steve knight
macrumors 68030
To you my wife wants more but it gets expensive. Apple Music is the one she is dumping as pkaylists and such are usually lacking.
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Smart Speaker Showdown: HomePod vs. Google Home Max vs. Sonos One
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To you my wife wants more but it gets expensive. Apple Music is the one she is dumping as pkaylists and such are usually lacking.
Technically Sonos can play all three, albeit you cannot control them all with your voice but all can be played through the Sonos app
Technically the HomePod can play all three (and many many more), albeit you cannot control them all with your voice but all can be played through AirPlay.
martint235
macrumors 65816
I did look at Spotify but found the number of downloads to be limiting. I use my phone for music on the commute a lot and don't want to use my data or suffer breaks when the train goes through the numerous tunnels 🙂
And I seem to use playlists less and less now anyway. Both on the phone and on the Echo it's genre or band so "Alexa play jazz music" or "Alexa play Arctic Monkeys" etc. First of all, I will probably hear stuff I haven't heard before and secondly I can just speak.
Sadly when it comes to each companies Privacy Policy you are incorrect. There are much clearer guidelines from Google than Apple with regards to what information they can share. With Google you are also able to opt out of sharing any information to 3rd party companies and those 3rd party companies are clearly listed on their policy page. With Apple you cannot opt out and to make matters worse, Apple states. "We may share your information with carefully selected companies" there is no way of knowing what companies that is. It is a common misconception that Google is worse for privacy than Apple. If you actually take the time to read through each companies Policy documents you will see that's not the case.
With Google home for instance you can view all the information that the device have listened to in your Google account. As far as I know there is no such option with Apple and the HomePod.
Guy Clark
Suspended
Whoa! Defensive or what.
How dare we criticise an Apple product even when it is constructive.
I have never looked at Spotify in any detail. That song limit would certainly be a problem if I was looking for other options.
Is there any option to add songs not in their library? From a brief look I can't see anything.
It certainly wouldn't be an option for me from what I have seen there, unless I'm misunderstanding something.
Any idea why I have one HomePod with a build of 15D59 and two others with 15D61? Forced updates find nothing
The point is that Apple doesn't collect personal usage information and thus does not have it to share with other companies or use internally. This is the entire purpose of "differential privacy". The fact that you can go back and listen to everything your Google Home or Alexa device has heard you say is already a privacy issue, it's idiotic to claim that this is somehow an example of increased privacy - Apple doesn't have this feature because they don't store this information in a way that is tied to you.
To claim that Google is better at privacy than Apple is a fool's errand. Even if they didn't explicitly sell or share your information to other companies, they wouldn't need to - the bulk of their revenue comes from advertising using their own ad platforms - Google indirectly sells your information to third parties via its advertising platforms, that's why they can say they don't explicitly sell your information. Company privacy policies are irrelevant. You're the one that appears to have the misconception here.
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maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Say Hey Siri stop listening
Easy fix, just touch/hold the top and say Start listening.
I think muting siri (telling it stop listening), is an extreme exception, at least for my usage patterns.
Hooking this up to my TV was never part of my usage
Some say its better, some say its inferior. All I can say is I'm happy with the HomePod.
Lol...how has any of the criticism been constructive in any way? Waaahhh...can’t set up with Android. Waah...can’t play anything but Apple Music (a lie). Waah...Siri can’t list all the US Presidents in order (never really understood folks wanting a trivia game in their music). Waah...HP cost too much, we should set Apple’s prices for them (also known as I’m too cheap to pay a company for its products, including R&D costs). Waah...HP doesn’t have aux input (though 99% of people have nothing to plug into it). The list of non-constructive criticism goes on and on.
NONE of these are constructive criticism, they are whining by people who never had any intention of buying a HomePod to begin with and spend their time trolling Apple sites. Wonder why? In second place are the people logging in just to say they’re not buying one. As if any of us care what you do with your money.
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Interesting. I checked mine and the first two I received via first day preorder are 15D61. The subsequent two I ordered after experiencing the awesomeness that is HomePod are 15D59. All seem to work the same.
My guess is the 15D59s were built first with the 15D59 version software and warehoused. The software was updated and then more were built with the 15D61 and warehoused. Depending on where our orders were pulled from warehouse stock resulted in the 59 or 61. Then again, all that is a WAG, I’m just happy they all work and sound awesome! Haven’t found anything on the 15D61s that I can’t do on the 15D59s.
This wasn't constructive. Too little too late on HomePod is possible the dumbest comment you could make on it.
tcusick
macrumors newbie
This has been the first apple product released that I can truly say I have no intent on everbuying.
Mac 128
macrumors 603
Oh I don't know. I have no interest at the moment. Siri seems useless, so there's no incentive for me to get it for that. I have a decent stereo speaker setup on my TV at the moment, which doubles as my music player, using the display as the interface. However, it's a soundbar, and remote wireless sub, so once the HomePod gets stereo it might be worth getting a pair if they sound better and have a wider stereo field than what I have now. their compact size is perfect for sticking them someplace out of the way, and if their room-adjusting sound is as good as marketed, no downside to not accommodating optimal placement. If Apple were to add surround sound capabilities, and I could add two rear HPs, I'd be really interested in that, as I currently have no surround speakers.
The Game 161
macrumors Nehalem
Guy Clark
Suspended
I never actually made that particular comment
Please refer to my comment no. 113
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My comment was constructive and objective
Please refer to my comment no. 113
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Apple could have been sooner in launching the HomePod so the using of the word 'late' is reasonable. I am not an Apple Hater I have two iMacs and a Mac Mini G4 therefore I am entitled to criticise.
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I have 2 chrome cast enabled AV receivers with 4 stereo zones (In wall/ceiling speakers) in my house. Total cost was 400$ in receivers, $200 speakers and $120 for 4 Google google home minis. For $720 (Canadian) I have a system for 4 rooms that completely destroys the Home pod in sound, and use the way superior google assistant. Stereo setup with home pod for 1 room in Canada will probably cost $1000.
I could probably look past the cost and and the incompetence of Siri but my biggest axe to grind with hompod is the closed system, you need and iphone, it has no bluetooth, and is locked in with apple music, because of this last reasons I could never ever recommend the Home Pod
I could probably look past the cost and and the incompetence of Siri but my biggest axe to grind with hompod is the closed system, you need and iphone, it has no bluetooth, and is locked in with apple music, because of this last reasons I could never ever recommend the Home Pod
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
Many people have said that regarding the Apple Watch, Apple TV, heck, I'm sure there were folks who didn't want a Newton, Apple Lisa, Apple game console (yes they actually produced a game console back in the day. Apple isn't trying to sell the HomePod to every consumer, just like how the Apple watch does not appeal to everyone, so the speaker will not either.
Late to the discussion but here's my tuppence worth......
I've now spend 6 days with a HomePod and already had 5 Play 1's, a Sonos Playbar and a Play One.
The HomePod fills a room better than a single Play 1/One but not as good as two Play 1's when spaced adequately. The HomePod does go noticeably louder without loss of quality.
For my needs I'll be sticking with Sonos but if my music source was Apple Music that may be different, my sources are Amazon unlimited, TuneIn and Pocket Casts, all of which I can access directly from Sonos App and voice. The Play One is much easier to use than the Play 1's attached to a dot as there is no need to specify room names etc (g/f wants more Play Ones due to this).
If I was after single speakers I'm not convinced the HomePod is £150 better than the Play One especially as I find Alexa works better with my lights and heating.
just my thoughts, I'm 100% convinced Siri will improve in the very near future.
I've now spend 6 days with a HomePod and already had 5 Play 1's, a Sonos Playbar and a Play One.
The HomePod fills a room better than a single Play 1/One but not as good as two Play 1's when spaced adequately. The HomePod does go noticeably louder without loss of quality.
For my needs I'll be sticking with Sonos but if my music source was Apple Music that may be different, my sources are Amazon unlimited, TuneIn and Pocket Casts, all of which I can access directly from Sonos App and voice. The Play One is much easier to use than the Play 1's attached to a dot as there is no need to specify room names etc (g/f wants more Play Ones due to this).
If I was after single speakers I'm not convinced the HomePod is £150 better than the Play One especially as I find Alexa works better with my lights and heating.
just my thoughts, I'm 100% convinced Siri will improve in the very near future.
In response to a later post of yours where you directed me to this post as an example of “constructive”. There is nothing in this post constructive.
You admit to not owning a HomePod but listening to one at a store (and it is commonly known its meant to be listened to in a “home” environment-the name should give it away).
You compare it to Bose and claim Bose sounds better. 1 - you must like artificial bass. 2 - please let us know what Bose single speaker you compared it to in the “at the store” environment where the Bose single speaker sounded better.
Bluetooth...really? I own several. Best of the bunch is probably large Jawbone. HomePod blows it away. I also own Sonos Play:1, Play:3, Playbase and Sub. HomePod destroys the first two...Playbase and Sub not so much. I suspect that will change when I can set up a stereo pair. These comparisons were all made in my home, the natural listening environment.
Since you’ve again restated the falsehood that HomePod is tied to the Apple ecosystem, you must not have heard of Airplay which many devices outside of Apple products are capable of transmitting. Oh, before you start on the “services”, I’ve tried most all of them over my HomePod...they all seem to transmit over Airplay just fine. I’m sure there are some “services I’ve not heard of, so can’t speak for all of them.
Stiil not seeing anything constructive in this post, #113, unless your idea of constructive is complaining about the way “you” think the rest of us want the hardware to be constructed.
I just find it funny how when Siri first came out years ago, everyone laughed at how useless it was, that they would rather just use their fingers to search than ask out loud, specially in public. Years later, everyone is again dogging on Siri how it can't do as much as its rivals, as if voice control is now the most useful feature ever.
No matter what feature or product Apple creates, ppl will dog on them. Once their competitors copy them, the same ppl say how amazing it is. When it's the other way around and Apple has copied a feature or product of a competitor, its suddenly how Apple is always late to the party, how they can't innovate etc etc.
No matter what feature or product Apple creates, ppl will dog on them. Once their competitors copy them, the same ppl say how amazing it is. When it's the other way around and Apple has copied a feature or product of a competitor, its suddenly how Apple is always late to the party, how they can't innovate etc etc.
Wow hmmm ok. That’s interesting. Mine is in my living room. My HomePod hears me 60 feet away — laying in my bed that’s in a n o t h e r room — and just saying Hey Siri. It sets alarms, plays my songs etc. that’s plenty for me.
Frankly I hear your observations but c’mon your “experience” seems a bit ... unbelievable.
First and foremost - I have a Apple Watch, iPhones, iPads etc. If I believe you did this test - and I have no reason not to — you say it’s true — then I think I’d say your right — this product is simply not for you. Why because if I was in the shower I’d just play the music asking to thru my watch or if my iPhone is in there.. The Echo’s and Google gleefully do listen to your goings on in the “bathroom” I for one am thankful Siri respects A CLOSED DOOR.
Omg.
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Ah ok. . Google — the defender of privacy. Got it.
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