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Is Apple’s $349 HomePod overpriced? Maybe… maybe not

There was a very infomercial-like “how much would you expect to pay?” moment during yesterday’s unveiling of the Apple HomePod speaker. High-end WiFi speakers from companies like Sonos typically cost $300 to $500, while smart speakers like an Amazon Echo or Google Home tend to cost between $100 and $200. So you might expect to […]

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HomePod is Apple’s answer to the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Sonos speakers

Apple is launching its first Siri-powered home speaker. It’s called HomePod, and on the one hand it seems like a rather late entry into the space first created by the launch of the Amazon Echo in 2014. But Apple thinks HomePod will stand out in a few ways. The company says the HomePod offers the kind […]

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Apple’s Siri-powered Echo competitor’s key selling point: It’s an Apple product

Amazon may have launched the smart speaker market with the introduction of its first Echo device a few years ago. But these days you can also opt for a Google Home with similar functionality, and soon you’ll start to find speakers that use Microsoft’s Cortana voice assistant. Apple wants in on the action too. There’ve […]

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Essential Home smart home assistant is gunning for Amazon Echo

Essential Products isn’t just introducing a new smartphone. The company also has its sights on the smart home/smart speaker space. Essential’s answer to the Amazon Echo and Google Home is called Essential Home and it’s coming… soon. There’s no word on the launch date or price, and the company is just starting to give us […]

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Compal Jupiter II smart assistant hits the FCC (voice control, camera, and home automation)

A new voice-controlled smart home speaker showed up at the FCC website, and while it looks a bit like an Amazon Echo, the new Jupiter II smart assistant is actually a product from Taiwanese equipment maker Compal Electronics. The cylindrical device is described as an “all-in-one Smart Assistant” and features a camera, an array of […]

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Fun fact: Amazon’s Echo devices run Android-based OS

You probably know that Amazon’s Fire tablet run a modified version of Google Android called Fire OS. People have been hacking Amazon tablets for years to make them more… Android-like, by sideloading apps, installing the Play Store, or even replacing Fire OS with custom ROMs. But did you know that Amazon’s Echo line of smart […]

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Harman Kardon Invoke smart speaker with Cortana coming this fall

Microsoft’s Cortana voice assistant is currently available to pretty much anyone with a Windows 10 PC or smartphone. But in December Microsoft announced Cortana would also be coming to third-party hardware, including an upcoming smart speaker from Harman Kardon. Update: Now Microsoft and Harman Kardon have officially unveiled the Invoke Intelligent Speaker with Cortana, which […]

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Clarity is a touchscreen Android speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant (crowdfunding)

Looking for a smart home speaker, but can’t decide between an Amazon Echo with the Alexa voice service or a Google Home with Google Assistant? Why not both? At least that seems to be the thinking behind the Clarity Speaker. It’s basically a familiar-looking speaker with a 7 inch touchscreen display and Android software. But […]

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Triby IO is a smart home speaker with Alexa and IFTTT support

Invoxia’s Triby portable speaker was the first non-Amazon device to support Amazon’s Alexa voice service when it launched last year. Now Invoxia is launching a second-gen model, and the company says the new model is more than just a speaker, radio, digital assistant, and speakerphone. it’s also a hub that can control home automation tasks. […]