Richard Gunther, co-host of The Smart Home Show and host of Home: On, joins TMO Show host Ken Ray to talk smart devices, home automation, and Apple’s place in all of it. Does everything need to be a smart thing? Does the Matter platform matter? Does Apple’s Home app do what it needs to? Richard shares his insight on this edition of the TMO Show.
Alexa
How to Find Your iPhone with Amazon Echo and Alexa
Lost your iPhone in the house? Learn how to find your iPhone using Alexa and Amazon Echo with our easy-to-follow guide.
How to Enable and Use Alexa’s Follow-Up Mode
Learn how to enable Follow-up Mode in Alexa to enhance your Alexa interactions for an effortless smart home experience.
Virtual Assistant Issues and How/Why to Mastodon - TMO Daily Observations 2023-01-30
T.D.O.O.G. Jeff Gamet has a bone to pick with the likes of Siri and Alexa. Basically, he thinks they should be better. He joins Ken to talk about how and why. Plus – Ken has questions about Mastodon. Jeff has answers.
Disappointing and Delightful Tech - TMO Daily Observations 2022-12-16
An OfCom study on smart speaker use prompts TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and Ken to talk tech that disappoints and tech that delights.
Stirring the Disney/Apple M&A Stew
The tragedy in Hingham may have been an accident, Best Buy warns of too few iPhone 14 Pros, and somebody still wants Apple to buy Disney…
Amazon Alexa Seen As ‘Colossal Failure,’ Set to Lose $10B in 2022
The Amazon Alexa voice assistant is popular with consumers, but it’s a major failure for the company, costing it $10 billion in 2022.
Noise Around Various Voice Assistants - TMO Daily Observations 2022-11-23
News on the Hingham Apple Store tragedy, stirring the Apple/Disney M&A stew, and the noise around various voice assistants – we’re wrapping a holiday shortened week with TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts. Happy Thanksgiving, one and all.
Turning On the HomePod Version of Alexa’s Whisper Mode
Have you wished for a HomePod version of Whisper Mode, like the Alexa offers? It turns out, there is such a thing, in an unlikely place.
Smarthome Tech Matter(s), Crypto in a Down Market, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 563
Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet dig into Matter, the smarthome platform that should make it easier for devices to work all the major smarthome platforms. They also talk about cryptocurrencies in a down market, and how and why Bryan is interested only in long-term prospects and possibilities.
Apple's Self Repair Program and Smarthome Pain Points, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 561
For a limited time, new users can get $10 in free Bitcoin when you sign up today at Coinbase.com/ACM
Smart Bulbs vs. Smart Light Switches, Digital IDs, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 555
Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet dive back into smarthome tech, with a focus on using smart light switches instead of smart light bulbs. This includes Jeff’s recommendation for a smart light switch. They also discuss digital IDs and the perils and promise they offer.
Amazon Releases Fire TV Omni Series Television Line
Amazon has expanded its Fire TV platform with actual television sets with the Fire TV Omni Series and Fire TV 4-Series.
HaaS: Hay as a Service – Mac Geek Gab 876
Listen as John and Dave share your Quick Tips about Safari Picture-in-Picture, the caveats of Finder’s Drag and Drop, Apple Remotes, and more. Lots of suggestions and ideas about note-taking and idea capturing on-the-go in the episode, many of them from y’all! Then your two favorite geeks even have time to answer a few questions, including a clever workaround for blocking SMS spam. Plus… HaaS folks! It’s gonna be big! Or at least amusing. Press play and enjoy learning at least five new things!
Siri is Still Version One – TMO Daily Observations 2021-06-03
The Infamous Dan Moren joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss Siri, and how the Apple voice assistant stacks up against others. Or doesn’t…
Sonos Roam Portable Speaker: Small Enough for Your Backpack, Big Enough to Fill a Room
Smaller than most water bottles, Sonos Roam will easily fit into your go bag or your travel carryon, and it’s waterproof IP67 rating will keep the worries away. At home on your Wi-Fi, Roam is a fully-fledged Sonos and AirPlay 2 speaker, and its sound can fill a room… or a picnic area.
HomePod mini and You (if You're Dave or Bryan) – TMO Daily Observations 2020-11-23
Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join host Kelly Guimont to discuss how the HomePod mini compares to other speakers and voice assistants.
Hands-on with HomePod mini and Big Sur, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 538
Jeff Gamet is back with Bryan Chaffin to talk about his hands-on experience with Apple’s new HomePod mini. How it sounds, how it compares with HomePod, and how it compares with Amazon’s Alexa Echo and Echo Dot. They also run over their hands-on time with macOS Big Sur.
Lawyers: Turn off Alexa and Google Home Before Confidential Meetings
Lawyers who are working from home are encouraged to turn off devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home because these products may eavesdrop.
“Perhaps we’re being slightly paranoid, but we need to have a lot of trust in these organizations and these devices,” Hancock said. “We’d rather not take those risks.”
The firm worries about the devices being compromised, less so with name-brand products like Alexa, but more so for cheap knock-off devices, he added.
It’s definitely not just cheap knock-offs.
Turn Your Phone Into a Universal Remote and Control Multiple Smart Home Devices: $19.95
We have a deal on Hombli, a smart IR remote control that turns your iPhone or Android device into a universal remote for multiple smarthome devices. The Hombli acts as a hub, and you control it with a companion app. With it, you can access over 80,000 devices from popular brands including Samsung, Sony, and Philips, and you can use hands-free voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This device is $19.95 through our deal.
Apple Podcasts via Alexa, OS Updates– TMO Daily Observations 2019-12-13
Andrew Orr and Charlotte Henry join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Apple Podcasts coming to Amazon Echo devices, and the latest OS updates.
Apple Podcasts Come to Alexa Devices
Apple Podcasts are now available on Amazon Echo devices via Alexa, as are podcasts that are available on Spotify.
BBC Launches Interactive Voice News Service for Alexa Smart Speakers
The BBC unveiled the UK’s first interactive voice news service on Alexa-enabled devices, featuring flexible bulletins and specialist content.
Should You Warn Your Guests About Smart Devices?
David Murphy asks if people are morally obligated to inform their guests that their home contains smart devices like HomePod, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. Given the fact that these devices can listen to you, should you post a sign in your house that says, “Warning: This Area Under Surveillance?”
If you’re simply sporting a smart speaker, I think announcing its presence is less of a deal—overkill, really. But if a camera is recording me at any point, and that’s something you can view later, I think it’s the friendly thing to do to let me know before I start gossiping…or worse.
What do you mean by worse??