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HomePod Launches in Japan and Taiwan [Updated]
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Meanwhile I just bought yet another Sonos One. They had a 30% off sale, so got it for around $140. Can't beat the price, and the product holds its own against HomePod. Plus, Sonos just keeps getting better and HomePod is still worthless.
I'll take Alexa over Siri any day, and Alexa can control Apple Music on my Sonos One.
I'll take Alexa over Siri any day, and Alexa can control Apple Music on my Sonos One.
Is there a reason why version two of the HomePod should be released soon? This is not a main core product like the iPhone that would be updated every year. It’s more of an accessory, kind of like how the AirPods were not updated for over two years.
I mean, I’d wager the first Gen HomePod will still be very much relevant through 2019, even a 2020, it’s all about the sound that it produces v.s. Just the technology.
You’re describing the first generation AppleTV.
2007 1st generation Apple TV:
- $300
- high quality metal and glass case, beautiful industrial design
- only lets you watch purchased iTunes TV/movie content
- no third party apps
... then a few generations later, Apple is virtually betting the company on their TV strategy.
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Perhaps Apple is still customizing the language differences for New Zealand? If you look at the roll outs, Apple has clearly been rolling it out based on languages, e.g., now Japan. Siri already speaks each of these languages, but since the HomePod is such an amazing product once you put it in your home, it makes sense that Apple would want to make further language refinements related to Siri on the HomePod prior to having such a high impact product go into homes.
I am speculating that there are enough differences with the accent, etc., for the English spoken in New Zealand that Apple has it on the list of regions it wants to customize before officially rolling it out there. With the intense resources needed for AI/language, it also makes sense that Apple would prioritize to do the major population regions first, e.g., they would privatize Japanese over the New Zealand regional accent.
Ok. You're right. Tim Cook is a hero. Every product is awesome. We should all put "i"'s in front of our usernames. My god.
That's the recent sale price that Target offered and Best Buy matched, so I picked up two more! Costco sells them at everyday price for about $270 and sometimes on sale.
To each their own, but it's one of those purchases that will last for many years so it doesn't really make sense to wait to save, in effect, a few dollars a year and sacrifice the amazing audio quality and other great features of the HomePod. I listen to podcasts and music throughout the day and the thought of saving a few bucks to have inferior sound quality every day seems crazy now that I have them. Siri also hears incredibly well and does a great job with my home automation and all the things like answering/making calls, sending texts, setting timers/alarms, checking weather, traffic and sports, etc.
"Plus, Sonos just keeps getting better and HomePod is still worthless."
Explain. I own multiple Sonos and multiple HomePods. I cannot see how HomePod is worthless compared to Sonos. You'll need to explain that to me.
Apple may produce a different sized speaker, but the HomePod has a powerful processor that is intended to get updates for many years.
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No, rollout has followed worlds major languages. They are clearly doing additional Siri language enhancements since the HomePod is centerpiece type of technology in your home.
Nobody said the watch would fail? You weren't paying very close attention if that's what you think.
Final answer is that Apple is customizing Siri on the HomePod for each language and dialect. The HomePod has such amazing audio quality that it is a centerpiece type of technology when you place them in your home, so Apple is being very careful to have as refined an experience as possible using Siri on it.
I've had one for about 3 weeks and I'm using it right now as a speaker, playing music from my iPhone. The sound quality is superb. I'm hearing things in the bass I've never heard before in songs I've been listening to for over 20 years on other devices.
I've not really looked into the things I can use Siri for yet, but I check the news and weather on it before I go to sleep. I've also had an Echo Spot for about 18 months and while the Homepod obviously beats it for sound quality, I'm interested to see if Siri can also beat Alexa as an assistant. I don't use Siri on my iPhone at all, so I literally have no opinion of it. My experience of Alexa is excellent though. When it starts asking my if I want to do X, Y or Z relating to what I asked it, my mind is blown.
I was holding off purchasing the Homepod in case I got stung by a gen 2 device after buying it, but I thought "what the Hell?" and went for it. This was the right decision if it's not available globally yet. And even if Siri disappoints and I end up only using it as a speaker, I've got a great speaker and getting another down the road for a stereo pair is double the fun. Win win.
hahaha, so funny, you didn't read the latest review of the voice assistants, that obvious.
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But airplay 2 is so much better any day of the week ending in "y". It might be a nice to also have, but airplay is so much better to begin with
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Thats because Amazon is listening to you, looking for opportunities to sell you stuff, or sell your stuff
Congrats. You'll love Siri as a smart speaker as well. Check sports, set timers, control your home automation devices, make phone calls, read and send messages, check traffic/calendar, answer questions, etc.
I cant honestly say for sure, but given the unique speaker array and tech hardware I'm sure they could encode the track properly they may need to use a bit better quality speakers/tweeters though. compared to a Samsung sound bar in the same room, they're fairly similar with the exception the sound bar has a separate subwoofer so it has a little extra punch.
I can notice a difference on studio reference monitor speakers and high fidelity speakers. and this using lossless audio tracks not MP3s.
I would say yes, it honestly is...you consider the convenience factor compared to buying an a receiver/amp and his quality speakers (those can get expensive quick) but you could build a decent stereo system for around that same price and you get a few more choices if that's your thing. but if youre looking for something quick and within the ecosystem, its not a bad option. not the best but an option.
Yeah, I definitely expect Apple to release HomePod Series 2 in the first half of next year, probably with an A11 or A12 processor and maybe a couple of new features (one rumor points to a display being added).
Yeah it’s pretty dumb aye. I brought one when I went to Aussie and it works fine over here so no idea why they don’t just sell them ♂️
Lots of hate for the HomePod, I've had mine since close to it's release and I like it a lot, but don't quite love it, here's why and how I use it.
Pros:
I bought it to replace a super old Logitech Z-680 5.1 computer speaker system in my bedroom, that thing was great, but wanted a smaller foot print and airplay since my MacBook is now my main machine. The HomePod sounds really great to my ears compared to anything with its footprint. Is there anything better than it which is similar in size for sound quality?
My bedroom TV speakers are terrible, but I do have an AppleTV connected to it. So I airplay the sound over to my HomePod and am extremely impressed with how well it syncs to what your watching on TV. There is almost no lag between the tv speakers and HomePod when you choose to have audio from both and when audio is only output HomePod you really can't tell that there's any lag at all between the two.
^The same can be said when I play video on my MacBook and output the audio to my HomePod.
I don't subscribe to Apple music anymore, but it sure was convenient to use the HomePod with it. Now I just airplay Spotify from my iPhone/MacBook. Sure its a couple extra steps, but it still works fine, granted that Airplay connects properly.
Cons:
Siri - not the best experience here. For whatever reason, Siri is only able to connect to my wifi about 75% of the time when my Apple TV and MacBook are further away from the access point and have no problem holding a steady connection. I ask Siri the same question again a second time and it's able to respond right away. Not sure what's going on here, it's great when it works.
Same goes for initiating Airplay from my iPhone X (not so much on my Macbook/AppleTV) it works about 80% of the time, so 20% of the time I have to try again to get Airplay to connect. Very annoying.
Hope this helps anyone considering purchasing it. I think you really have to value the sound quality you're getting from it or else there are cheaper alternatives that fit the bill better.
Pros:
I bought it to replace a super old Logitech Z-680 5.1 computer speaker system in my bedroom, that thing was great, but wanted a smaller foot print and airplay since my MacBook is now my main machine. The HomePod sounds really great to my ears compared to anything with its footprint. Is there anything better than it which is similar in size for sound quality?
My bedroom TV speakers are terrible, but I do have an AppleTV connected to it. So I airplay the sound over to my HomePod and am extremely impressed with how well it syncs to what your watching on TV. There is almost no lag between the tv speakers and HomePod when you choose to have audio from both and when audio is only output HomePod you really can't tell that there's any lag at all between the two.
^The same can be said when I play video on my MacBook and output the audio to my HomePod.
I don't subscribe to Apple music anymore, but it sure was convenient to use the HomePod with it. Now I just airplay Spotify from my iPhone/MacBook. Sure its a couple extra steps, but it still works fine, granted that Airplay connects properly.
Cons:
Siri - not the best experience here. For whatever reason, Siri is only able to connect to my wifi about 75% of the time when my Apple TV and MacBook are further away from the access point and have no problem holding a steady connection. I ask Siri the same question again a second time and it's able to respond right away. Not sure what's going on here, it's great when it works.
Same goes for initiating Airplay from my iPhone X (not so much on my Macbook/AppleTV) it works about 80% of the time, so 20% of the time I have to try again to get Airplay to connect. Very annoying.
Hope this helps anyone considering purchasing it. I think you really have to value the sound quality you're getting from it or else there are cheaper alternatives that fit the bill better.
Got it. I made a point that completely left you flustered — you didn’t rebut it — so you have to resort to the old “fan boy” insult. That just makes you look worse. Occasionally, some MacRumors members come along and so obviously demonstrate that they can’t put together a meaningful argument to defend their positions. Nobody wants to come here and hear whining. Be an adult and put together an argument or admit when you’re shown to be wrong. Thankfully, there’s an Ignore function. Bye.
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Use mine all the time to listen to music, podcasts, movies (when I use Apple TV). If however, you looking for something cheaper then definitely consider the Sonos as they are over priced.
Something is wrong with your network. That’s not the HomePod. My HomePod is about 40 ft away from my wifi point and around several walls and Siri works reliably every time. AirPlay too. And I wouldn’t call my wifi that great. Just another 10 feet more and I can barely get my iPhone online.
There’s something happening in your network traffic that is breaking up the connection at critical points.
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