ArchStanton

robin huber said:

Patent trolls and influencers are the butt crumbs of society. 

"butt crumbs"? LOL, funny.
Unfortunately many consumers don't make the connection to butt crumbs trying to make a fast buck and the added cost we pay for products AND when a real consumer product problem is met with skepticism/a bunker mentality by companies.  

Again this is the problem: when everything is a lawsuit then nothing is about what's good for consumers. It's about a handful of people looking for a payday. So when a real issue arises, it is looked upon just another money grab. 

This is isn't just an Apple thing. 

mobird said:

Maybe my Wife will benefit from this feature when watching TV...nothing to my knowledge has mentioned this capability. We'll find out.

The share function might be what you and your wife could use? Both APPs can connect to AppleTV or Airplay through the iPhone. Each set of APPs get the same audio but there is individual volume control. 

lkrupp said:

MacPro said:

Cheap, low quality often wins out in certain markets, look at VHS history.  Perhaps they shouldn't be in the same category in the first place.  HomePods are genuine music speakers which can hardly be said for the Amazon speakers.

Cheap is always better in some people’s minds.

Took me years to realize that cheap often meant more money in the long run. It's certainly not always true but it is frequently true. 

Regardless, I wouldn't have a voice activated smart assisted speaker in my house if my words are recorded/transcribed into a company's servers.  Most certainly Amazon is widely doing this. And what little you can control from the app is fluffy and IMHO misleading settings such as "manage how your data improves Alexa" (we wouldn't want Alexa to not be improved, right?). 

If you can afford something? Then if they offer you interest free, take advantage of it. Interest free is, in effect, free money once inflation is factored in (100 dollars on Jan 1 2021 is equivalent of 97$ on Jan 1 2022 if inflation is 3% for 2021). Just set up the payment as auto and never change it.

With that said, if you can't afford something outright, please consider saving up for it and/or don't buy it. Cut your cable service to basic or altogether out, eat home cooked, shop for cheaper car insurance, buy food stuff in bulk. You'd be surprised how much you can save up in 3 months by examining your expenditures then cutting out outsized cash expenses.
I have no idea what the buy now/pay later interest rate is, but if it is commensurate with credit cards (which is likely), you are probably paying 15%. This means if you buy a 1000$ for whatever on credit, and you pay the 1000$ credit debt off in 5 years, you're paying in the range of double.

You work hard, you collect a paycheck, yet you're throwing away that hard work on overpaying for things using credit debt. Work hard to be cash poor? Not a good thing.