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Tag: Siri

Adam Engst 17 comments

TipBITS: Restart Your iPhone or iPad Using Siri

If you need to restart your iPhone or iPad, you can now ask Siri to perform that task for you rather than pressing hard-to-remember button combinations. Alas, the feature doesn’t work on other Apple devices that could also use it.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata No comments

Apple Music Voice Plan Is a Bargain If You’re OK Using Siri

The new Apple Music Voice Plan is a bargain at $4.99 per month, but it mostly limits you to using Apple’s Siri voice assistant for searches and playback. The Voice Plan has been met with some skepticism, but Julio Ojeda-Zapata thinks it’s a good option for casual music listeners.

Josh Centers 16 comments

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 Echo Android and Newton

iOS 14 promises a tight package of new features, many of which have existed in Google’s Android for years, while iPadOS 14 takes those features and mixes in a bit of Newton handwriting recognition. Egg freckles, anyone?

Adam Engst 12 comments

Be Careful When Scheduling Events Using Siri

Adam Engst recently scheduled a Zoom call with colleagues on a non-profit board and had to apologize when one of them was irritated at ending up in Google Hangouts by himself for 10 minutes. The problem arose due to a confluence of issues with Siri and Google Calendar—read on to learn how to avoid similar embarrassments.

Adam Engst 14 comments

Hey Fourteen: When Numbers Get Siri-ous

Do you know what happens when you invoke Siri and say “14”? After seeing numerous hits on our Web site for Google searches on that topic, Adam Engst spent some time suggesting numbers to Siri. He came up with some interesting results.

Audio Hijack 3.6.3 Agen Schmitz 1 comment

Audio Hijack 3.6.3

Adds the capability to capture audio from Siri and VoiceOver. ($49 new, free update, 14.1 MB)

Adam Engst 1 comment

iOS for HomePod 13.2.1 Resolves Bricking

When Apple released iOS 13.2 for HomePod last week, there were immediate reports that it—or resetting the HomePod after installing it—was causing the HomePods to become entirely unresponsive. The company is now pushing iOS 13.2.1 for HomePod to resolve that problem.

Josh Centers 7 comments

Apple Announces Siri Privacy Reforms

After a whistleblower revealed that Apple contractors were listening in on Siri conversations, Apple shut down the program and promised improvements. Here they are.

Adam Engst 32 comments

Why Can’t Users Teach Siri about Its Mistakes?

Apple took well-deserved flak in the press for having contractors listen to Siri conversations—and inadvertent initiations where people didn’t know they were being recorded. But Adam Engst suggests that we users should instead teach Siri about its mistakes.

Josh Centers 4 comments

Apple Suspends Siri’s “Response Grading” Eavesdropping

Apple has temporarily suspended its Siri “response grading” program that had contractors listen in on Siri recordings. That’s good, but it’s unfortunate that it took media coverage to push the company to change its practices.

Josh Centers 5 comments

Apple Workers May Be Listening to Your Siri Conversations

Apple has increasingly used its stance on privacy as a selling point, but The Guardian has revealed that, like Amazon, Apple lets contractors listen in on conversations held while Siri is active. The audio may be difficult or impossible to trace back to the individuals who are speaking, but Apple should still find a better way to improve Siri.

Adam Engst 9 comments

iOS 12.2 and macOS 10.14.4 Add Apple News+ and Enhance Apps

Apple News+ may be the main change in iOS 12.2 and macOS 10.14.4 Mojave, but Apple has also added small features and options to a number of apps and technologies, including AirPlay, Apple Pay, Safari, and Screen Time. There are also a handful of bug fixes and a slew of security fixes.

Adam Engst 20 comments

Four Ways Apple Could Improve Apple Music

Apple Music hasn’t changed much at all since Apple introduced it back in 2015, but Adam Engst has a few suggestions—some extremely easy—that could make listening to music through the service more enjoyable.

Scholle McFarland 19 comments

14 Siri Tricks You Can Use Right Now

Siri takes a lot of flak, but it’s a lot more powerful than many people realize. If you haven’t been using Siri for much, these tips from “Take Control of Siri” author Scholle McFarland will expand your conversations with Apple’s digital assistant—and hopefully get Siri to do more for you.

Adam Engst 31 comments

#DeathToAutoPlay—No More Audio and Video That Plays Automatically!

It’s time to take a stand. We’re sick and tired of apps (Netflix!) and Web sites (CNN!) assaulting our ears and eyes with audio and video that starts playing on its own, without so much as a by your leave. Let’s fight back.