Apple just launched a new
HomePod mini and it is excellent. The sound of the original
HomePod was fantastic, but we don't own one and we won't. It's too bad. The rich sound that seems to emanate from every part of the room is just fantastically rich, but it's the "smart" part that scares us. Apple beyond all the other smart speaker makers does the best job in regard to privacy. The HomePod listens actively for the "Hey Siri" command and only then sends your conversations to Apple's secure server for analysis. That means it's listening all the time, and whether it's an Alexa or Cortana, smart speakers eavesdrop on every single word spoken. Amazon even lets you look up conversations that Alexa has recorded.
Scary? You bet. With a smart speaker you have willingly given large corporations 24x7 access to every conversation in your home. This is something the Soviets or East Germans would have employed if the tech was available, but now we plunk down several hundred dollars to give access to... who knows! Even if Apple or Amazon or Microsoft calm us with their promises of security, we know that systems get compromised all the time. And if you really want to get scared out of your mind, check out the Fox TV show Next, which chronicles a rogue artificial intelligence that uses a smart speaker to manipulate a youngster into almost doing the unthinkable.
Okay, this is a bit alarmist, maybe... but is it? I think it's important to understand technology and weigh the benefits over the shortcomings. Sure, a smart speaker can pull up your playlists on demand, but I remember a time not that long ago when I walked up to a CD player, put in a disc, and listened away. And it sounded really good, too.
The final thought here is to always cautiously embrace technology. The benefits to you have to outweigh the risks, and if your privacy and security is important, take a second look at that smart speaker.
