Andrew_OSU

ombra2105 said:

I don't understand this novelty with regard to the volume icon... I'm on the public release of the 11.3.1 and the volume icon already animates according to how the slider is moved. So what is new in 11.4?

If you have followed along, it broke with the early 11.4 updates. Then they finally fixed it. Then... they broke it again. Now it is once more fixed. Believe me, it is ridiculous and I'd love to highlight something actually exciting, but it has, in fact, went back and forth several times throughout the betas.

cgWerks said:

linkman said:
One potential problem with replacing loyalty cards or passes with a phone version is that the retailer might use a laser scanner. Laser scanners only support 1-D barcodes and also cannot scan any type of code on a screen (I'm not sure about OLED screens though).

I also thought some of my cards didn't have bar codes, but I just checked and they all do. However, for places like the library (with self-checkout machine) or Costco (where you show your card to get in), I'd have to try it to see if they'll accept on-screen. But, I would like to shrink down my wallet, especially with loyalty cards. Most of them use our phone-number, so I tend not to carry them anyway. But if they could scan them vs giving phone number out, that would be nice.

I use my digital card at Sam's no issue. I can't speak for Costco though.

bestkeptsecret said:

viclauyyc said:

Is this a paid/free sample review?

it is good to stated in the article.

It may be a free sample review since AI get a lot of stuff sent to them for review.

Having said that, I don't think they do paid reviews and if it's an ad, they'll probably be up front about it.

So no, I don't think they were paid to write a positive review.

Correct, a paid review would be considered sponsored content. A publication is required by law to disclose sponsored content.

Soli said:

wigby said:

Why did I have to read all the way to end to find out that this speaker doesn’t even listen for commands? There is some mention of Alexa integration but this speaker should not be conpared to any smart speakers because I don’t see how it’s even smart. It is simply another airplay speaker that borrows a few features from HomePod but not the good ones. Even the greatest sound in the world doesn’t appeal to me if I have to use a dedicated app instead of my voice.

1) This is a speaker review which states it's an AirPlay speaker in the title, but if you want to compare intelligence and capabilities then HomePod can't really be compared to smart speakers when it's only reasonable voice activation option is music playback. On top of that, being a BT capable speaker as well as having an audio-in port it can easily be connected to any Echo, Google Home, or other full service smart speakers.

2) It's hard to take any comment that starts with "why did I have to read all the way to end" seriously when you quote the entire article in your reply.

Good question!

1) You're totally right that something like an Echo DOT can be connected to the Aux port. Know what is even better? Full on Amazon Alexa built in. And that is coming in a future update. I just delve into it into the article. I got to briefly test this out and it worked really well. Alexa and Google Home are both far smarter speakers than Siri is at this point. So if you are looking to compare smarts, Libratone will have Alexa built in, just like an Echo, and HomePod still has Siri.

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.