Huh? You're not crazy in the least. I want a MacBook with a full mechanical keyboard built in.
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Chinese Report Says $150-$200 HomePod and $799-$899 MacBook Air to Launch This Year
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Huh? You're not crazy in the least. I want a MacBook with a full mechanical keyboard built in.
I'd be extremely interested in a less expensive HomePod, I'd probably buy two. But it really depends on how much sound quality has to be sacrificed. That's kind of the whole draw of the HomePod and it's hard to imagine that they could make it significantly smaller and still achieve close to the same quality as the standard version. It's interesting though.
Siri on HomePod works well within the parameters that Apple has defined for it. You're only going to be disappointed if you try to use it for things Apple doesn't say that it supports.
I'm not buying the rumor on the HomePod, nor iPad. While Apple's made some questionable choices lately, making a cheaper HomePod is likely going to degrade audio performance and that's really what Apple is going for here. They're certainly not trying to compete with Amazon here ... Alexa is vastly superior to Siri because Apple's just not trying with Siri.
HomePod is meant to push people to subscribe to Apple Music and drive more persistent revenue to Apple.
The iPad pricing just is too low. I can't see Apple having a delta of over $1,000 between the lowest-end iPad and the highest end. And to what end? $349 for what's a pretty good iPad is going to get $349 in revenue to Apple. Why would they drop it further for no good business reason?
HomePod is meant to push people to subscribe to Apple Music and drive more persistent revenue to Apple.
The iPad pricing just is too low. I can't see Apple having a delta of over $1,000 between the lowest-end iPad and the highest end. And to what end? $349 for what's a pretty good iPad is going to get $349 in revenue to Apple. Why would they drop it further for no good business reason?
TV is a great music/AM/Airplay music audio player, already with Siri voice controls and already at about this price point. I use mine for audio-only playback often.
Whatever you are using to amplify those Klipsch speakers probably has an HDMI input and HDMI output. Output to TV and now you have a Siri voice-controlled music player plus something that can do a bunch of video things too.
And this option can run music streaming apps other than only AM without having to lean on Airplay.
They actually only have Optical, RCA, Aux, and Bluetooth for input.
Shorter upgrade cycles. If they lower the price, it becomes a throw-away item that people are more prone to upgrade annually. Also, people would be more prone to buy multiple iPads in family situations.
People keep comparing the HP to the Sonos One, this is a false comparison. Hardware wise the HP is more on order of Sonos Play:5, so mini would be like a Sonos One.
There are limitations to technology. You do realize Apple probably understands the notch is not the ultimate solution? A full bezel is not really better and the notch can "look" like a full bezel with software to make those pixels black. It can also be useful for info, so why not have the best of both worlds until they ditch it completely?
I'm guessing it would by more like a Sonos One, so reduce speakers from 8 to 4...
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Oh, just dealt with a similar issue myself. There are these HDMI splitter devices for under $30 (at places like Amazon) that will split the HDMI audio out (of
TV) to other options (optical, RCA, etc).Or, you could take the opportunity to buy yourself a newer receiver to power those Klipsch speakers and open up the options to connect many other things to use them too.
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I have no issues with Siri and I really have zero issues with Siri in my HP. It freaky fast and works great for things it is meant to do.
Assuming the folks at Apple aren't complete idiots, I can't imagine they'd sit idly by while Google completely laps them in the AI market unless they had something truly big in the works. It just doesn't make sense that Apple, with all their resources and the head start they had on Google and Amazon, would let themselves fall so far behind without a plan.
If they make a HomePod mini for $149, I’m on board. Couldn’t justify the $349 price of the full size one
I could see a HomePod mini with wireless charging on the bottom. Easily moved around the house, and reduced size means easier to wirelessly charge on a pad. Would be complimentary to the full size HomePod.
Would be 10/10.
Would be 10/10.
Or to put it another way: Problem with HomePod is it isn't a $179 Bluetooth speaker.
I feel like Apple bought Siri. The whole staff jumped ship or was let go and they have no idea how to enhance it
Not ALL of these rumors one true. My bet is there will always be just one homepod - and it will never be inexpensive.
In lots of companies it happened that idiots take over. Only needs a few idiots in leadership position and good people and ideas will have no place.
Tim seems very fascinated with AR while AI is literally taking over before our eyes....
A new Mac mini would be the most boring thing they could put out right now. That's a really niche market.
