Apple HomePod tips and tricks: Create multiple timers, stream with Spotify and more

The Homepod- Apple's first venture into the field of smart speakers.Reuters/Stephen Lam

After Apple officially launched the HomePod this month, the official YouTube account of its support group already released a total of three video tutorials on how to operate Apple's newest gadget. Other websites also posted their own guides on the functionalities of Apple's smart speaker.

According to Know Your Mobile, there are several tricks one can do with his or her HomePod. When a user wants HomePod to stop from listening to his or her commands, the owner simply needs to say, "Hey Siri, stop listening."

However, one drawback the HomePod has is that it cannot create multiple timers. Despite this, producing is still possible for those who already bought the said device. If users want to create multiple timers using Apple's smart speaker, all they must do is create a set of reminders.

While others thought it is not possible to play Spotify or Pandora in HomePod because of the device's lack of local support, owners can still find a way to play their favorite playlists from these music-streaming apps. Users can utilize their Apple devices to stream from Spotify and play it with the HomePod using AirPlay.

Meanwhile, David Pogue of Yahoo has released a video comparing between Apple's HomePod and other available counterparts in the market like Google Home Max, Amazon Echo and Sonos One. The comparison was conducted by inviting two high school students, a sound engineer, a businessman, and a professional violinist to listen to songs streamed from Spotify and played on each of the smart speakers.

Where does Apple HomePod rank among other smart speakers?Yahoo Finance

When asked for the overall winner among the smart speakers, Google Home Max was voted by two of the participants, while Sonos One garnered the most number of votes. In terms of price, Sonos One is priced at only $199 compared to the Home Max at $399, and HomePod at $349.