Annoying Hey Siri with multiple iPhone & iPad (s)

The most sought-after feature for most iPhone users is the experience of Siri and the option to summon Siri for assistance over voice. I personally feel the summoning Siri through “Hey Siri” have been the most frustrating thing, as I have around 5+ apple devices in my family and all have the “Hey Siri” option enabled by default. So, whenever I summon Siri on my iPhone, accidentally the Siri is summoned on my parent’s devices and the actions like reminders or alarms happens at the specific device. Such instances create nuisance for most iPhone users and wanted Apple to enable following options in the upcoming updates. 

• a. User Voice Specific like Voice ID: While summoning “Hey Siri,” there should have been preference to enable Siri identifies the voice for that device and the Siri option is available only for that specific device(s) integrated into same iCloud. Apple could enable this preference by recording the voice modulation of the user and analyze the voice pattern of the user and enable the Siri available only to that specific user. This automation of voice identification of user can happen only at the device and can also encrypted, so the confidential information is not leaked like Face ID or Touch ID. 

• b. Yes or no authentication: With introduction of Air Tags, it was evident that Apple could determine whether there are similar or other Apple devices nearby, similarly when “Hey Siri” was summoned it can detect whether there are other Apple devices nearby and can enable authentication for user like “Yes” or “No” mode to further act. 

I also have few more feature suggestion for Apple devices and iPhone’s and for more such articles, please feel free to check out “G R Team Sites”

High Netflix pricing and lack of yearly subscription

With the recent lockdown restrictions and new normal, the entertainment like movies and web series have come to our devices through OTT apps and each OTT's have differentiating factor associated with it, so it puts overhead on consumers to subscribe to leading OTT platform. Netflix have been the most prominent OTT platform in the web and have been the most preferred subscription for the users. But the pricing of Netflix when compared to Amazon Prime seems to be on higher side and lack of yearly subscription is another disappointing factor. I have already detailed about the comparison of Amazon Prime-video and Netflix subscription in my earlier articles, in this article I wanted to focus on yearly subscription plan from Netflix. Since, there was no yearly subscription plan from Netflix, the platform is losing more users for the following reasons. 

• Pause when feel bored: As most users watch all the most anticipated and must-watch movies/series in the initial few months, the users can simply pause or cancel the subscription till they get their matching content in the platform. 

• Cancel when no related content or no new regional content available: The users also have the option to cancel the subscription or pause as needed, if they don't fine any interesting content or new regional content readily available.

• Lack of bundled features or options: With competitors like Amazon offering bundled features like online shopping and FREE photos backup for its users, the Netflix doesn't offer any such services and this acts against the platform in long-term subscription plan.

Hope Netflix addresses these concerns and introduces yearly subscription plan for its users to get long-term benefits. Read more such articles from "G R Team Sites" and keep supporting us. 

Bundled Music Services in Microsoft Office 365

As stated in my earlier articles published in G R Team Sites that I have selected Microsoft's office 365 family as my preferred online cloud storage platform and have also enabled OneDrive as preferred photos backup option for all my family members. My preference on Microsoft’s office 365 family plan subscription was the option to enable 6 users to store or upload files with size up to 1TB individually and also enables all 6 users to access and use its office suite of applications. However, with all these rewards, I was still looking forward to Microsoft for introduction of bundled services like music and videos. Just by offering 1TB of online cloud storage and access to office suite of applications, will not hold users to stay long with Microsoft and with Apple having their own TV subscription services with launch of new series and movies every quarter, the competition was fiercer than before. While Microsoft focusing on offering its family office 365 subscription plan as more of storage option and office applications will not impress most common users across globe. Microsoft should revamp their strategy on Office 365 family plan and introduce new benefits like bundled music and movie subscription services to make users turnaround for its subscriptions and be market leader in online subscription services. To read more such articles or opinion from my end, please feel free to check out the articles published in G R Team Sites.

Issues with Office 365 and OneDrive online cloud storage

So, after long thought I have opted OneDrive as my preferred online cloud storage platform. I was excited by opting for OneDrive as preferred online cloud storage for two reasons, one for exclusive access to office applications and other was large online cloud storage choice. However, after using it for past couple of months following are the few constraints that I encountered while using it. 

• Cloud Storage with no option to device backup: Even though OneDrive offers large storage plan, it does not provide option to backup entire mobile device or entire system in MAC devices. Additionally, OneDrive does not allow users to select specific folders or files in MAC operating system. 
• Office files Locking and collaboration: OneDrive cloud storage also offers exclusive access to office suite of applications and enables users to share license with 6 users. However, the office suite of apps does not allow users to lock and collaborate the office files. 

Hope Microsoft addresses above issues at the earliest, so users have the option to select their desired files/folders to synchronize with online cloud and allows users to lock confidential files and collaborate with assigned users with password protection. To explore more such articles, please feel free to check out the articles published in G R Team Sites.

Online cloud storage (iCloud vs Onedrive vs Google drive) option comparison

For a long time, I was thinking about moving towards affordable online cloud storage option and I think, this topic would have been common among most users who were using Google photos as their online cloud storage option. With Google photos transitioning itself into paid online cloud platform, the decision was now left with users to decide on affordable and most trusted online cloud storage option. To clear most users doubts, I have detailed below table to help them find most affordable online cloud storage options available. 

	Apple iCloud	Google Drive	Microsoft One Drive
Number of users	6 users	6 users	6 Users
Storage	200GB	200GB	6000GB
Affordable storage option	₹ 365.00	₹ 210.00	₹ 619.00
Yearly Cost	₹ 4380.00	₹ 2100.00	₹ 6199.00
Per Month Cost	₹ 365.00	₹ 175.00	₹ 516.58
Apple Music	₹ 99.00	0	0
Advantages	Apple Music	Google Photos	Office Apps
Per GB Cost	1.33	1.05	0.10

Please note, I have considered Indian currency as the base, as the cloud stores providers offer moist affordable options to Indian users and this comparison is applicable to users across globe. To get more such analysis, please feel free to check out the posts published in G R Team Sites.

Reasons for thinking to switch from current job

After a long time, I was feeling the need to switch job from my current company and wanted to detail out the reasons for the decision. Here are my driving factors forcing me to look out for job switch. 

• Irritating manager: my manager is of the craziest guy I have ever worked with, and it was the major reason that was driving me to think about the job switch. Out of various things I hate about my manager, below are few of those things. 
• Micromanaging work assigned without independence. 
• No proper focus or thinking before work was assigned to the team members. 
• Often had to re-work on activities assigned due to confused state of my manager. 
• Often acts silly and childish, for unnecessary work from on-site team. 
• Financial stability: My company has given only marginal hike and the recent promotional hike was not Saturday and not up to industry standards. As I have got my promotion recently, the next promotion will take exceptionally long time and the hikes will be moderate in the upcoming years. 

For more information on my job switch, please feel free to check out the blog posts listed in G R Team Sites.