zroger73

AppleInsider said:

Promotions have touted technologies like beamforming, and the use of dedicated amps for each of seven tweeters. In that sense the HomePod's main competition may be the $199 Sonos One and the $399 Google Home Max.

Neither the Sonos One nor Google Home Max have beamforming. The Sonos One has one tweeter and the Google Home Max has two tweeters. The HomePod has seven tweeters. "In that sense", they are not competition to the HomePod.

Soli said:

SpamSandwich said:

Guessing he used the app called “Filmic Pro”? It’s the only app I know of that enables a reasonable range of options to fine-tune image capture to the point where it’s usable for professional use. This app was also used years ago for an Academy Award winning feature that was shot on an iPhone (the name of which escapes me).

Searching for Sugar Man?

• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125608/

IMDb says, "Some parts of the documentary were shot on an iPhone App called 8mm Vintage Camera after the producers ran out of film for an expensive real 8mm camera."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125608/trivia

Soli said:

...I honestly can't say I'm seeing it at 50% of the stores I go to.

Same here.

Sam's/Walmart? No.
Lowe's? No.
Home Depot? No.
Target? No.
Gas stations? No.
Local BBQ place? No.
Hilton Garden Inn? No.
Tractor Supply? No.
Baskin-Robins? Yes.
Brookshire's? Yes.
Chick-Fil-A? Yes.

These are just a few examples. Overall, less than 20% of the places I go accept Apple Pay.

I'm hoping for a male voice.

But, it'd be weird calling a dude "Alexa". (I know it can also be "computer", "Echo", or "Amazon", but it'd take me forever to get used to a new name for an existing device. It would be like changing my dog's name.)

But, it's 2018, so maybe not.

kitatit said:

my fiancé just bought an Apple Watch and the plain silicone band is $79 Australia..... I work in 
engineering and know how much injection molded  parts like this cost. Like $0.30 tops in materials plus packaging, tooling, marketing ect. $2 at most, that’s around 4000% profit margin.

I used to have similar complaints about a tool or gadget or gizmo until I realized that it would cost me more than $79 to make one of the same quality myself - if it were even possible.

Is it ridiculous to pay $9.95 for a plastic soda can dispenser that cost only pennies to make? Well, that's a hell of a lot cheaper than I could go buy a 3-D printer for and make one myself.