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Apple HomePod (1 Viewer)

DaveF

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Extended / Real-Use reviews are coming out with mixed opinions.

"A HomePod Intervention – 512 Pixels" (https://512pixels.net/2018/03/a-homepod-intervention/)
A HomePod Intervention – 512 Pixels


"HomePod review: Stop, Look, and Listen - Six Colors" (https://sixcolors.com/post/2018/03/homepod-review/#more)
HomePod review: Stop, Look, and Listen - Six Colors


"Daring Fireball: Jason Snell's HomePod Review" (https://daringfireball.net/linked/2018/03/05/snell-homepod)
Daring Fireball: Jason Snell's HomePod Review
 

Mark Booth

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I get a discount on Apple products through my employer's Employee Purchase Plan (EPP). I'm retired but retirees are allowed to participate. When Apple introduces new products it usually takes a couple of weeks before the newest products are offered at a discount through EPP. Well, that time has finally arrived for the HomePod. I can get them for $328 now, a $21 savings.

Not a huge discount but better than a swift kick in the groin. :)

I'm still going to wait for the stereo pair upgrade. There's a rumor that a lower priced HomePod is coming and I'm wondering if it might be a slave/companion unit to work with a regular one for stereo pairing.

Mark
 

Nelson Au

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That new HomePod Spike Jones commercial came on when I had the TV on. My HomePod is close to the TV and during the commercial when the girl says Hey Siri play something I’d like, my HomePod responded. It was no surprise it worked, it’s just unexpected. :)
 

Ted Todorov

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So my mom got a total of 4 HomePods - in different rooms around her house. I played some Bach organ music on all 4 at once (AirPlay from her iMac iTunes - one of E. Power Biggs’ albums) with the volume at 100% - she loved it, and it was pretty amazing - sounded like there was real cathedral organ all around us. Can’t wait for stereo mode to be out to have an excuse for second HomePod myself. Good Bach Toccata & Fugue organ music + multiple HomePods via AirPlay is fantastic.
 

Ted Todorov

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http://www.adweek.com/creativity/th...pple-ad-is-as-fascinating-as-the-film-itself/

I still have to reset my Homepod every few days to get Playlists to work. If it still happens after next set of OS upgrades next week I will turn off Match.
Playlists works via Siri (as in “Hey Siri play my “Teen Town” playlist” or just “Hey Siri play Teen Town”) and then stops working? I have been strictly using AirPlay for playlists because I don’t remember exactly what they are called.
 

Sam Posten

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Playlists works via Siri (as in “Hey Siri play my “Teen Town” playlist” or just “Hey Siri play Teen Town”) and then stops working? I have been strictly using AirPlay for playlists because I don’t remember exactly what they are called.

Correct. And again it seems to affect only those of us monkeys who pay for both Apple Music and Match
 

DaveF

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Ted Todorov

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"Apple Music vs iTunes Match: What's the difference? | iMore" (https://m.imore.com/apple-music-vs-itunes-match-whats-difference)
I had conversation with Christina Warren on Twitter about this, and she like a lot of other people were double paying because they thought that your own personal data was getting DRMed under Apple Music but not iTunes Match - which was true in the beginning, but hasn’t been for a couple of years now. But yes, the point is it makes no sense at all to use both unless you are planning to cancel Apple Music soon.
 

Carlo_M

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Also, I seem to recall (and I'm sorry I don't have time to try and google the original articles) that initially Match was released first, and when Music was released I remember it did seem like they were both separate and distinct product and service offerings. My impression was when Music did first come out, you did need to have both Match and Music to enjoy everything on Music and everything in your library.

So I initially didn't buy either because I thought "there's no way I'm paying twice for my music".

It was only years later when I decided I'd just buy Music for access to think I didn't own on physical media (and likely wouldn't want to own, but would like to listen to occasionally), that I discovered that Match style services had been added to Music.
 

Mark Booth

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I took the free 3-month trial back in 2015 when Apple Music was first released. The stupid thing immediately deleted all of my purchased music from my iPhone and wanted me to stream EVERYTHING, even the titles I owned. It royally pissed me off and many others too. It's one of the reasons that I did not continue after the 3-month trial was over.

Fast-forward to February 2018 when I buy HomePod and try Apple Music again. Nothing sinister happens to my purchased music. Subscribing to Apple Music didn't change ANYTHING except to turn on my ability to stream every title in Apple's music library and listen to all of Apple Music's radio stations.

I still feel Apple Music doesn't do as good of a job at curating songs as Pandora, but it's better than it was in 2015 and quite livable. My Pandora subscription has since been cancelled and I've set up my Apple Music account for auto-renewal once a year at the $99/year price. I cancelled iTunes Match.

Me <--- Happy Camper

Mark
 

Carlo_M

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I have my first "semi-serious" criticism on my HomePod's sound quality. Specifically: it doesn't sound good in the bathroom while showering.

Now we know about the HomePod's constant analysis of sound reflections, and obviously a bathroom is one of the most resonant places in a typical house. And, when it's playing in a quiet bathroom, and you are in the bathroom (not, say, the shower) with the Pod, it sounds very good.

But when I go into the shower, which has a plexiglass door that goes up about 6' but is 2' shorter than the ceiling, whatever algorithm the Pod is using doesn't measure the sound quality inside the shower. Obviously. Why should it? How could it? There's no mic in there with me. So that's why I say this criticism is only "semi-serious" because I can't honestly expect it to do what I want it to do.

My theory is that because it's only measuring sound using its own mics, and adjusting sound based off of that, in something like a shower it doesn't sound as good as my logitech speaker which I can angle up and refract off the ceiling and into the shower. Now I need to replace that logitech because it used the old 30pin connector, doesn't do bluetooth or wifi, and the iPhone X with an adapter still doesn't seat well on it. I was hoping I could get another Pod for the bathroom but my tests this weekend show it won't be worth it. I need to purchase a speaker I can aim up at a 45 degree angle to reflect off the ceiling for optimal sound quality, so I can channel my inner Freddie Mercury while showering.
 

Carlo_M

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I'm actually not big on in-shower, because of the poor sound. I'm fine with a decent one that's angled up to reflect off the ceiling, and is moisture resistant (vs. waterproof). The Logitech has sounded great, it's just so old and the connection to the X is so poor. If they released a lightning connector version of it where the X would sit comfortably on it, I'd buy it. But alas, I think most manufacturers are out of the direct-connection business and relying mostly on BT and wifi.
 

DaveF

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Carlo is cray :) I'm practical with a $20 BT speaker to listen to podcasts in the shower.

Actually, we've got his and hers BT speakers because switching devices on these things is a pain.
 

Mark Booth

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Question: What, exactly, are you guys doing in the shower that requires musical accompaniment?

On second thought, don't answer that! :)

I'm in and out of the shower in like 3-4 minutes, tops. Not worth it to have a special waterproof speaker for that.

Next thing we know, you guys will tell us you've put TVs in the shower so you can, um, entertain yourself while you are, um, "showering." :rolling-smiley:

Mark
 

DaveF

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Maybe you’re sleeping in your clothes and have Jetsons-esque robots to brush your teeth for you, but for me there’s half an hour spent getting ready in the morning: Shave, shower, contacts, brush teeth, clothes, etc. Good time for me to listen to podcasts. :)
 
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