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Lmaoo. This is a genuinely funny post.

But how is the HomePod not useful? The UE MegaBoom is $299 and doesn’t have “smart functions”.

Apple packed awesome audio technology into a device that is also a personal assistant (that will get better over time) and a hub for your smart home. You can still stream/AirPlay music to it that’s not in your Apple Music app.

I don’t get why it’s getting so much hate.

This is just my opinion, but it seems there's a general consensus that smart speakers aren't really "necessary" tech. (However the success of Amazon & Google in this area would conflict that theory & honestly, if we were going down that road, there could be a long list of "unnecessary" tech )

The price is probably the other factor. I'm guessing if this was priced similar to the apple tv, there would probably be less criticism, but I'm sure for many, this is "a speaker with Siri" that cost over $300, so it doesn't make sense.

I actually would like one, but it's a bit lower on my list of "things to get next" (& I'm going to wait until they're in stores so I can check one out in person).
 
Uhhhhh...Why? The Airport and Apple TV have removable power cables. Does Apple sell those cables individually? I think the odds these are sold individually is closer to 0.

I don't understand what you're complaining about?
 
Lmaoo. This is a genuinely funny post.

But how is the HomePod not useful? The UE MegaBoom is $299 and doesn’t have “smart functions”.

Apple packed awesome audio technology into a device that is also a personal assistant (that will get better over time) and a hub for your smart home. You can still stream/AirPlay music to it that’s not in your Apple Music app.

I don’t get why it’s getting so much hate.
I find your post funny in a way. Why is it so useful? What is it going to do for me, and note this carefully, THAT I WANT OR NEED, that I don't already have? Put another way, what am I lacking in my life, THAT I WANT OR NEED?
 
I just don't see this thing gaining much traction for a long time

What is traction and why does it have to have it? Can't Apple make niche devices anymore? I want them to make niche devices because it means more choice for more people and it means Apple doing what they do best. Not everything has to be an iPhone success. I'm not sure why people are so concerned with Apple making something that is a massive iPhone like success or it's a failure because it isn't.

I'm glad they're making products that don't appeal to everyone like HomePod, iMac Pro and Apple Watch. Long may that continue, it'll be a sad day when Apple only release products that can make billions.
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They do sell them. You have to call support.

I don't know why you'd bother, they're just generic IEC C7 cables - most people should have bundles of these floating around the cable drawer at home, if not their a few quid from Amazon.
 
At what volume level?

At what volume? That matters tremendously in terms of power consumption.

50% according to apples tech paper on it that is linked in the article at top

https://images.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/homepod/HomePod_PER_jan2018.pdf


From the linked apple PDF

Energy efficiency terms:
The energy efficiency values in this report are based in part on the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Audio/Video Version 3.0. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov.
All energy values assume a Wi-Fi connection. • Low power mode: Low power state that is entered automatically after 8 minutes of inactivity (default). • Music playback: Condition in which a typical music track is played on HomePod from iTunes at 50 percent volume. Power will vary depending on music track and volume. • Power supply efficiency: Average of the power supply’s measured efficiency when tested at 100 percent, 50 percent, and 20 percent of the power supply’s rated output current
 
Lmaoo. This is a genuinely funny post.

But how is the HomePod not useful? The UE MegaBoom is $299 and doesn’t have “smart functions”.

Apple packed awesome audio technology into a device that is also a personal assistant (that will get better over time) and a hub for your smart home. You can still stream/AirPlay music to it that’s not in your Apple Music app.

I don’t get why it’s getting so much hate.


You are on MR and wonder why it is getting so much hate? Remember, in contrast to how it started, MR is not just a site for Apple aficionados and others who have rational critiques of Apple shortfalls anymore; it is also a place where some people come to work out their insecurities and resentment over the non-Apple tech they bought or the Apple tech didn't/can't buy. It also comes with being the most successful company in the history of the world. When you are number 1 by such a large margin, some folks will resent that success. In sports you see it with some of the hate directed at franchises like the NE Patriots or Yankees in previous decades.
 
Lmaoo. This is a genuinely funny post.

But how is the HomePod not useful? The UE MegaBoom is $299 and doesn’t have “smart functions”.

Apple packed awesome audio technology into a device that is also a personal assistant (that will get better over time) and a hub for your smart home. You can still stream/AirPlay music to it that’s not in your Apple Music app.

I don’t get why it’s getting so much hate.


Because we want it to be better. We want Apple to be better.
 
This is such a strange product launch. No event to discuss the product in detail; and no, the mention of HomePod at WWDC did not discuss the product in detail or demo how it works. This environmental stuff is the kind of thing they'd mention in a keynote. It seems like HomePod is the red-headed stepchild right out of the gate.
 
If you only put 9.25W in, you'll get less than 9.25W out. I'd be surprised if a long through woofer had a sensitivity of more than 90db.

Hey! This is the power that it will need while playing music in “theater mode” (apple’s word for mute)
 
This is gonna be a product everyone will want in 2-3 years.
Not every one. We had our weekly AUG (Apple USer Group) meeting yesterday and discussed this release. Out of 47 folks, when asked if they were interested, 1 person raised their hand, and it wasn't me.
At this point, I see no need for a homepod, don't have an echo or Alexa or any of that stuff either.
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I'm glad they're making products that don't appeal to everyone like HomePod, iMac Pro and Apple Watch. Long may that continue, it'll be a sad day when Apple only release products that can make billions.
In my view, they are already doing exactly that.
 
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Hey! This is the power that it will need while playing music in “theater mode” (apple’s word for mute)
I see. I thought for a mo that they were saying when it's running that you'd see 10W being drawn. What they mean is 10W max plus whatever the speaker consumes.
Marketing is a great thing.......
 
An LED lightbulb would be more useful.

All joking aside, this thing doesn’t seem very useful.


I predict that the Homepod will kick off a major revolution in home audio. It's not that folks don't appreciate high quality sound; it's just that relatively few people have heard it nowadays. It's also because setting up a nice sound system has always been a hassle with a home receiver, wiring, setup (tweeters, subwoofer, etc.,) confusing, and expensive for the average person. Having recently gone through that in a room in my house, the hassle and expense is vivid in my mind.

I ended up with a very nice sound system, but if I had to go through it again, and the Homepod was available where I could buy two of them, plug them in and instantly have a terrific sound system at a fraction of the price and hassle that I could take anywhere, I would do it in a heartbeat. And that's just for the sound system. If you add the huge benefit that the Homepod will also be a smart speaker with a powerful processor (A8) that will be constantly adding features and capability, these will sell like hotcakes. Think AirPods. Once you experience wireless headphones, you never want to go back and Apple took wireless and made it hassle free, it set off a revolution and now they have trouble keeping them in stock. That's the secret sauce of Apple--owning/managing the hardware and software.
 
I don't understand what you're complaining about?

Wasn't really complaining about anything. I don't care if people want to buy more. It just seemed like a weird thing Apple would sell off the shelf in their stores since they're not doing it for their other peripherals. I hadn't considered the "contact support for repair parts" angle. Was more just confused why MR thought they would be selling them individually.


The ability to have additional plug-in power cords is great. It gives you the ability to pre-position power cords in hard-to-get-to places in other rooms, such as the outlet behind a dresser.

Yeah, I don't care if people buy more. The "why" was in regards to what I bolded, which was that MR thought there was a good chance these cables would be sold individually. I hadn't considered the "contact support for repair parts" angle.
 
it is a kind of jack of all stuff. If you care for attention to detail in everything it does it might disappoint. Apple's pricing is way above the competition lets see how this fairs in the market.
 
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