The Apple HomePod smart speaker uses tons of tech to tweak its sound

Right now, my house is like a party for smart assistants. There are Google Home devices all over the place, a couple Amazon Echoes with Alexa thrown around, and even a Cortana in the kitchen. Shouting a "trigger phrase" in my home sometimes causes a cacophony of responses from every room. Siri, however, showed up fashionably late to the party in the form of the HomePod, which was originally scheduled for release at the end of 2017, but came strolling in here in 2018. The first wave of reviews rolled around and confirmed what most people suspected since its announcement: The HomePod is a great machine for music, but its streaming compatibility is too narrow and its smart home capabilities are too limited to compete with Google and Amazon who have headstarts measured in years.