HomePod

whippet · 14-02-2018 2:13pm

davo2001 wrote: »

So if i want to use Spotify i can't use Siri to select a song?

nope .. its a limitation alright .. but I've been using apple music for the last few years anyway so not an issue.

Actually 99% of the time you select the music on the phone anyway rather than asking siri !

Creamy Goodness · 14-02-2018 2:30pm

you need to airplay Spotify to the HomePod. once it's playing, "Hey Siri, Pause/Play/Next track/Previous track" will work as intended.

you just can't do "Hey Siri, Play The Chain by Fleetwood Mac on Spotify".

Beechwoodspark · 14-02-2018 2:34pm

Going by the review in the guardian yesterday, Sound quality meant to be excellent on this.

murpho999 · 14-02-2018 6:26pm

peteeeed wrote: »

mine is at the parcel motel

Try Parcel Wizard from DPD next time.

I use it all the time

Same idea, with virtual UK address but they deliver to any address you want for the same price so you don't have to get to a motel or worry about theft.

Link

murpho999 · 14-02-2018 6:29pm

Effects wrote: »

Is it true it doesn't connect for bluetooth audio or have an aux in?

This is true but you can use it for Spotify via Airplay but not with Siri commands for tracks.

Another issue is future proofing.

In 10 years time when Apple drop support for this you will no longer be able to use this as a speaker for you new system like you would with other high end speakers that cost less due to lack of bluetooth connecivity or AUX.

Remember some people have high end speakers for 30-40 years.

That is just wrong.

peteeeed · 14-02-2018 8:11pm

Just spent an hour with it , blown away by the audio , I’m not a big Siri user so that took a bit of getting used to so I kept it basic , I tried to catch it out with the orbs ‘adventures beyond the ultrawold ‘ but it played it no problem , bass , treble and clarity is really impressive, played some hip hop next and it was almost like I’d adjusted the EQ , super bassy , then I played some stone roses and again it was a really impressive detailed sound
Very happy with it so far

whippet · 14-02-2018 8:22pm

murpho999 wrote: »

This is true but you can use it for Spotify via Airplay but not with Siri commands for tracks.

Another issue is future proofing.

In 10 years time when Apple drop support for this you will no longer be able to use this as a speaker for you new system like you would with other high end speakers that cost less due to lack of bluetooth connecivity or AUX.

Remember some people have high end speakers for 30-40 years.

That is just wrong.

It’s not a high end speaker ... it’s a home accessory ... I’d be really surprised if I am still using it in 10 years as tech will have moved on substantially !!

That is like saying you wouldn’t buy a new smart phone as in 10 years Samsung or apple won’t be supporting it etc ... and the phone is twice the cost of this speaker !

adox · 14-02-2018 9:37pm

My last negative post about it I promise.

For Spotify users, yes you can use Airplay but it’s not like casting really where th device r diving takes over the streaming, so you will get battery drain if using Airplay for a mobile device.

The beauty of these smart speakers is the ability to just ask it to play whatever and let it play or change it around etc without having to open apps and navigate them etc.

If you are an Apple Music subscriber then fair enough but I wouldn’t consider it if I were a Spotify user.

Woden · 14-02-2018 9:37pm

Some confirmed issue with damaging wood surfaces as a heads up

https://9to5mac.com/2018/02/14/homepod-wood-crop-circles/

AidenL · 14-02-2018 10:56pm

My white one arrived today.

It sounds quite good, and should improve as more features are added.

I’d really love a radio alarm function on there as Sonos has.

My wife, who would never bother opening an app to play music at home is happily keeping Siri busy with playback requests.

I’ll probably leave that one in the kitchen and buy two more for living room and bedroom.

murpho999 · 16-02-2018 12:58am

whippet wrote: »

It’s not a high end speaker ... it’s a home accessory ... I’d be really surprised if I am still using it in 10 years as tech will have moved on substantially !!

That is like saying you wouldn’t buy a new smart phone as in 10 years Samsung or apple won’t be supporting it etc ... and the phone is twice the cost of this speaker !

€350 approx for a speaker that's not high end?

Have you read how Apple are promoting this product?

My point is that as tech moves on it's not right that the speaker is then dead and cannot be used as a normal speaker.

whippet · 16-02-2018 7:24am

murpho999 wrote: »

€350 approx for a speaker that's not high end?

Have you read how Apple are promoting this product?

My point is that as tech moves on it's not right that the speaker is then dead and cannot be used as a normal speaker.

It’s not high end .. you stated your self a high end speaker will run you in to thousands.

It’s a home accessory.

Who says it won’t be functional in 10 years ? It has an A8 processor on board and can be updated. But generally the life span of home tech like this isn’t expected to be a lifetime.

Bob24 · 16-02-2018 9:38am

murpho999 wrote: »

€350 approx for a speaker that's not high end?

Definitely not. Mid-range maybe (but even in the mid-range a brand like B&W will have more expensive stuff in terms of stand alone speakers).

Look at something like the Naim Mu-so if you want to start to be in the high-end, but you’re really firmly in high-end territory with something like a Devialet Phantom.

peteeeed · 16-02-2018 9:57am

Low range , mid range , high range not sure what it is but I’m loving it

Bob24 · 16-02-2018 10:25am

peteeeed wrote: »

Low range , mid range , high range not sure what it is but I’m loving it

What’s for sure is that purely in terms of sound quality it delivers surprisingly good value for money (better than any other smart speaker and also than a good number of standalone speakers from more established audio brands). Just that is actually quite impressive.

But calling it high-end is not knowing the world of Hi-Fi equipment.

peteeeed · 16-02-2018 2:05pm

Bob24 wrote: »

What’s for sure is that purely in terms of sound quality it delivers surprisingly good value for money (better than any other smart speaker and also than a good number of standalone speakers from more established audio brands). Just that is actually quite impressive.

But calling it high-end is not knowing the world of Hi-Fi equipment.

Totally , I have a high end amp / streamer and speakers , it’s not that but it’s way better than the Cambridge audio Bluetooth speaker I was using , lots of clarity and detail no matter what the volume and now I’ve got rid of the English fella and now have the Aussie girl I’m happy

Bob24 · 16-02-2018 3:04pm

peteeeed wrote: »

Totally , I have a high end amp / streamer and speakers , it’s not that but it’s way better than the Cambridge audio Bluetooth speaker I was using , lots of clarity and detail no matter what the volume and now I’ve got rid of the English fella and now have the Aussie girl I’m happy

Very tempting for me to get one!

I’ll probably end-up getting one anyway, but it’s such a shame the don’t have an auxiliary entry on them. Buying two of them would make a perfect mid-range sound system for an Apple user’s living room. But even if you are all in Apple’s ecosystem not being able to output sound from your TV and devices connecting to it is a bit of a bummer (even the Apple TV won’t be perfect as it will have a delay which ruins interactive apps such as games and sometimes requires a reconnection to the HomePod(s))

tony1980 · 16-02-2018 4:16pm

Bob24 wrote: »

Very tempting for me to get one!

I’ll probably end-up getting one anyway, but it’s such a shame the don’t have an auxiliary entry on them. Buying two of them would make a perfectly mid-range sound system for an Apple user’s living room. Even if you are all in Apple’s ecosystem not being able to output sound from your TV and devices connecting to it is a bit of a bummer (even the Apple TV won’t be perfect as it will have a delay which ruins interactive apps such as games and sometimes requires a reconnection to the HomePod(s))

I'm in the same boat, I will get one but I am pretty disappointed I won't be able to output sound from the TV!

jack presley · 16-02-2018 4:20pm

Could you set up two and have music/podcasts playing simultaneously in different rooms?

Bob24 · 16-02-2018 4:42pm

jack presley wrote: »

Could you set up two and have music/podcasts playing simultaneously in different rooms?

Currently this will work only from iTunes on a computer (same as with other Airplay speakers).

But they have already announced support for doing this from iOS devices in a few months.

Nonoperational · 18-02-2018 11:31pm

Quite impressed. Has the deep base response of a nice speaker. I'll be keeping mine.

peteeeed · 20-02-2018 9:43pm

Airplay 2 removed from today’s beta releases
https://9to5mac.com/2018/02/20/airplay-2-removed-11-3-beta/

AidenL · 23-03-2018 2:51pm

Its gone very quiet in here - anyone else buy one since?

iniall · 27-03-2018 3:39pm

i got my space grey HomePod about two weeks ago. It's in the sitting room (on a glass surface) and I've mostly been very impressed. The sound is probably as good as I was expecting, while Siri is probably as hit-and-miss as I was expecting. The mic though is something else. I can't set a timer on my phone in the kitchen now, because the HomePod in the sitting room hears me and starts the timer there. That's through two (open) doors and across a hallway...

I've rooted my Apple TV's sound through the HomePod and it sounds so much better than my TV speaker - the bass, especially, can be room-shaking, but the whole soundscape is so much wider and clearer than before.

I'm delighted with it, I have to say. When AirPlay 2 finally comes out, I might be tempted to get a second one...

NabyLadistheman · 27-03-2018 5:55pm

How does the Space grey look? Debating which colour to get

AidenL · 27-03-2018 6:36pm

I received Space Grey today, I think it looks good, but as always, it’s down to personal taste.

5uspect · 27-03-2018 6:40pm

Most of my Apple stuff is space gray so I went with a white HomePod. Looks great.

iniall · 27-03-2018 9:22pm

Suarezistheman wrote: »

How does the Space grey look? Debating which colour to get

Space grey looks really good and works with the TV unit it’s sitting on. Haven’t seen the white in the flesh.

peteeeed · 29-03-2018 6:34pm

11.3 HomePod update available now

peteeeed · 29-03-2018 7:19pm

Airplay 2 is not included in the update

cramp · 01-04-2018 1:47pm

HomePod still not on Apple.ie??
Buy from uk only !
Cramp

AidenL · 02-04-2018 10:42am

I love the HomePod, but it’s severely limited in Ireland.

And I’m a big Apple fan, deep in the ecosystem, but I have to say, Alexa seems a lot smarter than Siri.

peteeeed · 03-04-2018 6:27pm

Airplay 2 is seeded in the 11.4 beta released today so HomePod stereo is on the way

murpho999 · 04-04-2018 12:09am

AidenL wrote: »

I love the HomePod, but it’s severely limited in Ireland.

And I’m a big Apple fan, deep in the ecosystem, but I have to say, Alexa seems a lot smarter than Siri.

How is it restricted in Ireland compared to other countries?

Siri is definitely the weakest of all assistants.

Blazer · 06-04-2018 9:29am

murpho999 wrote: »

How is it restricted in Ireland compared to other countries?

Siri is definitely the weakest of all assistants.

Apple's detail to privacy is one of the main reasons Siri lacks behind.
Both google and Amazon are far more invasive at gathering information and capturing basically everything. Hell Samsung at one stage on their tvs were capturing all conversation spoken while the tv was powered on and transmitting it to a 3rd party without any security protocols in place.
I trust Apple with my data whereas the likes of google/facebook etc..not a chance.

Bob24 · 06-04-2018 9:33am

Blazer wrote: »

Apple's detail to privacy is one of the main reasons Siri lacks behind.
Both google and Amazon are far more invasive at gathering information and capturing basically everything. Hell Samsung at one stage on their tvs were capturing all conversation spoken while the tv was powered on and transmitting it to a 3rd party without any security protocols in place.
I trust Apple with my data whereas the likes of google/facebook etc..not a chance.

Yes Apple has to do a lot more processing on device so that clear user data is not visible to them, whereas Google being Google they are happy to gather as much user data as they can in their severs with a way for them to access it, which means they can leverage that huge dataset in a world class data center to optimise their product.

In that trade-off I also clearly favour privacy.

NabyLadistheman · 09-05-2018 12:04pm

When is this available in Ireland?

whippet · 09-05-2018 4:10pm

Suarezistheman wrote: »

When is this available in Ireland?

I don't think there is a date yet .. but parcel motel from Apple.co.uk or a spin up to the apple store in Belfast

murpho999 · 09-05-2018 5:15pm

whippet wrote: »

I don't think there is a date yet .. but parcel motel from Apple.co.uk or a spin up to the apple store in Belfast

Parcel Wizard is better. Same price as Parcel Motel but they deliver to any address you want.

Link here

Bob24 · 09-05-2018 7:46pm

murpho999 wrote: »

Parcel Wizard is better. Same price as Parcel Motel but they deliver to any address you want.

Link here

Depends for whom, both have their own advantages.

In my case there’s a parcel motel locker 2 minutes walk from my place and it’s more convenient than a courrier service which requires to be at home the whole day or pick-up thebdelivery from a depot somewhere not too convenient (my office is not too keen on accepting personal deliveries).

peteeeed · 10-05-2018 9:24am

i think it will be launched here when airplay 2 is fully up and running

OU812 · 11-05-2018 12:16pm

Anyone get a home pod & recommend over Sonos?

I currently have two Sonos but the extra interface & non counting of plays annoys me. Considering selling them & getting a homepod instead.

Can you play from your iTunes library ?

5uspect · 12-05-2018 8:47pm

OU812 wrote: »

Anyone get a home pod & recommend over Sonos?

I currently have two Sonos but the extra interface & non counting of plays annoys me. Considering selling them & getting a homepod instead.

Can you play from your iTunes library ?

I don’t have a Sonos to compare to, but yes you can play from your iTunes library and it’ll happily play any custom songs you’ve added.

I like the fact that I can just leave it playing from AM all day without worrying about AirPlay or my phones battery. If you don’t want to talk to it you can control it just like any Airplay speaker just swipe up from the now playing tile in Control Center and tap the icon.

OU812 · 12-05-2018 10:42pm

Does it register the play counts? I listen to podcasts and the Sonos doesn’t count them which means they stay as I played on my phone. Which pisses me off no end.

5uspect · 13-05-2018 9:51pm

I use Overcast for podcasts so I can’t answer since I typically just AirPlay them. It’ll play podcasts when asked which I presume use the native podcast app.

I’ll check later.

OU812 · 17-05-2018 6:47am

Those of you that have one, which delivery service did you use?

Afaik Apple don’t allow the use of P.O. boxes or delivery services.

murpho999 · 17-05-2018 8:48am

OU812 wrote: »

Those of you that have one, which delivery service did you use?

Afaik Apple don’t allow the use of P.O. boxes or delivery services.

Plenty of people here have used Parcel Motel or Parcel Wizard without any problems.

5uspect · 17-05-2018 10:03am

Sent mine from Apple UK to parcel motel without issue.

peteeeed · 30-05-2018 2:39pm

the 11.4 update means you can now sync up multiple pods(stereo ) who's' tempted ?

its being officially released to more countries on june 16th also a lot of talk of a beat branded 250 dollar version coming on monday

iniall · 30-05-2018 3:07pm

Is there anything about AirPlay 2 that's good for those of us who only have one HomePod?

HomePod

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