I just wanted to put down some of my initial thoughts of Apple's newest announcements.  

Personally, I only have an interest in the Max because prefer large displays.  It looks pretty awesome, but that price makes me wonder if I should hold onto my decent iPhone 7 Plus and wait another year.  Maybe I am getting close to the law of diminishing returns at this point?  It is just hard to justify when I am not a fan of the notch or FaceID in comparison to the old phones with the chin and the forehead.  The upside is the processing power that makes "computational" photography even better with DOF adjustment after the picture is taken.  Also, OLED looks fantastic.  

Just not sure it is worth the money for my needs, even with the payment plans that make it fairly affordable.

While I have to complain about the lack of an option to leave the watch face on all the time, this watch is pretty fantastic.   Of course, I am rocking the Original Apple Watch, so speed updates alone are a big deal.  However, the new larger face makes it easier to read, the GPS features, and the new health features make me want to jump in and buy one.  I am waiting to read more reviews before I get to excited and pull out my wallet.  I don't really want a cellular payment plan, so I would probably end up with the $429 model.

I wrote about my initial impressions of the HomePod in prior articles, but Apple has updated it with one great new feature called AirPlay 2.   This already works with AppleTV 4 and 4k.  However, they also updated 2012 and later Airport Express units.  

The thing that makes this so great with these other devices is that you can now say something like "Hey Siri, play Prince in the Den" and music can play over the stereo or home theater system you have connected to your AppleTV.   

For me, this means, I can use voice control to send audio to my main music setup or the multiple setups I have around the house connected to an AppleTV or Airport Express.

All the reviews comparing the HomePod to Alexa mention some of Siri's current shortfalls.  I understand that because I also have three Amazon Dots and an Amazon Spot.  They have their upsides, so there is no argument there.  

However, the thing that is often missed is that the HomePod can hear commands in loud rooms much better than any of my Echo devices.  If I can listen to music and ask the HomePod to change what is playing in a normal voice without screaming, then I am more likely to use the feature.   Of course, with the AppleTV, you get beautiful artwork and/or fantastic 4k screensavers:

Of course, you don't have to own a HomePod, though it makes things ultra-convenient.  You can simply use iOS with Airplay 2.  This allows you to send the same audio stream to all of your Airplay 2 devices in sync, including the HomePod.  It will also let you send a different audio stream to each Airplay 2 compatible device.   It is a notable feature that has been missing from iOS for years.   It always seemed strange to me since the WHAALE app allowed some of these features with the prior version of Airplay!

In the photo below, you can see that I am sending Prince to the Bedroom and Den.  AC/DC is playing in the Living Room and Nirvana is playing in the Office.

In the picture below, I simply changed the Living Room from AC/DC and added it to the Prince audio stream.  

For me, this is a long awaited feature that will keep me in Apple's ecosystem for a long time to come.   It adds flexibility, ease of use, and great sound to nearly every room in my house!  

The Netgear Orbi Whole Home Wi-Fi System with built in cable modem was packaged well.  I should mention that I already have an Orbi router and one satellite, but the idea of getting a cable modem/Wi-Fi router combo would mean getting rid of one more device in my cluttered office and it also allowed me to expand my network by one extra satellite.  One thing that is noticeable is that this satellite is smaller than the original Orbi satellite, which makes it less noticeable on the shelf in your living room or bedroom.

As I said, I was already using Orbi at home and I have had a great experience.  This prior ownership experience gave me confidence with going with this new Orbi to replace both my modem and my Wi-Fi router.  In my old configuration, I was actually using a Netgear cable modem, a TP Link router with Wi-Fi turned off, and an Orbi router for wifi only.  It was a bit cumbersome, but I felt like it saved me time with the setup, but I lost some of Orbi's networking features in that process.  This new setup is all in on Orbi.

The setup was straight forward.  You connect power and the coax cable and you wait for lights to turn blue.  I then connected all my Ethernet cables that were feeding my TP Link and I was ready to set it up.  I added the satellite that came with this Orbi using a Mac and I then connected to XFinity and it took about 20 minutes for them to set up my new router.  I should mention that it was taking so long from my Mac that I logged into the page from my iPhone and the setup went a lot faster.  After that, I reset my old satellite from my prior Orbi system and synced it to the new router.  It was all straight forward and I was up and running.  

I then tested speeds and I was surprised at the speeds I was getting from Xfinity to my iPhone.  They showed a 175mbps down and almost 12 mbps up!  Very fast!   Also, I went out in the yard and had a great signal no matter where I went.

The app, in my experience, has been hit or miss.  Yes, I was able to get it up and running and see my other devices on the network, and turn on and off the Guest network.  However, when I set it up for Remote Access, so I could control certain features via Alexa, it would work, but after using the feature it would make it impossible to use my apps.  In other words, I would tell Alex to have Netgear turn off my Guest Network, which it would do, but then my router became unreachable from the Orbi app.   I always need to restart the Obi modem/router to get everything up and running properly again.   To me, this defeats the whole point of using Alexa to control the router.

The Circle app (with Disney) would definitely be useful for those with kids.  You can block certain sites from individual devices on the network.  I tested this by creating a test user on my iPad and blocking Youtube.  I could not access it from the app or a webpage.   The Circle app has a premium side, too.  However, I only tested the free features and they would be useful if I didn't live alone.

All in all, I am happy with the Orbi modem/router and satellite.   I don't often manage my network after initial setup, so some of the weird issues I experienced with Alexa aren't really a problem for my typical use.  I want a reliable wifi network, that is fast, and easy to setup and the Orbi fits my needs.

Added some new, to me, B&W 684 speakers to the living room.   Here is a new pic of the setup:

I just want to apologize for my long lay off.   I know a lot of people come here daily to see my posts and I have been so busy that I just haven't had time to do a lot of extra work to get my blog back on track.   I do have several products to review at home, so keep checking back to see my new updates.  Hopefully I will get a chance to put up a new review by the evening of August 5th.

I don't talk about my personal life much on this blog unless it relates to a review, but life has been crazy the last couple of years and this year started off with a bang.  I split up with the woman that has been in my life for decades and that made my enthusiasm for reviews and many other things in my life less appealing. 

While I certainly wasn't prepared for such a life changing event, things have been going great (for the most part).  My family and friends offered a lot of support and I have managed to pick up the pieces and move on.  I am now dating a wonderful lady and have been getting out of the house a lot more than normal.  I think it is all for the better, but I do need to post some reviews so I will continue to get stuff to review down the road as life gets a little less hectic.

I have no intentions of giving up on this blog.  I have an A7RIII, Orbi Modem, a laptop, Airplay 2, 2 Espresso machines, and many more things to review already.  

Thanks again to everyone that continues to support this website by clicking on links or just sending emails or comments that let me know my time isn't being wasted. 

I have another article about Apple and privacy, but I had to post this tweet.

I have posted responses and links to MKBHD's Youtube videos in the past and here we are again.   He recently posted a video discussing Apple's Ecosystem and I thought it would be a great way to introduce users to the concept even if I don't agree with his final assessment (which I will discuss below).  Anyway, here is the video:

As many people know, Apple has a variety of products and services that work well together.   As he mentions, there are two separate issues:  "How well they work together" and their "Walled Garden".   

There is no other company in the world that has as many profitable products and services that work as seamlessly together as Apple's products and services.  That isn't just marketing jargon, it is undeniable fact.  

In the world of creating Operating Systems, Apple really has only two competitors to speak of and everyone knows that is Microsoft and Google.   These companies have different approaches, though.   However, in either case, Apple has wider range of hardware and software.  

Microsoft does not compete with Apple in the phone market and Google barely competes with them in the desktop/laptop/tablet market.   Therefore, Microsoft and Google clients don't have the benefit of being able to seamless move from the phone, to the tablet, to the desktop, to the laptop.   Even when you flip on the TV, AppleTV has advantages with access to iTunes on your computer, your photos instantly appearing in the Photos app, you Podcasts showing up, etc.  

As MKBHD mentions, "everything you could ever want" is inside the garden.   That sounds pretty good, actually,   However, he also says "these walls around the garden are really tall and they don't want you exploring outside those walls".   Personally, I think this statement is a bit crazy.  

First off, yes Apple makes it very comfortable in their garden.  In fact, it is like living on a continent with everything you need.   If you want Disney World, it is in there.  If you want, a trip to the Safari, it is in there.   That being said, they don't let all of their goodies outside of the wall.   In other words, if you want to ride the biggest roller coaster in the world, it isn't available outside those walls, if you want the best beaches in the world, it isn't available outside those walls, etc.  

That being said, MKBHD makes the point that they don't want you looking outside those walls.  Is that really true?  Does Apple stop Google from putting Chrome, Google Play, Google Assistant, YouTube, GMAil, etc inside their walls?   If I can see how great Google does these things, aren't I more susceptible to being moved to other Google devices?  Microsoft has their incredible office suite on MacOS and iOS.   Isn't that letting me peak outside the walls when Apple has their own suite of apps?  Heck, they allow Adobe Premier and even Windows to run on Macs.   As I said, they have an open gate where pretty much anyone can come in, but they don't let all of their goodies out. 

He also talks about how Apple devices work so well together that they become "hooks" into buying more Apple products.   He shows how well the iPhone works with the Mac, then talks about how that hooks you into buying AirPods, Apple Watch, and HomePod.   Of course, Apple wants you to buy their products, so they work to make the experience so great that you want to buy more.  This is what they call "smart business".  In fact, you could say it is one of the best business models if you care about market cap, revenues, and profits.

Also, he mentions how, if you want to leave Apple's Ecosystem, your AirPods aren't as useful.  Of course, Apple makes hardware that works well together.  If you leave, you lose that benefit.  You aren't stuck with anything, though.  If I wanted to get out of Apple products, I would just sell the stuff on eBay, Amazon, Gazelle, etc.   There are many ways to get rid of tech you no longer want.  

As an example, I wanted to upgrade my old speakers.   However, if I bought new speakers, my old speakers would be rendered obsolete in my home.   Does that mean I am stuck with those old speakers until I die?  No, it means that I could sell them and use that money toward new stuff.   In the case of Apple, that old stuff typically holds its value better than the competition, so you won't take as big of a hit selling an iPad as an Android tablet.  Of course, you could get rid of the iPhone and still use your iPad or iPod Touch to control your HomePod and use your AirPods, so if you were someone that bought into the entire ecosystem, chances are you could still use a lot of stuff if you just got rid of an iPhone.  The Mac and iPad don't require you to use an iPhone.  

He also discusses moving from Apple Music to Spotify because it is "clearly better".  Obviously, this is bias because it isn't backed up by facts.   JD Power actually did a study in Sept 2016 and Apple Music came in first and Rhapsody came in second for Consumer Satisfaction.   Also, moving your entire library over isn't even possible because Spotify doesn't match your music.   So much for being "clearly better".

Once again, he talks about the hooks into the iPhone.  If you buy an Apple Watch, you are aware that you need an iPhone to use it.   It is like saying the new tires on your car are a hook into keeping the car for a while.  Yes, when people buy an accessory for a specific product, they do that will full knowledge that it is an accessory.  If I (hypothetically) decide to move from Rolex to Apple Watch, chances are, I won't be keeping around that watch winder or my other Rolex bands because they have no use without that type of watch.   They aren't really hooks, though.  No one is keeping their Rolex because they bought an expensive band.  They just sell it all off and start over. Personally, I have written about accessories that I have purchased for my Jeep Wrangler.  They can be expensive and they will not transfer to most new vehicles.    If I get rid of my Jeep, my only option is to sell the Jeep with the accessories or to take them out and sell them.  I can tell you it is easier to sell an Apple Watch than a bumper for a 2017 Jeep Wrangler.

So, his main point is that even if another phone comes out with better features, the hooks into the Apple ecosystem make many still want to stay with Apple.   This is actually true for the most part.   When it comes to picking which tech I buy, I am not solely basing that decision on specs.   Most Mac owners know what I am referring to, but it is how hardware and software work together.   Apple is in another league in that area which is why MKBHD uses an iMac and Final Cut Pro X for editing his videos instead of a maxed out PC running Premier.  

It is also why you look at how a 5 month iPhone blows away new flagship phones coming out today in many areas:

Personally,  I think we are getting to a point of "pick your spec".   Everyone went crazy because Google Pixel 2 had the best DxOMark phone camera rating when it came to market.  DxOMark picks the specs that they value the most and come up with their score in that manner.  They talk to companies like Google so that they can make their cameras in such a way that it performs best in their rating system.  It doesn't mean that everyone values the way a camera works in the same way as DxOMark's rating system.  Some like a camera that is best in low light, some want it to shoot video the best, some are mainly concerned with it shooting RAW rather than all of the processing done in phone, or frames per second.   These tests tell you how things do in specific categories, but the rating score is subjective.  

In other words, these "best DxOMark" or best "DisplayMate" scores are measured within specific criteria and that criteria may be different from person to person.  The iPhone X had the highest score ever from DisplayMate, did everyone throw out their Android phones and switch to iOS on that day?  No, because even Android owners live in an ecosystem.  If they have apps that only work on Android and they need them, they aren't switching to iOS on a whim.   It works both ways.

I actually fell into a category of "ecosystem" users that stayed with Apple because of Airplay.   Back when I had an iPhone 4s, I held onto it a year longer than I would have because of Airplay.   I have Airplay built into my receivers, Airport Express units, and speakers around the house.   At the time, there weren't any other alternatives, other than spending a fortune for Sonos Connects, so I kept the iPhone 4s for a year longer than I would have because I was waiting on a larger phone from Apple.  I looked at Android and I could not find any way around this issue and rumors were already out that Apple was coming out with the Plus model phones.

However, was this a bad thing?   I value having music, in a high quality, in multiple places in my home and only Apple affordably fed that market at the time.

When it comes down to it, we all have our choices to make.  I am not trapped by Apple products.  I have sold much harder things to get rid of on eBay (5 tires for a Jeep, for example) and I am not trapped by the fact that I own a HomePod.  I could sell it tomorrow without much of a problem.   

Outside of getting rid of actual products, I already own Windows computers (including Windows running on Macs), so I could move to Microsoft without much issue.  

I see the ecosystem as a huge reason I stay with Apple and find it to be the thing that separates them from being solely concerned with specs that really don't add as much satisfaction as features like Airdrop, Airplay, Continuity, Messages, etc.

In short, no one is really trapped by Apple's ecosystem.  Most say it is one of the main reasons they stay with Apple, but it is because it provides a better, unique experience across multiple devices than any competitor can offer.  It is like saying Tesla plans to lock their clients in because no one else has a battery powered car than can go to 60mph in 1.9 seconds.  These are unique features, but they aren't locking anyone in.   

To wrap up....I agree that Apple's ecosystem of devices keeps people buying Apple products and services.  I believe it is because people make the choice to take advantage of the ecosystem because the ecosystem makes their lives easier in many different ways.   No one is "walled in", though.  People always have choice and many are choosing to buy Apple products.   It is never "too late" to change things up when you can sell the HomePod, Apple Watch or any Apple product tomorrow.   The fact that people don't want to lose Apple's unique features is more about choosing to live in the garden rather than being trapped in the garden.

Just a not so quick comparison of Google Home, Alexa, and the HomePod.  

Also, a demonstration of how I use it with J River or Plex with the Echo to access my local library.  

I have been asked about Apple's privacy versus their competition.  Since Apple doesn't tout privacy in their ads, and I have referred to it in the past, I decided to post excerpts from a few articles on the subject (there is link to the longer article in the title of each section).  

I am not personally endorsing any of these specific articles, so if you have an issue with what they say, I suggest contacting them through the link to the article.  

​I do think that they all point to the same thing, though.  Apple doesn't use your data as a separate revenue source and their competition does:

From now on, I will just link to this post in the future.   Hopefully, it helps to understand what I am referring to when I discuss Apple vs their competition in the area of privacy.   If you want it straight from Apple, here is a page to get started:

​https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/

Ah yes, a new Apple product...the HomePod.  Out of the box, you notice that it is hefty for its small dimensions.  It takes a couple minutes for it to read information off your iPhone or iPad and it is ready to play music. Fast and easy setup that is rivaled only by Airpods.

The main thing that some won't like is that the power cable is not removable (Correction:  The cable is technically removable.).   I believe they may have gone this route to avoid a big ugly power brick since a lot of people will be putting one of them in their kitchen.   The cable itself looks great and is pretty long.  Below is a picture of the fabric covered cable:

Lots of Siri bashing going on by people that either don't understand the purpose of this device or simply want something to complain about.  Siri for Apple Music works great!  Pick a song, album, artist, playlist and it gets it right nearly every time.  Actually, I have used it for hours and it hasn't missed a beat, but I hesitate to say it will work for every song in the world.  I did test it with the album A1A, by Jimmy Buffett, that always throws me into the maps app on the iPhone, and it played without a problem. 

Siri still needs commands spoken in a certain way, so if you want a movie soundtrack, it makes sense to tell her you want to hear "the album Pretty in Pink Movie Soundtrack".  Some of this is because there are 40 million songs to choose from, so the more specific the better.  

I also tested playing the music loud and then saying "Hey, Siri".  It does a fantastic job of hearing your voice over loud music.  I can't say the same about the Echo Dot.  I have had to get close to it and scream in similar situations. 

For the size, it is unbelievable.  The sound is big and clean with punchy bass.  It isn't going to rival my floor standing speakers combined with my 50 pound subwoofer, but it is still pretty amazing for a speaker with a 5.6 inch circular base and 6.8 inches tall.  I am not sure how Apple will demonstrate this in the store, but you have to hear it for yourself.  

​I have had it in a small room and in a spot that splits two large rooms.  It fills up a small room better, but no matter where you put it, it sounds great for its size.    The volume won't blow out your eardrums, but there is no distortion at 100 percent, so you are always getting great sound.

I tested this with AirPlay and it works great.  I have the excellent Netgear Orbi routers, so I never heard a drop out, even when playing lossless audio from my library and Tidal.

The AirPlay 2 features that bring AirPlay into this century are just around the corner and I expect will have more people buying HomePods.  I have tested AirPlay 2 with my AppleTVs and being able to use multiroom audio directly from iOS takes things to a new level.  

I typically use the Overcast app for podcasts on my iPhone, but I have been using the Podcast app for the AppleTV for years, so I am familiar with it. With the HomePod, you can tell it to play a podcast and it will play without a problem.  It will also allow you to skip forward with commands like "Skip forward 2 minutes".  

​I did have some issues asking for some shows.  For example, it has no idea what "iMore Show" is.  It worked fine for Vector with Rene Ritchie, Accidental Tech Podcast, etc.  It is supposed to be ableto pick up where you left off, but I am still trying to figure that one out.

I have tested this with Hue Bulbs that I have all over the house.  It is very fast and works great.  I have tested dimming bulbs, changing colors of bulbs, and turning them on and off.  Very impressed.

If you buy this to rival Google Home or Amazon Echo for trivia, you will be disappointed.  This isn't going to try to answer every question under the sun.  It will convert measurements, set an alarm, get you the weather, and a few basic things.  It does get some information from Wiki, but if you get a bunch of I don't know responses, you end up not trying anymore.

While it won't rival its competitors in this arena.  The point of this device is great sound quality in a small package, not to play trivial pursuit.  If you have no concerns about privacy (see my post about privacy here), get Google Home Mini or Echo Dot to answer your random questions or just get out your iPhone and launch Google Assistant.  I have Echos all over the house and I just haven't had much need to ask it a bunch of random questions. 

Since the HomePod has AirPlay capabilities, it does open it to some Echo Dot skills.  I use the J River Media Center skill on the Echo combined with J River running on my computer to send my personal music library audio files to the HomePod using AirPlay. 

​I have also tested the Plex app skill with my AppleTV and I was able to send the AirPlay stream to the HomePod.  It is an easy backdoor to playing my lossless files on the HomePod using theEcho Dot.  That being said, the AppleTV has to be manually adjusted to the HomePod airplay speaker every time you use it, so the J River Media solution on my computer has been a better option.  Though, honestly, I won't use this feature very often at all.

This is for the 36 million and growing users of Apple Music.  It isn't here to get Spotify more subscribers.  However, you can use AirPlay with any audio stream from iOS or a computer ( may need an app like Airfoil), so no one is completely locked out.   

I have seen review after review complaining about the lack of third party audio streaming.  Guess what, it isn't that unusual.  Sure, they are one of the few devices without Spotify, but the Amazon Echo doesn't support Google Play Music, Apple Music, Tidal, etc. 

As far as third party skills, get anEcho Dot for ~ $39 (though it is often sale) if you need things like Plex, J River, Harmony Remote, support.  Get the HomePod for the Apple ecosystem.  Just be aware of what it is for before you decide.  

I will try to post an unboxing video and some of my impressions when I get a chance.  However, I want to run down a list of what you can expect from the HomePod to make it easier to decide if the product is for you or not:

Who is it for?

1.  Apple Music Subscribers that want voice control of music from a speaker
2.  People in iOS that use Airplay.  
​3.  People that want great sound from a small speaker
4.  People that listen to Apple Podcasts
5.  People that use HomeKit devices
6.  People that prefer Apple's approach to privacy 

Who is it not for?

1.  People that don't use Apple Music that want voice control of music from a speaker
2.  People that want it for random trivia or third party skills
3.  People that do not own an iPad or iPhone

It absolutely does exactly what I wanted it to do.  I own Echo Dots, an Echo Spot, and a Google Home Mini.  This is a different type of device.  It works with Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Airplay.  Not to mention the upcoming Airplay 2 features.  This makes it more useful for music than the other devices.  I am a music fanatic, so anything that makes music more convenient, and sounds great, means I will listen to music more often.  While it is great sounding, for a small speaker, with all kinds of smarts related to room measurements, I won't be replacing my many speaker setups.  It isn't meant to replace a main system.   It is more about convenience without listening to a tin can.

As for Siri. she works great with Apple Music.  I use it that way daily, so I know how to talk to the assistant to get it to play music I want to hear.  I will still keep my cheap Echos around, so I have all of the other assistant features nearby, anyway.   I just see them as very different devices, like a truck vs a sports car.  

Lets pretend I could change anything about the HomePod.  I would put an aux input on the thing.  This would allow me to connect a Dot and get the best of both worlds.   Outside of that, the HomePod has Bluetooth inside, but you can't use it for Bluetooth streaming.  I would turn that on so it could be used for Bluetooth.

Down the road, I would love to see an Apple version of the Echo Dot that I can put anywhere and cost a fraction of the HomePod.  I have my doubts that Apple wants that market, though.