Since84
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To infinity and beyond!
Posts: 3,933
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Post by Since84 on Feb 20, 2019 3:17:24 GMT -8
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Post by CdnPhoto on Feb 20, 2019 3:30:07 GMT -8
My deepest sympathies and condolences to you PED. Beautifully written article.
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Post by incorrigible on Feb 20, 2019 5:14:58 GMT -8
Morning all. Thanks for the usual kickoff S84. The date today is 2/20 not 21 though. Just an FYI.
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Since84
Moderator
To infinity and beyond!
Posts: 3,933
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Post by Since84 on Feb 20, 2019 5:38:14 GMT -8
Thanks. Fixed.
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Since84
Moderator
To infinity and beyond!
Posts: 3,933
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Post by Since84 on Feb 20, 2019 6:36:03 GMT -8
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Since84
Moderator
To infinity and beyond!
Posts: 3,933
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Post by Since84 on Feb 20, 2019 8:10:43 GMT -8
PED has Ben Thompson: Why Apple’s heart isn’t in HomePod. I disagree with Ben. I consider the HomePod to be wonderfully successful. The device is amazing. I would own multiples -- except. Except Apple has chosen to limit HomePod use to Apple Music with Siri. HomePod does not work with bluetooth, as a remote speaker for AppleTV or as a node on my wireless network where it could serve selections from my iTunes library. You see, I am one of those finicky people who wants my devices to integrate with each other. I expect the devices to just work. No fuss. No muss. Further, as an owner of an extensive music collection, I have no desire to use Apple Music or any other service. Perhaps this is an effort to maintain a moat around Apple Products. I view it as a horrible missed opportunity. Apple's loss.
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chinacat
Moderator
AAPL Long since 2006
Posts: 4,426
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Post by chinacat on Feb 20, 2019 9:39:25 GMT -8
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Post by BillH on Feb 20, 2019 9:42:07 GMT -8
PED has Ben Thompson: Why Apple’s heart isn’t in HomePod. I disagree with Ben. I consider the HomePod to be wonderfully successful. The device is amazing. I would own multiples -- except. Except Apple has chosen to limit HomePod use to Apple Music with Siri. HomePod does not work with bluetooth, as a remote speaker for AppleTV or as a node on my wireless network where it could serve selections from my iTunes library. You see, I am one of those finicky people who wants my devices to integrate with each other. I expect the devices to just work. No fuss. No muss. Further, as an owner of an extensive music collection, I have no desire to use Apple Music or any other service. Perhaps this is an effort to maintain a moat around Apple Products. I view it as a horrible missed opportunity. Apple's loss. I'm a bit confused by your post. My HomePods show up in the pull down menu from iTunes and can be selected for output just like any of the other devices I have connected to my receivers. I also output the sound from my AppleTV to the HomePods rather than use the built in speakers on the TV. Maybe it's the blue tooth angle that I don't get? I have a KEF 5.1 surround system set up in my living area for both audio and video. It's great but when used just for audio at low volume levels the subwoofer goes into sleep mode. The HomePods set up in stereo mode actually sound better in low volume situations. To me it's another Apple product that doesn't get anywhere near the credit it deserves. The quality of the sound in such a small package amazes me. Disclaimer: I have 66 year old ears which typically means I've lost the upper end of the musical spectrum. Still, Steely Dan's Aja (my reference album) sounds amazing.
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Post by hledgard on Feb 20, 2019 9:44:51 GMT -8
PED has Ben Thompson: Why Apple’s heart isn’t in HomePod. I disagree with Ben. I consider the HomePod to be wonderfully successful. The device is amazing. I would own multiples -- except. Except Apple has chosen to limit HomePod use to Apple Music with Siri. HomePod does not work with bluetooth, as a remote speaker for AppleTV or as a node on my wireless network where it could serve selections from my iTunes library. You see, I am one of those finicky people who wants my devices to integrate with each other. I expect the devices to just work. No fuss. No muss. Further, as an owner of an extensive music collection, I have no desire to use Apple Music or any other service. Perhaps this is an effort to maintain a moat around Apple Products. I view it as a horrible missed opportunity. Apple's loss. Do you mean I cannot use my iPhone to play my music on the homePod? If so it is positively terrible. I too have an extensive music collection, and wish to play it in the living room.
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Post by longsince98 on Feb 20, 2019 9:48:04 GMT -8
Do you mean I cannot use my iPhone to play my music on the homePod? If so it is positively terrible. I too have an extensive music collection, and wish to play it in the living room. That’s definitoy not the case. I use it that way all the time, Spotify, Apple Music, and seemingly any app that outputs audio can choose Home Pod as it’s output medium.
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Post by aaplcrazie on Feb 20, 2019 10:55:31 GMT -8
HomePod
Audio Sources:
Apple Music1 iTunes music purchases iCloud Music Library with an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription Beats 1 live radio Beats 1 live episodes on demand Apple Podcasts AirPlay other content to HomePod from iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac
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JDSoCal
Member
Aspiring oligarch
Posts: 4,182
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Post by JDSoCal on Feb 20, 2019 11:19:22 GMT -8
Condolences to PED. What a great run though, 96 years. 👍🏻
I’m waiting for the next gen homepods. Not a fan of white, but I see why Apple only made them white at first - to distinguish them from other wireless earphones. Harder to do if they offered black at first, IMO.
I’m a late adopter - no 🍎 watch yet. Still won’t give up my Touch ID iPhone 8.
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Post by macglenn on Feb 20, 2019 11:38:54 GMT -8
Condolences to PED. What a great run though, 96 years. 👍🏻 I’m waiting for the next gen homepods. Not a fan of white, but I see why Apple only made them white at first - to distinguish them from other wireless earphones. Harder to do if they offered black at first, IMO. I’m a late adopter - no 🍎 watch yet. Still won’t give up my Touch ID iPhone 8. They've been available in white and space gray. Now I see, you wrote HomePods when you meant AirPods
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bud777
fire starter
Posts: 1,352
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Post by bud777 on Feb 20, 2019 12:25:09 GMT -8
Condolences to PED. What a great run though, 96 years. 👍🏻 I’m waiting for the next gen homepods. Not a fan of white, but I see why Apple only made them white at first - to distinguish them from other wireless earphones. Harder to do if they offered black at first, IMO. I’m a late adopter - no 🍎 watch yet. Still won’t give up my Touch ID iPhone 8. They've been available in white and space gray. Now I see, you wrote HomePods when you meant AirPods I gave my Airpods to my son and I really miss them. I was thinking that the next generation might be noise cancelling, but now I doubt it. The interior of a plane, at least back in the steerage seats is 90db during the climb to altitude. I think it would take a lot of energy to produce the sound to cancel that and I and not sure where they would put the batteries. Maybe a 4" stalk I don't know, I will leave it to the wizards at Apple, but whatever they do in version 2, I am buying.
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Since84
Moderator
To infinity and beyond!
Posts: 3,933
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Post by Since84 on Feb 20, 2019 14:40:47 GMT -8
My HomePod SagaThanks for the feedback on HomePods. I've had multiple chat's in the last year at both the Apple Store and online. I asked specifically if it was possible to stream from my iTunes library on my Mac or phone -- and was told it could not be done. I considered this a huge product shortcoming. This is the current HomePod page at the Apple Store. Looking again today on the Overview page, I do see "Stream anything in our catalog along with music from your iTunes library." However, on the Tech Specs page under Audio Sources it lists iTunes Music Purchases instead of your generic iTunes library. I will acknowledge that the page does mention you can stream music from more sources with AirPlay, but the specificity of 'iTunes Music Purchases' raised my skepticism, prompting my visit and chat. Could be that I was speaking to the wrong experts. I do not expect random Apple Store employees to know the answers to every question. Indeed the expert at the store was somewhat evasive, again raising concern. However, I presume that Apple would route online chats to a guru on the chat subject. Both said it was not possible. How long has HomePod had the capability to play from iTunes -- and would someone please confirm that it does include songs not purchased through iTunes? Does it work from Macs and iPhones? I gather it uses Airplay but not bluetooth? Hopefully, I'll be ordering a couple upon my return. Thanks. P.S. Buying something shouldn't be this hard.
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Post by BillH on Feb 20, 2019 17:31:45 GMT -8
My HomePod SagaHow long has HomePod had the capability to play from iTunes -- and would someone please confirm that it does include songs not purchased through iTunes? Does it work from Macs and iPhones? I gather it uses Airplay but not bluetooth? Airplay and presumably now Airplay 2. It's worked from the beginning as far as I know but I wasn't an early adopter. I'm an iMatch customer so perhaps that plays some kind of role. I can ask Siri to play any of my years old playlists or anything else from my library. You can't control Spotify etc. using Siri which is what upsets many but it doesn't change a dang thing when controlling it with your phone. I'd highly recommend you pick up a pair. They have a 30 day return window like everything else I believe. Pretty sure you'll keep them.
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Post by macglenn on Feb 20, 2019 17:58:20 GMT -8
I think the limitation for HomePod playing your own music (non Apple music files) comes down to Siri functionality, although if you subscribe to Apple Music, the Apple Music matching feature will enable all your own music library with Siri functionality. For me, I usually use the Remote app. on my mobile devices to play music from my desktop music library (my own music) to my HomePods by selecting them with Airplay.
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benoir
fire starter
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Posts: 1,318
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Post by benoir on Feb 20, 2019 19:01:39 GMT -8
Not sure that I can see a foldable smartphone making a meaningful dent in the marketplace. Samsung must be pretty confident that their foldable screen is durable.
I really don’t think Apple will follow here based on their design approach. I mean, Apple still ships their mice configured with a single left click. A ‘simple is best’ mantra. A foldable screen seems like a huge complication. No doubt they are/have explored the concept.
Apple needs to make sure they own the narrative in this space.
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Post by macglenn on Feb 21, 2019 5:36:24 GMT -8
Not sure that I can see a foldable smartphone making a meaningful dent in the marketplace. Samsung must be pretty confident that their foldable screen is durable. I really don’t think Apple will follow here based on their design approach. I mean, Apple still ships their mice configured with a single left click. A ‘simple is best’ mantra. A foldable screen seems like a huge complication. No doubt they are/have explored the concept. Apple needs to make sure they own the narrative in this space. Perhaps the future will bring useful flexibility to the entire phone case and screen so they are more comfortable and durable, in pockets for example.
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