Apple and Beats introduce 'Pills' characters to Siri in first official ad

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  • Reply 81 of 147
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    In the past, if A, B.

    Today, A.

    And yet you claim that there won’t be B.


    In the past, Apple had never spent more than $1bn on an acquisition

    Today, Apple have spent $3bn on Beats.

     

    Maybe the impact on the books is the only thing different about this acquisition, but given the scale of the difference, I don't think many would be surprised if other differences are on the cards.

     

    Many people think a large part of the value in this deal is the consumer brand value, something that has never really been true with an Apple acquisition before.  Throwing that brand value in the trash would be a rather wasteful move.

  • Reply 82 of 147
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    crowley wrote: »
    In the past, Apple had never spent more than $1bn on an acquisition
    Today, Apple have spent $3bn on Beats.

    That is true. Before Beats their largest purchase was Next for about $450 million. However, as a percentage of the value the company Beats is still much lower than Next and therefore much less risky. If we company what Google, Facebook et al. have been paying for companies it's extremely small. Regardless of what Beats does for Apple it's clear that it's not going to hurt Apple in the long run.
  • Reply 83 of 147
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    On Twitter DED notes that the Siri voice is from 2012.

     

    Meh. The HAL voice is from 1968. Nobody complains. ;)*

     

    I always though it was strange that when Mathew Broderick's character from WarGames finally meets the WOPR supercomputer at the Cheyenne Mountain base, the WOPR has the same voice as the "Radio Shack" voice box he had attached to his home computer.

  • Reply 84 of 147
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Here is a picture of the BW.  No wonder your kids did not want those.

     

     

    Again find me a pair of Headphones that look just as good as the Solo2 and sound better that cost $199 or less.

     


     

    You like the looks of the Beats better than the B&W? I very much prefer the appearance of the B&W. Elegance over techno. They feel awesome too.

  • Reply 85 of 147
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Someone mentions that there are no positive reviews of Beats headphones.

    I post 2 positive reviews.

    Now people say those review sites are not true audiophiles so they don't count.


     

    Yes, I joked that the reviews you found were not exactly credible sources of audio reviews, but that wasn't the point and I said so.

     

    What I said was that the reviewers didn't seem able to find much to compliment. The best they could come up with is that they're pretty, fingerprint-resistant, sonically inaccurate but at least they boom, less overpriced other than Beats models, and not as awful sounding as the previous generation.

     

    Read between the lines. Such a review is NOT "positive."

  • Reply 86 of 147
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    The question that's still unanswered (for me at least) is why Cue and Cook felt these guys, this music service was worth so much. What's Jimmy going to do that Apple couldn't do? Or couldn't have done for a much smaller price tag?

     

    It must be for Apple TV, don't you think?

     

    I really can't see the added value besides Iovine's connections in the music and movie industry.

     

    I am not too keen on the beats brand itself. This is the second clash already:

     


    1. First you had the deal that got leaked before the official announcement. 

    2. … and now we have this below par ad. What the heck was that?

  • Reply 87 of 147
    Quote:



    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Again find me a pair of Headphones that look just as good as the Solo2 and sound better that cost $199 or less.


     

    But you've included an impossible qualifier: "…that look just as good as the Beats…" That's totally subjective, so there's no way to make any meaningful comparisons. Like how I think the B&W look really nice but you don't. You can disqualify anything you want on the basis of not liking its appearance.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Its like comparing a GTR to a Ferrari.  Yes the GTR is just as fast and cost half the price.  But people buy the Ferrari because of the name recognition and superb design.  Why is it so hard for you guys to understand the same thing with Beats?


     

    I get it, but Beats ain't no Ferrari! The Ferrari is performance first above all else. Beats are appearance first, performance is secondary. Plus, the performance the Beats deliver is skewed to favour one particular aspect. They're much more akin to a Tokyo Drifter. There's nothing wrong with that, until people start making it out to be something it's not. Like comparing Beats to Ferrari. THAT'S my objection.

  • Reply 88 of 147

    CORRECTION: In an earlier post I endorsed the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) P5. I just realized I've never heard the P5. It was the P7 I was listening to. Oops. Just in case it matters to someone, which I seriously doubt.

  • Reply 89 of 147
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    mr o wrote: »
    It must be for Apple TV, don't you think?

    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">I really can't see the added value besides Iovine's connections in the music and movie industry.</span>


    I am not too keen on the beats brand itself. This is the second clash already:
    1. First you had the deal that got leaked before the official announcement. 
    2. … and now we have this below par ad. What the heck was that?
    No. Iovine already said he wants nothing to do with TV. What evidence is there that Iovine has connections in the TV industry?
  • Reply 90 of 147
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Lorin Schultz View Post

     

    CORRECTION: In an earlier post I endorsed the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) P5. I just realized I've never heard the P5. It was the P7 I was listening to. Oops. Just in case it matters to someone, which I seriously doubt.


    I have the P7s, and while they sound good I wouldn't wear them outside the house; they've very large.

  • Reply 91 of 147
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     
    But the problem is the GTR out performs the Ferrari.  The GTR cost half the price and can post faster lap times than a $200k Ferrari.  The GTR is faster to 60, faster to 100, faster in the 1/4 mile, faster on the track.  But I don't see anyone criticize someone for buying a Ferrari instead of a GTR.  The reason is because they are willing pay more for the name, the style, and prestige.  The same thing can be said about Beats.  Yes there are headphones that sound better for the price but I have yet to find one that has equal style and brand prestige and sounds better for the same price.


     

    Gotcha. I get what you mean now.

     

    For the record, I don't actually own the B&W P7 cans. Too rich for my blood. When I want isolation and/or sound quality I use a butt-ugly pair of Beyerdynamics I bought for field recording. Really comfortable and natural sounding. Otherwise I just use whatever shit earbuds come with the iPhone.

  • Reply 92 of 147
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Everyone has their own opinion about style.  I'm glad you like your B&W.  But many of the younger crowd love the clean and modern look of Beats.


     

    Just between you and me, while I don't care much for the Studio or the Ur, I agree the the Solos look really good. Nice lines. If they were tuned for a more natural sound instead of being hyped for kids I might even consider buying a pair.

  • Reply 93 of 147
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post



    C5 are good? They look great; I will be trying these out tomorrow!

     

    Lemme know what you think. I'd be interested in knowing your opinion.

  • Reply 94 of 147
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post





    No. Iovine already said he wants nothing to do with TV. What evidence is there that Iovine has connections in the TV industry?

     

    In this case I am totally mystified by the added benefit of the beats deal:

     

    Apple knows how to do software.

    Apple knows how to do services.

    Apple knows how to do hardware.

     

    Or perhaps there is one thing Apple is not good at:

     

    Apple does not know how to be a social platform. Remember Ping? Perhaps this could be the added benefit of beats? To create the new myspace/soundcloud/mixcloud? But then again, beats didn't have a social platform either? :???:

     

    I am sorry beats, but I am not impressed by your headphones and brand. It is fun without substance. Shame about the money, there are a billion other ways to spend that kind of money …

  • Reply 95 of 147
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mr o wrote: »
    Apple knows how to do hardware.

    And yet Beats has better headphones than Apple.
  • Reply 96 of 147
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    And yet Beats has better headphones than Apple.

     

    That is because Apple hasn't really designed proper headphones.

     

    However, they do have the resources, engineers and design team in place to do so. Somehow it is not their priority.

     

    I hope they will go back to their music roots with the new iPod series. Perhaps with a little help of beats. I like what Pono did. Not the design of their music player but their approach to the music experience. Great vibes.

  • Reply 97 of 147
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member

    Now, beats take notice:

     

    THIS is what Apple* design stands for: 



    (*) I do love Apple's new iOS and OSX direction. I dig the 5C too. It does feel nice in the hand. So, I am hoping the beats video is just a blip. If you are going to use animated robots, ask EVE. She is much better looking ;) 

  • Reply 98 of 147
    trumptmantrumptman Posts: 16,464member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Relic View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleSauce007 View Post





    You misunderstood, "Plug in speakers are done" is a "trash talking" phrase from the first ad... Hence the smiley.  Go watch it.

    Regarding my standards for high end audio, they are actually quite high.  I use an Anthem pre-amp, Anthem amplifiers, some Paradigm speakers, some JM-Labs speakers and three Velodyne DD subs in three zones.  I have a Sennheiser HD-650 but I plan to buy a Beats Solo2 soon.



    ?It's OK to appreciate good sound but you can't go around criticizing everything because then you miss all the fun.

    The Beats Solo2 sounds very good it is very cool.




    Sorry but Lorin is right, I would normally be the first one to come to your rescue as the people in the board can defiantly be overly snobby towards products but in this case I get it. My children begged me for a a pair of Beats Solo 2's for Christmas, shortly after the New Years they both broke, one had a blown speaker from crappy techno music and the others cable had frayed, which isn't the first time that had happened with a pair of earphones from Beats in this house, I had a pair of in-ears that lasted 4 months before the cable started to break in 3 different places, just cheap crap. Sound quality, no where near as good as the price suggests they'll be, especislly when compared to decent headphones like my Bowers and Wilkins P5's or my newly aquired Aedle VK-1 Headphone for the same price. Only when paired with a decent headphone amplifier like the FiiO E12 do the Beats start to sound good but that's an additional150.00.



    Nope, I don't get it, especially when there are just so many great headphones on the market right now. Also why would you want to own something that everyone has,have you ever counted how many you see in a dsy, it's staggering, almost every kid on the street has one now, buy something unique. You should really check out the Aedle Vk-1's, Bang and Olfusen H6 or Bowers and Wilkins P5 any of those three would also turn heads and they sound amazing. If you do buy the Beats because it is a fashion statement that you just can't live without, then don't forget a good headphone amplifier as it's almost a necessities.

     

    Well as you note, almost every kid on the street has one now. There's that time out there when you suddenly discover you are the parent and not the child. You realize you are out of the groove with regard to determining what is cool and hip. You are the one on the outside. My son did not ask for Beats headphones but he did ask for Razer gaming headphones at $60 and a gaming mouse for his computer. I guess I got off lucky.

     

    The same arguments that are being made against Beats are often made against Apple. Namely that they are overpriced for what they do, that they rely partly on style to make up the difference and that the remaining price premium is associated with brand and a simple solution to a problem for most people.

     

    I'd say Beats fits the Apple profile perfectly in that regard (and also as my drawer of crapped out Apple cables will attest to as well) and more importantly it gets them in as cool with the kids again. Apple hasn't done much with their iPod lines and as a result many more kids have Android phones. A crappy Android tablet has been the go to Grandma gift for about two years now. They are out there. They were bought. Kids have invested into that ecosystem, have their crap on them and there is going to be something necessary to help them move over back to Apple. Apple is still growing but I'm sure they monitor their demo and it is getting older, is probably stlll too white, and is shrinking as an overall percentage of the market. Apple needs an "in" back to the kids and Beats is part of that.

     

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post



    The only reason why I defend Beats is because the unreasonable hate and vile thrown at the brand here.  There really is no good reason to do so.



    They make good quality headphones that cost more because of the style factor.  I see no reason why that should breed all these hateful comments about the brand.


    Not sure I'd agree with you on good quality. But they make a style certain people like, got recording artists and sports stars to be seen with them and charge a lot for them. And for some people the more expensive something is the better they think it is.



    But as I've said before I don't think Apple bought Beats for the headphones. But I do think the only way they could justify the $3B price tag was because the headphones are a money maker. No way is Beats streaming music service worth that much. And shit, if Steve Jobs was only worth $400M no way in hell Jimmy Iovine and Dr Dre are worth $3B (and who knows how much involvement they'll have or how long they'll stick around).



    The question that's still unanswered (for me at least) is why Cue and Cook felt these guys, this music service was worth so much. What's Jimmy going to do that Apple couldn't do? Or couldn't have done for a much smaller price tag?

     

    They were worth it because they know how to get teenagers to easily handover $200 for a pair of headphones. This acquisition is very different from prior acquisitions. People note NeXT was bought but didn't remain independent. Of course they didn't but then again, Steve Jobs became CEO and had history as the founder of Apple. It was more like royalty with Apple retaining the name due to birthright and being first born.

     

    Beats is different. The owners are joining Apple's executive board. How many times has that happened in the past?

     

    Apple has a problem. The whole Valley has a problem. They were young and hip and now they are old and somewhat less hip. San Francisco has more dogs than children. It's hard to know what the kids want when you don't have any yourself, there aren't any around and your circle of information becomes self-reinforcing.

     

    Even half a decade ago there was not a child out there that didn't have an iPod Touch, Nano or was clamoring for them. Now they could honestly care less. Apple still does good business but they aren't the must have solution there. They don't have buzz with the kids.

     

    image

     

    Remember that ad? It was from 2002. That is almost a generation ago. The "reasoning" on that ad still sounds right to the kids but Apple hasn't addressed that in a long time. The product placement, the social media, the cachet of stars and artists using your stuff has been what Beats has been doing for quite a while. Beats has Nicki Minaj wearing their headphones. Apple is like dad standing around wondering what the hell a Minaj is and scratching his head confused as to when did U2 stop being popular.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Crowley View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    In the past, if A, B.

    Today, A.

    And yet you claim that there won’t be B.


    In the past, Apple had never spent more than $1bn on an acquisition

    Today, Apple have spent $3bn on Beats.

     

    Maybe the impact on the books is the only thing different about this acquisition, but given the scale of the difference, I don't think many would be surprised if other differences are on the cards.

     

    Many people think a large part of the value in this deal is the consumer brand value, something that has never really been true with an Apple acquisition before.  Throwing that brand value in the trash would be a rather wasteful move.


     

    I fully agree. I wouldn't be shocked if Apple even went so far as to create a Beats setting within the iPhone to make sure they sound best when plugged into iPhone but they won't throw the brand away.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Crowley View Post



    In the past, Apple had never spent more than $1bn on an acquisition

    Today, Apple have spent $3bn on Beats.




    That is true. Before Beats their largest purchase was Next for about $450 million. However, as a percentage of the value the company Beats is still much lower than Next and therefore much less risky. If we company what Google, Facebook et al. have been paying for companies it's extremely small. Regardless of what Beats does for Apple it's clear that it's not going to hurt Apple in the long run.

     

    No hurt, possibly some help, especially with the kids and marketing.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mr O View Post



     

    I am sorry beats, but I am not impressed by your headphones and brand. It is fun without substance. Shame about the money, there are a billion other ways to spend that kind of money …


     

    Have you listened to the Solo2 yourself?

     

    Please don't judge Beats by the headphones they made a few years ago.  Those were engineered by Monster and since then they were fired.  Those Monster engineered headphones were terrible.  The new stuff is very good.  So please go to BestBuy and listen to the Solo2 which was engineered by the new team.  They are getting very good reviews.


     

    Like you said, there are better headphones and Beats has figured out that price point. First they got the kids to care and they cared enough to hand over $200. That is important. This is a premium and youth oriented market and Beats absolutely owns it. Even if the kids defending Beats sound like Ellen in the video above, they care about and are defending it. That means their purchasing decisions will carry forward as adults along similar lines and that will probably mean lining the pockets of Apple with their cash.

  • Reply 99 of 147
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    Have you listened to the Solo2 yourself?

     

    Please don't judge Beats by the headphones they made a few years ago.  Those were engineered by Monster and since then they were fired.  Those Monster engineered headphones were terrible.  The new stuff is very good.  So please go to BestBuy and listen to the Solo2 which was engineered by the new team.  They are getting very good reviews.




    hello sog35,



    I was told they were engineered for mainly hiphop music. Low bass etcetera. Not my thing …



    I listen to jazz, classical, electronic and progressive (techno). I don't want the bass to be prominent. I want to hear the soundscape. Something Pono has been teasing us for a while.



    Do you have a Solo2? How do the headphones feel after prolonged use? Does it give ear cramps?

     

    I'm not a big fan of the current design either.



    I'd better wait until Ive's design team got their hands on the Solo2. 

  • Reply 100 of 147
    Sorry, I don't see any videos from the links given in the article. Any chance the video has moved places? If that is the case, any chance the original video was a hoax?
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