Join John F. Braun and Dave Hamilton for the geeks’ dissection of Apple’s iPhone 12 and HomePod mini announcements. Digging into some of the deeper elements, your two favorite geeks cover some of the 5G nuances, OLED on all screens 12, LIDAR, speaker pairing, and more. Press play and enjoy, then send your feedback into [email protected].
HomePod
"Hi, Speed" Aftermath – TMO Daily Observations 2020-10-13
Andrew Orr and Charlotte Henry join host Kelly Guimont to discuss today’s “Hi, Speed” Apple event, and Team Nightmare’s purchasing decisions.
Pandora Will be Available on HomePod, HomePod mini
As we saw during Apple’s virtual keynote on Tuesday, Pandora joins other services by coming to the HomePod and HomePod mini.
With Pandora on HomePod, users will be able to easily play their favorite Pandora content and control their listening experience hands-free by using simple Siri voice commands, such as:
“Hey Siri, play some relaxing music on Pandora.”
“Hey Siri, play the Sway’s Interviews podcast on Pandora.”
Pandora will be available on Apple HomePod soon. Once available, users will be able to enable Pandora listening directly from HomePod by tapping this link via their iOS device
iOS 14.2 Enhances HomePods as Apple TV Speakers
iOS 14.2 and tvOS 14.2 are currently in beta but they bring a new feature that Apple TV owners will love.
Apple Reveals New HomePod Mini
Apple unveiled the HomePod mini at its ‘Hi, Speed’ event, aiming to bring the Siri-enabled speaker to more people.
Images of iPhone 12 and HomePod Mini Leak Prior to Launch Event
Leaker Evan Blass has shared of the iPhone 12 and HomePod mini in various colors ahead of their expected launch.
Event Speculation, Apple TV Future – TMO Daily Observations 2020-10-12
Andrew Orr and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss tomorrow’s “Hi, Speed” event and the future of the Apple TV hardware.
Why Third-Party Apple Watch Faces Are Forbidden
Only Apple can create and deliver Apple Watch faces. A former Apple engineer explains why third-party Apple Watch faces are forbidden.
Speaker Speculation and 5G School – TMO Daily Observations 2020-10-06
Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Apple speakers and 5G, and how it all ties into the coming Apple Event.
macOS on ARM and WWDC, HomePod Hopes with Jeff Gamet - ACM 532
Bryan Chaffin is joined by Jeff Gamet to discuss macOS and Mac hardware on ARM processors, along with their ideas about how much we might see at WWDC. They also discuss their hopes for HomePod and how it might improve.
As of HomePod OS 13.4, Apple’s Speaker Now Runs tvOS
As of the latest 13.4 software update, the HomePod runs tvOS, Apple’s operating system for its TV set box.
iPhone 12 Could Have Flat, Stainless Steel Design
A report today suggests that the iPhone 12 could have a flat design similar to the iPhone 5 with stainless steel edges.
Update PSAs, Restaurant Payment Systems – TMO Daily Observations 2019-10-29
Andrew Orr and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss system updates to iPhones and HomePods, and the evolution of payment tech.
Should You Warn Your Guests About Smart Devices?
David Murphy asks if people are morally obligated to inform their guests that their home contains smart devices like HomePod, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. Given the fact that these devices can listen to you, should you post a sign in your house that says, “Warning: This Area Under Surveillance?”
If you’re simply sporting a smart speaker, I think announcing its presence is less of a deal—overkill, really. But if a camera is recording me at any point, and that’s something you can view later, I think it’s the friendly thing to do to let me know before I start gossiping…or worse.
What do you mean by worse??
Should Apple Buy Sonos?
Writing for TechCrunch, Darrell Etherington argues that Apple should acquire Sonos, a company known for its speakers.
From an outsider perspective, it’s hard to find two companies who seem more philosophically aligned than Sonos and Apple when it comes to product design and business model. Both are clearly focused on delivering premium hardware (at a price point that’s generally at the higher end of the mass market) and both use services to augment and complement the appeal of their hardware…
I’m not much of an Apple pundit but I’m not seeing the need for Apple to buy Sonos. I think it would’ve made more sense for this acquisition in the past, but Apple already has the HomePod. Aside from the price and platform-specific complaints, I don’t think I’ve heard anything bad about the sound quality.
This Fall, HomePod Will Have Ambient Sounds, Multi-User Mode
Apple didn’t mention the HomePod on stage yesterday, but Benjamin Mayo reports that a product refresh will appear later this fall.
A new forthcoming feature is called Ambient Sounds. This will allow users to easily play white noise sounds on their HomePods, including ocean waves, birdsong, rainstorms, and more. Right now, users are forced to AirPlay from another iOS device to easily play relaxing background audio on HomePod. Ambient Sounds will make this a first-party feature, fully integrated with Siri.
If Apple ever comes out with a cheaper HomePod, I’d probably buy one just for the ambient sounds.
Apple September Event Speculation – TMO Daily Observations 2019-08-26
Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to talk about the September Apple Event and what they hope to see besides iPhones.
Japanese HomePod Launching This Summer
A Japanese HomePod will launch this summer for ¥32,800 (US$302.48). We don’t have a launch date but the order page is live.
100,000 Live Radio Stations Coming to iPhone, HomePod
Apple announced at WWDC19 that over 100,000 live radio stations would be coming as part of iOS 13. Some people report it working already.
HomePod 2, HomePod mini — Rumors, Prices
David Price at Macworld UK writes:
We round up all the clues and rumours related to the HomePod 2: its release date, price & tech specs. Find out if Apple could be launching a cheaper HomePod mini.
Author Price notes:
… Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis believes Apple will launch a “cheaper HomePod in 2019,” and that it will have “broader appeal.” He thinks that HomePod sales have been “underwhelming” with less than 5 million sold so far.
Give me a HomePod mini for $159 – $179 to play with, and I’m in. Along with many others.
Apple Cuts HomePod Price by $50, Now $299
Apple is cutting the price of the HomePod a bit. It used to be US$349 but now it costs US$299.
Apple today cut the price of HomePod on its online store by $50, with the smart speaker now listed for $299, down from $349. The price drop follows recent promotional discounts at several third-party retailers across the U.S.
A Great Explanation of Apple's HomePod Semi-failure
It’s not hard to figure out that Apple’s HomePod hasn’t been as successful as the Amazon Echo. But figuring out the exact cause is harder. It’s not the price.
Apple HomePod: $296.10
We have a deal on an Apple HomePod. This is Apple’s Siri-based speaker with a built-in subwoofer, 7 tweeters, and microphones to hear your commands for Siri. It retails for $349, and our deal is for $329. But, our friends at Stack Commerce gave us coupon code “HOMEPOD10” that will save 10%, for a checkout price of $296.10. Our link points to the Space Gray mode, but you can also choose the White version in the deal listing. Get it while you can.
HomePod Coming to China and Hong Kong January 18
Apple’s HomePod is finally going to make it to Hong Kong and mainland China, nearly a year after it was originally released.