mike1

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mike1
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  • Logitech releases HomeKit Secure Video-enabled smart doorbell

    lkrupp said:
    mike1 said:
    Darn.
    Is battery life the reason why none of the wireless doorbells are HK compatible? Even Arlo's new wireless doorbell cameras does not seem to be. Even after I was told by them that it was.
    I don’t think that has anything to do with it. Do manufacturers have to pay a licensing fee to use HomeKit? That might have an effect. That this product uses your existing doorbell power supply is nice.
    I'm sure, but in the case of Arlo, the wired doorbell is HK compatible, but the wire-free is not. Others all seem to be hardwired only. Would love the doorbell to tie into HK, but unfortunately, there is no doorbell wiring in my house.
    patchythepiratewatto_cobra
  • Apple debuts $549 AirPods Max over-ear headphones

    sevenfeet said:
    Looking over the description page at Apple.com, I looked closer at the volume knob and must wonder out loud what in the world were they thinking when they decided to put that closer to the BACK than the FRONT on top of the headphones? 

    The volume knob will be THE MOST USED function of these headphones. And if a person is lying down on a pillow, as shown in their video/ad, the odds that the volume knob will be accidentally moved or triggered have increased hugely. And the physically awkward placement will also make it more difficult to reach in those cases when something very loud suddenly blasts over the headphones.

    This is one of those slap yourself on the forehead moments. Form should never override function on something like headphones. 
    Here's another head-slapping problem with these, outside of the price as the competition (Bose, Sony) are $200 cheaper.....NO HEADPHONE JACK.

    Now I know that Apple has moved away from headphone jacks in most of their products. But one of the key applications for this device is going to be airplanes (when we can all fly again safely). While you may have your iPhone, iPad or Mac with you for entertainment, most airlines have infotainment system screens in the seat back and how do you interface with all of them? A headphone jack.

    This had to have been discussed with the design team. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why this was deleted and would be an instant deal killer to get me to abandon my Bose QuietComfort headphones, regardless of whatever cool tech Apple has included with this, or how well they might sound. Also, audiophiles would want a headphone jack to connect to sound systems and bypass the limitations of Bluetooth for an analog experience.

    There's a $35 Lightning to 3.5mm cable available from Apple. Probably will be cheaper versions from others, if there aren't already.
    pmhfastasleepronnroundaboutnowwatto_cobrambenz1962
  • Apple Silicon switch could lead to lower-cost Mac lineups, analyst says

    The purest example of any potential price reductions could be the Mac Mini. It is a computer only. It is not burdened with other costs such as the screen,camera, keyboard, battery etc. that add to bill of material cost and can somewhat mask the cost of the processor.
    williamlondoncat52retrogustoGG1
  • 5G is a promise for the future, but isn't quite here today

    I was surprised that most of my area has "regular" 5G service. I've been doing speed tests since I got my 12Pro last week and somewhat surprised at the speeds I'm getting. It's been in the high 100s to 250Mbps range. Much faster than I was getting with LTE on my iPhone X. Unfortunately, the coverage isn't any better in my area yet. If it was a dead spot or low strength with LTE, it's still a dead spot or low signal strength.
    stephenroblesdewmehippo
  • iPad Air 4 review: More pro than not

    I don't particularly care that the base is 64GB, but I do wish there was a 128GB option. That's a big cost increase to get to 256GB.
    bala1234seanjdhanushlowpwatto_cobra