Surely for it to be a stand alone device it needs bluetooth and an audio input jack. It would appear that Apple designed it to be an extension of Apple music and not much more.
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HomePod HomePod first impressions
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I think that goes almost without saying as you need to have an Apple Music subscription to fully use the HomePod. I know you can use airplay, but doing so then removes the ability to use Siri to select the music.
The HomePod may pick up on the Hey siri part. I have my iPhone sitting next to me, and I say hey siri all the time. While the phone wakes up, the homepod takes over.
I just tried it, playing music from my phone through the homepod and yep, when I tried changing songs on my phone, the homepod's siri changed it. Now I have Apple music but think the results be the same.
Hi.....as a Canadian I haven't been able to get my hands on the HP yet....but will be in the States ina couple of weeks. Sorry I haven't had time to read this entire thread so this may have been asked already...but can you ask Siri to play a Tunein radio station on the HP? I already read that you can't use the HP to wake you up to music....is that true?
No, there's no access to TuneIn via the HomePod - it can be done via the TuneIn app on an iOS device, and then airplayed, but not directly on the HomePod.
That sucks.....guess I'm going to give the Amazon Echo a try then......I'm an Amazon Prime member so will have access to Prime Music but this almost makes me want to switch back to Spotify from Apple Music.
I agree. Right now the HomePod is a one trick pony with only Apple Music. No itunes radio or SiriusXM, unless playing from your phone. I would get the Sonos One, instead of the Echo though if you need those.
What I ended up doing was getting the Amazon Echo and pairing it with my Bose Revolve+ bluetooth speaker and it works perfectly.....I don't really need the Sonos One. I decided to subscribe to Spotify for a month just to see how it works with the Echo and it doesn't work very well. I asked the Echo to "play the most recent Taylor Swift album on Spotify" and it doesn't do it.....it just plays a general playlist of Taylor Swift songs. Someone please tell me that the HomePod doesn't do that???
Bought a HomePod as a gift for a family member in Denmark... took it over last weekend. Setup perfectly first time, and works a treat with their Apple Music subs.
You guys are crazy. For $700 you can get superior sound easily. $500 for a pair of great active speakers (e.g. Klipsch R-15PM) plus an Echo Dot for $50. You get superior sound, Bluetooth support, access to a range of music services plus your own music library: AND save $150...
I totally agree. I spent some time with a HP at a friends house last week and I was incredibly underwhelmed for the price it goes for + all its limitations.
The RDF is pretty strong on the HP if you ask me.
Yeah there's also a lot of smaller, stylish really excellent active speakers like the cheap alternative Edifier R1700BT for $150 a pair or S1000DB for $350. In case you want to add a subwoofer you could get something like the Q Acoustics BT3 for $300 plus Polk PSW111 plus Echo Dot comes in at $650. Will blow away the Homepod.
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Some people get it, others don’t. To what you listed doesn’t impress me at all. Wouldn’t dream of having it.
Besides why would I want Bluetooth when I’ve got airplay?
I’ve got access to a range of music services and can play my own songs as well.
It may makes sense to you, but it sure does not to me.
I got two HomePod pair and I absolutely love them... Absolutely love the way Siri hears me from afar without me having to shout.
I am disappointed with iOS 12 though, was expecting some HomePod goodies, but it got passed over completely... (being able to invoke Siri shortcuts that are on your iPhone and using facetime audio aren't really HomePod-features if you ask me... One doesn't work without the iPhone preset and the other one is just airplay 2 being used)
I am disappointed with iOS 12 though, was expecting some HomePod goodies, but it got passed over completely... (being able to invoke Siri shortcuts that are on your iPhone and using facetime audio aren't really HomePod-features if you ask me... One doesn't work without the iPhone preset and the other one is just airplay 2 being used)
A speaker with Bluetooth is versatile and can be used where there's no WiFi. Like in the garden or at a party on the beach. Also, when I have friends over they can easily play their music by connecting with Bluetooth from their mobiles for example, no matter if it's an Android or iPhone or something else, as long as they support Bluetooth...
I use an Echo Dot with a JBL Xtreme that I bought 3 years ago for that versatility, I can take the JBL with me into the garden or use it in the Kitchen with my Echo Dot. I was just arguing that for around $700 (that's a crazy amount of money for a pair of active speakers with some smart functions...) you can get much more than what you get from 2xHomepod by buying some real audiophile active speakers that have also Bluetooth aptX for the versatility in the same price range.
It's great that you enjoy your Homepod, good for you.
For me, it's got very low value for money...
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LOL. Get out of here. These can easily keep pace with my EVENT 20/20 v3 studio monitors up to about 80% volume. They are incredible value for that size.
Never mind that they fill the room with sound and aren't as reliant on the sweet spots that a pair of regular stereo speakers are.
The homepod is also a homekit base-station to control all your smart devices. None of the regular speaker alternatives do that.
If you want a portable bluetooth speaker, fine. That's not what homepod is.
As far as the garden, kitchen, etc. is concerned, i have wifi out there so....?
Sure, traveling you won't have wifi, but if you can't pick up your homepod and use it in and around your house, your WIFI sucks.
If you want a portable bluetooth speaker, fine. That's not what homepod is.
As far as the garden, kitchen, etc. is concerned, i have wifi out there so....?
Sure, traveling you won't have wifi, but if you can't pick up your homepod and use it in and around your house, your WIFI sucks.
As I wrote, I am arguing for Echo Dot in conjunction with a good pair of active speakers, this will provide much more support for smart home control than homepod, that's a fact.
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Then there's something wrong with your speakers.
The coloring of the homepod is quite heavy with DSP adjustments. I believe the homepod is probably geared toward casual listening with pop music. Depending on the source and type of music, the quality of sound will be revealed to be inferior. Computeraudiophile has done a quite substantial sound testing.
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/ca/reviews/apple-homepod-review-an-audiophile-perspective-r697/
I would definitely agree with that. Some have said google home max or Sonos One sounds better than HomePod. At the same time, others have said the HomePod sounds just as good as their component A/V setups. Sorry, but huh? Both of those can’t be true at the same time. I’ve never seen anyone claiming a Sonos One sounds better than a proper hi-fi setup. I’ve also seen people talking about tons of bass. Ok, maybe if you’ve never heard a setup with a 10”+ subwoofer.
I've got one and I like it a lot. But I've also been looking forward to stereo pairing and getting a second one.
Then comes the news: stereo pairing only works with streamed audio, not with tracks from your own local iTunes library. If you want to play a track you ripped losslessly from your own disc into your own iTunes library, you have to give up true stereo.
It is beyond bizarre. It's like they had a committee meeting asking: what are the strangest and most arbitrary limitations we can build into this thing?
Then comes the news: stereo pairing only works with streamed audio, not with tracks from your own local iTunes library. If you want to play a track you ripped losslessly from your own disc into your own iTunes library, you have to give up true stereo.
It is beyond bizarre. It's like they had a committee meeting asking: what are the strangest and most arbitrary limitations we can build into this thing?
iTunes has not been updated yet. Not really a limitation as it is more waiting.
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Lol. They have done nothing of the kind. They’ve done a simple, subjective, non blind listening test and written a typo-filled review that agrees with Consumer Report of all things as well as admitting that “speaker measurements are beyond him”. No ****, as he concocts a conspiracy theory that Apple somehow fudges flat response tests.
You lost me at Alexa. Sorry, non starter for me. I've tried it with my sonos and don't like it... and don't see the need to give up that much privacy.
But out of curiosity I clicked your link... and started laughing when I noted they were comparing the HP to a $100,000 system. No joke the HP came up short.
But I am sure they would have been impressed with your system. If they had reviewed it.
Anyway, I like the HP for a variety of reasons, sound included, and the level of home control it gives me is enough. I may be insane, but I'm not crazy.
Seriously?
I didn't realize that limitation.
I'm would essentially never be a HomePod buyer in that case...wow...what a strange rule/policy.
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Interesting...
Do we know when/what iTunes release will tackle this aspect?
You have to admit the sound that the stereo pair emits while watching a movie on the homepod thru AppleTv is abysmal......the sound isn't the same at 90% for movies as it is for music....and that in itself is disappointing.....