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reven
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  #1795751 7-Jun-2017 09:28
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tdgeek:

 

Geektastic:

 

They also tried to claim that a pointless speaker you can talk to will somehow be groundbreaking.

 

Just looks like another gadget that does not really do anything that needed to be done.

 

 

Its only US$360 or something? Might grab a few spares....

 

 

 

 

I love how you say "only US$360", compare that to the amazon echo or google home, its way over priced, but thats apple for you.  They need to make a cheap option as well like amazon echo dot, then you can fill your house with them.  Amazon has that advantage over google home currently, echo dots are cheap enough to put in every room, and just get full echos for a few select rooms.




reven
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  #1795752 7-Jun-2017 09:31
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Geektastic:

 

networkn:

 

Geektastic: I've already got a Zeppelin Air.

Sounds excellent. I don't need to talk to it....

 

 

 

As someone who has an Amazon device, I consider it to be one of the best gadgets in our house. Our kids can request music, we can set timers, add stuff to our shopping list, get a news feed, add stuff to a task list. It's great. I do acknowledge however, it's not for everyone. 

 

 

 

Having said that, I wouldn't write one off. Knowing how fanatical a lot of Apple fans are, I suspect it will sell like hotcakes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm a fan of Apple - I'm typing this on a very nice 4k iMac.

 

However, I can't see why any of those functions need building into a loudspeaker. I can do all of them on a phone, which I already have to carry around. What does putting them in a loudspeaker achieve over and above that?

 

It's fair to say that I have moved from 'everything Apple' to 'much less Apple' in the last few years. No iPhone (after 3 successive ones), no MacBook Pro (Surface Pro 4 instead, although I'm not really enamoured with that either) and still wondering what the point of the iPad actually is..!

 

Perhaps I am a "Former Fanboi"!

 

 

 

 

its quicker and easier to just talk to a device thats always listening that to pull out a phone.  Im finding im turning on most lights with "alexa, turn on [light name]" rather than pushing a switch.  setting timers, adding things to shopping lists, turning on/off tvs, setting the house alarm etc.  sounds kinda gimicky, but its really handy once you get use to it.  will be better when theres room aware so you can just say "[google|siri|alex] turn on lights" and it knows which device/room its in


Geektastic
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  #1795753 7-Jun-2017 09:40
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But without arms, how does it turn on lights?







reven
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  #1795754 7-Jun-2017 09:43
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Geektastic: But without arms, how does it turn on lights?

 

 

 

lots of wifi light options available, personally all my lights are wemo switches.  nice and easy to install.


tdgeek
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  #1795760 7-Jun-2017 09:54
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reven:

 

tdgeek:

 

Geektastic:

 

They also tried to claim that a pointless speaker you can talk to will somehow be groundbreaking.

 

Just looks like another gadget that does not really do anything that needed to be done.

 

 

Its only US$360 or something? Might grab a few spares....

 

 

 

 

I love how you say "only US$360", compare that to the amazon echo or google home, its way over priced, but thats apple for you.  They need to make a cheap option as well like amazon echo dot, then you can fill your house with them.  Amazon has that advantage over google home currently, echo dots are cheap enough to put in every room, and just get full echos for a few select rooms.

 

 

Yep. I added the might get a few spares to show I was being sarcy. I guess they want ok sales at HIGH margins.


MikeB4
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  #1795762 7-Jun-2017 09:57
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Forget the new iPad the new iMac Pro oh the new iMac Pro....... be calm heart be calm.


antoniosk
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  #1795772 7-Jun-2017 10:07
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Serious omission by Apple to leave out fast charger.

 

 

 

Does any other brand include a fast charger as standard though, by comparison? Or is everyone other brand fast charge as standard?





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Geektastic
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  #1795807 7-Jun-2017 10:45
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antoniosk:

 

Serious omission by Apple to leave out fast charger.

 

 

 

Does any other brand include a fast charger as standard though, by comparison? Or is everyone other brand fast charge as standard?

 

 

 

 

As far as phones go, my Samsung Galaxy S8+ came with a fast charger. My Sony XZ supports fast charging but in NZ did not come with a fast charger as standard - although in the UK it did, apparently.






MikeB4
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  #1795809 7-Jun-2017 10:49
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antoniosk:

 

Serious omission by Apple to leave out fast charger.

 

 

 

Does any other brand include a fast charger as standard though, by comparison? Or is everyone other brand fast charge as standard?

 

 

Huawei provides fast chargers out of the box


networkn
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  #1795897 7-Jun-2017 11:58
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Well, these aren't really designed as "personal" devices. Ours is a family device, it sits in our kitchen, it works for everyone, provides sound/music etc for the whole room.

 

I use it a lot when I cook, setting timers whilst I have messy hands, adding stuff to shopping lists. There are literally 1000 "skills" you can give it, like controlling lights, opening garage doors, even starting some types of cars and reversing them out of the garage. 

 

 


Geektastic
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  #1795907 7-Jun-2017 12:26
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networkn:

 

Well, these aren't really designed as "personal" devices. Ours is a family device, it sits in our kitchen, it works for everyone, provides sound/music etc for the whole room.

 

I use it a lot when I cook, setting timers whilst I have messy hands, adding stuff to shopping lists. There are literally 1000 "skills" you can give it, like controlling lights, opening garage doors, even starting some types of cars and reversing them out of the garage. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I suppose that is great, if you live that kind of life.

 

I cook from books and just use the oven timer, or my phone with Hey Google enabled so it's hands free. I don't have a garage, much less a garage door and I do not yet feel enfeebled by age to the degree that I need an alternative to flicking a light switch...!

 

Like the iPad, it all sounds a bit like a solution in search of a problem, to be honest.






waikariboy
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  #1795910 7-Jun-2017 12:30
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other company's will give you the fast charger in hopes you don't buy a apple product, apple knows you will buy there goods and make you pay extra for fast charger. As a apple user, i have accepted this and learn to live it, but i have no plans to get me a new iPad, my iPad mini works fine.





Balm its gone!


MikeAqua
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  #1795974 7-Jun-2017 14:09
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I have a recipe book stand ... never needs charging





Mike


FineWine
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  #1796029 7-Jun-2017 15:56
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I have always used the WIRED full length keyboard and the WIRELESS Magic mouse. Would love the new WIRELESS Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad BUT at $219?? Plus they have dropped the two USB ports, but you can now pair it to an iDevice (iPad/iPhone)





Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.


Dunnersfella
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  #1796050 7-Jun-2017 16:59
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Why not a wireless keyboard with a magic trackpad thingee built in???

 

Damn you Apple!

 

 

 

But that's fine, I guess I'll just 'slum it' with my plastic case that ties the two together.


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