Rumor: Apple to remove Bose headphones & speakers from its stores amid patent suit, NFL spat

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  • Reply 61 of 108
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TheOtherGeoff View Post

     

     

    Why do they sell socks next to shoes?  

     


    beer next to pizza?


     


    Lube next to condoms;-)


     


    Because the customer is already in prime buying mood;-)


     

    if you walk in wanting to buy a phone and headphone pair (impulse shopping), try a couple headphones on while the apple genius syncs your phone, and walk out with a slightly deflated credit card and a pair of Beats cans with your 6+, 




    Beer next to Pizza???

  • Reply 62 of 108
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by John.B View Post

     

    Bose gave free headphones to every member of the Jaguars this morning, and presumably the other teams as well:

     

     

    Do they really believe that will remove the fat old bald guy stank from their products?


     

     

    Hey... I resemble that remark... and I wear 'white sneakers with white socks'! :)

  • Reply 63 of 108

    Bose and Beats are equally crap. The NFL is a joke.

     

    ...wait, not a joke. They are an agency of profiteering cruelty.

     

    Condi Rice should head them up as rumored. A war criminal would be their perfect leader.

  • Reply 64 of 108
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TechLover View Post

     

    Nothing personal, this is just business.


    1st Place - a Cadillac Eldorado

    2nd Place - Steak Knives

    3rd Place - You're fired!

  • Reply 65 of 108
    Beats catalog of music is minuscule.
    There web app pales in comparison to Spotify.

    Apple has many year of work to make Beats relevant.

    I guess they wanted two people plus some colored headphones.

    Sad.
  • Reply 66 of 108
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Unicron View Post



    I've never understood the Bose & Beats hate.



    I think everyone can agree that Bose & Beats are no where near the best headphone makers out there. But I've always thought of them as the (air quotes) "Starbucks" of audio gear. Not the greatest, but certainly good enough for the average Joe and step above whatever mass market brand they are currently listening to.

     

    Having been a Bose dealer at one point, and having attended one of their "come drink the kool-aid before you sell our stuff" sessions, I can confirm that their marketing mantra is to make a product that is "good enough" for the average consumer. They made no effort to hide that fact, and were actually even proud of it because, according to them, "that is where the lion's share of the money is". We found their products to be mediocre, and when all was said and done, we found it to be too much of an up-hill battle to sell against other superior products we were dealers for.

     

    That said, sound reproduction, whether via speakers or headphones, is a highly subjective thing. What sounds good to me, in all likelihood, will sound very different to you, good or bad. There are numerous other headphones brands out there (Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, AKG, Grado, Audio Technica) that can run circles around both Bose and Beats IMO. But if it works for you, then that's all that matters.

     

    BTW, I have a Bose Soundlink in my office that sounds like complete garbage. It's very tubby in the low end, and has no mid-range detail to speak of. Good thing I got it for free.

  • Reply 67 of 108
    noivadnoivad Posts: 186member
    Beats are overpriced for their sound quality. I have tried listening to their headphones & integrated speakers almost every year but their bass is so overblown that the rest of the frequencies are distorted and the entire sound is muddy.

    Bose's lower end consumer integrated amp and speaker systems are more accurate, but punch up the stereo separation too much and the over processing doesn’t sound natural with how it colors the sound.

    There are a lot better quality headphones out there in the same price range (which hits the low end of the professional range) such as those made by AKG, Beyerdynamics, Polk, Sennheiser and Shure. Check out http://www.headphone.com/pages/build-a-graph to see.

    The person who commented that Apple should have bought Bose is right, but I would probably buy any of the companies listed above before Bose. But Apple really wanted the subscription software service to improve their own iTunes Radio algorithms and name brand recognition though. So the purchase makes sense from that angle. Hopefully they will improve their headphones enough to be on par with others in the same price range.
  • Reply 68 of 108
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    jungmark wrote: »
    pazuzu wrote: »
    Let the Bose hate begin.

    Garbage in, garbage out.
    As I predicted this $3B deal Apple will come to regret.

    How again will Apple regret the deal?

    The only thing I regret is reading that poster when people quote him.


    jmncl wrote: »
    So... Bets on Google or Microsoft to buy Bose?

    Beats me.


    I’m to understand that YouTube doesn’t make money even with the ads.

    Supposedly they do make money of their $5B/y ad revenue, more than Netflix:

    http://news.investors.com/technology-click/051914-701377-goog-youtube-as-profitable-as-nflx-researcher-says.htm
  • Reply 69 of 108
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    I’m to understand that YouTube doesn’t make money even with the ads. Apple only cares about things that are good.

     

    How are you not using AdBlock+Ghostery+DoNotTrackMe by now? Those plus ClickToFlash makes YouTube a wonderful place. No ads, ever, anywhere. No tracking by Google, ever.


     

    I would suggest do either Adblock -or- Ghostery -or- DoNotTrackMe, but not all three at once.  Running all three is redundant, and will only slows your browser down. Sometimes noticeably and substantially, depending on the situation.

     

    Also, you don't need ClickToFlash if you simply uninstall Flash altogether. :-)  In order for ClickToFlash to do it's trick, it still has to advertise itself has you having Flash installed (not a good thing, if we're trying to eliminate the web's dependency on Flash).  For the increasingly rare occasions I do need flash, I fire up Chrome (which is NOT my primary browser) which has Flash embedded and temporarily use that.

  • Reply 70 of 108
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    _rick_v_ wrote: »
    Also, you don't need ClickToFlash if you simply uninstall Flash altogether. :-)  In order for ClickToFlash to do it's trick, it still has to advertise itself has you having Flash installed (not a good thing, if we're trying to eliminate the web's dependency on Flash).  For the increasingly rare occasions I do need flash, I fire up Chrome (which is NOT my primary browser) which has Flash embedded and temporarily use that.

    That's what I did after cleanly installing 10.9: no Flash installed. However I don't trust Google and therefore haven't installed Chrome (for what benefit over Safari?) and simply tell the website my user agent is an iPad and the Flash videos are converted on the fly.

    So, no ads, nothing blinking in the corner of my eye and YouTube Vimeo works just fine for me.
  • Reply 71 of 108
    Originally Posted by _Rick_V_ View Post

    I would suggest do either Adblock -or- Ghostery -or- DoNotTrackMe, but not all three at once.  Running all three is redundant, and will only slows your browser down. Sometimes noticeably and substantially, depending on the situation.




    Each does things the other does not.

     

    Also, you don't need ClickToFlash if you simply uninstall Flash altogether. :-)


     

    Click2Flash allows for YouTube videos to load in an embedded QuickTime window, which is infinitely better than YouTube’s window and BLOCKS ALL ADS on the video.

     
    In order for ClickToFlash to do it's trick, it still has to advertise itself has you having Flash installed

     

    I’m wondering about Safari 8 and its plugin blocker. If the plugin is blocked, does that mean Safari does not advertise to the website that the plugin is installed? Anyone know how I can test for this?

     

    Speaking of which, GM3 still DOES NOT SAVE YOUR SETTINGS regarding the plugin blocker. This is complete insanity. How can they even remotely call this near release?!

  • Reply 72 of 108
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Trubador View Post

     

    1st Place - a Cadillac Eldorado

    2nd Place - Steak Knives

    3rd Place - You're fired!


     

    Glengarry Glen Ross - nicely done Sir.

  • Reply 73 of 108

    "While Bose does seem to have these patents, the concept of noise reduction goes back many decades and is well known and there are other headphone manufacturers who use it."

     

    Are the patents valid? 

  • Reply 74 of 108
    mrboba1mrboba1 Posts: 276member

    Not that Beats is awesome, but I can't get my Bose Soundlink Air to keep hold of my wifi signal long enough to play a single song, and as of last night I can't get it to change the password either. It's currently a $300 brick. :/

  • Reply 75 of 108
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    carthusia wrote: »

    Question: Did Bose think to sue Beats before Apple bought Beats? I, not, that seems like a curious move. I guess Bose is calculating that revenue from Apple stores and associated benefits from an alignment with Apple was not worth it? And Bose enters into an exclusive agreement with the NFL after Apple buys Beats? This all smacks of desperation on the part of Bose that will bite it in the butt.

    I'm sure many people here have heard of Bose and may people that regularly fly commercial (that's all you see), but many others in a different market may only have heard of Bose by seeing them at Apple stores.

    Bose has asked that it's patent lawsuits against Beats be dismissed at both the District Court and ITC. That would presume some monetary settlement has been arrived at, perhaps on a royalty basis, but AFAIK the parties have not (and may not ever) offer more details.
  • Reply 76 of 108
    Tallest Skil:


     Each does things the other does not.


     

    True, but it's more overlap than not.

     

    For the average user, I recommend only one as it can get confusing for that user to troubleshoot when a site breaks, which add-on is causing the problem.  However, I get that you don't fit the mold of 'average user', and if you're comfortable running three and don't mind the speed hit, by all means...

     

    Tallest Skil:


    Click2Flash allows for YouTube videos to load in an embedded QuickTime window, which is infinitely better than YouTube’s window and BLOCKS ALL ADS on the video.

     



     

    So, I haven't used ClickToFlash in a while (preferring no flash), but if you're using the "prefer HTML5" feature, you're really not getting any different experience than if you uninstalled Flash altogether.  Also no ads.

     

    Tallest Skil:


     

    I’m wondering about Safari 8 and its plugin blocker. If the plugin is blocked, does that mean Safari does not advertise to the website that the plugin is installed? Anyone know how I can test for this?

     

    Speaking of which, GM3 still DOES NOT SAVE YOUR SETTINGS regarding the plugin blocker. This is complete insanity. How can they even remotely call this near release?!



     

    Correct, if a plugin is blocked, it appears to that website that it's not installed.

     

    I'm not having any issue with Safari 8 remembering my settings in Yosemite.   Early on, I was having what I thought was issues in Safari, but I traced it down to a bad add-on. 

     

    I like Safari, but I wish their "click to play" behavior more resembled Firefox's.  I also wish they didn't bury the "Manage plugins" as much. I filed a report suggesting they pull that out into their own tab within preferences.  Well, you can see that my suggestion was ignored.  :-(

  • Reply 77 of 108
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by pazuzu View Post





    They overpaid for crappy electronics that their own employees can't recommend with a straight face. And the music service was over hyped. Crony capitalism.

    Let me know when Apple recoups it's $3B investment. Prove me wrong.

     

    Beats had close to 1.5 billion in revenue last year. It likely will not take long for Apple to recoup its money. Further, I wouldn't pay for any music service, but I did try the two weeks trial of Beats and it was nice.

  • Reply 78 of 108
    noivad wrote: »
    Beats are overpriced for their sound quality. I have tried listening to their headphones & integrated speakers almost every year but their bass is so overblown that the rest of the frequencies are distorted and the entire sound is muddy.

    Bose's lower end consumer integrated amp and speaker systems are more accurate, but punch up the stereo separation too much and the over processing doesn%u2019t sound natural with how it colors the sound.

    There are a lot better quality headphones out their in the same price (which hits the low end of the professional range) such as those made by AKG, Beyerdynamics, Polk, Sennheiser and Shure. Check out http://www.headphone.com/pages/build-a-graph to see.

    The person who commented that Apple should have bought Bose is right, but I would probably buy any of the companies listed above before Bose. But Apple really wanted the subscription software service to improve their own iTunes Radio algorithms and name brand recognition though. So the purchase makes sense from that angle. Hopefully they will improve their headphones enough to be on par with others in the same price range.

    I think it will be a double win.

    1. If, according to Tim cook, beats music service produces a better overall listening environment this could attract more people to use the service.

    2. The Beats headphone market serves a demographic that Bose is not touching, in my opinion. Meaning younger kids, teens, young adults. I see beats stuff in use everywhere in public by this group. I only see Bose on airplane trips. These same people are using both Apple and others products.
  • Reply 79 of 108
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Trubador View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TechLover View Post

     

    Nothing personal, this is just business.


    1st Place - a Cadillac Eldorado

    2nd Place - Steak Knives

    3rd Place - You're fired!


    Put that coffee down! Coffee is for closers.

     

    Do you see this apple watch?  This apple watch cost more than your car.

  • Reply 80 of 108
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    boeyc15 wrote: »
    Hmmmm.....

    They said the same thing. tee hee. :D
    chadmatic wrote: »

    Beer next to Pizza???

    If you ever been inside a pizza parlor you'll see this.
    noivad wrote: »
    Beats are overpriced for their sound quality. I have tried listening to their headphones & integrated speakers almost every year but their bass is so overblown that the rest of the frequencies are distorted and the entire sound is muddy.

    Bose's lower end consumer integrated amp and speaker systems are more accurate, but punch up the stereo separation too much and the over processing doesn%u2019t sound natural with how it colors the sound.

    There are a lot better quality headphones out their in the same price (which hits the low end of the professional range) such as those made by AKG, Beyerdynamics, Polk, Sennheiser and Shure. Check out http://www.headphone.com/pages/build-a-graph to see.

    The person who commented that Apple should have bought Bose is right, but I would probably buy any of the companies listed above before Bose. But Apple really wanted the subscription software service to improve their own iTunes Radio algorithms and name brand recognition though. So the purchase makes sense from that angle. Hopefully they will improve their headphones enough to be on par with others in the same price range.

    Apple could have bought Sennheiser along with beats and fused them. It wouldn't have cost them much more.

    Let Sennheiser provide the insides and Beats provide the design and have Jony and team put it all together.


    Either way Beats has a huge fanbase and I expect the headphones to get Apple style refreshes(Apple.com front page, keynote announcements) maybe yearly or so and I expect a music event soon.
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