upward facing is not a very good idea since the top is sealed.. will it pop that little display at max volume?
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HomePod Early Hands-On Reviews: 'Seamless' Siri Commands and Audio Quality 'Feels Like You're at a Live Performance'
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HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I can't thumbs up what I perceive as negative points (for consumers, except singles-living-alone).
I wonder if that means that basically everyone in each household that wants full HomePod functionality has to basically have their own Homepod? It seems like that would be the case.
And if so and someone was willing to buy one for each person, can HomePods associated with each individual (iCloud account) user in that home still pair up and work together for stuff like the eventual stereo playback option... and/or whole house audio. OR, would the stereo and/or whole house audio setup ALL have to be associated with the SAME iCloud account?
That would be the case if Apple is going the same route with it as they have with iOS devices. 1 per user. Expectation that every member of the household will have their own device in their own personal space or something.
Either that, or it's just not a feature they've finished yet and it'll come soon™
True but the “Direct guest access” as listed in Apple specs solves some of this problem, if playing music is the only thing you want to do.
The guest being your brother or anyone else can connect to the speaker and play their Apple Music library just fine using AirPlay. Currently this is done on any speaker with AirPlay or Bluetooth.
The benefits to having account access is having your queries, notifications, speakerphone calls etc linked to the speaker. I have no interests of having anyone else’s information being heard over my speaker, but...
The one thing I’m curious about is how will HomeKit connected devices work if the primary user is not home and connected to the HomePod, but the other user or users in the House also have access to smart devices via the home app and Apple TV used as the hub and not the HomePod.
If the Apple TV is the hub and multiple users are authenticated via the home app, does that mean they can submit queries via the HomePod even though the primary user synced to the HomePod isn’t at home?
The fact that Apple doesn’t support nest products I will never buy this useless piece of tech since they refuse to have a wide range of products to work with. Once again Apple always one step behind all other tech on seamless operability.
Useless tech without a wide range of support.
Useless tech without a wide range of support.
You'd think a solid, bolted down display could withstand some air pushed at it, no? Besides, the display doesn't eat up the entire top surface so there is mesh there to allow upward air flow around the display. But that would be funny, HomePods returned due to displays popping off when a sub-bass track is played.
I'm having a hard time finding all the details too, but it sounds like no. it's one icloud account at a time.
and The problem with the solution you've said is that its requiring the OTHER person to still require an in hand device to not polute MY stream. This means that the whole siri integration is not fully there. The point of these home automation "pods" is to remove the dependancy of requiring an inhand device while around the house.
So far (And I"m sure that more features will come), the HomePod software functionality seems to be it's weakest link with many of these nuanced possibilities not accounted for.
I'm not referring to notifications or messages. I'm referring to Apple Music. I want access to my playlists and my wife wants access to hers. In addition, I don't want her listening habits polluting my account, and she doesn't want mine polluting hers.
Nope. Guest access has an impact on playing music as well. Consider that everyone that directs Siri to play certain songs or genres will pollute the Apple Music account associated with the HomePod. Not a good design.
I think "blown the top off" is a stretch, But I wouldn't want a bass speaker firing directly at sensitive electronic equipment that relies on soldered circuitboards. You're going to be constantly bombarding it with wide and deep vibrations that could eventually shake loose tight connections overtime.
(again, possibility, I have NO clue if this is something that will actually happen as it's just brainstorming potential risks of a specific setup)
One could argue that Nest should be supporting HomeKit, not the other way around. I have both but HomeKit is the center of my automation and I would prefer the Nest therm to work as a remote slave node just like my lighting does.
I agree it was a little stretch.. but you never know how much glue is applied there
And if display pops up, then Apple will say "You are listening it wrong!"
Let’s tone down the hyperbole. Yes it would be great to have sirikit more inclusive. Another Useless produce? Good lord no
Serenity Caldwell also got some time with HomePod and came away impressed. She was upfront about the controlled listening environment too.
https://www.imore.com/homepod-vs-amazon-echo-vs-google-home-max-vs-sonos-one-speaker-showdown
https://www.imore.com/homepod-vs-amazon-echo-vs-google-home-max-vs-sonos-one-speaker-showdown
Re: lack of multi-user accounts; this may be a deal breaker for me. I have all of my music tied into an old Apple ID (created long before ITunes store, AM etc) ,and have a separate ID for other iCloud stuff like calendar, mail, messages, so it sounds like it would only be a music speaker for me
I wouldn't touch Nest with a ten-foot pole after Google bought them.
Right, you have to put things on a reasonable continuum, this may be a solid 9.5 out of 10 ( vs. other speakers in the same price/category).
It also doesn't have be - like some folks are suggesting (not you) - either $20K of audiophile level gear or a $39 bluetooth speaker - there's a LOT of room in between for people with a reasonably discerning ear
Obviously there are products that fit in between...but to have a reviewer say the homepod sound quality is "like listening to a live performance" sounds like BS.
This ^^^^^ is worth the read. Not only did she clarify that she spent an hour listening, she also summarizes the security (it'll send messages only when its associated iOS gadget is on the same Wifi network, for example) and that it can associate different Apple Music accounts via the Home app to the HomePod.
I love my X and other Apple products, but couple the Amazon Alexa Show with Harmony Elite and life is pretty nice.
Alexa, "Show me all albums from 21 Pilots"
Swipe thru list, touch or say play....
Listen thru the average sounding Show speakers, this is OK for background use.
Want bigger sound, "Alexa, turn on the stereo".
My main stereo system powers up, it has a Bluetooth 4.1 receiver on it and as it comes on-line, the Show auto transfers audio to the stereo and now big sound is all over the house.
Album info and lyrics are streaming on the show's display, or I can say Alexa "go Home" and it displays photos from my unlimited Amazon cloud photo storage folders like a photo frame.
Done with stereo, Alexa "turn off the stereo", sound re-directs to the Show.
Alexa, "Drop in on Nonni", I'm now "Auto Face Timing" with my 96 year old mom, in her home, with her memory problems unable to know how to answer a phone. Ya, this is one of the best and most versatile products I've used in many years.
So Unbelievably more useful and fun for far less money, sorry Apple, you don't get my vote no matter how many tweeters you throw at me. Amazon has one hell of an ecosystem, Alexa, "Show me the front door.....", "Ask Furbo to toss a treat", unleash your imagination.
Alexa, "Show me all albums from 21 Pilots"
Swipe thru list, touch or say play....
Listen thru the average sounding Show speakers, this is OK for background use.
Want bigger sound, "Alexa, turn on the stereo".
My main stereo system powers up, it has a Bluetooth 4.1 receiver on it and as it comes on-line, the Show auto transfers audio to the stereo and now big sound is all over the house.
Album info and lyrics are streaming on the show's display, or I can say Alexa "go Home" and it displays photos from my unlimited Amazon cloud photo storage folders like a photo frame.
Done with stereo, Alexa "turn off the stereo", sound re-directs to the Show.
Alexa, "Drop in on Nonni", I'm now "Auto Face Timing" with my 96 year old mom, in her home, with her memory problems unable to know how to answer a phone. Ya, this is one of the best and most versatile products I've used in many years.
So Unbelievably more useful and fun for far less money, sorry Apple, you don't get my vote no matter how many tweeters you throw at me. Amazon has one hell of an ecosystem, Alexa, "Show me the front door.....", "Ask Furbo to toss a treat", unleash your imagination.
I cancelled mine. I may get one later for daughter as a bday present for her room or something as this seems to target single users better anyways that simply want apple music on a speaker with some simple siri functions thrown in. Then again, an even cheaper BT speaker will do the trick too vs this limited overpriced semi-smart speaker. Wait til they're 100 off during the holidays as apple takes another year to get airplay 2 working, if ever.
I'd rather get Sonos for main room (more interested in tv sound system that can do music) and already have a klipsch sound system in basement.
I'd rather get Sonos for main room (more interested in tv sound system that can do music) and already have a klipsch sound system in basement.
With its up-firing super-long-throw woofer, I wonder if it'll vibrate itself off the shelf on loud passages!
There are several questions where you said "Yes it can". Do you have any actual source for it?
For example, does it work with a Mac? Their website doesn't mention it.
The website and stats list that it works with Bluetooth and AirPlay standards. I would imagine (and hope) that anything that supports these standards would work.
if not... it's not really a standard
BUt yes. So far the product documentation on the HomePod is very VERY insufficient.
That's pretty harsh. Did you actually read the article? This is the most complete writeup comparing the various assistant speaker offerings so far from an audio perspective. As you would expect from the price, the HomePod comes ahead. Clearly a product designed for sound as Apple has stated all along. Assistant? That's where the shortcomings will lie.