thrang

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thrang
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  • Apple halts update to HomeKit's new Home architecture

    Mess for me too, though I don't know if it was the Home architecture upgrade or the Original HomePod 16.3 update which were rolled at the same time.

    Either one or both broke the default audio out  from the Apple TV 4k (2nd and third generations) to the HomePods (all original, some single, some stereo pairs). Busted. Broken.

    You can use the Temporary Audio Out, sometimes, but even if you do, this then interferes with later Hey Siri requests to the HomePods, where it says it's having trouble connecting to Apple Music. You have to turn that off, or force music from your phone to the HomePod to shake Siri awake it seems (and they seems to turn off the Temporary speaker setting.

    Quite a mess. Before this news, Apple support also hinted at a roll back option, but said it would wipe out my entire Home (devices/rooms/automations/scenes). The fact that they even offered a roll back was a huge indication something was wrong, as that nearly never happens. But starting from scratch is a no go for me (more than 100 devices, many automatons and scenes etc.), so I have a case open with Apple to pursue this until they fix with an update. Atrocious, and why they would even release this 10 days before Christmas/Years, when I would suspect there is an increased using in music and lighting control, is beyond mystifying...

    I tried a developer 16.3 tvOS beta to see if it would fix the issue - no dice. There was a 16.3 pushed to the one HP Mini I have (that's not in a room with an Apple TV), but thus far no 16.3 for the original HomePod.

    Tim, this is a mess, and I think Apple should address this screw up more proactively and clearly. Tech support is constantly clueless, a problem that is worsening over the past few years for Apple.

    Huge Apple family here, but I don't like the cracks I am seeing.
    lolliverAnilu_777ravnorodomdewmejamnapwatto_cobra
  • Apple sends invitations for 'iPhone 7' event on Sept. 7: 'See you on the 7th'

    The image is pretty clearly a reference to bokeh, an aesthetic blur in photography usually achieved with high quality optics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh And its of the upper quarter of the Apple logo...
    jbishop1039loquiturdangermouse2calie1618978anantksundaramvolcanradarthekatrealjustinlongsmack416
  • Apple shuts down Epic Games developer account

    Epic Fail...
    Beatsn2itivguydewmecornchiphammeroftruthanantksundaramJFC_PARayz2016djames4242viclauyyc
  • Rumor: Apple prepping as many as 78 million 'iPhone 7' units for launch

    If they're releasing the iPhone 7 or what is pretty much an iPhone 6ss that looks a lot like the iPhone 6 then Apple has grossly overestimated their orders. They're in for a wide awakening.

    I THINK Apple has a pretty good idea of upgrade/purchase patterns, vectored with the new specs/features. I'm saying, better than you do...
    mdriftmeyercalitmayslprescottmwhiteradarthekatcintosericthehalfbeebaconstangfastasleep
  • Review roundup: iPhone 7 is the greatest iPhone yet, but lack of the headphone jack is annoying

    I simply don't understand the complaint about the missing headphone jack. I suspect a vast majority of people listen while taking mass transit, walking, exercising, biking - all instances where you don't need to be charging and listening at the same time.

    Further, how LONG can people listen to music? All day while working? I've not seen a work environment where you're not talking to people, answering the phone, or getting up for meetings throughout the day. In most cases, no one has their headphones in at all, or perhaps for a short time during a break or lunch. So again, there is no issue charging during the yawning gaps of downtime.

    And I hope you don't drive while wearing earbuds.

    The adapter complaint is a non-issue. I've had a Belkin adapter on my Sennheiser earphones for several months, since the Senns 3.5mm pin cannot reach the iPhone through the charging case. I put it on once, and have never taken it off. No issues of forgetting it or losing it. My Senns essentially are three inches longer, thats it.

    So for the few percent of people that listen to 10 hours of music straight a day, or will be switching their ear buds among several devices constantly, I suppose there is some legitimate agitation. Just like there were a few percent of people who lamented the loss of floppy and CD media. But this is no reason to delay progress.

    lkruppTurboPGTmwhitetordenskjoldalbegarcwilliamlondonbill42nolamacguywaverboyanantksundaram
  • Apple unveils 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro, M1 Max starting at $2499

    They knocked it out of the park with these laptops, anyone who tries to posit otherwise is a troll or a moron.

    Personally I'll wait for the inevitable Mac Mini Pro as I'm not a mobile user beyond an iPad Pro... but I am intrigued...


    docno42commentzillawilliamlondonGG1DetnatorMplsPargonautrobin huberwelshdogwatto_cobra
  • Apple destroys Facebook in poll about trustworthiness with personal data

    He wants regulation to the extent that it would apply to all players...he doesn't want to make changes in FB only, putting him at a competitive disadvantage to other ad/data driven entities. If he has to eat dog food, he wants everyone else to eat dog food with him.
    muthuk_vanalingamMuntzTomElostkiwiwatto_cobra
  • Apple's epic 'Killers of the Flower Moon' is a hit in theaters

    I saw this over the weekend with my son and his girlfriend. While not bad in any way, and the acting is excellent throughout, I was underwhelmed by the actual script. I don't mind very long films, but this Killers did not earn the length even remotely. The real story is unquestionably worth hearing, but without getting into details, they probably should have stuck the the structure of the book (as I understand it), as it would have provided a narrative with discovery and sense of propulsion. The first two plus hours of Killers, while technically well done and acted, becomes a largely inert and repetitive affair. Only when the feds arrive is there more structure that frames the story, but by then it's somewhat too late.

    It also tries to apply a moral ambiguity (I think?) in DiCaprio's character which does not really jibe with the intentions and actions throughout, and, as I understand, not with the real Burkhardt. In essence, other then being sympathetic to the plight of the Osage, the film is filled with people you simply dislike - which is fine to a certain level, as these were terrible people - but in a film narrative (and a very long one at that), it does not provide much for an audience to latch onto more deeply, and with little sense of chance of growth or redemption (which there was in efforts and outcome of the federal investigation).

    The coda, designed to wrap up what happened to the people in the film, was not a very good ending to the film either, making an oddly and subtly whimisical left turn in a film that rightly had not earned that at all.

    The theater was packed, but not one person applauded, and most everyone got up and left quickly without contemplation.

    Welp, its just one opinion!
    gatorguyilarynxwilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • FTC, 46 states file antitrust suit against Facebook, seek Instagram & WhatsApp break-up

    flydog said:
    jdw said:

    Sorry, but when you are in business, you seek to limit your competition.  Label it Anti-trust or Anti-competitive if you like, but it's only reasonable to buy Instagram as a matter of good business.  And what may be a near Monopoly within the USA is most assuredly not in China, which is a massive country everyone needs to ponder.  China gains when America loses.  And America is not gaining by breaking up its big tech firms.  What you see in the news on this topic is merely a game of envy and revenge and the illusion of "protecting the little guy and increasing competition for the good of all consumers."


    It's clear that you have zero understanding of even the fundamental concepts of antitrust law.

    FaceBook is not being sued because it tried to limit competition.  FaceBook is being sued because it used illegal means to limit competion, and harmed consumers as a result. 
    I can't find any concrete details of "illegal means" so far.

    I'm no fan of Facebook, don't have an account, and think the big issue of user data and the opaque nature of how that's manipulated and sold is the real issue that should be addressed.

    If there is evidence that Facebook "forced" otherwise independent companies to sell to them, or illegally harmed them in some other way, that's one thing. But most start-ups WANT to be noticed and bought out. That's their payday, their lifelong goal. It doesn't make any sense that the NY AG was warbling about Facebook "buying up" the competition... (and the big acquisitions were government approved as Facebook points out).

    So would the government propose PREVENTING small companies from selling themselves to larger companies in the name of some greater good? Better they go out of business? Should companies not offer people more money to jump ship and join them (poach, to use a negative phrase). Thus, should be telling individuals your income potential will be limited for some greater good?

    I'm dubious until we see a lot more evidence presented.



    williamlondonn2itivguywatto_cobra
  • AirPods Max review: it's not easy to justify the price

    I don't have mine yet (presumably Christmas morning!)

    Curiously, the review description of the sound quality (being neutral, clean, clear, with no emphasis on high or low end, and great soundstage) is EXACTLY what an audiophile would want. This sounds like one is describing a quality of faithful and uncolored reproduction. This is how I would describe my Sennheiser HD800's.

    Yet the opening sentence says "underwhelmed"

    I guess I'll see in a few days...
    ronnmacplusplusjahbladeroundaboutnowsvanstrompscooter63jeffharriswatto_cobraDetnatorbeowulfschmidt