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Apple Shares New Video on Getting the Most From HomePod
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If there is a new HomePod I seriously doubt it will be a replacement for the existing HomePod. If anything, it will be a larger and more expensive version.
Apple got the hardware right. At this size or even a bit larger, no other speaker (smart or otherwise) is capable of doing what the HomePod does. No other speaker can sound this good from ANY spot in the room.
Nope, the hardware on the existing HomePod isn't going to change. The changes will be in the form of software updates.
Mark
Not sure what hardware features you think might be in a HomePod 2, but in any case I wouldn’t expect to see an update for at least three years. For what Apple wanted the HomePod hardware to be, they nailed it.
I think we’ll see a smaller or larger version before an update to this model.
Propaganda? Stop with the hyperbole.
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Why did you buy it in the first place? It was well known this device was more focused around music than general smarts.
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Yes all of those things can be airplayed to HomePod. And no Android owner was ever seriously considering HomePod in the first place.
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Most of the people trashing it don’t have one and never intended to buy one. That’s probably the case for nearly every Apple product that gets trashed here.
I was thinking the same thing.
A lot of salt in this thread. Maybe that's what is causing the white rings on furniture.
One thing apple failed to mention in their video is that you don't have to wait for the update to run them in stereo. You can do it now with Airfoil as follows:
1. Download AirFoil from Rogue Amoeba’s website. AirFoil is a paid application at $29 per user.
2. Once you have AirFoil downloaded, copy it to your Application folder.
3. Open it and ensure that all of your AirPlay-enabled devices appear.
4. Choose your audio source. Easiest way is to choose System Audio. Then all sounds from the mac will play. But if you are a bit fussy about mouse clicks not coming through for example you can select specific apps instead which will exclude such noises.
5. Go to your Applications folder on macOS and find the AirFoil app. Right click on that file and choose “Duplicate.” This makes another copy of Airfoil called Airfoil copy.
6. Open Airfoil copy. It will open right over the Airfoil window. Move it away from it.
7. In AirFoil, choose the HomePod that’s on the right side of your configuration. Click the equalizer icon along the top and drag the “Balance” slider all the way to the right side. This will play only the right channel through that HomePod.
8. In AirFoil copy, choose the HomePod that’s on the left side of your configuration. Click the equalizer icon along the top and drag the “Balance” slider all the way to the left side. This will play only the left channel through that HomePod.
Here is a video explaining how to do it:
I've done it myself and it works really well.
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Indeed. Just go back to December 2016 with AirPods being the most recent example getting many lathered up into a frenzy.
And now AirPods are on their way to $4B in sales for 2018. Heh, for wireless earbuds. Amazing.
I can see HomePod following a similar trajectory over the year.
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All comments that seem out of place (such as Apple haters on an Apple site) originate from Russian troll farms to create discord amongst us.
I think many consumers are waiting for Apple's HomePod video on how to get out those ugly stains out of their wood-topped furniture. That single problem seems to outweigh any good points of the HomePod.
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I’ve seen a few of you that have reported you successfully did this...what the rest of us want to know is how does it sound? Exponentially better as reported by Apple? Do all music voice commands work, especially turn up/down on both speakers? Is there both a traditional stereo separation and room filling sound that follows you? Inquiring minds (and those of us impatiently awaiting Airplay 2) want to know!
It just seems obvious that Apple doesn't care to support any ecosystem except their own. As it is, they're having a hard enough time supporting their own ecosystem. Why is it so hard to understand Apple's business model? That's their preference to have their own "walled garden.". It's not perfect but it seems to be working well enough for them. I don't entirely like the way they do things but that's just how it is. I don't understand why the HomePod doesn't have something as simple as Bluetooth support. How difficult would it have been to do when almost every device is Bluetooth capable? It's as though Apple is almost going out of their way to make their devices incompatible with other platforms. That seems really risky but I guess Apple thinks it can get away with doing something like that.
I'm not looking for any smart speaker, so I don't care if Apple locks down the HomePod to iOS devices only. I'll admit, it does seem rather narrow-minded to me. Hey, if a person wants an open system then they should go with Amazon and Google devices. Let the consumer decide how they want to go. Apple doesn't seem to care if it loses customers. That's Apple's decision.
Yeah. 2 homepods sound really good in stereo. Much better than 1. I haven't bothered much with Siri but the guy in the video I linked to earlier got Siri working with his stereo setup.
The AirFoil "trick" to create stereo HomePods in one room is unlikely to be as effective as Apple's own software solution for stereo HomePods. AirPlay 2 will allow the two HomePods to "talk" to each other during the process. Those A8 processors will be busy maximizing stereo effect while also maximizing room-filling sound from every corner.
The AirFoil trick is just something to tinker with until Apple's solution comes along. It's not something to be used as any kind of yardstick for what Apple will likely achieve.
Mark
the best way to get the most of of Apples iPod is to not get one and but two Sonos instead.
That's how it works now when you connect two HomePods (or any other AirPlay compatible device) via a Mac. I used my iMac and AirPlay to play music in my den (iMac), kitchen (HomePod) and living room (Pioneer receiver with AirPlay). Once everything was playing when I told Siri on HomePod to change the volume the volume changed on ALL of the devices. When I told Siri on HomePod to pause the music paused at ALL devices.
AirPlay 2 will allow HomePods to do this directly with each other (no Mac necessary). And it will allow each HomePod to control the volume of only a single HomePod or all of them. And it will allow different music to be played on each HomePod.
With AirPlay 2 this should all be possible, all spoken only to the HomePod in the kitchen:
"Hey Siri, play something chill in the kitchen"
"Hey Siri, play oldies in the bedroom"
"Hey Siri, play '60s music in the den"
"Hey Siri, lower the volume in the kitchen to 35"
"Hey Siri, raise the volume in the bedroom to 45"
Etc, etc. Speak to ANY HomePod to control the others.
Mark
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OK. So I just tested this and although siri is activated on both homepods unfortunately only one of them adjusts the volume via siri.
I am not concerned by this though because I adjust the volume manually via my computer anyway.
How about Bluetooth? Like every other “smart” speaker out there?
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Wow. That seems like a lot. Especially when i can double click in my sonos app and I don’t have to pay extra?
I don't think $29 is a lot for Airfoil. It is pretty good for what it does. I now have stereo homepods which sound much better than 1 homepod. And I didn't have to wait for apple's update.
But you can run it in demo mode without paying if you want.
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I am 12 hours into my HomePod ownership and I am blown away by the audio quality coming out of this little thing. For music quality, I can honestly say this speaker is amazing. Side note, Siri's ability to hear me from far away even when the music is super loud is very impressive as well. If you're in the market or on the fence given the price, I would say it's a no brainer.
The question I have about the stereo homepods is how will the stereo sound produced by the airfoil version compare with apple's version?
What apple's webpage https://www.apple.com/homepod/ actually says is
"Create stereo sound with a second HomePod. Put another HomePod in the same room and they automatically detect and balance each other. With advanced beamforming capabilities, a HomePod pair is able to create a wider, more immersive soundstage than a traditional stereo pair. Coming later this year"
But what the airfoil technology actually does is to force the homepods to act exactly like a traditional stereo pair. So this is obviously not what apple has in mind.
I will try out apple's version when the update comes and compare it to the airfoil version. Maybe it will be better - AND MAYBE IT WON'T!
At first I thought that my use of airfoil will be short-term until the update comes.
But having experiencing homepod stereo now for 2 days after a week of running just 1 homepod I am now thinking that there is a possibility that I might not necessarily embrace apple's version of stereo long term.
I might actually prefer the airfoil version - long term!
It depends which one is better.
I won't know till apple release the update. But this is something to think about. Do you actually want a traditional stereo pair despite what apple's website says?
What apple's webpage https://www.apple.com/homepod/ actually says is
"Create stereo sound with a second HomePod. Put another HomePod in the same room and they automatically detect and balance each other. With advanced beamforming capabilities, a HomePod pair is able to create a wider, more immersive soundstage than a traditional stereo pair. Coming later this year"
But what the airfoil technology actually does is to force the homepods to act exactly like a traditional stereo pair. So this is obviously not what apple has in mind.
I will try out apple's version when the update comes and compare it to the airfoil version. Maybe it will be better - AND MAYBE IT WON'T!
At first I thought that my use of airfoil will be short-term until the update comes.
But having experiencing homepod stereo now for 2 days after a week of running just 1 homepod I am now thinking that there is a possibility that I might not necessarily embrace apple's version of stereo long term.
I might actually prefer the airfoil version - long term!
It depends which one is better.
I won't know till apple release the update. But this is something to think about. Do you actually want a traditional stereo pair despite what apple's website says?
The hilarious thing about this post is that Siri couldn't do it!!!
My wife plays piano and is into classical music.
For grins she said "Hey Siri play Toccata and Fugue in D minor."
Holy Smokes! At 80% volume it sounds amazing for such a small speaker
For grins she said "Hey Siri play Toccata and Fugue in D minor."
Holy Smokes! At 80% volume it sounds amazing for such a small speaker