Apple Company • Page 325

My headphones were on their last legs so I picked up some AirPods after work yesterday. I kinda trashed on these when they were announced, but once again I gotta eat my hat here because I love them

 

I think iPhone SE is lowkey the best iPhone ever made, but I've always thought the 5/5S was the best iPhone design ever. Putting modern features on it to keep it alive would be a good thing.

 

The SE is probably my favorite iPhone I’ve ever owned. Would love an updated version with maybe rounded edges.

 

I was thinking about how I really loved my iPhone 5 in terms of its shape. THe longer ive had the 6 the more I feel like I’m holding a bar of soap

 

I’m a relatively big guy and I still think the SE is slightly too tall to use without complaint, but that said I await the SE 2 eagerly. I wish they’d just make a “small” version of whatever phone is current but I’m more than happy with my SE.

 

I ordered a HomePod this morning and I am stoked on it, but I really fear this product could be a bit of a flop for Apple. It’s being pitched by the media as competing against the Echo and Google Home which are a lot cheaper and have better assistants, whereas the HomePod is a quality speaker first and an assistant second. Trouble is, in the age of Spotify, fewer and fewer people are valuing audio fidelity and seem satisfied with cost-effective, ‘good-enough’ options. Audiophiles are probably looking at higher end products which leaves the HomePod occupying an odd space in the market. I really hope I’m wrong and that it gradually proves itself and its value to people over time like the AirPods.

Anyway, now that you’ve read my ramblings, follow me on Apple Music: Georgia Letten on Apple Music

 

Ordered mine last night after seeing Feb 9 delivery was still available. Wonder how sales are going...

 

Apple reportedly halves iPhone X production after disappointing holiday sales

i'm glad i now know who that is on apple music lol

 

They cut back production every year. This isn’t news, this is some hacky ass shit.

 

getting a new macbook pro for work on wed. (supposedly).

 

X-tinction: The reported cancelation of the iPhone X

The Macalope isn’t surprised by what Kuo actually said at all. To him the idea behind the iPhone X has been to serve as an advanced technology release. Of course, pundits have long been after Apple to update the iPhone form factor more frequently. So it makes perfect sense they’d use a rumor of Apple updating the form factor more frequently against the company at the first chance.

 

Ive had every iPhone that’s been released. Partially because I’m an Apple fanboy and partially because I have these stubby little sausage fingers and am an absolute expert on dropping and breaking my iphones.

I adore my iPhone X probably my favorite my favorite or second favorite iPhone to date.

 

downloaded the new software update 11.2.5 and I feel like my X is faster than ever, or is it just me?

 

totally forgot there was an update. Thanks for reminding me. Downloading now !

 

Keep going back in forth on whether I want one or not. Think I’ll wait for the reviews to come in - which is really strange that they haven’t given early review units to some of the YouTubers. Kind of has me worried that it is going to be underwhelming.

All we really have are some written reviews of quick hour long sessions Apple granted some select reporters and weird bouncing text commercials that don’t even show the product in action. I know they’re going for the whole iPod - “its so cool you already want it without even seeing it” effect, but I don’t think that is going to work here.

Won’t be surprised if they prove us wrong, but totally agree that I think they are misreading the market on this one. And maybe they know it as well - the Siri aspect has been downplayed, but they have to know everyone is going to be comparing this to Echo and Google Home. Not to mention Google just released the Google Home Max, which offers high quality audio and a better assistant. And you can get two Sonos One’s with Alexa built in for the price of one HomePod.

 

Everyone that’s tried both (that I’d trust on audio) say the Home Max sounds like ass in comparison.

 

Also I know people have review units. Like usual they’re embargoed.

 

I absolutely love my SE. I'm still mad my 7 plus got stolen but the SE is a great cheap replacement

 

Idk why it’s just bothers me that’s its a good speaker that is only really functional if you pay for an apple service. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but could I not request a song to be played I bought off iTunes unless I subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match.?

 

I don’t get smart speakers. Apple or amazon or whatever. It might have something to do that I sound like I have a mouth full of marbles when I talk.

 

I figured some had to have one. Was it the X or the iMac Pro where some reviewers got to release their reviews early? Probably would be helpful here because there is so little out there if you are deciding to pre-order or not. Then again, the pre-order folks are the types who would buy this thing either way.

Hey, maybe they’ll surprise everyone - smart watches were dead until Apple Watch showed up - now it is literally the best piece of tech I own. Nothing revolutionary but the Siri watch face that shows a list view of my calendar for the day is the only way I can keep my day straight at work. I cannot function (or be on time to meetings) without it.

I also swore I would never buy AirPods when I first saw them - was wrong on those too and I’d put them just behind the Apple Watch as my second favorite piece of tech.

 

I feel like I’d want a HomePod if my house was bigger. I’d have a few rooms I’d put it in. But it’s small enough that my living room can power the whole house so the tv speakers are fine. I don’t listen to music on the Echo, I just ask the Apple TV to do it.

 

I always get confused with that - isn’t anything you bought in iTunes available across your devices - hence why I still have that U2 album on everything? I thought match was just so you can upload your own tracks and have it sync across devices.

Either way, HomePod will work only with Apple services, but you should be able to AirPlay Spotify and other apps to it. I hope they eventually allow for 3rd party apps - there is no way I am going back to the default podcast app after using Overcast. Smart speed is the only way to listen these days.

 

AirPlay 2 is coming soon. It’ll be a huge step up as well.

The article on the homepage today talks about Match/iCloud Library, it’ll work just fine.

How HomePod works with Apple Music, iTunes Match, iCloud Music Library, AirPlay, and FLAC files

 

Make Room for HomePod

“We wanted to make a speaker that sounds great no matter where you put it in your home. From the moment you plug in HomePod and start listening to music, it automatically and instantly senses its location in the room to take full advantage of the environment it’s in. The microphone array in HomePod listens to the reflection of the music off neighboring surfaces, senses where the bookshelf is, or if it’s in the corner of a room or against a wall, and then uses machine learning to understand what it’s hearing, interpret the sound, and adjust the audio. Using advanced software and the A8 chip, HomePod intelligently beams center vocals and direct energy away from the wall while reflecting the ambient reverb and back-up vocals against the wall for dispersion into the room. The end result is a wide soundstage with a feeling of spaciousness and depth. This entire process takes just seconds and it doesn’t stop with the initial setup. Every time you move HomePod, it uses the built-in accelerometer to detect a change in its location and continues to make sure the music sounds great and is consistent, wherever it’s placed. We’ve also done some great things to help minimize the audible side effects of compression artifacts by developing studio level dynamic processing to optimize for rich, clean bass even at loud volumes.”