Apple Homepod is the Apple’s smart speaker. Apple launched it in February this year. Apple finally entered this field after Amazon’s Alexa or Echo and then followed by Google’s Home assistant. Earlier we have discussed out the Amazon Alexa tips and tricks , now here we will discuss the Apple Homepod Tips and Tricks as well as Apple Homepod Review .
Since its release the Apple Homepod has been most appreciated for which Apple is much famous already i.e. its sound quality that to with 360 degree audio. How can I forget to mention that the Homepod is damn good looking and stylish. But it costs much more as compared to Echo.
Before we discuss about the Apple Homepod Tips and tricks , lets understand what is Apple Homepod.
What is Apple Homepod ?
The question is simple and the answer is very simple . Apple Homepod , popularly known as Homepod is a smart speaker that functions amazingly along with Siri and creates a wonderful music experience with Apple music . This wireless smart speaker is the trend of the generation.
Apple Homepod Price ?
You can buy Apple homepod from apple store online or even there are great deals for Apple Homepod this year on different e-commerce site . The price range of Apple Homepod is about $349 .
There are speculations in the market regarding Apple Homepod which are not yet confirmed .There can a price cut for Homepod , else Apple Homepod 2 or Apple Homepod Mini will be released .
Read Also : Best Apple Watch Alternatives-Affordable Gadgets
Apple Homepod Tips, Tricks and Review
Here’s a guide to all the major Apple Homepod tips and tricks that are going to help you to get you the best out of your Homepod or force you to buy one right now:
Switch Siri’s voice on Homepod
The very first Homepod trick is that if you want a completely new refreshing voice and accent for your Homepod so here’s the good news . You can try and experiment the different available option to choose different accent such as American accent / British / Australian accent . Even you can switch between either female / male voice . To change Siri voice , all you have to do is just long press Homepod tile . This will enable so many options from which you can select the Siri language settings , default voice and many more as per your choice of interest . This is one of the excellent Apple Homepod tips to try out .
Mute Siri on Homepod
Sometimes you might want Siri to not listen to some of your conversations so here is one more Homepod tip for you. For doing so you can mute Siri. Just say ‘Hey Siri, Stop listening’. For making your Homepod active again just say ‘Hey Siri, Start listening’.
You can also control these settings from your Home app simply by selecting on/off for the ‘Hey Siri’ option.
Homepod Security controls
Here’s one of the most important Homepod tip for you. None of you might want that anyone who’s near your homepod and can connect to it is able to play songs on it. For this you can limit your homepod access. You can allow access to everyone living in your home or to people connected to the same network. You can even set a password for accessing your homepod. All these settings can be accessed in the home app.
Translate with Homepod
Homepod can act as your very own translator. Siri can help you translating English to French, German, Italian, Spanish and Mandarin. Just say ‘Hey Siri, how do you say [word] in [language]’ and there’s your answer.
Siri Tune
Whenever you give some command to your Homepod you might keep wondering whether it heard it or not. For this you can switch on Siri tune. It will assure you whether your Homepod heard you or not.
For turning it on, go to your Homepod’s settings in the Home app and switch on ‘Sound when using Siri option’.
Latest Gossip and news on Homepod
You can get all the latest scoop about your favorite celebrity and the latest news from your Homepod. Simply say ‘Hey Siri, give me the latest news about Beyoncé’ and for listening the latest news say ‘Hey Siri, what’s the latest news?’.
Homepod as Speaker for your Apple TV
Your TV speaker is a crap? No problem, your Homepod can be the perfect replacement for the speaker of your Apple TV. Just long press the play/pause button and select your Homepod for audio.
For permanently doing so, in your TV’s settings, there select ‘Video and Audio’ section and then select ‘Audio Output’ and choose your Homepod.
Homepod Smart Home Controller
If you use smart lights, fans and smart appliances in your house and they are compatible with the apple Homepod kit you can simply ask your Homepod to switch them on/off for you. Just say ‘Hey Siri, switch on the lights’ and done.
Read Also : Best Smart Home Gadgets for Home automation- Smart home
Homepod Nearby Suggestions
Want to explore your surroundings, no problem. Your Homepod can be of great help here. Just ask your Homepod ‘Hey Siri, what are the great restaurants nearby’ or ‘Hey Siri, tell me some great shops nearby’ and done.
Send Text Messages to your contacts via Homepod
Feeling lazy for typing something and sending it to some friend of yours, your Homepod can come to your rescue here. Just say ‘Hey Siri, send a message to john saying I won’t come today’ and done, your message is sent. If the recipient replies then a notification is delivered through a chime. Its definitely a Homepod tip you will love to use a lot, no typing just speaking and the message is sent.
Read Also : Alexa Tips, Tricks and Commands
Set Alarms on Homepod
Just say ‘Hey Siri, set an alarm for 8:00 a.m.’ and done your alarm is set. Similarly you can also set timers and snooze the alarm. Quite a helpful Homepod tip helping you being on time wherever you want to go.
Scenes
This is definitely an amazing Homepod tip. Scenes are when you deliver a certain command and a chain of events occur because of that single command. Such as on saying ‘Hey Siri, good morning’ your lights are switched on, some sweet music is switched on and your coffee maker is switched on.
You can set scenes for your Homepod from the home app in your iPhone.
Transfer a call on Homepod
You can very simply convert your Homepod into a loudspeaker while talking on the phone. Just select the audio mode for the phone call as the Homepod. The green light on Homepod shows that an active conversation is going on.
Family grocery list on Homepod
If the whole simply add their own demands at their own to the shopping or grocery list that’s the best. Your Homepod can help you in this task helping you by maintaining a family grocery list. This way any family member can add their needs to the list.
For doing so under your iPhone’s settings go to Reminders. There under iCloud select family option and done. Now any family member can add items to the list. Just say ‘Hey Siri, add soap bars to the grocery list’.
Spotify Music Streaming on Homepod
If you have a Spotify premium account then this Homepod tip is definitely for you. You might be wondering whether you can stream music through your spotify account on your Homepod. The answer is why not. Just open your Spotify app, check devices available and select your Homepod. There you can connect the Homepod to your Spotify app and you can now stream music through it.
Read Also : Spotify Tips and Tricks to Enjoy Spotify Subscription More
iTune Podcasts on Homepod
You can listen to the iPhone podcasts whether you have subscribed to it or not. Just say ‘Hey Siri, play podcast [Podcast name]’ and if you want to subscribe to some podcast say ‘Hey Siri, subscribe to [Podcast name]’ and done, siri will itself add that podcast to your library.
Read Also : Best iTunes Cleanup Software for better iTunes experience
Discover from Specific artists
One of the best Homepod tip for all the music lovers out there. For every artist his/her songs are organized under three categories i.e. Essentials, Next Steps and Deep Cuts. Essentials contain all the major hits from that artist, Next Steps consists of some other hits from that artist and even now you want to dig deeper in your favorite artist’s songs play Deep cuts. Just say ‘Hey Siri, play [Artist Name] Essentials/Next Steps /Deep Cuts’.
Use your voice as your Volume Control
This is just another simple Homepod tip you will be using a lot while using your Homepod. You can simply command Siri to change the volume level for the Homepod. Simply say ‘Hey Siri, increase the volume’ or ‘Hey Siri, turn up the volume’ or set it to some specific level by saying ‘Hey Siri, set the volume to 50 percent’.
Musical Trivia on Homepod
Whenever some song is playing on your Homepod, you might be interested to get some history about that song. Thus simply use this Homepod tip to increase your knowledge. You can simply ask Siri whatever question pops up in your mind like ‘Hey Siri, when was this song released?’ or ‘Hey Siri, How many copies did this album sold?’ or ‘Hey Siri, tell me more about this artist’ anything else. Siri will answer you.
Let Siri know your tastes
Let Siri know about your likings and disliking while Siri is playing some song. This will help Siri personalize playing your favorite music even more. Just say ‘Hey Siri, I like/don’t like this song’ or ‘Hey Siri, I love/hate this [band name]/[artist name]’. This Homepod tip helps Siri personalizing you music listening experience.
Block Explicit Content
Quite amazing and helpful Homepod tip this is if you are having some kids in your house. Many of the songs might be having some explicit words and if some kids are around you will definitely want them to listen to those. In Homepod you can block the explicit content.
Go to your homepod’s settings in the home app and there you can block any music with Parent Advisory label.
Factory Reset
This is the Homepod tip which is going to prove its worth at the time of crisis. If your Homepod is not responding to your commands properly the simplest way to correct id by resetting it. It can be done from home app. Click on Homepod icon and details will appear, there you can reset.
The other way is using Homepod itself. Unplug it then wait and plug it in again. Keep your hand over the white light until it turns red. Keep it there only and you will hear from Homepod it is resetting and done and then you can remove your finger.
Hope you liked all these features for the Apple’s Homepod. You might be thinking that it can a do a lot of stuff and its true as well.
Now the latest Homepod update in September has come up with new homepod features .
Latest Homepod Updates Highlights
The very recent homepod update can make it more powerful rival for the other best smart speakers such as Echo , Sonos One , Google home etc.
- So many new homepod features
- Siri can be used to the core now
- More languages added to Siri
- Just like Alexa Routines , Google Routines , Siri will also now give users the access to Siri shortcuts
- Find your iPhone with Homepod , so you don’t have to search the whole messy room to find where you kept your phone
- Homepod allows you use multiple timer feature
- Search by lyrics on Homepod
- You can receive calls and make calls with Homepod
Firstly the smart speakers were launched by Amazon then Google and then by apple. So the comparisons are ought to happen. More or less you might be thinking that all three of them have similar features. But in the cost of buying one Homepod you can buy about three Alexa. If you are a music lover and just simply want no compromise for the sound quality of your speaker you can straightly for the Homepod without giving it any second thought if you don’t have any budget constraint.
