that would work across both Arm and Intel .
That ’ s an option for Apple developers , too , but the company also has its Rosetta 2 that can translate apps designed for Intel chips to Arm when you first install them , or on the fly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Intel apps can even run faster on its new chip that way , at least compared to the Intel chips in its previous-gen Macs .
And again , M1 is able to run the vast library of iOS apps natively , giving users access to a huge potential volume of functional apps — though you ’ ll need to sling a pointer around because the Macs don ’ t have a touchscreen .
I ’ m very interested to see if these new Macs are as good as Apple promises they ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m going to be in the market for a new Apple laptop soon .
My personal Mac is an early 2014 11-inch MacBook Air .
I love it , but it ’ s starting to chug on basic internet browsing and the battery can ’ t hold a charge for much more than an hour or two .
If the new MacBooks are as capable as Apple says they are and can run most apps without much issue , they might be hard for me to pass up .
The MacBook Air , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I currently use my old MacBook Air mostly for surfing the web and writing .
But if there are just as many app-compatibility issues as other Arm-based computers have run into , I might try to squeeze another year out of my beloved personal machine and wait for developers to catch up .
I wouldn ’ t consider an Intel-based Mac anymore , though , as Apple seems fully committed to this transition to its own silicon .

Apple has finally introduced its first Macs with processors it designed itself: a 13-inch MacBook Air, a 13-inch MacBook Pro, and a Mac mini. Apple is promising significant performance benefits over Intel processors and, for the laptops, a huge increase in battery life. (To give you an idea of the level of improvement Apple is touting, Apple claims the new MacBook Pro can get up to 20 hours of battery life.)
They’ll also be able to natively run iOS apps, meaning Macs will theoretically have a lot more software options right from the jump. But before you turn those exciting promises into a preorder, you should know there’s still a big question mark hanging over the new computers.
A render of the Apple M1 embedded in a tiny MacBook motherboard. Image: Apple
The reason they can natively run iOS apps is because the new Apple M1 is based on the Arm instruction set, just like your smartphone, instead of the x86-64 instructions used in Macs and Windows PCs. But the reverse is also true: we’re currently taking Apple’s word that existing Mac apps will work well when they don’t run natively. Yesterday’s was the second presentation in a row where we saw canned demos and unlabeled graphs instead of actual benchmarks and performance comparisons.
We know what we’re getting with Intel. With Arm, we don’t. And while there are good reasons to think Apple has figured it out, history hasn’t always been kind to other manufacturers who have tried Arm-based computers.
Back in 2012, Microsoft launched an Arm-based version of its new-at-the-time Surface tablet, dubbed the Surface RT. It was a thin computer / tablet hybrid, and at $499, it seemed like a promising new Arm-based device.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Confusingly, though, the Surface RT didn’t run the also-new-at-the-time Windows 8. Instead, it ran Windows RT, which was a stripped-down version of Windows 8 that couldn’t run traditional Windows programs. Even Microsoft support reps had trouble explaining what would and wouldn’t work on Windows RT. That confusion probably contributed to the Surface RT’s eventual failure. In its fiscal Q4 2013 earnings, Microsoft recorded a $900 million loss because of Surface RT “inventory adjustments.”
The Surface RT’s failure didn’t stop Microsoft from making more runs at Arm-based Surface computers, though. The company released the Surface Pro X last year, which has an Arm processor co-developed by Microsoft and Qualcomm. We thought the hardware looked great, and once again, the Arm processor let Microsoft make it thinner than the Intel-powered Surface Pro. But while Windows itself was well-optimized for Arm, many apps were slower than they would be on an Intel computer and some didn’t work at all.
Tom Warren found that a newer second-generation Surface Pro X had fewer app compatibility issues than the original, but some apps still didn’t work, including Adobe’s Creative Cloud (with Photoshop and Lightroom).
The Lenovo Flex 5G, one of the rare Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx laptops to make it to market. Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
It’s not just Microsoft that has struggled with Arm-based computers. Samsung released the Surface-like Galaxy Book 2 in 2018, but you likely won’t be shocked to hear that The Verge’s Dan Seifert had problems running certain apps. My colleague Cameron Faulkner ran into similar issues while reviewing the Lenovo Flex 5G in July. Microsoft is still working to improve Windows’ app compatibility on Arm with x64 emulation. We’re optimistic, but we’re not close to recommending Windows on Arm over Windows on Intel options. And while budget Google Chromebooks can often run perfectly well on Arm, most have adopted Intel and AMD these days.
Apple seems extremely confident in its transition to Arm-based processors, though. Apple has already removed all Intel-based MacBook Airs from its product lineup — despite introducing a new Intel-based Air back in March. While Microsoft, Lenovo, Samsung, and others have always offered a choice between Arm and Intel, Apple expects to transition the whole Mac product line to Apple silicon in about two years.
The company’s sending a clear message that Arm is the future of Mac, and big software companies like Microsoft and Adobe are already listening: Photoshop is coming next year, Lightroom is coming next month, and Microsoft Office is on the way. Other developers who want to make Mac apps are also going to have to get on board.
Apple may be able to avoid some of the same app-compatibility traps other manufacturers have run into. Microsoft, for example, badly assumed developers would embrace its Windows Store by releasing universal apps that would work across both Arm and Intel. That’s an option for Apple developers, too, but the company also has its Rosetta 2 that can translate apps designed for Intel chips to Arm when you first install them, or on the fly afterward if necessary. Apple says some Intel apps can even run faster on its new chip that way, at least compared to the Intel chips in its previous-gen Macs.
When will Apple embrace the gorilla arm?
And again, M1 is able to run the vast library of iOS apps natively, giving users access to a huge potential volume of functional apps — though you’ll need to sling a pointer around because the Macs don’t have a touchscreen.
I’m very interested to see if these new Macs are as good as Apple promises they’ll be, as I think I’m going to be in the market for a new Apple laptop soon. My personal Mac is an early 2014 11-inch MacBook Air. I love it, but it’s starting to chug on basic internet browsing and the battery can’t hold a charge for much more than an hour or two.
If the new MacBooks are as capable as Apple says they are and can run most apps without much issue, they might be hard for me to pass up. The MacBook Air, in particular, caught my eye, as I currently use my old MacBook Air mostly for surfing the web and writing.


theverge--2020-11-11--If you buy a OnePlus 8T, you can get half off a second phone today only

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
You can grab two unlocked OnePlus 8T phones for $ 1,124 on OnePlus ’ website today only .
It ’ s a deal worth highlighting : the OnePlus 8T usually costs $ 749 , but if you buy two today , you ’ ll get them for $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a set of OnePlus Buds wireless earbuds with each phone at no extra charge .
For a phone that was released just a few weeks ago , this is a great deal .
The OnePlus 8T is a solid update to the OnePlus 8 , released earlier this year , as my colleague Jon Porter points out in his review .
Unlike the OnePlus 8 , the 8T offers the same 120Hz refresh rate display found on the 8 Pro .
The biggest feature for the 8T is the 65W charging , allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are a few things you may want to consider if you are going to take advantage of this deal .
The phone is compatible with Verizon , AT & T , and T-Mobile , but while the AT & T and T-Mobile phones support sub-6GHz 5G , 4G LTE is your only option with Verizon .
Additionally , this phone does not have an IP rating for dust or water resistance .
( With one interesting exception : OnePlus told The Verge that the T-Mobile version of the phone does include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you are planning to gift a smartphone ( or two ) this holiday season , the OnePlus 8T is not a bad present to give .

You can grab two unlocked OnePlus 8T phones for $1,124 on OnePlus’ website today only. It’s a deal worth highlighting: the OnePlus 8T usually costs $749, but if you buy two today, you’ll get them for $562 each. This deal also includes a set of OnePlus Buds wireless earbuds with each phone at no extra charge. For a phone that was released just a few weeks ago, this is a great deal.
The OnePlus 8T is a solid update to the OnePlus 8, released earlier this year, as my colleague Jon Porter points out in his review. Unlike the OnePlus 8, the 8T offers the same 120Hz refresh rate display found on the 8 Pro. The biggest feature for the 8T is the 65W charging, allowing you to charge the phone super fast.
There are a few things you may want to consider if you are going to take advantage of this deal. The phone is compatible with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, but while the AT&T and T-Mobile phones support sub-6GHz 5G, 4G LTE is your only option with Verizon. Additionally, this phone does not have an IP rating for dust or water resistance. (With one interesting exception: OnePlus told The Verge that the T-Mobile version of the phone does include an IP68 rating.)
Nevertheless, if you are planning to gift a smartphone (or two) this holiday season, the OnePlus 8T is not a bad present to give.


theverge--2020-11-11--Moscow’s facial recognition system can be hijacked for just $200, report shows

A digital rights activist in Moscow was able to purchase access to the city ’ s extensive facial recognition system for just 16,000 rubles ( approximately $ 200 ) , as reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation .
After seeing ads for the service on Telegram , Anna Kuznetsova transferred the money along with a picture of herself to a seller .
Two days later , she received an extensive report of her movements over the previous month , apparently pulled directly from the police system .
Spanning more than 100,000 cameras across the city , Moscow ’ s facial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to law enforcement .
It ’ s unclear how the seller was able to secure access , whether through bribery or a digital intrusion .
Two officers were placed under investigation in the wake of the incident , but Kuznetsova has filed a lawsuit aimed at pausing the program until clearer procedures are set .
As Kuznetsova sees it , the system poses a clear danger to the public as long as it ’ s available .
“ Any crazy guy can stalk you using this ; criminals can check when and where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or hurt you , ” she told Reuters .
“ Anything can happen.
” Moscow police rolled out facial recognition in January , and while their system is one of the more extensive city-level efforts , it ’ s far from the only one .
In July , Rite Aid was revealed to have used facial recognition across a network of hundreds of stores for more than eight years , intended as a deterrent against theft and violent crime .
A number of US cities have banned facial recognition by public agencies in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco , Boston , and ( most recently ) Portland , Maine .

A digital rights activist in Moscow was able to purchase access to the city’s extensive facial recognition system for just 16,000 rubles (approximately $200), as reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. After seeing ads for the service on Telegram, Anna Kuznetsova transferred the money along with a picture of herself to a seller. Two days later, she received an extensive report of her movements over the previous month, apparently pulled directly from the police system.
Spanning more than 100,000 cameras across the city, Moscow’s facial recognition system is meant to be restricted to law enforcement. It’s unclear how the seller was able to secure access, whether through bribery or a digital intrusion. Two officers were placed under investigation in the wake of the incident, but Kuznetsova has filed a lawsuit aimed at pausing the program until clearer procedures are set.
As Kuznetsova sees it, the system poses a clear danger to the public as long as it’s available. “Any crazy guy can stalk you using this; criminals can check when and where you go and steal from your apartment or hurt you,” she told Reuters. “Anything can happen.”


theverge--2020-11-11--Halo TV show brings back original Cortana actress

Showtime ’ s Halo TV show is bringing back the original actress for Cortana , the series ’ s iconic @ @ @ @ @ Natascha McElhone , the actress originally cast to play both Cortana and her creator , @ @ @ @ @ unable to finish her work as the AI due to the pandemic .
Longtime Cortana @ @ @ @ @ take the role , which she ’ s voiced since the first game released in @ @ @ @ @ Halo TV series back in 2018 .
It stars Pablo Schreiber , Bokeem Woodbine , @ @ @ @ @ Sapani , though it ’ s unclear what shape the show ’ s story will @ @ @ @ @ set to play Halsey in the series .
Taylor has voiced the role of both @ @ @ @ @ series as well as Microsoft ’ s digital assistant Cortana .
Production on the show @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , but it resumed this week

Showtime’s Halo TV show is bringing back the original actress for Cortana, the series’s iconic AI. IGN reports that Natascha McElhone, the actress originally cast to play both Cortana and her creator, Dr. Catherine Halsey, is unable to finish her work as the AI due to the pandemic. Longtime Cortana actress Jen Taylor will instead take the role, which she’s voiced since the first game released in 2001.
Showtime announced a Halo TV series back in 2018. It stars Pablo Schreiber, Bokeem Woodbine, Olive Gray, and David Sapani, though it’s unclear what shape the show’s story will take. McElhone is still set to play Halsey in the series. Taylor has voiced the role of both Cortana and Halsey in the series as well as Microsoft’s digital assistant Cortana.


theverge--2020-11-11--How to use Alexa Care Hub to check in on older relatives

Amazon has rolled out the Care Hub , a set of Alexa features you can use to remotely check in on older relatives in their homes .
That could be especially useful during COVID-19 , when many folks aren ’ t able to visit their relatives as often as they usually do .
Care Hub is free and easy to set up — your relative just needs an Alexa device .
Through Care Hub , Alexa can send you alerts when your relative first uses their Echo device each morning or if they don ’ t use the device by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also have access to an activity feed where you can see an overview of their Alexa activity .
( Amazon emphasized that this was designed with privacy in mind — you can see the types of activities your relative is doing , but you can ’ t see things like the instructions they ’ re giving Alexa or the specific songs or podcasts they ’ re listening to . )
In addition , Care Hub gives your relative an easy way to set your Amazon account as their emergency contact .
That means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call for help , ” Alexa will call you , text you , and send you a push notification .
If you see anything concerning yourself , you can also use the Drop In feature ( which temporarily leverages their Echo device as a two-way intercom ) to check in .
To get started with Care Hub , go to Amazon ’ s Care Hub homepage and click “ Get Started , ” or the “ Care Hub ” section in the Alexa app .
Alexa will ask whether you want to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want to provide support .
You ’ ll see an invitation link ; send that link to your relative , and tell them to follow the instructions .
( The process involves signing in with their Amazon account , creating a profile , and filling out a short form .
If they get lost , Amazon has a guide you can use to walk them through it . )
Eventually , you ’ ll receive an invitation email from your loved one — it ’ ll go to the address associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Get Started ” link in that email , and you ’ re in .

Amazon has rolled out the Care Hub, a set of Alexa features you can use to remotely check in on older relatives in their homes. That could be especially useful during COVID-19, when many folks aren’t able to visit their relatives as often as they usually do. Care Hub is free and easy to set up — your relative just needs an Alexa device.
Through Care Hub, Alexa can send you alerts when your relative first uses their Echo device each morning or if they don’t use the device by a certain time. You’ll also have access to an activity feed where you can see an overview of their Alexa activity. (Amazon emphasized that this was designed with privacy in mind — you can see the types of activities your relative is doing, but you can’t see things like the instructions they’re giving Alexa or the specific songs or podcasts they’re listening to.)
In addition, Care Hub gives your relative an easy way to set your Amazon account as their emergency contact. That means that if they say “Alexa, call for help,” Alexa will call you, text you, and send you a push notification. If you see anything concerning yourself, you can also use the Drop In feature (which temporarily leverages their Echo device as a two-way intercom) to check in.
To get started with Care Hub, go to Amazon’s Care Hub homepage and click “Get Started,” or the “Care Hub” section in the Alexa app. Alexa will ask whether you want to provide or receive support; let it know you want to provide support.
You’ll see an invitation link; send that link to your relative, and tell them to follow the instructions. (The process involves signing in with their Amazon account, creating a profile, and filling out a short form. If they get lost, Amazon has a guide you can use to walk them through it.)


theverge--2020-11-11--Facebook extends political ad ban another month as Trump refuses to concede

Facebook on Wednesday announced an extension on its political advertising ban for at least another month , citing delays in election results due to COVID-19 and unprecedented rates of mail-in and absentee voting .
The extension was announced in an update posted to its original blog post on the topic .
“ The temporary pause for ads about politics and social issues in the US continues to be in place as part of our ongoing efforts to protect the election .
Advertisers can expect this to last another month , though there may be an opportunity to resume these ads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Getting the US election results this year may take longer than in previous elections due to the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) pandemic and more people voting by mail .
We ’ ve introduced a range of policies and products to help protect the integrity of the election and reduce opportunities for confusion or abuse.
” What Facebook does not explicitly mention is that the current US presidential race has already been called in favor of President-elect Joe Biden , while President Donald Trump has refused to concede and is using claims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mount legal challenges in battleground states .
That means Facebook ’ s ad ban is in effect preventing Trump from falsely declaring victory through ads or using its network to make other false or misleading claims ( although he may still do so by posting through his page or other White House accounts ) .
And because Trump ’ s refusal to concede and the fallout from that decision may only drag on well into next month and possibly January ahead of Inauguration Day , Facebook ’ s ad ban appears to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to prevent further spread of misinformation on its social network .
The ad ban is preventing Trump from misusing Facebook to declare false victory Facebook ’ s political ad ban was announced at the beginning of October and took effect on Election Day .
It was the result of many months of deliberation within the company ’ s executive ranks , and harsh condemnation from critics over its inaction , on how best to handle an election cycle rife with misleading claims of voter fraud , unverified messaging regarding the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , like Twitter and YouTube , have been engaging in a high-profile game of moderation whack-a-mole , most prominently against the president and his campaign , over misleading and false information posted to its network since November 4th .
Yet because the ad ban is in place , Facebook is able to label posts from Trump in ways they would not be able to do so if the messages were promoted political ads .
Democrats are also concerned the ban will hamper their digital campaigning efforts to secure coveted Senate seats in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Roll Call .
Without Facebook ads , party officials worry they won ’ t be able to use momentum from Biden ’ s presidential win to galvanize voters online .
“ If Facebook and Google are truly incapable of reviewing and safely running Georgia Senate ads without opening the floodgates of paid disinformation across their platforms , it ’ s a damning indictment of their own business model , ” said Nicole Gill , executive director of tech policy advocacy group Accountable Tech , said in a statement .
“ These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral spread of conspiracy theories designed to delegitimize our elections .
As has always been the case , deceptive organic content — boosted by toxic algorithms – continues to drive social media ’ s disinformation crisis ; not paid content .
Preventing campaigns from running ads to inform Georgians about how and why to participate in these critical runoff elections is actively harmful to democracy.
” Since the ban took effect , Facebook ’ s internal monitoring tools have also begun registering an increase in “ violence and incitement trends.
” The company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how people organize , discuss , and share links on the platform , and it ’ s only become more worrying since Election Day and since Trump and his campaign have begun amping up rhetoric around refusing to concede and peacefully transfer power .

Facebook on Wednesday announced an extension on its political advertising ban for at least another month, citing delays in election results due to COVID-19 and unprecedented rates of mail-in and absentee voting. The extension was announced in an update posted to its original blog post on the topic.
“The temporary pause for ads about politics and social issues in the US continues to be in place as part of our ongoing efforts to protect the election. Advertisers can expect this to last another month, though there may be an opportunity to resume these ads sooner,” the update reads. “Getting the US election results this year may take longer than in previous elections due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and more people voting by mail. We’ve introduced a range of policies and products to help protect the integrity of the election and reduce opportunities for confusion or abuse.”
What Facebook does not explicitly mention is that the current US presidential race has already been called in favor of President-elect Joe Biden, while President Donald Trump has refused to concede and is using claims of election fraud to dispute the results and mount legal challenges in battleground states.
That means Facebook’s ad ban is in effect preventing Trump from falsely declaring victory through ads or using its network to make other false or misleading claims (although he may still do so by posting through his page or other White House accounts). And because Trump’s refusal to concede and the fallout from that decision may only drag on well into next month and possibly January ahead of Inauguration Day, Facebook’s ad ban appears to be one tool the company thinks it will need to prevent further spread of misinformation on its social network.
The ad ban is preventing Trump from misusing Facebook to declare false victory
Facebook’s political ad ban was announced at the beginning of October and took effect on Election Day. It was the result of many months of deliberation within the company’s executive ranks, and harsh condemnation from critics over its inaction, on how best to handle an election cycle rife with misleading claims of voter fraud, unverified messaging regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and other politically charged topics.
Facebook, like Twitter and YouTube, have been engaging in a high-profile game of moderation whack-a-mole, most prominently against the president and his campaign, over misleading and false information posted to its network since November 4th. Yet because the ad ban is in place, Facebook is able to label posts from Trump in ways they would not be able to do so if the messages were promoted political ads.
Democrats are also concerned the ban will hamper their digital campaigning efforts to secure coveted Senate seats in the Georgia runoff elections in January, according to Roll Call. Without Facebook ads, party officials worry they won’t be able to use momentum from Biden’s presidential win to galvanize voters online.
“If Facebook and Google are truly incapable of reviewing and safely running Georgia Senate ads without opening the floodgates of paid disinformation across their platforms, it’s a damning indictment of their own business model,” said Nicole Gill, executive director of tech policy advocacy group Accountable Tech, said in a statement. “These companies are already failing to curb the viral spread of conspiracy theories designed to delegitimize our elections. As has always been the case, deceptive organic content — boosted by toxic algorithms – continues to drive social media’s disinformation crisis; not paid content. Preventing campaigns from running ads to inform Georgians about how and why to participate in these critical runoff elections is actively harmful to democracy.”


theverge--2020-11-12--Here are the accessories you’ll need for your PlayStation 5

Sony ’ s PlayStation 5 launches today .
Whether you secured one ahead of launch day or plan to buy one during the holiday season , you might want to consider picking up additional accessories to ensure you get the most out of your brand new console .
First , there ’ s the controller .
Every new PS5 includes one DualSense controller .
Unlike the DualShock controllers , the DualSense has a two-color scheme and a more ergonomic design .
The controller also features adaptive triggers , a built-in microphone , and haptic feedback , with some games taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide more immersion .
In addition to working with the PS5 , the DualSense can connect to Android devices wirelessly .
The controller will also connect wirelessly to a PC if your computer supports Bluetooth .
If not , you can connect the DualSense to a PC using a USB cable .
The controller is $ 70 , which is $ 10 more than the DualShock 4 .
The DualSense is a good successor to the PS4 ’ s controller , given all the improvements that come with it .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DualShock 4 , you can still use the controller on the PS5 , but it will only work while playing PS4 games .
If you are interested in using your PS5 to live-stream video games or broadcast your gameplay with friends , you ’ ll want to pick up the PS5 HD Camera , which is $ 60 .
It includes dual 1080p lenses and is a successor to the PS4 camera .
The camera also allows you to remove the background of your camera ’ s feed and replace it with something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s quickly talk about games .
Sony will have a good chunk of games playable at launch , including some highly anticipated titles , which we will list below .
If you are curious to know the full list of games available on the console at launch , we have compiled an extensive list of games coming to Sony ’ s next-gen console at launch and other games coming out within the next two years .
But here are a few PlayStation exclusives coming to the console at launch : Sony will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a digital library of some of the most popular games released during the PS4 ’ s lifespan .
But you will need to have an active PlayStation Plus subscription to access the service .
You can grab a one-year subscription for $ 29 at Eneba or $ 30 at CDKeys right now .
Shifting back to accessories , the PS5 also has its own media remote .
The PS5 can double as a device to stream movies and videos , or if you buy the PS5 with a disc drive , you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a ton of streaming apps available at launch , including Apple TV Plus , Crunchyroll , and Hulu , so if you plan to watch movies and shows on your device , the PS5 media remote would be a smart thing to buy .
With the console ’ s SSD space limited and no signs of SSD expansion support coming in the near future , using an external hard drive as a way to store older PS4 games is not a bad idea .
Just note that you won ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PS5 titles .

The PlayStation 5 is becoming more available than it once was, but even with the increased frequency of restocks, Sony’s latest console remains a chore to get a hold of. If you’ve been savvy enough to secure a PS5 of your own, however, getting the right accessories can help ensure you get the most out of your new console.
From headsets and spare DualSense controllers to M.2 SSDs that allow you to easily expand your console’s storage capacity — that’s a thing now, after all — these are just a few PS5 accessories we suggest picking up, some of which occasionally go on discount.
Extra controllers
First off, there’s the controller. Every new PS5 includes a white DualSense controller. Unlike the last-gen DualShock controllers, the DualSense has a two-color scheme and a more ergonomic design. The controller also features adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone, and haptic feedback, with some games taking advantage of the controller’s features to provide an added level of immersion.
In addition to working with the PS5, the DualSense can wirelessly connect to Android and iOS devices — along with a PC, if your computer supports Bluetooth. If not, you can connect the DualSense to a PC using a USB cable.
The standard white and midnight black controllers usually retail for around $69, but sometimes you can find them on sale for around $60. As for the newer DualSense colors — including the red, purple, blue, and pink variants — they usually sell for $74, a slightly higher price tag. The DualSense is a good successor to the PlayStation 4’s DualShock 4 controller, given the improvements; however, it doesn’t sport the greatest battery life, so having a spare handy can be helpful even outside of local multiplayer games. If you already own a DualShock 4, though, you can still use the controller on the PS5, but it will only work while playing PS4 games.
DualSense Wireless Controller (black) $ 50 $ 70 29 % off $ 50 $ 50 $ 70 29 % off The black DualSense controller sports the same hardware as the original — haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, etc. — only with a two-tone black design reminiscent of PS2, PS3, and PS4 consoles. $50 at Best Buy
DualSense Charging Station
With Sony’s DualSense Charging Station, you can charge two wireless DualSense controllers at the same time, allowing you to free up the USB-C ports on the PS5 and ensuring your local multiplayer sessions go off without a hitch. After at first being notoriously difficult to find, we have only seen the occasional discount on the charging station of about $10 off. Discounts are pretty infrequent, however, so keep an eye out for big Sony promotions or events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
Sony’s replaceable console covers take a colorful cue from the more recent DualSense controllers. Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
User-replaceable console covers
While replacement console covers for the PS5 may not be essential, they remain a fun way to customize your system. Sony’s user-replaceable covers also come in an array of colors to match the DualSense controllers, allowing you to outfit your console in black, red, purple, blue, or pink. Whether you have a regular PS5 with a disc drive or the Digital Edition, these cost $54.99 each — though be sure you get the right one for your console. At this time, they’re only available direct from Sony.
The PS5 design is a bit polarizing to some, and these covers are a unique way to make it blend in better with your home or go the other way and add a pop of color. It’s your choice. There are no wrong answers here, but keep in mind that the correct answer is always black.
The ideal TV to plug your PS5 into
Looking for a new 4K TV that can take full advantage of the PS5’s capabilities? Verge reviewer Chris Welch has you covered with a range of TVs from TCL, LG, and Samsung. They all come in different sizes and prices, but working well with the PS5 is something they each have in common.
However, our favorite option remains LG’s excellent C1 OLED from last year, which comes with HDMI 2.1 support on all four inputs, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support. Right now, Amazon is selling the 65-inch model for $1,596.99 instead of its full price of $2,499.99. LG’s newer C2 is also now readily available, but we don’t think the improvements are worth the higher price tag over the C1.
The PS5’s proprietary webcam and streaming camera
If you are interested in using your PS5 to livestream video games or broadcast your gameplay with friends, you’ll want to pick up the PlayStation 5 HD Camera, which is available for around $60 at Amazon and Best Buy. The successor to the PS4 camera, the HD peripheral includes dual 1080p lenses and allows you to remove the background of your camera’s feed and replace it with something else.
Wireless gaming headsets
The SteelSeries Arctis 7P Plus offers a nice balance in terms of features, connectivity, and comfort. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Sony’s Pulse 3D Wireless Headset may be worth the $100 price tag if you want a wireless model that allows the audio to shine in select PS5 exclusives. It sounds fantastic with titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon’s Souls, as well as more recent hits like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Sony also makes a black version of the headset for the same asking price, and though we’ve seen few deals on either model, they have been discounted to as low as $89 in the past.
However, out of all of our favorite headsets, we found the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Plus to be the best gaming headset for PlayStation consoles. It’s pricier than Sony’s aforementioned Pulse 3D Wireless at $169.99, though it does occasionally go on sale for around $140 or $150 at retailers like Amazon. In exchange for that higher price tag, you’re getting a comfier headset than the Pulse, one that offers better mic quality and a more intuitive button layout.
SteelSeries Arctis 7P Plus $ 149 $ 166 10 % off $ 149 $ 149 $ 166 10 % off The new Arctis 7P Plus has the same design and comfort as previous SteelSeries headsets, but the newer model boasts improved battery life and USB-C charging, making it easy to use the same charging cable that your DualSense uses. $170 at SteelSeries$149 at Amazon
A PlayStation controller with a Netflix button
Like the PS4, Sony’s newest console also touts its own media remote. Like most consoles, the PS5 doubles as a competent streaming device, granting you access to services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus and allowing you to control 4K Blu-ray playback if you’re using the disc-based PS5. It doesn’t provide any additional functionality over the PS5’s DualSense controller, but it’s smaller and more comfortable, with dedicated launch buttons for some of the more popular streaming services. Read our review.
Expandable storage (both internal and external)
After an initial beta testing phase, you can now add specific M.2 SSDs to the PS5, making it possible to increase your console’s storage capacity. If you’re looking for a surefire bet that’s affordable, we recommend the WD Black SN850 drives, which run at a blistering 7,000MB/s (read speeds) and 4100MB/s (write speeds) and are ideal if you want to quickly install an SSD and not have to worry about it afterward. Right now, the 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB models are all on sale with a heatsink, with the 500GB model going for $89.99 instead of its typical $169.99.
For an even faster alternative, Samsung’s 980 Pro is another PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD that’s capable of sequential read speeds of up to 7,000MB/s and write speeds of up to 5,000MB/s. These specs make it a great choice for a modern PCIe 4.0-equipped PC or for the PS5 with the required heatsink.
WD Black SN850 (1TB, with heatsink) $ 125 $ 180 31 % off $ 125 $ 125 $ 180 31 % off The WD Black SN850 is one of the fastest M.2 drives around, with a sequential read speed of up to 7,000MB/s and a write speed of up to 4,100MB/s. It can perform best in a PC that has a PCIe 4.0 motherboard or in a PS5. $125 at Amazon$150 at Best Buy
Samsung 980 Pro (with heatsink) $ 100 $ 200 50 % off $ 100 $ 100 $ 200 50 % off Samsung’s 980 Pro is a fast PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD that’s capable of sequential read speeds of up to 7,000MB/s and write speeds of up to 5,000MB/s. These specs make it a great choice for a modern PCIe 4.0-equipped PC or for a PS5. $100 at Best Buy (2TB)
The PS5’s user-accessible M.2 SSD slot Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
On the other end of the storage spectrum, traditional hard drives still have their place in with modern gaming consoles, especially if you like having lots of games downloaded but want to save room on your SSDs. Seagate’s external hard drive is great for storing your PS4 games on your PS5 without taking up precious SSD space. Right now, you can buy the 4TB model for $109.99 instead of $124.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. You won’t be able to use it to play PS5 titles, but you can off-load them onto a hard drive like this one. Think of it as a PS4 drive and also cold storage for PS5 games to save you from re-downloading them.
Seagate Game Drive (4TB) $ 110 $ 125 12 % off $ 110 $ 110 $ 125 12 % off Seagate’s external hard drive is great if you want to store your PS4 games on your PS5 without taking up precious SSD space. Right now, you can also buy the 4TB model for $109.99 instead of $124.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. Just note that you won’t be able to use it to play PS5 titles, though a firmware update allows you to off-load them onto a hard drive like this one.
$110 at Amazon$110 at Best Buy
PlayStation Plus subscription
What good is a PlayStation without games? A PlayStation Plus subscription offers you access to online multiplayer, exclusive discounts, free monthly games, and access to the PlayStation Plus collection, a catalog of PlayStation 4 hits you can download and play on PS5 at no additional cost.
The service was recently split into three tiers: PlayStation Plus Essential, PlayStation Plus Extra, and PlayStation Plus Premium. The Essential tier gets you, essentially, the original PS Plus benefits outlined above for $9.99 a month or $59.99 annually. If you want access to a selection of existing and new PS5 games (such as Demon’s Souls, Returnal, Stray, and more), then PlayStation Plus Extra has you covered for $14.99 a month or $99.99 annually. The top-tier PlayStation Plus Premium has all the lower two have, plus it adds game trials and a classic catalog of PS1, PS2, PSP, and cloud streaming PS3 games for $17.99 a month or $119.99 annually.
At this time, you can’t buy prepaid subscription cards for the new PlayStation Plus membership tiers. If you have any older PlayStation Plus cards, however, those can be redeemed for the same length subscription under the Essential tier — though converting it to Extra or Premium will net you fewer months on a sliding scale.
PlayStation Plus (annual membership) $ 50 $ 60 17 % off $ 50 $ 50 $ 60 17 % off PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now prepaid membership cards can still be redeemed toward Sony’s three new tiers of its revised service: PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium. All of these subscriptions offer online play, with varying degrees of downloadable games included as part of the membership. $50 at Eneba
A racing wheel for you Gran Turismo fans
This may be a bit more niche, but it’s not often that a new racing game like Gran Turismo 7 comes along to flex the graphical power of Sony’s latest console. Despite its bit of drama around microtransactions and patches, the latest Gran Turismo title has proven itself an impressive installment and a return to form for the iconic racing series. And while racing with the DualSense controller’s haptics firing off is certainly satisfying, no controller substitutes the satisfaction of playing with a proper wheel.
Luckily, the Thrustmaster T248 is a great wheel and pedal set for the PS5, PS4, and even PC. The premium, all-in-one solution may cost a pretty penny at $399.99, but it has been on sale for as much as $100 off. Check out our review, and read all about its impressive force feedback and feel. Just be aware that you may never want to go back to playing racing games with a controller again.
Thrustmaster T248 $ 373 $ 400 7 % off $ 373 $ 373 $ 400 7 % off Thrustmaster’s T248 steering wheel and pedal setup is designed for both the PS4 and PS5, as well as PC. It’s an excellent force feedback wheel that also comes with a unique LCD screen that displays information such as speed, position, and more depending on the game. $373 at Amazon


theverge--2020-11-12--Here’s where and when you can buy the PS5

Sony ’ s PlayStation 5 is available starting today , and if you missed your chances of securing one on launch , ( it ’ s ok , preordering was a mess ) , you might be able to secure the console on launch day .
Due to the pandemic and high demand of the PS5 , retailers such as Best Buy and Target will only sell the console online at least until the end of 2020 .
So , if you were planning to camp outside your local Target hoping to buy the console today , there will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But , you can order one online and request an in-store pickup .
• If you are looking to secure the console at Walmart , the retailer announced that it will be selling the console on today .
Walmart will have four different windows for PS5 launch day sales : 12PM ET , 3PM ET , 6PM ET , and 9PM ET .
• None You can buy the PS5 with a disc drive right now at Best Buy Until we hear more information from retailers , I strongly advise you keep a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Amazon , Target , GameStop , Newegg , B & H Photo , and if you have membership , Sam ’ s Club .
If you are torn between which PS5 console to buy , no need to worry .
The biggest differences to note is that the PS5 Digital Edition is smaller than the PS5 standard , costs $ 399 , and it does not include a Blu-ray disc drive .
The PS5 standard is $ 100 more , is a bit bulkier than the digital edition , and includes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game discs .
Update , November 6th : With consoles launching next week , we ’ ve updated this post to be a resource that tells you when and where you can buy a PS5 online .

The great PlayStation 5 shortage is over — well, at least according to Sony. Thanks to the increased availability of Sony’s next-gen console, there are now multiple options for bringing home a PS5, none of which are an uphill battle. While availability is occasionally limited to bundles that come packaged with a game, specifically God of War Ragnarök, it’s nowhere near as difficult to find a standalone console as it once was. We’re keeping an eye out for where you can buy either the PS5 (with a disc drive) or the PS5 Digital Edition as well as any bundles.
Obviously, there’s no guarantee that inventory will remain available for long, but we’ll do our best to keep this article updated with the latest in-stock alerts and tell you where to look.
Where can I buy a PS5 right now?
Where can I buy a PS5 right now?
Above, we’ve collected the PS5 landing pages for various retailers if you want to check the available stock for standalone consoles or bundles.
Most major retailers restock consoles and bundles both online and in physical stores on an intermittent basis, but availability can fluctuate based on your local store. It’s important to note that some retailers won’t ship your console, too, so make sure the store you select is within a reasonable distance if you’re planning to pick one up. You’ll also need a verified account with these retailers in order to check out.
Restocks can happen at any time. Note, however, that if you’re trying to get a standalone console through Amazon, you’ll need to sign up for an invitation first. Thankfully, you don’t need to be an Amazon Prime subscriber to do so.
Opting for a bundle that includes a game like God of War Ragnarök is a perfectly viable option for getting a console without having to pay a premium. Bundles are made available through the PlayStation Direct store and other retailers, with new bundles becoming available alongside the release of new PlayStation exclusives. Whether it’s due to their higher price or that they’re packaged with a game someone may not want, bundles tend to sell out less quickly than standalone consoles.
Every PS5 comes with one DualSense controller. You can use the DualShock 4 controller, but it’ll only work when you’re playing PS4 games on the next-gen console. Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
What accessories do I need to buy for the PS5?
The PlayStation 5 includes all the basic things you need to get started (minus games, of course). However, you might want to consider picking up a few additional accessories if you’re looking to get the most out of your new console.
First, there’s the controller. Every PS5 includes one DualSense Wireless Controller, but there are a few benefits to owning at least one additional controller, such as if you plan to play local co-op games with a friend or family member. Or, if you’re like us and want to keep playing your game but don’t want to be tethered to the charging cable, a second controller lets you continue playing while the other charges.
If you’re looking for a pro-grade controller for your PlayStation 5, we recommend you turn your attention to Sony’s modular DualSense Edge. At $199.99, it’s substantially more expensive than the standard DualSense; however, like the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, the premium accessory features a wealth of customization options that make it a good fit for anyone who wants more control over how they game.
The DualSense Edge features a hardshell case and some added grip as well as four back paddles, swappable analog stick modules, and function keys that let you swap controls and adjust the volume on the fly. It offers worse battery life than the standard DualSense, sure, but that’s the price you pay for the ability to execute trigger patterns with ease. Read our review.
Sony’s official gaming headphones are a fantastic way to experience the spatial audio of the PlayStation 5. The Pulse 3D sports a clean, minimalist aesthetic and is still one of our favorite gaming headsets thanks to its comfortable fit and solid sound quality.
The PS5 HD Camera is a neat accessory for people interested in using their PS5 to livestream video games or broadcast their gameplay with friends. It includes dual 1080p lenses and allows you to remove the background of your camera’s feed and replace it with something else.
We recommend subscribing to PlayStation Plus if you have not already done so; outside of taking advantage of exclusive discounts and online multiplayer, PlayStation Plus provides a ton of additional incentives. Most notably, PS5 owners will have access to the PlayStation Plus Collection through May 8th, which is essentially a digital library of some of the most impactful titles to have ever been released on the PlayStation 4, including God of War, Persona 5, and The Last of Us Remastered. Best of all, once you’ve claimed the games, you can still access them after May 9th as long as you have a PlayStation Plus subscription.
PlayStation Plus has changed substantially since the service launched in 2010 and now offers tiered memberships with different pricing. An annual membership to PlayStation Plus Essential, the lowest tier, costs $59.99 and provides you with free games each month, exclusive discounts, cloud storage for saved games, and access to the PlayStation Plus Collection on the PS5. A year of PlayStation Plus Extra, on the other hand, will run you $99.99 and grants you all the Essential benefits in addition to even more free games by way of the PlayStation Game Catalog.
At the top of the heap, we have PlayStation Plus Premium, which costs $119.99 for an annual subscription. It offers all of the same benefits as lower tiers but provides access to the PlayStation Classics catalog in addition to the ability to stream games to your PC and mobile devices. Premium subscribers also get the perk of game trials for eligible titles, allowing for time-limited access to games for free.
The PS5 looks pretty sharp on its own, but if white isn’t your color, Dbrand and Sony both make custom covers for personalizing your console. Sony’s console covers are available in the same six shades as its DualSense controllers, and like Dbrand’s Darkplates, clip onto either side of your console. Dbrand’s alternatives aren’t available in as many colors as Sony’s apt-titled console covers but can be combined with Dbrand vinyl skins, which can be applied to the middle of your PS5 to create something a little more unique.
Dbrand Darkplates 2.0 $ 59 $ 69 14 % off $ 59 $ 59 $ 69 14 % off Dbrand’s Darkplates let you customize the outer shell of your PlayStation 5 in addition to the light strips and middle section. $59 at Dbrand
The PS5 comes with 825GB of storage out of the box but is compatible with a variety of M.2 SSDs if you need more space. There’s no shortage of M.2 SSDs on the market, but they can vary wildly in terms of their performance. Also, not all M.2 SSDs come packaged with a heatsink, which is necessary if you’re planning to use this drive with your PS5. Here are a couple of options we can recommend based on their performance and price point.
Samsung 980 Pro (with heatsink) $ 100 $ 200 50 % off $ 100 $ 100 $ 200 50 % off Samsung’s 980 Pro is a fast PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD that’s capable of sequential read speeds of up to 7,000MB/s and write speeds of up to 5,000MB/s. These specs make it a great choice for a modern PCIe 4.0-equipped PC or for a PS5. $100 at Best Buy (2TB)
WD Black SN850 (1TB, with heatsink) $ 125 $ 180 31 % off $ 125 $ 125 $ 180 31 % off The WD Black SN850 is one of the fastest M.2 drives around, with a sequential read speed of up to 7,000MB/s and a write speed of up to 4,100MB/s. It can perform best in a PC that has a PCIe 4.0 motherboard or in a PS5. $125 at Amazon$150 at Best Buy


theverge--2020-11-12--Apple HomePod mini review: playing small ball

Two and a half years ago , Apple finally entered the smart speaker market with the HomePod .
It was a unique device — instead of prioritizing an accessible price and smart assistant features , it was laser-focused on audio quality and considerably more expensive than its closest competitors from Amazon and Google , while being less capable as a smart speaker .
As a result , the HomePod didn ’ t really take off .
Apple was forced to lower its price , and other retailers had to discount it aggressively in order to get anyone to buy it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s new smart speaker , the $ 99 HomePod mini , takes a different approach .
It ’ s smaller , simpler , and way less expensive than its bigger sibling , and thanks to Apple ’ s work on Siri over the past few years , it can actually do more than the original when it launched .
It ’ s clear that Apple designed this to complement the larger HomePod .
If you have an original in your living room , you can put the mini in various other places in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much money or take up as much shelf space .
But the rest of the smart speaker world has obviously not stood still , and Amazon and Google have released the most compelling options in their respective lineups this year .
While Siri has gotten better , it ’ s still the HomePod mini ’ s Achilles ’ heel — well , that and the fact that you still need to be fully embedded in Apple ’ s ecosystem to get the most out of it .
The HomePod mini has a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can tell they were cut from the same cloth .
Instead of a squishy-looking cylinder , the mini is a squat ball with a flat top .
It reminds me of a scented candle or an upside-down Magic-8 Ball wrapped in mesh .
Just like the original , you can get it in light or dark gray , and it has a similar soft fabric .
On top of the mini is the only interface on the device itself , a flat plastic touch-sensitive pad that you can use to invoke Siri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adjust volume .
It has the same multicolored LEDs under it that light up and swirl around whenever Siri is listening or responding .
It will glow white when music is playing or green when you ’ re using the mini as a speakerphone for calls .
In my testing , I ’ ve found this light-up panel to be harder to see from across the room than the Echo ’ s glowing ring .
Unless you ’ re right next to the HomePod mini , it ’ s hard to tell when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is responding .
It ’ s also much more fiddly to use to adjust volume ( especially when nothing is playing ) , and there ’ s no visual confirmation for how loud the speaker is set when you do adjust the volume , like you can see with an Echo or Nest Audio .
In all , it ’ s just less accessible than the buttons on Amazon ’ s speakers or even the touch-sensitive areas on Google ’ s — a rare miss in this department from Apple .
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siri ’ s always-listening feature .
You have to either ask Siri to “ stop listening ” or dive into the HomePod settings in the Home app in iOS to toggle the feature , a slow and clumsy process .
Like the larger HomePod , the mini has a permanently attached power cord , though this time , it ends in a USB-C port .
( A 20-watt charging brick comes in the box . )
The cord is about six feet long , though I wish there was the option to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put the speaker far from an outlet .
The HomePod mini has four microphones for picking up voice commands , but it does not have the room-tuning capabilities the original HomePod has .
Instead , Apple says the processor in the mini ( an S5 chip , the same as you might find in an Apple Watch ) analyzes the music being played and adjusts the speaker ’ s output for the best quality .
The microphones do an admirable job of hearing my voice commands , even from across the room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the processor is quick to take action .
In my experience , Siri is typically faster to respond and do something than either Alexa or the Google Assistant , whether that ’ s to play music , answer a question , or control a smart home device .
With the first HomePod , Apple prioritized sound quality above all else .
That ’ s not quite the same with the HomePod mini , but you can still hear the effort that went into making the mini sound relatively good .
I say “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the HomePod mini sounds quite nice .
It ’ s considerably better-sounding than the similar-sized fourth-gen Echo Dot , and it puts out more bass than other small smart speakers .
The key thing to notice is that the HomePod mini outperforms other “ small ” smart speakers like the Echo Dot and Nest Mini , but it can ’ t compete with larger speakers like the regular Echo , Nest Audio , or Sonos One .
The HomePod mini is priced closer to those larger speakers , although it really belongs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to the sound it can produce .
At 3.3 inches tall , the HomePod mini is about the same size as the fourth-gen Echo Dot and considerably smaller than the full-size Echo or Google ’ s Nest Audio .
As a result , it has just one speaker : a downward-firing full-range driver that is designed to evenly spread sound in all directions .
Two passive radiators help to accentuate lower bass tones , but they shouldn ’ t be confused with the multiple active speakers that are in the Echo and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I can ’ t say the HomePod mini sounds great .
And next to the larger Echo and Nest Audio , both of which cost the same , it simply can ’ t keep up .
It doesn ’ t have the presence , volume , or sound stage of either , and it certainly can ’ t match the Echo ’ s bass output .
As they say , there ’ s no replacement for displacement .
Unfortunately , there isn ’ t much you can do to improve that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be paired in a stereo configuration , but that doesn ’ t dramatically increase the amount of volume you get , and it does nothing for improving bass or punch .
Unlike the Echo or Nest speakers , you can ’ t pair the HomePod mini to a subwoofer or larger speaker system .
You are stuck with what it does out of the box .
The mini sounds better than other small speakers , but it can ’ t keep up with the new Echo or the Nest Audio Despite not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound performance , the HomePod mini does sound pleasant for most any genre of music and for podcasts and other vocal performances .
It has good balance in the mid-tones and a very vocal forward sound profile .
You ’ ll hear the lyrics to your favorite song easily , without them getting overwhelmed by bass .
The bass that ’ s there can be heard but not felt .
The HomePod mini ’ s 360-sound works as advertised , too .
I can walk around the speaker , and the sound of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is great if you plan to put the mini in the middle of a room , but realistically , it will be on a shelf or closer to a wall , where it has less of an impact .
That ’ s why both Amazon and Google switched to more directional speaker designs this year , after years of using 360-degree speakers .
In all , the HomePod mini excels at casual listening and background music .
It ’ s great for playing music during dinner when you don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have some audio playing in the background as you work from home .
The mini is nice to listen to at low volumes or higher settings and doesn ’ t distort at all .
It won ’ t soundtrack a party , and it certainly doesn ’ t replace a proper sound system — but for its size , it is good .
The Ecosystem of the HomePod mini It won ’ t come as a surprise to many , but unless you are fully bought into Apple ’ s iOS ecosystem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying the HomePod mini .
In fact , I ’ d go even further : everyone in your home really needs to be using iPhones and Apple services to make the HomePod mini worth buying .
Setting up the mini requires an iPhone or iPad .
For any smart home control , you need to be using Apple ’ s Home app and HomeKit-compatible devices .
Asking the HomePod mini to place a phone call , read messages , or give you calendar updates requires you to use an iPhone .
The HomePod @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streaming like Google Cast or Spotify Connect , so the only way to send audio to it from a device is via Apple ’ s AirPlay .
You need an iPhone or a Mac to do that .
You need to be fully bought into Apple ’ s ecosystem and services to get the most from the HomePod mini You can tap an iPhone to the top of the HomePod mini to transfer whatever you ’ re playing on your phone to the speaker and then tap it again to transfer the audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be expanding this with a new interface and more features for iPhones with the U1 chip ( any model released in 2019 or later , except for the SE ) in the future , but I wasn ’ t able to test that for this review .
Apple has made some small strides toward allowing the HomePod to directly play music from sources other than Apple Music , and there ’ s now an API that apps can tap into to become default music options on the HomePod .
That allows you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have it play from a different service than Apple Music .
But right now , the only app that ’ s taken advantage of it is Pandora , and there ’ s no word when others , such as Spotify or YouTube Music , will hop on board .
( Given Spotify ’ s frequent lawsuits and criticism of Apple ’ s locked-down platforms , I wouldn ’ t hold my breath for it anytime soon . )
This feature is also limited to music players .
You can ’ t choose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The HomePod mini only supports Apple Podcasts and Apple Books .
None of this is a problem if you ’ re fully bought into Apple ’ s world , but the reality is that few individuals ( and , by extension , families ) are .
Both of Apple ’ s major smart speaker competitors have services and ecosystems of their own , but they also allow for much more freedom of choice for preferred services and work with both iOS and Android devices .
Back in 2018 , my colleague Nilay Patel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siri on the original HomePod can be summed up by the fact that it can not handle multiple timers .
I ’ m happy to say that the HomePod mini can support multiple timers , and you can even label them now .
Siri has gotten other improvements over the years as well .
It can now differentiate between voices , so I get a different answer for “ what ’ s on my calendar ” than my spouse does when they ask the same question .
It also prevents a random person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from my iPhone using the HomePod mini , a problem we ran into when reviewing the original HomePod .
You can also run Siri Shortcuts from the HomePod , provided you ’ ve gone through the legwork to program them on your iPhone .
Siri can also do a bunch of things with Apple ’ s apps , such as notes , calendar , reminders , and Maps , and some limited actions with third-party apps that have added support for SiriKit commands .
A new feature as of software version 14.2 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the start of your day , including a weather report , upcoming appointments , commute traffic , and a news blurb from NPR .
You can ask for a different news source , such as Fox or CNN , but that ’ s about as far as you can customize this feature .
Either way , it ’ s nice to see Siri catch up to something that Alexa and the Google Assistant have offered for years .
I ran into a number of weird bugs with Siri during my two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When asking Siri to play an album from Apple Music , it would play songs out of order instead of how they appear on the album .
When I use the HomePod mini to place a call , neither myself nor the other party could hear anything until I transferred the call to my iPhone and then back to the HomePod .
While Siri is able to distinguish between my voice and my spouse ’ s and provide personalized answers , it didn ’ t know my spouse by name and referred to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” despite Siri having all of their information on the iPhone .
Some of these bugs , such as the Apple Music one , were resolved during my testing period or didn ’ t happen every time .
But collectively , they are demonstrative of why many people still have a negative perception of Siri .
Bugs aside , Siri is still behind where Amazon and Google are with their virtual assistants .
It does the basics mostly fine , such as playing music , giving weather reports , and setting timers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it comes to answering random facts and Alexa is constantly being improved with proactive features that make it feel more like an actual assistant than a voice-controlled remote .
The smart home capabilities of the HomePod mini are largely unchanged from the HomePod .
It can control smart home devices that are set up in the Home app on the iPhone and can be integrated into Home automations .
It can also act as a Home hub , which allows you to control your smart home devices with your iPhone from anywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mini does support a new smart home protocol called Thread , which allows devices to connect to it over longer distances and using less power than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth .
( Smart home nerds will remember Thread as the standard that Google originally pushed and adopted by Eero routers before effectively stalling and going nowhere for years . )
A handful of smart lights have been announced with support for Thread in HomeKit ( Apple ’ s smart home platform ) , but for now , the Thread ecosystem is quite small .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of compatible smart home devices , including lights , contact sensors , cameras , thermostats , door locks , smart plugs , and more , all of which can be controlled by voice through the HomePod mini .
It ’ s not as broad an ecosystem as Alexa and Google offer , but it ’ s still comprehensive .
The mini adds support for Thread , but there are few devices yet that take advantage of it Also new for either HomePod is an intercom feature that lets you broadcast messages from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can have it sent to a specific HomePod or blast it to all of the HomePods in the home as an announcement .
You can even intercom using Siri from your phone or Apple Watch to broadcast messages to anyone that is at home .
But despite its name , Intercom isn ’ t really a two-way intercom .
It ’ s effectively sending recorded audio messages to the devices instead of opening a live audio .
It ’ s fine for letting the family know you ’ re on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling the kids it ’ s time for dinner from another floor of the house , but I didn ’ t find it particularly necessary in my home .
Both Google and Amazon offer similar features on their smart speakers , but they have more two-way live communication options than the HomePod .
When the HomePod originally launched , it felt like Apple was operating in a completely different world from the rest of the smart speakers , one that didn ’ t make sense for a lot of people .
The HomePod @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s in the same ballpark as the rest .
At $ 100 , compared to the original HomePod ’ s $ 350 launch price , the mini is priced low enough that you can envision buying more than one and spreading them throughout your home .
It does most of the things you expect a smart speaker to do and sounds good when doing them .
If you ’ re already fully bought into Apple ’ s ecosystem , including services , it ’ s hard to fault the HomePod mini ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an escape from some of the privacy concerns and baggage that come with the Echo or Nest smart speakers , including the increasingly common ads that show up in Alexa ’ s responses .
The HomePod mini is good but still behind the pack But it feels like Apple is still two years or more behind Amazon and Google when it comes to smart speakers .
And compared to the equally priced Echo and Nest Audio , the HomePod mini struggles to keep up in both sound quality and features .
Apple has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve things and listen to feedback when it comes to smart speakers , so I ’ ll be interested to see how it continues to develop .
Hopefully , now that the HomePod mini is here , it starts to move a little faster .

Two and a half years ago, Apple finally entered the smart speaker market with the HomePod. It was a unique device — instead of prioritizing an accessible price and smart assistant features, it was laser-focused on audio quality and considerably more expensive than its closest competitors from Amazon and Google, while being less capable as a smart speaker. As a result, the HomePod didn’t really take off. Apple was forced to lower its price, and other retailers had to discount it aggressively in order to get anyone to buy it.
Fast-forward to now and Apple’s new smart speaker, the $99 HomePod mini, takes a different approach. It’s smaller, simpler, and way less expensive than its bigger sibling, and thanks to Apple’s work on Siri over the past few years, it can actually do more than the original when it launched. It’s clear that Apple designed this to complement the larger HomePod. If you have an original in your living room, you can put the mini in various other places in your home without having to invest as much money or take up as much shelf space.
But the rest of the smart speaker world has obviously not stood still, and Amazon and Google have released the most compelling options in their respective lineups this year. While Siri has gotten better, it’s still the HomePod mini’s Achilles’ heel — well, that and the fact that you still need to be fully embedded in Apple’s ecosystem to get the most out of it.
7.5 Verge Score Apple HomePod mini $ 99 The Good Compact design
Accessibly priced compared to big HomePod
Good sound for its size
Siri is fast The Bad Still hugely dependent on Apple devices and services
Doesn’t sound as good as similarly priced competitors
Volume controls on top are fiddly
Siri is still behind Google Assistant and Alexa in features and capabilities $99 at Apple$100 at B&H Photo How we rate and review products
The top of the HomePod mini has a touch-sensitive panel that lights up when Siri is listening or responding to commands.
HomePod mini Design
The HomePod mini has a different look than the larger HomePod, but you can tell they were cut from the same cloth. Instead of a squishy-looking cylinder, the mini is a squat ball with a flat top. It reminds me of a scented candle or an upside-down Magic-8 Ball wrapped in mesh. Just like the original, you can get it in light or dark gray, and it has a similar soft fabric.
On top of the mini is the only interface on the device itself, a flat plastic touch-sensitive pad that you can use to invoke Siri, play or pause music, or adjust volume. It has the same multicolored LEDs under it that light up and swirl around whenever Siri is listening or responding. It will glow white when music is playing or green when you’re using the mini as a speakerphone for calls.
The USB-C power cable is permanently attached to the HomePod mini.
The HomePod mini’s light-up panel is harder to see than the Echo’s light ring
In my testing, I’ve found this light-up panel to be harder to see from across the room than the Echo’s glowing ring. Unless you’re right next to the HomePod mini, it’s hard to tell when Siri has heard your voice command and is responding. It’s also much more fiddly to use to adjust volume (especially when nothing is playing), and there’s no visual confirmation for how loud the speaker is set when you do adjust the volume, like you can see with an Echo or Nest Audio. In all, it’s just less accessible than the buttons on Amazon’s speakers or even the touch-sensitive areas on Google’s — a rare miss in this department from Apple.
There’s also no physical switch to disable Siri’s always-listening feature. You have to either ask Siri to “stop listening” or dive into the HomePod settings in the Home app in iOS to toggle the feature, a slow and clumsy process.
Like the larger HomePod, the mini has a permanently attached power cord, though this time, it ends in a USB-C port. (A 20-watt charging brick comes in the box.) The cord is about six feet long, though I wish there was the option to just swap it for another if you want to put the speaker far from an outlet.
The HomePod mini has four microphones for picking up voice commands, but it does not have the room-tuning capabilities the original HomePod has. Instead, Apple says the processor in the mini (an S5 chip, the same as you might find in an Apple Watch) analyzes the music being played and adjusts the speaker’s output for the best quality.
The microphones do an admirable job of hearing my voice commands, even from across the room and while something is playing, and the processor is quick to take action. In my experience, Siri is typically faster to respond and do something than either Alexa or the Google Assistant, whether that’s to play music, answer a question, or control a smart home device.
The HomePod mini is about the same size as the new Echo Dot but considerably smaller than the full-size Echo.
HomePod mini sound quality
With the first HomePod, Apple prioritized sound quality above all else. That’s not quite the same with the HomePod mini, but you can still hear the effort that went into making the mini sound relatively good.
I say “good” because, for its size, the HomePod mini sounds quite nice. It’s considerably better-sounding than the similar-sized fourth-gen Echo Dot, and it puts out more bass than other small smart speakers.
The key thing to notice is that the HomePod mini outperforms other “small” smart speakers like the Echo Dot and Nest Mini, but it can’t compete with larger speakers like the regular Echo, Nest Audio, or Sonos One. The HomePod mini is priced closer to those larger speakers, although it really belongs in the small speaker class when it comes to the sound it can produce.
At 3.3 inches tall, the HomePod mini is about the same size as the fourth-gen Echo Dot and considerably smaller than the full-size Echo or Google’s Nest Audio. As a result, it has just one speaker: a downward-firing full-range driver that is designed to evenly spread sound in all directions. Two passive radiators help to accentuate lower bass tones, but they shouldn’t be confused with the multiple active speakers that are in the Echo and Nest Audio.
The HomePod mini doesn’t provide a visual confirmation of volume levels, which is frustrating.
So it sounds good, but I can’t say the HomePod mini sounds great. And next to the larger Echo and Nest Audio, both of which cost the same, it simply can’t keep up. It doesn’t have the presence, volume, or sound stage of either, and it certainly can’t match the Echo’s bass output. As they say, there’s no replacement for displacement.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to improve that, either. Two HomePod minis can be paired in a stereo configuration, but that doesn’t dramatically increase the amount of volume you get, and it does nothing for improving bass or punch. Unlike the Echo or Nest speakers, you can’t pair the HomePod mini to a subwoofer or larger speaker system. You are stuck with what it does out of the box.
The mini sounds better than other small speakers, but it can’t keep up with the new Echo or the Nest Audio
Despite not being quite up to the Echo’s sound performance, the HomePod mini does sound pleasant for most any genre of music and for podcasts and other vocal performances. It has good balance in the mid-tones and a very vocal forward sound profile. You’ll hear the lyrics to your favorite song easily, without them getting overwhelmed by bass. The bass that’s there can be heard but not felt.
The HomePod mini’s 360-sound works as advertised, too. I can walk around the speaker, and the sound of the music just doesn’t change. This is great if you plan to put the mini in the middle of a room, but realistically, it will be on a shelf or closer to a wall, where it has less of an impact. That’s why both Amazon and Google switched to more directional speaker designs this year, after years of using 360-degree speakers.
In all, the HomePod mini excels at casual listening and background music. It’s great for playing music during dinner when you don’t want to drown out conversation or just to have some audio playing in the background as you work from home. The mini is nice to listen to at low volumes or higher settings and doesn’t distort at all. It won’t soundtrack a party, and it certainly doesn’t replace a proper sound system — but for its size, it is good.
The HomePod mini sounds good for its size.
The Ecosystem of the HomePod mini
It won’t come as a surprise to many, but unless you are fully bought into Apple’s iOS ecosystem, you shouldn’t even consider buying the HomePod mini. In fact, I’d go even further: everyone in your home really needs to be using iPhones and Apple services to make the HomePod mini worth buying.
Setting up the mini requires an iPhone or iPad. For any smart home control, you need to be using Apple’s Home app and HomeKit-compatible devices. Asking the HomePod mini to place a phone call, read messages, or give you calendar updates requires you to use an iPhone.
The HomePod mini doesn’t support cross-platform audio streaming like Google Cast or Spotify Connect, so the only way to send audio to it from a device is via Apple’s AirPlay. You need an iPhone or a Mac to do that.
You need to be fully bought into Apple’s ecosystem and services to get the most from the HomePod mini
You can tap an iPhone to the top of the HomePod mini to transfer whatever you’re playing on your phone to the speaker and then tap it again to transfer the audio back to your phone. Apple will be expanding this with a new interface and more features for iPhones with the U1 chip (any model released in 2019 or later, except for the SE) in the future, but I wasn’t able to test that for this review.
Apple has made some small strides toward allowing the HomePod to directly play music, podcasts, and audiobooks from sources other than Apple Music, and there’s now an API that apps can tap into to become the default option on the HomePod. That allows you to use voice controls to play music and have it play from a different service than Apple Music. But right now, the only app that’s taken advantage of it is Pandora, and there’s no word when others, such as Spotify or YouTube Music, will hop on board. (Given Spotify’s frequent lawsuits and criticism of Apple’s locked-down platforms, I wouldn’t hold my breath for it anytime soon.)
Another thing I’d like to see is the ability to set separate default services for music, podcasts, and audiobooks, for example, using Spotify for music, Pocket Casts for podcasts, and Audible for audiobooks. Right now the default service setting limits all three categories to one app.
None of this is a problem if you’re fully bought into Apple’s world, but the reality is that few individuals (and, by extension, families) are. Both of Apple’s major smart speaker competitors have services and ecosystems of their own, but they also allow for much more freedom of choice for preferred services and work with both iOS and Android devices.
Siri has gotten better since the original HomePod mini, but it’s still behind Amazon and Google’s virtual assistants.
Siri on the HomePod mini
Back in 2018, my colleague Nilay Patel rightly pointed out that the state of Siri on the original HomePod can be summed up by the fact that it cannot handle multiple timers. I’m happy to say that the HomePod mini can support multiple timers, and you can even label them now.
Siri has gotten other improvements over the years as well. It can now differentiate between voices, so I get a different answer for “what’s on my calendar” than my spouse does when they ask the same question. It also prevents a random person from sending messages or placing phone calls from my iPhone using the HomePod mini, a problem we ran into when reviewing the original HomePod.
Agree to Continue: Apple HomePod mini Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we’re going to start counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. The HomePod mini requires an iPhone or iPad to set it up, which means you have to have agreed to the standard iPhone terms: The Apple terms of service agreement, which you can have sent to you by email
Apple’s warranty agreement, which you can have sent to you by email The HomePod also requires you agree to: The HomePod Terms and Conditions
iCloud Terms and Conditions You have the option of allowing the HomePod to access your messages, reminders, calendar events, and other information when your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network as the HomePod. Final tally: four mandatory agreements, one optional agreement.
You can also run Siri Shortcuts from the HomePod, provided you’ve gone through the legwork to program them on your iPhone. Siri can also do a bunch of things with Apple’s apps, such as notes, calendar, reminders, and Maps, and some limited actions with third-party apps that have added support for SiriKit commands.
A new feature as of software version 14.2 is the ability to give you an itinerary at the start of your day, including a weather report, upcoming appointments, commute traffic, and a news blurb from NPR. You can ask for a different news source, such as Fox or CNN, but that’s about as far as you can customize this feature. Either way, it’s nice to see Siri catch up to something that Alexa and the Google Assistant have offered for years.
I ran into a number of weird bugs with Siri during my two weeks or so testing the HomePod mini. When asking Siri to play an album from Apple Music, it would play songs out of order instead of how they appear on the album. When I use the HomePod mini to place a call, neither myself nor the other party could hear anything until I transferred the call to my iPhone and then back to the HomePod. While Siri is able to distinguish between my voice and my spouse’s and provide personalized answers, it didn’t know my spouse by name and referred to them as “secondary user 1,” despite Siri having all of their information on the iPhone.
Some of these bugs, such as the Apple Music one, were resolved during my testing period or didn’t happen every time. But collectively, they are demonstrative of why many people still have a negative perception of Siri.
Bugs aside, Siri is still behind where Amazon and Google are with their virtual assistants. It does the basics mostly fine, such as playing music, giving weather reports, and setting timers and reminders. But Google still reigns supreme when it comes to answering random facts and Alexa is constantly being improved with proactive features that make it feel more like an actual assistant than a voice-controlled remote.
HomePod mini Smart home
The smart home capabilities of the HomePod mini are largely unchanged from the HomePod. It can control smart home devices that are set up in the Home app on the iPhone and can be integrated into Home automations. It can also act as a Home hub, which allows you to control your smart home devices with your iPhone from anywhere you have a data connection.
The mini does support a new smart home protocol called Thread, which allows devices to connect to it over longer distances and using less power than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. (Smart home nerds will remember Thread as the standard that Google originally pushed and adopted by Eero routers before effectively stalling and going nowhere for years.) A handful of smart lights have been announced with support for Thread in HomeKit (Apple’s smart home platform), but for now, the Thread ecosystem is quite small. HomeKit itself does have a wide range of compatible smart home devices, including lights, contact sensors, cameras, thermostats, door locks, smart plugs, and more, all of which can be controlled by voice through the HomePod mini. It’s not as broad an ecosystem as Alexa and Google offer, but it’s still comprehensive.
The mini adds support for Thread, but there are few devices yet that take advantage of it
Also new for either HomePod is an intercom feature that lets you broadcast messages from a HomePod to another HomePod or Apple device. You can have it sent to a specific HomePod or blast it to all of the HomePods in the home as an announcement. You can even intercom using Siri from your phone or Apple Watch to broadcast messages to anyone that is at home.
But despite its name, Intercom isn’t really a two-way intercom. It’s effectively sending recorded audio messages to the devices instead of opening a live audio. It’s fine for letting the family know you’re on the way home from the grocery store or telling the kids it’s time for dinner from another floor of the house, but I didn’t find it particularly necessary in my home. Both Google and Amazon offer similar features on their smart speakers, but they have more two-way live communication options than the HomePod.
The HomePod mini is small enough to fit in most places in your home.
When the HomePod originally launched, it felt like Apple was operating in a completely different world from the rest of the smart speakers, one that didn’t make sense for a lot of people. The HomePod mini at least feels like it’s in the same ballpark as the rest.
At $100, compared to the original HomePod’s $350 launch price, the mini is priced low enough that you can envision buying more than one and spreading them throughout your home. It does most of the things you expect a smart speaker to do and sounds good when doing them. If you’re already fully bought into Apple’s ecosystem, including services, it’s hard to fault the HomePod mini’s price or capabilities. It also provides an escape from some of the privacy concerns and baggage that come with the Echo or Nest smart speakers, including the increasingly common ads that show up in Alexa’s responses.
The HomePod mini is good but still behind the pack
But it feels like Apple is still two years or more behind Amazon and Google when it comes to smart speakers. And compared to the equally priced Echo and Nest Audio, the HomePod mini struggles to keep up in both sound quality and features.
Apple has shown that it’s willing to improve things and listen to feedback when it comes to smart speakers, so I’ll be interested to see how it continues to develop. Hopefully, now that the HomePod mini is here, it starts to move a little faster.
Photography by Dan Seifert / The Verge