p2pnet - rss feed: Apple’s newest thingy
p2p news / p2pnet: Apple? Over-hyping? Say it isn’t so!
But according to CNET News’ UK CRAVE blog, that’s exactly what’s happened with Apple’s latest Gosh Gee Whillickers media event.
"When Apple’s Steve Jobs invites the world’s press to a launch, you expect an event roughly on a par with the fall of the Berlin Wall,” it says. “Perhaps this was the problem, for when Jobs pulled the silk sheet off yesterday’s new Apple products a hush fell over the Internet," says the post. "A ghetto-blaster for your iPod, a faster and Intel-based Mac Mini and some leather iPod pouches were all the company could muster. A minute passed in absolute silence.
"Then a small boy stepped forward, pointed at Jobs and announced, ‘The Emperor is naked.’ ‘Fool’, the broadsheet hacks told the boy. ‘Don’t talk nonsense!’. But the remark was repeated over and over again by the other journalists, until everyone cried, ‘The boy is right! The Emperor is naked! It’s true!’."
Jobs’ new leather case for the iPod was, "especially ridiculous," says CNET. "Like the queen announcing a new toaster in Buckingham Palace."
Nor is CNET alone in its criticism.
"Apple’s products are increasingly becoming a triumph of style over content, appealing to people with discerning tastes," says Andrew Thomas in The Inquirer.
"People who want to stand out from the crowd. Or, as I prefer to put it, people with more money than sense.
"What finer example of the Apple marketing machine’s power over the gullible could there be than the launch of the "HiFi" ghetto blaster add on for the iPod? After years of flogging overpriced products on the grounds that they were technically superior, Apple now launches an overpriced product so demonstrably inferior to a genuine HiFi system that it would be laughable were it not for the power of the Apple Marketing Juggernaut.
"Make no mistake, the same gullible saps who think an iPod is cool will rush out and snap up these useless things and push up the level of credit card debt around the world to new heights. Because the battery-powered cereal packet with a couple of tiny speakers in it carries an Apple logo, they’ll fondly imagine it sounds great, but as they’ll only be listening to James Blunt and Coldplay anyway, who cares
Also See:
CRAVE - Sugar-free Apple pie disappoints, March 1, 2006
The Inquirer - The Emperor’s New Clothes, March 2, 2006
March 6th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Round one… FIGHT!
March 6th, 2006 at 11:17 pm
Apple has another solid winner here. The design gods at Apple just won’t quit in providing the very best value for the money. All reports point to this being a watershed moment in the history of stereo evolution. It’s a category killer for sure! Magazines like Stereophile are shaking at Apple’s entrance into this area. The iPod HiFi will likely kill off all sub $1000 systems, and you can be sure Apple won’t stop there. Steve is one of the most obsessed audio experts on the planet and the iPod HiFi shows he has everyone’s interest at heart.
Wow!
http://www.apple.com/ipodhifi/design.html
http://www.apple.com/ipodhifi/
http://www.apple.com/ipodhifi/hifiyourhome.html
everything can be made wireless with no quality loss here:
http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/
March 6th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
Good job providing any kind of non-biased reviews of said product.
/sarcasm.
March 6th, 2006 at 11:43 pm
One glance at the iPod Hi-Fi and you know you’re looking into a small piece of Apple designer Jonathan Ive’s soul. Or at least its more recent iteration, which has forgone bold curves and colors for more elegant simplicity.
Apple’s design philosophy has never been just skin-deep, and the iPod Hi-Fi is full of practical design touches, like the integrated universal power supply that does away with the need for a power brick, as well as the easily accessible width-long space in the back for storing six D cell batteries that deliver tunes on the go. The touch-sensitive volume controls are especially pleasing to use.
iPod integration is unsurprisingly first-class, along with the high value for the money we give it: 5 Stars
March 6th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
i didn’t detect any bias, just cold hard facts on a new apple product.
take a look, you’ll come to the same conclusion. nobody else gives this much bang for the buck.
http://www.apple.com/ipodhifi/specs.html
March 6th, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Tech specs are not the only thing to look at when buying a speaker system. Listening to it is another important aspect. In fact, you could probably just go with a mid to high end boombox ($100 - $350) and use a line-in jack and get just as good, if not better quality. Plus, the ability for a boombox to play radio, cds, and/or tapes makes it much more functional than an Ipod only thing.
March 7th, 2006 at 12:08 am
yes, personal preference of speaker quality matters a great degree, also depends on the room, the song, etc to give it a fulll workout, so it will be fun to read over the glowing user reviews in the weeks to come. and earth to the past… there is no longer a need for cds/tapes/radios anymore, AAC/MP3s have totally replaced old physical media types and podcasts have eliminated radio, so it’s nice apple is designing for what matters over the long term, eliminating everything that doesn’t. god is in the fine details, something they really understand.
March 7th, 2006 at 12:16 am
yes! i see even the Pope got an iPod last week.
you can download his “godcasts” here:
http://www.catholicinsider.com/scripts/index.php
all podcasts here:
http://www.podcast.net/
March 7th, 2006 at 12:18 am
CDs are still superior in quality to even the best encoded MP3 and some people have yet to convert their tape/cd collections over to some digital audio format, so those features are still useful. As for the people with all of their music in a digital audio format, they may still want to just pop in a CD just to listen to that one CD.
March 7th, 2006 at 12:29 am
If you don’t already work for Apple, they will be hiring you very shortly.
March 7th, 2006 at 12:39 am
This Apple employee is just a troll, don’t notice him.
The same one thats been going around saying MPEG-4 AAC’s sound equal or greater quality than a compact disc.
Do we need to be logical here?
CD Audio runs a raw uncompressed PCM datastream at about 1500kbps. AAC is known as a lossy compression format, unlike lossless formats known as FLAC, or Apples variation of lossless codec. To even attempt to claim that AAC is just as good or better then a CD really makes you out to be an Apple tool. If anything, OGG Vorbis compression will get you closest to CD quality when it comes to lossy compression schemes.
And absolutely *NO* lossy compression scheme will get you anywhere’s near CD quality at a paltry 128kbps bitrate. One needs to go 192kbps or above for that. Which we all know ITMS doesn’t provide.
March 7th, 2006 at 12:42 am
that is incorrect, CD’s encoded as Apple LossLess are exactly the same as the original.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Lossless
and yes, there will be a few stragglers that still use CDs, just like some people still use 8-Tracks… but going forward, everything (legal files) will be in AAC format, 2+ million songs are already done, with 1000’s being added daily. We are on the cusp of getting rid of all the mechanical elements out of the music recording/listening process, it’s been a 100+ year goal and it’s almost complete thanks to Apple.
http://www.apple.com/ipod/
3 Million Songs LEGALLY Sold Every Day!
http://www.itunes.com/
March 7th, 2006 at 12:52 am
Why? I’m just a Quality / Price freak. Whoever produces the very best, i’m there! Apple wins in computing and music, video, photography, dvds, servers, but if someone came along and built better products, i’d switch. I have no brand loyalty, only the best in quality / price is my benchmark. Until then, I’m here to help you learn about these important aspects of “products”.
March 7th, 2006 at 1:07 am
First, it is not thanks to Apple. Get your head out of your ass. It was thanks to people that figured out how to rip music off of CDs and put them onto your computer that started this all off. And then you have the first generation MP3 players along with the original Napster that really started the Digital Music revolution.
3 million ‘legal’ songs sold a day…… Compared to the hundreds of millions downloaded everyday via P2P. (Legally and illegally available, but most of the time it could be considered legal, sharing cds with friends over the internet instead of in person, plus it isn’t file-sharing killing record companies, it is crap music, overpriced music, and people are spending entertainment dollars in other markets, but this is not for discussion in this particular topic….)
Don’t forget all the small artists indie and unsigned artists that are only available through P2P networks.
Finally, don’t forget, DRM (at least the restrictive variety that limits Consumer’s rights, such as “Fair”play) free is the way to be.
This is my last post for this thread. I’m going to have to agree with Spike and say just ignore this apple fanboy.
March 7th, 2006 at 1:09 am
WTF are you talking about. You can get an equal speed PC for less than the cost of a mac. Computer games - forget about playing them on macs most of the time (maybe that will change with the switch to Intel processors). PCs also have that great flexibility that Macs just don’t have due to their hardware lockins.
March 7th, 2006 at 1:41 am
yes, but only Apple was able to bring “legality” to the masses, the first to do so on such a huge scale and it is now clear this is the future of Music and soon Movie distribution. Yes, illegal p2p ways will remain forever, but Apple did the hard work to figure out a popular “legal” compromise to make everyone happy. (except thieves like spike)
Apple has the largest collection of indie artist available online, they have become the favorite because unsigned artists can get the most exposure and make the most cash by going through Apple than anyone else. The next biggest legal music store has only 6% of the market if that helps you put things into perspective.
Apple’s FairPlay is by far the least restrictive of any of the DRM schemes, and sure in a perfectly ethical world, people would only buy the songs they listen to, but the world is full of “spikes”, who are immature and want to rip everyone off for their selfish gains, so it’s great that Apple was able to solve this problem for everyone involved. (except thieves like spike)
March 7th, 2006 at 1:49 am
actually, you can’t, that’s what’s so exciting, Apple is now the low cost PC leader since it builds the most powerful boxes for the money and there is no MS tax that all other PC vendors must pass onto customers. The Mac mini for example is by far the cheapest box if you compare features, speed and price. No pc can match this… but have fun trying!
http://www.apple.com/macmini/whatsinside.html
it’s another example of apple doing the hard work, and customers worldwide can enjoy the results.
yeah, osx only has 1770 games, (smirk) so yes, that’s slightly less than the PC, but other than games it’s the machine to have if you want the very best the industry has to offer.
http://www.apple.com/hardware/
March 7th, 2006 at 3:55 am
I am now more repulsed by Apple than ever before thanks to this idiot. Good job moron!!!!
March 7th, 2006 at 4:06 am
the truth hurts sometimes, sorry to be sole messenger of product quality on a site full of liars, cheats and theives.
March 7th, 2006 at 4:13 am
Go peddle your products elsewhere. No one here is going to have any of it.
March 7th, 2006 at 4:26 am
what? this item is PERFECT for p2p people, you get the best sound for the money, and since nobody here actually buys music, the only cost is $344 for a lifetime of rather wonderful sound.
http://snipurl.com/n9k9
March 7th, 2006 at 4:28 am
some fairly good copy from Macmall…
Stereo for the new century
Say goodbye to the bulky expensive stereo and wall of CDs. iPod Hi-Fi puts out such natural, room-filling sound — with clear stereo separation — that you’d think you were listening to a multi-speaker setup. But no, it’s a single, gorgeous unit that can fit almost any bookshelf, tabletop, or entertainment center.
The perfect match for iPod
Any iPod with dock connector plugs easily into the integrated Universal Dock for iPod. With newer iPod models, you can view full-screen album art and even tweak the tone settings on iPod Hi-Fi to get the best sound depending on the room or type of music.* Of course, iPod Hi-Fi will charge any docked iPod when it’s on AC power. On DC power, you can also get a 30-minute quick charge.
Rock the house — anywhere
Put iPod Hi-Fi in place of honor in your living room. Or pop in six D-cell batteries, grasp the sleek, reinforced handles, and take it with you. Wherever you are, iPod Hi-Fi is ready to play the soundtrack of your life.
Up to 30 feet of control
Control volume and switch between sound sources from up to 30 feet away with the Apple Remote. When listening to your iPod, you can also play/pause and skip forward and back between songs.
A world of possibilities
Connect a second, external music source to the standard 3.5mm analog/digital optical input port. Ideal for your DVD player, gaming console, AirPort Express with AirTunes, even an iPod shuffle or other iPod without a dock connector.
and the high quality info here:
http://www.apple.com/ipodhifi/
March 7th, 2006 at 5:03 am
Fuck off
March 7th, 2006 at 5:21 am
oh, so we have a thief who also uses bad language? so sad, i just hope i’m helping you discover a better way to live…
http://www.apple.com/
March 7th, 2006 at 5:31 am
OMG, do you ever just stfu. Take your trolling elsewhere.
March 7th, 2006 at 5:54 am
i’m not the one trolling, i’m trying to stay on the Article topic of the iPod HiFi - why aren’t you?
looks like you have some reading to do…
Fill your home with sound, not stereo components. Keep your music collection at your fingertips, not in countless CD cases. Change the way you experience digital music. For $349, iPod Hi-Fi delivers crystal-clear, audiophile-quality sound in a clean, compact design.
Just slide your iPod into the built-in Universal Dock to turn on and tune in to digital music as you’ve never heard it before. From pumping bass to bright treble, iPod Hi-Fi delivers natural, room-filling sound. Close your eyes and you’d think you were listening to a huge stack of speakers. But iPod Hi-Fi measures just 17.0″ x 6.6″ x 6.9.”
As versatile as it is compact, iPod Hi-Fi incorporates thoughtful touches that make playing your music pure pleasure. Use the included Apple Remote to control music playback from anywhere in the room. Charge your iPod through the iPod Hi-Fi dock while you play music. Or take your show on the road courtesy of D-cell battery power. All that makes iPod Hi-Fi pretty extraordinary. Just like iPod.
March 7th, 2006 at 6:01 am
If you really want to make me happy, then get lost. You’re not wanted here.
I’m not clicking any link of yours, I’m not wasting my money on anything “Apple”, and after this I’m done responding to your lies, insults, and misinformation.
You’re a piss-poor salesman succeeding only in giving Apple a bad name. You come into our home uninvited and you insult everyone here and still have the gall to expect someone to buy your product.
And for God’s sake, get your terminology straight!!
“Copyright infringement does not easily equate with theft, conversion, or fraud… The infringer invades a statutorily defined province guaranteed to the copyright holder alone. But he does not assume physical control over copyright; nor does he wholly deprive its owner of its use.”- Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun
………………../´¯/)…………
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………/“/´¯/’—’/´¯¯`……
……../’/…/…./……./¨¯\…..
…….(’(…´…´…. ¯~/’…’)…
……..\……………..’…../……
………”…\………. _.·´……..
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*slams door in salesmans face*
March 7th, 2006 at 6:19 am
this site is a den of thieves, surely you know that. i’m just a bright light of logical reason helping you grow in the world. you can hide behind some obscure comment made by some dead court justice, but the FACTS are, 99.9999% of the info exchanged here is towards the goal to steal from property owners.
the apple ipod hifi is what the world has wanted for years, now we have it, you will soon have one if you learn from me and not try and steal your way to freedom.
March 7th, 2006 at 7:16 am
My country was founded on freedom and all its beliefs. Nowhere in our Constitution does it speak of, or allow for, corporate tyranny.
March 7th, 2006 at 7:50 am
You’re very dim at best. Let’s follow your logic for a minute. So why then should we care what any Supreme Court Justice said in the Grokster case? After all, one of them is dead already, could be more in a couple of years.
Can you back up your “FACT” with anything besides a RIAA/MPAA press release? Or are we just supposed to take your word for it?
March 7th, 2006 at 7:55 am
your completely missing the point. “music” is “property”, just as a “car” is, a “pair of shoes” is, etc. tyranny is something entirely different.
you are simply confused on what constitutes “property”, if you buy a song for .99 cents you “own the rights” to listen to it forever. but you “do not” own the abilty to distribute it freely on p2p networks, since that is what advanced societies call “theft”. You can argue with that all you want, but you will always be wrong.
I think you are starting to understand these complex topics so hopefully you have learned your lesson for today
March 7th, 2006 at 8:03 am
Obscure comment?
Only from those who wish to hide FROM it!!!
March 7th, 2006 at 8:07 am
your obsolete quote from the dead court justice is priceless, he died a few months before Napster came into being, ooops! he would of never said that if he was active when Naspster came into the world. I think you are starting to learn the problem and I’m happy to help you move into the light on this subject.
I only speak in facts (yeah, it can be boring but it’s painfully honest) so what I’m saying… you need to learn, or be labeled a “thief”. It’s a black or white issue, there is “no middle ground” on this subject.
I think most of your problem is you don’t understand technological change presents new problems for societies and they must be fixed so everyone can move forward.
In our lifetime, we’ll have 1000Terabit wireless links into our houses, every creative work ever written, produced, sold will be accessible. This obviously won’t work if the creators don’t get paid, so what Apple is now doing is laying the groundwork for a better society. Yes, thieves will always be with us, but at least Apple is working hard to help the creative people in this world “create” AND get paid, and not have to work in a McDonalds like you want them to do.
I’m just asking you to “think”, i know it’s hard for you, but please try.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:09 am
LOL!!!
So if I “Copy” a car am I “Stealing” it?
If I “Copy” a pair of shoes for myself, am I “stealing” it?
The “Distribution” claim has yet to be tested in any court.
If only you’d learned your lesson for today;)
March 7th, 2006 at 8:16 am
“I think most of your problem is you don’t understand technological change presents new problems for societies and they must be fixed so everyone can move forward.”
Wrong. Technological change is good for society. Society HAS moved forward. It only presents new problems for businesses incapable of adapting to the change.
It’s the centuries old game of survival. The strongest will survive. People like you perceived Goliath to be the strongest once upon a time:)
March 7th, 2006 at 8:20 am
You jackass, thats what I said. Lossless codecs are called lossless for a reason.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:22 am
You have the nerve to say an Apple Xserve is good value for the money…
Now I really know you are crazy.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:25 am
yes, but this very technological change causes disruptions in established services and the legal mechanisms to allow change to move forward.
MP3’s and Napster caused great change, the music industry was at an impass until steve stepped in and showed them a way where “legal” downloadable music could be finally be sold. that problem is now solved, the only thing that is left is the ignorant “MP3 jihad” that wants to keep things like they were when phonographs and 8-track tapes ruled the earth, and I’m just evolved enough on this subject to help people here on p2p.net learn the new rules.
I don’t think for a moment, that thieves like “spike” will forever be around, but I’m simply pointing out the “new world order” of how music distribution will work, so disagree if you want, I don’t care, I know what the facts are and it’s up to you to rise up to them.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:30 am
You’re wrong again. The filesharers of today are the politicians and CEOs of tomorrow.
GAME OVER!
March 7th, 2006 at 8:32 am
“New world order”?
Sounds like tyranny to me:)
March 7th, 2006 at 8:34 am
for the “price” it’s the best value in the $5K-$25K server segment, Wal-Mart is buying 100’s of Apple RAIDs each month, and if you know anything about wal-mart, they know value when they see it. Once again, you are “uneducated” about the best products out there. Everyone in the server industry looks to Apple as the low cost leader, the xServe has blown away everyone on price/performance. it’s really rather shocking when you see the stats.
http://www.apple.com/xserve/raid/
http://www.apple.com/xserve/
apple owns the title of having the fastest supercomputer on EARTH for the lowest price, and that should tell you something about how extemely valuable xServes have become. you can learn more here:
http://www.apple.com/hardware/video/virginiatech/
March 7th, 2006 at 8:38 am
I been insulted in every way possible by this fool.
Apple is only into selling music because it sells them more of those music players. You actually think they give a damn about helping the public with a legal alternative?
I actually like the more rugged looking aftermarket ghetto blaster in the picture then that Apple contraption. I can imagine walking down the beach with that thing with the iPod sticking up there just dangling on by the connector. A real genius had to thought of that idea, rather then a more tried and true slotted in flat position.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:38 am
Yeah, I know alot about Walmart. They sell censored music and and get all their product from China at the expense of American jobs.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:42 am
so you are saying illegal filesharers will be able to gain a political or CEO job by being unethical today? i’m sorry, but once the public finds out of this illegal behavior they will never have any chance in any of those positions.
it appears you have spent too much time sniffing the fumes from the clueless truck.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:46 am
at least they have strong ethics and work extremely hard to better society, not steal from artists for their own selfish gain.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:49 am
A pair of AMD Opterons blows away that pathetic G5 based machine. You do realize Apple dumped IBM chips for a reason right? Let me guess you favour that change as well, even tho it was only a year ago Apple would never stop short at dissing anything based on an Intel/AMD processor. Also this is an example of how uneducated YOU are. RAID performance in a server depends entirely upon the RAID controller you put into the thing. For $5K you can build one hell of a nice server that will kick the shit out of anything Apple sells. Oops I forgot, you’re too stupid to know how to put together a computer, so building a server is the last task you’d ever take upon. Its a laugh that you even try to debate that one with me, as you have no idea at all.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:50 am
Yep:) Don’t you read the headlines? There are no ethics in politics anymore. Ken Lay was so ethical too wasn’t he? LOL!!!
You crack me up!!!
“Illegal filesharing”? You are Cary, aren’t you? Same ridiculous terminology. Even the Supreme Court sidestepped the legallity of P2P in their decision and restricted it to “inducement”.
I thought you knew the facts?
March 7th, 2006 at 8:50 am
They don’t have to steal from artists because the RIAA does that for them. The RIAA has been leeching off the artists for their own corporate gain for over 50 years.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:51 am
They spit on the artists by not selling their works as they were intended.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:52 am
His facts come either directly from the RIAA themselves or Apple.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:52 am
your insults are well deserved. you don’t put much thought into your actions, so you are getting your just reward.
and while happen to agree with the more slotted ipod position in a more “beachy” used ghetto blaster, but the secret is… there is a huge monitor that will soon go with the iPod HiFi, so when seen in that context it will make more sense.
all for now… have a good night…
March 7th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Awwwwwww, what’s the matter? Off the clock now? Couldn’t stand the heat and had to get out of the kitchen?
Yes, it will be better now:) Think I’ll watch that movie I recorded off the TV last night. But I’m sure you object to that too. Too bad:)
March 7th, 2006 at 8:58 am
Yeah, goodnight.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:01 am
Poor Jon must get plenty of hatemail from people like this.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:04 am
Welcome back Spike!
As you can see I kept the industry idiot busy while you were away:)
March 7th, 2006 at 9:05 am
Don’t come back now, ya hear?
March 7th, 2006 at 9:12 am
I do think, as opposed to you, the programmed one.
And of course, once again, you didn’t back up your “FACT”. I’m not taking your word for anything.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:41 am
He’s more than just a “fanboi”, that’s for sure.
He’s been exposed, and he wears no clothes either:)
March 7th, 2006 at 11:07 am
“if you buy a song for .99 cents you “own the rights” to listen to it forever”
If I “buy” a song I also expect to be able to listen to it anywhere, anyway, and anytime I choose… forever. If there are restrictions, I’m not having it.
You industry folk don’t understand the meaning of “forever” (unless you’re talking about how long copyrights should last). If you did, I should have been able to trade my Peter Frampton 8-track tape in for a cassette tape, or my album in for a CD. Why did I have to pay again when I already “owned the right to listen to the songs forever”? So spare us your double talk. The industry has been milking the money out of the common people forever this way. Now that everything’s gone digital this is no longer the case. With no more repeat purchases and no quality music of today, of course CD sales are down, and they will continue to dive. P2P has nothing to do with it. The industry killed itself with their lack of foresight and their unwillingness and sluggishness to adapt. You’ll find no sympathy here.
March 7th, 2006 at 11:18 am
He’s a walking, talking, pop-up advertisement. Do Blubster and Bearshare get to advertise here for free?
March 7th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
why is everyone on this website so clueless when it comes to copyright? you guys need to wake up and understand what is happening, not be crybabies about how “legal” music distribution will work going forward. if you buy a song today, or every yesterday, you “own” the rights to listen to it “wherever” you want. that’s how it works in the states at least. the only “restriction” is you can’t make millions of copies and share it all over the world, that’s it! otherwise you are welcome to listen to the song wherever you want.
you simply want all music to be stolen, nobody to ever make a penny on anything, you want to throw society back into the dark ages, you want shoplifting to be allowed, car theft to be legalized, no locks on doors, the rape of your women, the burning of all trees, books and cities, etc.
that’s what you REALLY want, since it’s the only thing you understand.
but i’m wise enough to understand anyone that thinks that way is just too immature to understand what I’m saying. No problem, you will grow up and come to the realization that I’m 100% right, and you are 100% wrong. It’s really that simple.
If you disagree with my comments, you are a thief.
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March 7th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
I’m just very honest, something you haven’t experienced before…
So get with it, get an iPod and start living a better life.
http://www.apple.com/ipod/
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March 7th, 2006 at 5:52 pm
The Hi-Fi initially stands out from the competition by being larger but simpler in its design: It’s a clean-looking rectangular box, 17 inches wide by 6.6 inches high by 6.9 inches deep, with rounded corners where the top and bottom meet the sides. The back, top, and sides are glossy white, while the system’s speaker drivers and black front are hidden behind a removable black fabric grille. Given that Apple is pushing the Hi-Fi as a “home stereo” replacement, I’d like to see an all-black version — few people that I know have white stereo systems. I’d also like to see a gray speaker grille on the white version to better match many of the other white electronic products on the market right now.
The top of the Hi-Fi hosts Apple’s Universal iPod dock cradle; 10 adapter inserts are included for compatibility with all current and previous dockable iPods. In front of the dock are touch-sensitive up/down volume pads. Although this top-mounted dock design allows for quick docking/undocking and keeps the iPod’s screen accessible and visible, it also makes it more difficult to pick up and move the Hi-Fi — you have to worry about the iPod falling off — and it means that if you want to put the Hi-Fi on a shelf or in an A/V cabinet, you have to leave 4 to 5 inches of space above it.
The Hi-Fi’s back panel provides a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) auxiliary input jack that accepts either analog or optical S/PDIF input. The Hi-Fi includes its own digital-to-analog converter [DAC]. The back also hosts a battery door - -the system can run off six D batteries–and the jack for the system’s AC cable. Note that unlike many similar systems, the Hi-Fi doesn’t require an external power brick; the power supply — an auto-switching model that supports 100-240V at 50-60Hz — is actually inside. I also like the fact that you get a 9′ 6″ cable–long enough to reach from most outlets. One prominent omission: a video output port. Given that Apple is pushing the Hi-Fi as part of your home entertainment system, a video-out port seems like an obvious feature that would allow you to view your iPod-hosted photos and videos on your TV.
Apple told us that the Hi-Fi is designed to take the place of a home audio system, not a home theatre system. In addition, the company pointed out that you can still get video from the AV [headphone] jack on video-capable iPods; the drawback is that this is a composite video jack vs. the higher-quality S-Video signal of the iPod’s dock connector. The Hi-Fi also does not include a dock-connector port for connecting a docked iPod to your computer for syncing, but since the system is clearly not designed to be used on a computer desk, it’s hard to fault it for this omission.e ”
The bottom of the Hi-Fi is almost completely covered in a thick, gray rubber foot — similar to the one on the bottom of Apple’s iPod docks — that keeps the unit from sliding around while also protecting its white plastic surface. Given that Apple touts the rigidity of the Hi-Fi’s enclosure — it does feel very solid — I assume that this rubber mat is also designed to reduce vibration and resonance.
Finally, behind the front grille are the Hi-Fi’s speaker drivers: two 80mm wide-range drivers — designed to take the place of separate midrange and tweeter drivers — in sealed enclosures, along with a 130mm, dual-voice-coil, ported woofer in a larger overall enclosure; the woofer’s two ports are clearly visible with the grille removed. The speakers are powered by a built-in Class D amplifier, but Apple doesn’t publish official power ratings.
Also on the front of the unit are the sensor for the remote control (on the left, between the midrange driver and the woofer) and the system’s status light (in the lower-right). The grille attaches via four metal pegs that make it easy to remove and put on; with the grille off, the Hi-Fi takes on a decidedly retro appearance.
The Hi-Fi includes Apple’s standard Apple Remote, featuring Play/Pause, Forward, Back, Volume Up, Volume Down, and Menu buttons. Although an infrared remote, which generally means “line-of-sight with limited range”, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the performance of Apple’s remote, which also works with the Mac mini, iMac, MacBook Pro, and Apple’s Universal iPod Dock. If you’ve got more than one Apple Remote-capable device, Apple recommends pairing specific remotes with specific devices to avoid accidentally controlling multiple devices with a single keypress. Unlike most infrared remotes we’ve tested, the Apple Remote works across large rooms and at off-axis angles; I even had regular success using it from behind the Hi-Fi. My only criticism of the remote is that it would be nice to have a bit more functionality–some systems offer control over playlists or shuffle and repeat modes.
You can take it with you
Unlike Bose’s SoundDock — but similar to Altec Lansing’s inMotion iM7 — the Hi-Fi doesn’t require that you be tethered to an AC outlet, since it can also run off batteries. Sturdy, built-in handles on the upper-right and -left help you move the Hi-Fi from place to place. Granted, at nearly 8kg with batteries, it’s not something you’re going to be carrying with you regularly, but it’s nice to be able to take it out to the patio for a barbecue.
Given the Hi-Fi’s surprisingly loud output levels and impressive bass response (see below), I was curious as to the system’s battery life. Although Apple’s Web site doesn’t provide official figures, Bob Borchers, Senior Director of the iPod Ecosystem for Apple, told us that you should be able to get approximately five hours of playback at maximum volume, with up to 15 hours at normal listening levels; as with any battery-powered speaker system, actual battery life also depends on the type of music, with bass-heavy and dynamic music requiring more power than other music types.
Interestingly, the Hi-Fi includes unique circuitry to prevent the sort of low-battery distortion found in other portable speaker systems: As the batteries drain, the Hi-Fi automatically scales back the maximum volume level. In other words, you can’t turn the system up as loud with weak batteries — the system’s indicator light turns orange as if to say, “Sorry, that’s it!” — but you get clean, undistorted sound all the way to the end. Similarly, when you unplug the system’s AC power cord, causing it to run off battery power, the Hi-Fi automatically reduces volume to an “ambient” level to conserve power; you can then adjust the volume as desired. These touches are classic Apple — and I mean that in the very best way.
In my testing using brand-new Duracell alkaline batteries, the Hi-Fi played at very loud volumes for two to three hours, then automatically dropped down to a lower maximum volume, where I let it continue to play. Overall, I got just under 11 hours of battery life
Related to the Hi-Fi’s battery life is a unique feature for keeping your iPod running: whereas most portable speakers charge your iPod only when the speaker system is running off AC power, the Hi-Fi will charge your iPod even if running off battery power. Apple’s documentation states that the Hi-Fi will charge an iPod for “up to 30 minutes”, but Borchers told Playlist that the Hi-Fi will actually charge the iPod intelligently, providing enough juice so that it plays until both run out of juice. Of course, this reduces the Hi-Fi’s own battery life, although Borchers said that the amount is negligible compared to the amount of power used by the Hi-Fi itself. This is a great feature for those times when you bring your iPod Hi-Fi along on an outing, only to realize that you forgot to charge your iPod. However, this charging also occurs even if your iPod is not actually playing: The Hi-Fi will go into low-power mode after two minutes of idleness, but it will continue to charge your iPod for the full 30 minutes. For this reason, Apple notes that your Hi-Fi will get better battery life if your iPod is fully charged before docking it. Another tip: Don’t store your iPod in the Hi-Fi’s dock unless the Hi-Fi is plugged in.
I should mention a couple caveats for those considering the iPod Hi-Fi for portable use: First, its glossy white plastic scratches fairly easily — this isn’t something you want to toss in your trunk. Similarly, you’ll need to be careful not to snag the fabric front grille when moving it around. I wouldn’t recommend transporting the Hi-Fi with the grille off, as you risk damaging the drivers themselves. Thankfully, vendors are already working on cases: WaterField Designs told Playlist that they’re working on a padded case, similar to their (much smaller) iPod Gear Pouch, that will hold the Hi-Fi, your iPod, and a few other pieces of gear; you’ll be able to carry the whole package via a handle or shoulder strap. The Waterfield case should be available in a few weeks.
Unique playback features
Physical size and battery use aside, what really sets the Hi-Fi apart from other transportable speaker systems are a number of interesting playback features. For example, a new Speakers menu appears on fifth-generation and nano iPods when you dock them with the Hi-Fi. This menu — actually present, but hidden, in these models since they were released, and updated via January’s iPod Software 1.1 — provides several options specific to Hi-Fi-docking. Tone Control allows you to choose a Hi-Fi-specific EQ setting: Normal, Bass Boost, and Treble Boost; unlike the iPod’s EQ settings, the tone controls take effect in real time, so you can quickly compare the options as you scroll through them. Note that the iPod’s standard EQ settings also appear to affect the iPod’s output when docked with the Hi-Fi; however, the Tone Control setting doesn’t affect audio output when docked with a different speaker system, nor does it affect headphone output.
Backlight lets you choose when your iPod’s screen backlight should be lit when docked in the Hi-Fi: Always On, Always Off, On Keypress, or While Playing. Finally, a Large Album Art option will display are in full-screen mode as long as your iPod is docked. The only problem with this last setting is that if a track has no album art, the screen simply goes blank; it would make more sense if the screen showed the standard informational display until another track with album art is played.
The caveat here? According to Apple, the Speakers menu item and its settings are not available on older iPods; they rely on technology found in the most recent models.
As I mentioned above, the Hi-Fi includes a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) auxiliary input jack for connecting another audio device via an analog or optical-S/PDIF cable. For example, you can use the Hi-Fi to listen to an iPod shuffle, a TV or DVD player, or even the output of an AirPort Express. During my testing, I used an AirPort Express — via both analog and optical cables — to listen to music streamed from iTunes; the Hi-Fi worked flawlessly. So much so that I had to wonder if Apple considered including wireless functionality in the Hi-Fi itself; it would make a great “remote speaker” system for iTunes/AirTunes. However, unlike many iPod-docking speaker systems, which simply mute iPod playback when a second audio source is connected, the iPod Hi-Fi allows you to switch between the two sources using the remote’s Menu button: If the iPod is playing, holding down the Menu button for a few seconds pauses the iPod and switches to the auxiliary input; holding down Menu again switches back to the iPod (although you have to manually press Play on the remote to resume playback). During auxiliary-input playback, pressing the Play button mutes/unmutes the system’s volume.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
“if you buy a song today, or every yesterday, you “own” the rights to listen to it “wherever” you want. that’s how it works in the states at least”
It may be what the law says, but the industry doesn’t play by the rules either. They’re constantly trying to rewrite them to fit their whims and desires. DRM is also making it less possible for paying customers to enjoy a purchased song “wherever” they want. (Not to mention the rootkits and spyware that come with it.) Most CDs with this crap won’t even play in a car stereo. There is no truth in anything you say.
“you simply want all music to be stolen, nobody to ever make a penny on anything, you want to throw society back into the dark ages, you want shoplifting to be allowed, car theft to be legalized, no locks on doors, the rape of your women, the burning of all trees, books and cities, etc.
that’s what you REALLY want, since it’s the only thing you understand”
The only clueless and close minded one here is you. Our eyes are wide open. We WANT to see the artists get paid. We just don’t want to pay though you, the middleman, who is the REAL thief earning a plush living at the expense of everyone else, the artists and paying customers.
“No problem, you will grow up and come to the realization that I’m 100% right, and you are 100% wrong. It’s really that simple.
If you disagree with my comments, you are a thief.”
You are so full of yourself. Not you or anyone else in the industry is 100% right. History has already proven that.
“To err is human”, and this includes even you.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
He’s also an RIAA propaganda tool.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:57 pm
When can I march behind you and heil?
<3
March 8th, 2006 at 12:14 am
yes, but in the World of iTunes, you have Steve Jobs, who can crush the RIAA with a single keystroke. So sure, if you aren’t yet part of the iTunes World you may not understand what is going on, but if you have an iPod and use iTunes, it now has more control than the RIAA.
I’m just the “answer man” for your questions, what I say stands… I just have a knack for being correct I guess.
And yes… you are welcome!
March 8th, 2006 at 12:22 am
no, the RIAA can kiss my ass, but I do realize if we are ever going to get anywhere there “will” be a legal component to all quality downloads. so poor spike can whine and complain about me, but I’m “technically” and “legally” on the right side of this issue, all you have to do is move up to my level and all will be fine.
I can see it now, poor spike is still too young to understand larger concepts, so he’s typing an ignorant reply as we speak
March 8th, 2006 at 2:46 am
You wish.
March 9th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
It’s really time you stopped patting yourself on the back. Your head is so far up your own ass (and the industry’s ass) that you can’t even see that you’ve clearly lost every argument here. What you say means nothing to anyone but you, and you haven’t changed a single mind here. The common people of the world with any knowledge will never bend over and accept what the industry’s intent on shoving up their oriface. It’s called the “digital revolution” for a reason.
Again, your terminology is wrong. You’re not an “answer man” for anything. You’re nothing more than an industry “yes man”.
March 10th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Someday, you’ll grow up. Then, you’ll look back and say… Gosh, I guess that one smart guy on p2pnet was RIGHT.
Until then, everyone on this site sees you as a total fool!