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HomePod Now Available to Order in United States, Australia, and United Kingdom

iPhonefan200 said:
you know if you upload that library to iCloud music library FOR FREE then HomePod will be able to play it using voice command ???
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1. My iCloud is 5GB. That would fit a thumbnail of my music.

2. According to Apple's HomePod web page tech specs:

"Apple Music subscription for full music functionality"

With footnote:

"Siri works with Apple Music. Subscription required for Apple Music."

So, no, your solution would not work even if I did want to pay for iCloud storage. But to clarify my point for you, Siri will not play my personal library on my personal drives.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Those given early access to units are hand-picked by Apple to get that early access. If any of them really pound away at this product, do they get hand-picked again by Apple for any future pre-releases?
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I understand your point of view. But we all have “biases” toward any particular brand or product.

I think it’s best to take the approach of trying it for yourself. In the end, it’s your money that you will be spending. I take as much opinions from tech people as possible, but regardless... I’d like to see things for myself.
 
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citysnaps said:
Even though HomePod uses similar (but obviously cost-reduced) signal processing technology and techniques as this speaker, audiophile sites are reporting HomePod comes up woefully short in blind test listening.

Bummed. Apple is therefore doomed.
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8200 Watts per speaker?
Sure it I owned the electricity provider
 
melancholy said:
Luckily I have a relative in the US and he let me send it to his house so I can get it shipped to here in Canada!
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Let us know how activation goes. Curious to see since it's not for sale in Canada yet, if Apple's servers will activate it to a Canadian iTunes account.
 
Jax44 said:
Understood.
But 9 to 5 isn’t too biased towards Apple.

Anyway, I have a feeling that HomePod will do well in reviews from Audio sites, if they aren’t too biased in favor of 10,000.00 speakers
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Many audio sites review things in price ranges, so I doubt they'll pit a $349 vs. a $10K and consider that a fair fight. However, around here, that won't matter. I've already seen a guy write that this speaker is better than a $40K one.

Since this is a hot audio release that will get a lot of press, I fully expect the major audio review sites to do "smart speaker showdown" and "smart speaker roundup" reviews in the very near term (while the buzz is hot). I look forward to such reviews to get a real sense of this (not just sound quality, but head-to-head functionality, consumer utility and many fine details (to many unanswered questions).
 
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Chupa Chupa said:
1. My iCloud is 5GB. That would fit a thumbnail of my music.

2. According to Apple's HomePod web page tech specs:

"Apple Music subscription for full music functionality"

With footnote:

"Siri works with Apple Music. Subscription required for Apple Music."

So, no, your solution would not work even if I did want to pay for iCloud storage. But to clarify my point for you, Siri will not play my personal library on my personal drives.
Click to expand...

I believe they are talking about Siri functionality in learning your music tastes etc . Siri will play songs from my iCloud Music libary (non apple music) on my devices now, giving HomePod runs the same Siri it will as well. However, yes it does not know how to genre it or do anything magical, you have to say Play this song or this album.

when they say 'Siri works with apple music, Apple music Required' that is legal talk for Siri does work with apple music, however u need to be subscribed, meaning, it won't work with apple music if you are not. it Does not mean siri only works with apple music

Or if you really want the product, switch to Apple music its not exactly any different to others. Stop being salty over it
 
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I ordered one but not entirely sure it's something I'll keep. I'll have to see how well Siri works in comparison to Alexa on my echo dot. I'm intrigued for the Apple Music integration as it will be nice to use my entire library of music and all my playlists using Siri but I'm afraid Siri won't compete for my other uses of Alexa such as news, etc.
 
Ludatyk said:
I understand your point of view. But we all have “biases” toward any particular brand or product.

I think it’s best to take the approach of trying it for yourself. In the end, it’s your money that you will be spending. I take as much opinions from tech people as possible, but regardless... I’d like to see things for myself.
Click to expand...

I throughly agree that that is the very best way. I suppose I just have more patience at this point. I can wait for some objective reviews to answer some open-ended-but-key questions. Then, I can visit a local Apple store and "try one out" before I buy. And if it gets through both of those "filters", then I move on with that ultimate, best test.

BUT, the 14-day return policy sure makes it easy to not wait to do either for those filled with high enthusiasm right now.
 
dave420 said:
Yea it seems way too expensive. The similar Google and Amazon devices are significantly cheaper. I am not sure what separates the Apple device as I have not seen the details, I am hoping at a minimum the audio quality is significantly better.
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Supposedly the HomePod has marginally acceptable sound quality, while the rest is utter rubbish.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Many audio sites review things in price ranges, so I doubt they'll pit a $349 vs. a $10K and consider that a fair fight. However, around here, that won't matter. I've already seen a guy write that this speaker is better than a $40K one.

Since this is a hot audio release that will get a lot of press, I fully expect the major audio review sites to do "smart speaker showdown" and "smart speaker roundup" reviews in the very near term (while the buzz is hot). I look forward to such reviews to get a real sense of this (not just sound quality, but head-to-head functionality, consumer utility and many fine details (to many unanswered questions).
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A speaker that's not more than 7 inches tall can only be so good before physical constraints stop it from being better...
 
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cardfan said:
Nope. This is very limited. Can't even be a BT speaker. Can't use as a speaker from Mac. Apple TV can't use it. Can't be turned into a sound system with more of them. The integration kind of blows.

This is basically apple music on a speaker with a bit of siri thrown in...tied to one icloud acct so screw the rest of the household.
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Wrong on all accounts.
 
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citysnaps said:
Even though HomePod uses similar (but obviously cost-reduced) signal processing technology and techniques as this speaker, audiophile sites are reporting HomePod comes up woefully short in comparison, from conducting a recent series of blind test listening evaluations.

Bummed. Apple is therefore doomed.
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What audiophile sites have already reviewed HomePod? Links please- I'd like to see such reviews.
 
I'll get a used one later on if anything, just isn't a product I'm interested in. Once you have surround sound setup and homekit enabled devices.. SIRI is more or less an after thought for me. I don't use her on any of my devices, even though shes enabled. She just isn't very smart and can't do basics very well. Price just seems to high for a device like this. Maybe 199.99 but 350.. nah, rather put that money toward another testing device like iPhone SE2.
 
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HobeSoundDarryl said:
Many audio sites review things in price ranges, so I doubt they'll pit a $349 vs. a $10K and consider that a fair fight. However, around here, that won't matter. I've already seen a guy write that this speaker is better than a $40K one.

Since this is a hot audio release that will get a lot of press, I fully expect the major audio review sites to do "smart speaker showdown" and "smart speaker roundup" reviews in the very near term (while the buzz is hot). I look forward to such reviews to get a real sense of this (not just sound quality, but head-to-head functionality, consumer utility and many fine details (to many unanswered questions).
Click to expand...

Really? I'd like to read that. Please post a link.
 
boshii said:
They didn’t change the offer. It’s just not available yet.
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Oh, yeah looks like it. The UK site has the exact same streamline 'Bring great sound and Alexa voice control to two rooms in your home. Available for a limited time.' but also has 'Valid until 4th April 2018, or whilst stocks last.' underneath, which the US site doe snot have.

I guess it's still early in the US.
 
iPhonefan200 said:
I believe they are talking about Siri functionality in learning your music tastes etc . Siri will play songs from my iCloud Music libary non apple music on my devices now, giving HomePod runs the same siri it will.

Or if you really want the product, switch to Apple music its not exactly any different to others. Stop being salty over it
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Nope. They are talking about anything related to music -- asking it to play a song, artist, asking it what is being played. It's all Apple Music exclusive. No Apple Music then forget about using Siri for music. I understand Siri can do this on Macs and iDevices. Apple is clearly trying to use the HomePod to sell Apple Music subscriptions. That is my biggest probblem with HomePod -- it's an Apple Music accessory more than a Siri/Homekit speaker. Don't believe me -- Apple says so, Rene Ritchie has report similar.

I have no interest using Apple Music or any other streaming service. I rip my music as ALAC.

Also don't tell me what to do ("Or if you really want the product, switch to Apple music its not exactly any different to others. Stop being salty over it.") I'm entitled to my opinions, as are you. If you want to have a conversation and want to raise a point OK. But your bullying tactics make you look small. Remember you are the one that got upset with my TRUE note on Siri capability, not the other way around.
 
Conditioned by my iPhone experiences, I determined to get up at 3AM to do a fast preorder! But, I slept through it. OMG! I said to myself in the morning, it's 9AM! Quick I got online. Any left? Plenty. Ordered for first day pickup. Hmm.
 
Lepton said:
Conditioned by my iPhone experiences, I determined to get up at 3AM to do a fast preorder! But, I slept through it. OMG! I said to myself in the morning, it's 9AM! Quick I got online. Any left? Plenty. Ordered for first day pickup. Hmm.
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Ofc they have at least 1 mil for just 3 countries
 
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