Andrew_OSU

mike1 said:

Driver's license, registration and insurance cards will probably be the last hurdle. After all, who wants to hand over their phone to a cop when getting a ticket. The solution may be a 2D code (like a QR) that an officer or other ID checker would scan that would give them the info without handing over the phone.

As I utilize Wallet more and more, I've been using one of those money clip things that can hold my license, registration etc., a card or two and some cash. Much easier to carry around.

I forgot about insurance cards! I actually use a digital one of those as well. I recently got pulled over (for my registration sticker's placement) and I showed him my insurance card on my phone, he glanced at it, and moved on. So I didn't actually have to give him my phone.

bluefire1 said:

It maxes out at 7.5W.
I’ll pass.

So do all iPhones. It is designed for iPhones. iPhone max is 7.5W, so that is all it is designed to handle. To charge the iPhone wireless as fast as possible. 

vmarks said:

Zipp easily one-ups the HomePod on this front.

Using the small circular screen, you can tap to play/pause, use the arrows to go forward/back in your tracks, and even choose from one of five customizable favorites.

Zipp does NOT have a screen on the top of it. How does it one-up HomePod on this front? HomePod has a screen with a touch capacitive sense volume up/down control. Zipp has no screen and touch capacitive sense vol up/dn and track forward/back, with the mystery meat interface (not labeled controls are mystery meat - you don't know what you're going to get until you use them. Mystery meat here: tap to play/pause, 5 customizable other taps, and hover-the-hand for hush-not-mute.)

If the author is suggesting that Zipp is better because it has more controls on the top surface, fine, but he should say so directly, rather than tell us Zipp has a screen it hasn't got.

Smart speaker integration: You have to use Alexa, and you have to press a button on the top of the speaker to wake it, rather than use the wake word. It's essentially a glorified Echo Tap before Amazon allowed that device to use the wake word courtesy of a software update.

The reviewer didn't clarify well is whether the speaker is acting like a Google Chromecast in the way it fetches audio. When Chromecast gets music from Spotify, it is pulling that music directly to the Chromecast, and not using the phone in the middle. That is, the audio is not being routed from phone and then to the speaker, but the phone sends the speaker a URL, and the speaker fetches it directly. This means that if the phone powers off or the app quits, the music still goes on. I suspect Zipp is not doing this, because they can't do it for Bluetooth, and they want a consistent user experience - music works the same way for them over BT as over Wi-Fi.

Zipp is a Wi-Fi-equipped speaker, so it is capable of streaming Spotify, Tidal, or internet radio all on its own. No device necessary. Wi-Fi is not a requirement though. Music can also be played over Bluetooth or using the auxiliary audio port located on the back.

That suggests that music is routed like Chromecast Audio, but then confuses it by immediately saying Wi-Fi is not a requirement, when it is if you intend to stream directly to the speaker from one of those sources. Instead of making the audio routing more clear, the author makes it less clear.

Let's take a care of what is similar first.

'care' is a non-count noun in this use. The article 'a' doesn't belong here.

This was a silly comparison. Comparing a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker with a button to prompt an assistant with a speaker that adjusts its audio, and has a vocal prompt for the assistant is a bad comparison. They both have AirPlay, but so does the very cheap and small Jam Voice speaker. Zipp sounds good, and it's battery-powered, but it's no HomePod, and it isn't meant to be. Alexa was grafted onto Zipp through an update, it wasn't released with it. Should we also compare a Logitech UE Boom with HomePod? It's just as absurd.

Lots to tackle here! Let's check it out!

So your first critique based on the controls of the unit. I still stick with my original description. It may not be the blurry colorful display of the HomePod, but it is still a display. It changes what it shows based on what you are doing (selecting a favorite vs controlling music, vs setting up a sound space, vs off). You also try to criticize the controls as "mystery meat" because you don't know what they are. Fact is, they are more labeled than the ones on the HomePod. HomePod has no identification on any button. Whether play/pause, prev/next, volume, Siri, etc. The Zipp shows you these controls during the setup so most should know how to use them. On top of that, the controls are extremely similar to the HomePod.

HomePod has basic controls, I think the Zipp has more controls, as well as additional features. Ones like "hush" are super useful. Favorites allow you to jump to your favorite stuff without your device. And Amazon Alexa subs in as the virtual assistant. Right now, yes, it requires a button press to activate Alexa. But just like Amazon did, this is something Libratone could change in the future.

As far as the audio goes, I believe this works solely on the speaker, not requiring your device. Wi-Fi is required for Spotify, Internet radio, and Tidal. But when you take it on the go and use Bluetooth, you'd have to stream it that way. So it uses Wi-Fi when available, and your phone when it's not. I think that is the best way to do it.

The comparison is still not absurd. They are both mid-range speakers, both have virtual assistants, and both are Wi-FI based and support AirPlay. Fact is, in my experience, it sounds better than HomePod, can be moved unlike HomePod, has a bunch of additional features lacking on HomePod (Aux input, Bluetooth input, battery, USB output, more controls, Spotify streaming, Tidal streaming, audio profiles, and more), and overall is a better device. It is a few bucks cheaper too.

I've used both quite a while and there are three areas that HomePod bests the Zipp. Setup/iOS integration. The ability to move your device near it to start setup is so nice. Siri/Apple Music support. I do like Siri, and would prefer to use Siri over Alexa. I also use Apple Music, so Spotify integration on the Zipp doesn't affect me, but that isn't the case for many users. Lastly, bass. Many people like the over-pronounced bass found on the HomePod. 

These products are extremely similar and aimed at a similar audience. It is perfectly apt to compare them.

mygig said:

They wanted a screen replacement and in my opinion, they should be able to get that done by Apple, no matter how much they charge. I know they don't have do to it, because it's in their terms of service, but it shouldn't be, it's not the right thing to do. This Apple defense you wrote up, is pointless in my opinion. Always had Appleinsider in high regards, but how you tried to discredit them was not OK, lost quite a bit of points by me.

Like others have said, it is pretty cut and dry. Right after a product is released, especially a high-end pro machine, replacement parts are scarce. They take a little bit to get into supply channels. This is understandable.

Linus, in the video, says he needs a motherboard, a screen replacement, and a new power supply. More more than just a screen. That actually leaves very little of the original machine left not needing replaced. That is basically a shell, plus the ram and SSD intact?

Those replacement (core) parts, are now widely available. So if he took it into a shop now, chances are it would able to be repaired, though at quite a high cost. More than the machine cost to begin with.

The repair shop also seemingly lied, as we were able to verify that the certification for repairing the pro has been available since December. The shop most likely didn't have the certification since it was so new and used that as an excuse to get out of performing the repair.

So really, it is a simple matter of no parts in stock right after a product launch. Apple wasn't trying to screw anyone over.

seanismorris said:

I see a cracked screen...

How is it possible all the parts listed are actually damaged?

Did it get hit by lightning?  It sounds like Apple didn’t have the parts or experience to make the repairs.

Is the damage Apple’s fault?  Obviously not.  But the Apple Store should be able to send it somewhere to get fixed, and not for $5000+.

This story is embarrassing for Apple...

They say in the video that it required a power supply, a motherboard, and the display. They really damaged it when putting it back together. They aren't at all disagreeing with what needs repaired, and are in fact the ones who confirm what parts were damaged.

So two things. The third-party repair shop lied to get out of doing the repair because the repair certification has been available since before they asked, and the parts that were needed were available about a month or two after they went in to inquire about it. It sometimes takes a bit after launch for parts to make their way through the system and made available to stores and third-party repair shops.

If they went in with the Pro today, chances are it would be able to be repaired. But remember, at this point, the only thing that is left without needing repair is basically a shell, some ram, and the SSD. The rest is shot and needing to be replaced. It would have been cheaper to buy a new one.

The video is really just clickbait and hammed up for the camera.