Will you be buying an Apple HomePod?

[motion]

We started with the Amazon Echo, but weren't happy with the audio quality. Switched to Google Home, which is much, much better at low volumes. More low and mid oooopmh, which is nice. We use the Google Home primarily (95%) for just playing music. Its so much easier than messing with a full audio system. Its in the kitchen, where we spend most of the evening. I have a Chromecast B&O speaker that I can also command to play. Sounds great.

But the HomePod is getting incredible early reviews. I think I'll give it a try. Low volume, deep and rich audio is the holy grail for me.

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/01/26/homepod-early-reviews/

[widgeon13]

No!

[Deschodt]

Maybe... Don't use apple music - so i guess my Mac will need to be ON at all time if I want access to my library, but the sound quality + the stereo option sounds appealing. Of course being Apple it's overpriced by 50%...

Waiting to hear some actual reviews though... I wish there was an option to have it physically connected to all my music w/o the mac, like an ipad or something.... not sure it does that...

[scottmandue]

Cool gadget but I won't be getting one. For one I'm an android guy, we have bluetooth speakers for portable sound and a full stereo for "deep rich sound".

Yes, the bluetooth doesn't do the cool voice command stuff (thought when I'm playing off my phone I suppose I could).

I have heard some pretty amazing portable systems but I'm still old school and believe in cars and audio systems "there ain't no substitute for cubic inches".

now get off my lawn!

[arcsine]

Hmmmm ................. lemme think........

Do I want an open microphone to one of the largest information gathering entities in the world in my house?

I'll pass.

[Jim Richards]

We kicked the Google Home Mini to the curb and bought an Echo and Echo Dot. We named them VIKI and Sonny. Alexa swears she’s not part of Skynet. I dunno...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by arcsine

Hmmmm ................. lemme think........

Do I want an open microphone to one of the largest information gathering entities in the world in my house?

I'll pass.

With Alexa/Echo and all the other variants people are gobbling these things up they are not going away anytime soon. Many people suspect our cell phones, laptops, and smart TV's are spying on us so dunno if this is any worse.

[stealthn]

We use Sonos at my office and it’s awesome for audio. I don’t need all the other AI so, no.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by arcsine

Hmmmm ................. lemme think........

Do I want an open microphone to one of the largest information gathering entities in the world in my house?

I'll pass.

That's my concern as well.

A lot of this new technology / home integration stuff is super cool and fun to play around with, but I've got very serious privacy concerns about it. EVERYTHING involving the Internet these days is geared to ravenously consume any and all data about us that can be found, to feed that data to one or more of several "Big Data" companies, who in turn will analyze it and sell it for a profit. This is a lot more pervasive than a lot of people realize and gets into areas they might not ever consider and the heuristics have gotten VERY good at matching up a particular action with "you" (your known identity). You're likely not fooling the system by simply paying with cash, for example ("you" can be identified and that transaction pegged to "your" profile based on time of day, quantity / type of product purchased, the ID of the device in your pocket connecting to their "free" WiFi network, etc. to say nothing of people using so-called "rewards programs" cards, coupon use, etc.) We are ALL under attack by this and a large portion of the time and money being invested by companies right now is into things to better collect data about us and funnel it to the likes of Google.

I love Apple's products in general and this looks (and sounds) really great, but I just don't like the idea of a continuously-eavesdropping device being invited in. Sure, smartphones might do the same but those can be turned off or left in a drawer or closet (I usually leave mine in the same place while home and it's unlikely to pick up much of any interest but it's still possible of course).

Anything I can do to make it harder / more expensive for "Big Data" to profile me is worth doing. Not having a device like this around is a really simple one that costs nothing and takes no effort.

[arcsine]

A valid point and my answer will identify myself as a modern day Luddite.

I have no voice recognition or GPS tracking on my phone, do not own a laptop and my potentially smart TV is not connected to my network or the internet. I have a cell phone, desktop computer, internet-connected DVR box so I am not a complete isolationist. My use of those devices is pretty typical, outside of social media which I also do not participate in. I am keenly aware of the information being gathered on those devices but I can turn them off or not use them.

However I believe we are entering a world of boundless information gathering under the premise of 'personal service' but the real driver of this data-dump is security or commerce. I simply choose not to willingly play along by having an always-ON, always-OPEN voice assistant in my home.

[flipper35]

We have a home theater system for that great sound and that is where we listen to music. Don't need voice commands. Don't even use OK Google on my phone. Don't have a smart TV either but do have a home theater PC connected to the TV.

Are these really that handy to have? I don't get the appeal I guess.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by flipper35

We have a home theater system for that great sound and that is where we listen to music. Don't need voice commands. Don't even use OK Google on my phone. Don't have a smart TV either but do have a home theater PC connected to the TV.
Are these really that handy to have? I don't get the appeal I guess.

To you apparently not... To me, dining/living area is not where the TV/sound system is...
having something to play music there is cool. Right now it's an ipad mini on a speaker base. Sound sis ho-hum vs the downstairs old receiver + 4ft speakers....

The apple pod is rumored to have really good sound, so it could work in such a situation, maybe... Then again if itrequries my mac be on at all time (as opposed to an ipad) then no...

[flipper35]

Why not just have a good set of speakers for the iPad?

[Norm K]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

With Alexa/Echo and all the other variants people are gobbling these things up they are not going away anytime soon. Many people suspect our cell phones, laptops, and smart TV's are spying on us so dunno if this is any worse.

Here's an item from about a week ago. My next door neighbor (a real tech-head) and his business partner were holding a conversation in the car on while driving back back from a meeting together. At some point, my neighbor mentioned that he was thinking about investigating the Peloton bicycle. He claims the conversation happened so early in his Peloton-consideration process that he'd never done any sort of search on the product, anywhere or at any time. And yet, upon returning home and using his laptop to get onto the internet, they they were: targeted Peloton ads, already waiting for him. And this only about a half-hour after the first time he'd ever even mentioned the product. He'd long suspected his phone was listening ... now he's convinced.

_

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by arcsine

Hmmmm ................. lemme think........

Do I want an open microphone to one of the largest information gathering entities in the world in my house?

I'll pass.

Hey, some people like having their living quarters bugged.

[varmint]

They’d have to get a warrant before putting something like that in my house.

[jwasbury]

Originally Posted by stealthn

We use Sonos at my office and it’s awesome for audio. I don’t need all the other AI so, no.

^this. Sonos is great. I have my whole house wired up with Sonos. I used the Sonos Connect devices attached to audiophile quality multichannel amp and ceiling mounted speakers. Better sound than any AI device, and no "always-on" eavesdropping "feature."

[enzo1]

[Tobra]

LOL, no

[Paul T]

Absolutely no for me. Have Sonos + other integrated systems for audio and see zero need to any of the AI stuff, not to mention privacy concerns. The day I can't walk 5 steps and log onto Amazon for 2 seconds to order something is the day I have bigger issues. I don't WANT to be ultra efficient and just speak (or soon - think) what I want to order....it's insanity (to me). I'd rather slow down and enjoy life more, away from the electronics. Cantankerous rant over...and I'm not even 50 yet!!