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Apps and Hardware - Where Do You Stand?
#1535651
27/04/2015 18:48
27/04/2015 18:48
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852 Cambridge & Cotswolds
MeanRedSpider
OP
Je suis un Coupé
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OP
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
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2 or 3 years ago, I bought a Sonos system after experiencing at a friend's house. Whilst the sound was fine, what I loved was the iPad App which, in my (experienced) view, was a masterpiece of user experience: it was beautifully simple and did everything you'd hope in the way that you wanted it. It's what sold me on Sonos.
Anyhow, a year or so ago, they "upgraded" the App and, what was so beautiful in my eyes, became a steaming pile of crap. Steps that used to take one or two clicks became 5 clicks, information was hidden, screen real estate got used up with rubbish - it was truly horrible.
Now here's the thing: they basically ruined the product I had bought. I resisted upgrading the App as long as I could but, eventually, I was forced to. I felt like I'd bought an elegant and refined car and, one day, collecting it from a service, I find they'd taken it to Halfords for a Max Power/Ripspeed refit. And there's nothing I can do about it.
I've actually signed up for their beta tester programme in the hope of influencing future editions and there were plenty of complains on the App Store.
But it does raise the question of what you've actually bought and how much use might you get out of it. And, if they screw it up at some point in the future, what rights do you have? Not many, I suspect.
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Re: Apps and Hardware - Where Do You Stand?
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1535742
28/04/2015 10:52
28/04/2015 10:52
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Nobby
Unregistered
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Nobby
Unregistered
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I was very tempted to get some sonos gear, but instead opted for single room set up (with optional second zone), music streaming from DLNA server or ipad/iphones.
The annoying thing is the GUI on both the phones/ipads isn't that great and on the ONKYO receiver its pretty dire (even when its displayed on the TV). I was hoping when I bought my PS4 that it would have inbuilt DLNA streaming but Sony don't seem to have covered it yet.
As it happens I don't even use it that often. Only when the kids want to listen to Frozen for the unpteenth time or when everyone else it out and I have the house to myself!
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Re: Apps and Hardware - Where Do You Stand?
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1535771
28/04/2015 17:17
28/04/2015 17:17
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,411 Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG
Club Treasurer Member 311
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Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,411
Lightwater, Surrey
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I stopped upgrading my Android apps after finding so many negative reviews for the "upgrades", with features being lost or the user experience deteriorating. The Barclays app is another good example, it wasn't broke, yet they fixed it (ruined it) and forced you to upgrade.
But sometimes you can find some kind soul has preserved an .apk of an old and favourite version, so use that instead... .
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
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Re: Apps and Hardware - Where Do You Stand?
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1535848
29/04/2015 10:19
29/04/2015 10:19
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 853 East Anglia
one4seven
Enjoying the ride
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Enjoying the ride
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 853
East Anglia
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Plex is currently the daddy for multi-room media sharing, and interestingly, every new release gets better.
It can be used like Sonos (e.g. playing music in one room, fling it to another device in another room etc), but on many more devices and without the proprietary hardware - the main thing that put me off Sonos.
They have Windows Phone, iOS, Android, SmartTV, Xbox, PlayStation, Windows (x86/x64), Linux and Roku apps - literally no reason to use anything else!
Ollie
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Re: Apps and Hardware - Where Do You Stand?
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1535881
29/04/2015 12:51
29/04/2015 12:51
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poprock
Unregistered
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poprock
Unregistered
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I’m a Plex user too. I run the server on a Mac and I mostly watch through an Xbox One – the interface through that is lovely (and voice control is ace).
That’s for video though. I use iTunes for music around the house.
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Re: Apps and Hardware - Where Do You Stand?
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1536075
30/04/2015 18:38
30/04/2015 18:38
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GrahamL
Unregistered
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GrahamL
Unregistered
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Surely if you never update the firmware on the base or remote units then it'll function "as is" indefinitely and you've still got exactly what you initially paid for?
This is why I always disable automatic updates. Unless the design sucks and requires an internet connection and forces automatic updates with no option to disable them.
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Re: Apps and Hardware - Where Do You Stand?
[Re: ]
#1536082
30/04/2015 19:09
30/04/2015 19:09
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852 Cambridge & Cotswolds
MeanRedSpider
OP
Je suis un Coupé
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OP
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
|
Surely if you never update the firmware on the base or remote units then it'll function "as is" indefinitely and you've still got exactly what you initially paid for?
This is why I always disable automatic updates. Unless the design sucks and requires an internet connection and forces automatic updates with no option to disable them. Yup - until you want to add another component (which naturally comes loaded with the new software/firmware). Or until there's an IOS update that requires a new version of the App. Or you get a new phone for which you need to load the latest app.
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