I would have purchased 6 or more of these if they could have been hard wired. Bluetooth & wifi streaming sucks if you're trying to DJ or perform or compose from a computer. Anyone who wants to run DJ software or Apple's OWN Logic Pro X software and play through a HomePod, simply can't. The audio latency (lag) over wireless makes it impossible. It should have had an AUX in.
It’s not a hardware problem, Apple’s superior in that regard.
The question is: How do you develop a superior AI without customer data? ... Who’s asking the question? Why? How? Where? ... kind of important.
Smart speakers are more than just about playing music...
This is exactly what’s been holding me back from purchasing, at minimum, three HomePods. Until Apple can create multi-user support, no money’s spent.
That’s why you have the choices.....theres 4 for $100 speakers out there. Like I said if you cannot afford Apple products stay away from them.....you have the choices. Me I can afford all of them so I have everything new. Period
Not sure how the price of the HomePod has anything to do with multi-user support?
It doesn't. It seemed like Kuyangkoh was simply looking for an excuse to boast by telling everyone (s)he's wealthy. Like you, I thought the placement was awkward and out of place, as it had nothing to do with the quoted comment.
elijahg said: [...] the accessibility of the controls is still pretty awkward.
The UI in general is one of the reasons I'm not particularly enamoured of Apple's audio products.
In the case of headphones, where there may not be room for more than a couple of control points, things like triple-click to skip backwards may be forgivable. On a full-size device with plenty of surface area, it's absurd. There's no reason not to include separate buttons for common functions.
Even just double-clicking to skip ahead is a nuisance. About every third or fourth try I wind up pausing playback instead of advancing. I don't know if the device does a poor job of distinguishing between single and double pressing or if I'm just "holding it wrong," but either way it's an unnecessary annoyance when it would be so easy to incorporate separate buttons for each function. That would even allow for a feature I consider a deal-breaker by its absence: FF and REW, so I can back up a bit rather than having to restart a track, or advance to a particular point within a track.
Apple's obsession with minimalism is sometimes to its detriment.
Bigtds mentioned Bluetooth capabilities, could this be opened up with the current hardware that is in place? I believe that Bluetooth 5.0 is already on board. Could a firmware/software update extend the options available to use the HomePod outside of Airplay?
You would think they would have done it if it were possible. My theory is that the advanced audio processing performed by the speaker adds too much latency to allow bluetooth streaming. Rather then a HomePod mini, I'd rather see a new Apple TV that has HomePod-like listening features. I think an Apple TV is more appropriate for existing stereo systems.
It’s not a hardware problem, Apple’s superior in that regard.
The question is: How do you develop a superior AI without customer data? ... Who’s asking the question? Why? How? Where? ... kind of important.
Smart speakers are more than just about playing music...
Some valid points (who’s asking) but generally no thanks. It sickens me how Droid fans try to drag voice UI down into gimmickry but assessing how well ‘smart’ speakers answer trivia and give navigation directions(!) A total distraction from important things like sound quality, music/home control.
Perhaps the market share figures should eliminate the chaff and see where HomePod sits then.
It’s not a hardware problem, Apple’s superior in that regard.
The question is: How do you develop a superior AI without customer data? ... Who’s asking the question? Why? How? Where? ... kind of important.
Smart speakers are more than just about playing music...
This is exactly what’s been holding me back from purchasing, at minimum, three HomePods. Until Apple can create multi-user support, no money’s spent.
That’s why you have the choices.....theres 4 for $100 speakers out there. Like I said if you cannot afford Apple products stay away from them.....you have the choices. Me I can afford all of them so I have everything new. Period
I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t have a problem affording HomePods, it’s the lack of multi-user support — like I’d said — that’s keeping me from purchasing them. Do people even read and comprehend anymore?!
It’s not a hardware problem, Apple’s superior in that regard.
The question is: How do you develop a superior AI without customer data? ... Who’s asking the question? Why? How? Where? ... kind of important.
Smart speakers are more than just about playing music...
This is exactly what’s been holding me back from purchasing, at minimum, three HomePods. Until Apple can create multi-user support, no money’s spent.
Multi-user support on a HomePod. What does that mean?
Seriously?!?! You don’t see how a household of 2+ may have different tastes in music and wouldn’t want to mess up theirs or the other person’s play history, or would like the HomePod not to okay their voicemails and such when they aren’t the specific person requesting theirs be read? C’mon…. 😒 I’m disappointed that you even asked. 😔
It’s not a hardware problem, Apple’s superior in that regard.
The question is: How do you develop a superior AI without customer data? ... Who’s asking the question? Why? How? Where? ... kind of important.
Smart speakers are more than just about playing music...
This is exactly what’s been holding me back from purchasing, at minimum, three HomePods. Until Apple can create multi-user support, no money’s spent.
Multi-user support on a HomePod. What does that mean?
Seriously?!?! You don’t see how a household of 2+ may have different tastes in music and wouldn’t want to mess up theirs or the other person’s play history, or would like the HomePod not to okay their voicemails and such when they aren’t the specific person requesting theirs be read? C’mon…. 😒 I’m disappointed that you even asked. 😔
No need to get snippy, We’ve got five people in our household so I’ve disabled vmail on the HomePod. So I get that. And I noticed how my wife’s musical preferences have mixed in with my own, which is not great when we like different music. But I didn’t think this was such a big deal. But OK.
Have you used these features on Google products? Do they work well? Just asking because I don’t think this is anywhere as simple to do effectively as you imply.
Challenge to those who buy smart speakers ... let's see how many customers are using their Echo Dots and Google Home minis two years after purchase, versus how many are using HomePods.
Apple plays the long game, and has a long tradition of cheaper and crappier rivals taking lots of sales up front. The comeback of the iPad most recently is proof that most consumers eventually come around to better VALUE over PRICE.
It’s not a hardware problem, Apple’s superior in that regard.
The question is: How do you develop a superior AI without customer data? ... Who’s asking the question? Why? How? Where? ... kind of important.
Smart speakers are more than just about playing music...
Some valid points (who’s asking) but generally no thanks. It sickens me how Droid fans try to drag voice UI down into gimmickry but assessing how well ‘smart’ speakers answer trivia and give navigation directions(!) A total distraction from important things like sound quality, music/home control.
Perhaps the market share figures should eliminate the chaff and see where HomePod sits then.
Valid point, HomePod should only be compared to high-end audio smart speakers. It’s like comparing a regular Fitbit tracker to an Apple Watch...
I love my HomePods, but I rarely use the virtual controls, Siri is much simpler. I would like to see an App Store for scripts and plugins, but I imagine this in the works. More native HomeKit options would be great, but shortcuts work for my needs. I would also like a HP that’s about 4 times taller and packs a punch.
It’s not a hardware problem, Apple’s superior in that regard.
The question is: How do you develop a superior AI without customer data? ... Who’s asking the question? Why? How? Where? ... kind of important.
Smart speakers are more than just about playing music...
This is exactly what’s been holding me back from purchasing, at minimum, three HomePods. Until Apple can create multi-user support, no money’s spent.
Multi-user support on a HomePod. What does that mean?
Seriously?!?! You don’t see how a household of 2+ may have different tastes in music and wouldn’t want to mess up theirs or the other person’s play history, or would like the HomePod not to okay their voicemails and such when they aren’t the specific person requesting theirs be read? C’mon…. 😒 I’m disappointed that you even asked. 😔
No need to get snippy, We’ve got five people in our household so I’ve disabled vmail on the HomePod. So I get that. And I noticed how my wife’s musical preferences have mixed in with my own, which is not great when we like different music. But I didn’t think this was such a big deal. But OK.
Have you used these features on Google products? Do they work well? Just asking because I don’t think this is anywhere as simple to do effectively as you imply.
Yes they do. My wife's music and mine are never mixed up, nor is THANK GOD my son's. Our Google Home's nearly always recognize who is who and keeps our private accounts separate, tho very occasionally not but hasn't yet misidentified any of us and accessed the wrong account.
Now the services connected to it may not be as reliable, Wemo being my current poster child example. At least every once every two weeks or less there will be that evening where Wemo acts like it's not connected to Google Home and I have to go into the Wemo app to use them. Then with nothing changing it works again. Smart homes can be really dumb.
Comments
In the case of headphones, where there may not be room for more than a couple of control points, things like triple-click to skip backwards may be forgivable. On a full-size device with plenty of surface area, it's absurd. There's no reason not to include separate buttons for common functions.
Even just double-clicking to skip ahead is a nuisance. About every third or fourth try I wind up pausing playback instead of advancing. I don't know if the device does a poor job of distinguishing between single and double pressing or if I'm just "holding it wrong," but either way it's an unnecessary annoyance when it would be so easy to incorporate separate buttons for each function. That would even allow for a feature I consider a deal-breaker by its absence: FF and REW, so I can back up a bit rather than having to restart a track, or advance to a particular point within a track.
Apple's obsession with minimalism is sometimes to its detriment.
Perhaps the market share figures should eliminate the chaff and see where HomePod sits then.
Have you used these features on Google products? Do they work well? Just asking because I don’t think this is anywhere as simple to do effectively as you imply.
Apple plays the long game, and has a long tradition of cheaper and crappier rivals taking lots of sales up front. The comeback of the iPad most recently is proof that most consumers eventually come around to better VALUE over PRICE.
I love my HomePods, but I rarely use the virtual controls, Siri is much simpler. I would like to see an App Store for scripts and plugins, but I imagine this in the works. More native HomeKit options would be great, but shortcuts work for my needs. I would also like a HP that’s about 4 times taller and packs a punch.
Now the services connected to it may not be as reliable, Wemo being my current poster child example. At least every once every two weeks or less there will be that evening where Wemo acts like it's not connected to Google Home and I have to go into the Wemo app to use them. Then with nothing changing it works again. Smart homes can be really dumb.