Apple Music first impressions

[lpv]

interesting.. let's say I'm on ' new' tab, main page.. I go to first of the ' hot tracks' and click on 3 dots ' start new station from song' and nothing but if I go to ' for you' tab then one of the playlists and click 3 dots next to some Tommy Flanagan and radio work perfectly..

so there's a bug somewhere..

 

[ifor]

Most Apple things do work well ...

... if it appears not to it can usually be sorted in a short while, with a little patience and a search of the Apple fora. I have no interest in streaming music I don't own, but today I had a problem showing my iPhoto library through my Apple TV. I was getting really annoyed until I found out that all I needed to do was reboot the iMac having updated iTunes.

 

[chebby]

... but I would knock off at least 1 star for the poor device support and the need to run iTunes on a PC even to listen to the 'free' radio station.

And there we go. You've never used it.

I have been using the radio on an iPhone and an iPad Mini and a Mac since it's launch last week. In fact I was using it on my iOS devices for a whole day before i'd even got it on my Mac.

Not a PC in sight.

 

[tino]

... and What's Hi-Fi gave five stars review.

I'm surprised by this as well ... as a service it may be competetive, but I would knock off at least 1 star for the poor device support and if you don't own an Apple device, you currently need to run iTunes on a PC even to listen to the 'free' radio station . One of the things I like about Deezer (which is what I use) is that I am able to use the same service reliably and consistently on the 7 different device platforms that I own. The quantity and quality of service is also very good.

 

[tino]

... but I would knock off at least 1 star for the poor device support and the need to run iTunes on a PC even to listen to the 'free' radio station.

And there we go. You've never used it.

I have been using the radio on an iPhone and an iPad Mini and a Mac since it's launch last week. In fact I was using it on my iOS devices for a whole day before i'd even got it on my Mac.

Not a PC in sight.

I meant that if you don't have an Apple device, your only way to listen to the radio station is by using a PC onto which you must install iTunes. Given that I am not going to go through the inconvenience of installing over 100MB of software to listen to radio, then you are correct ... I've never listened to it and probably never will.

 

[chebby]

... but I would knock off at least 1 star for the poor device support and the need to run iTunes on a PC even to listen to the 'free' radio station.

And there we go. You've never used it.

I have been using the radio on an iPhone and an iPad Mini and a Mac since it's launch last week. In fact I was using it on my iOS devices for a whole day before i'd even got it on my Mac.

Not a PC in sight.

I meant that if you don't have an Apple device, your only way to listen to the radio station is by using a PC onto which you must install iTunes. Given that I am not going to go through the inconvenience of installing over 100MB of software to listen to radio, then you are correct ... I've never listened to it and probably never will.

It'll be on Android soon enough and if you are concerned about the 'inconvenience' of downloading 100MB in this day-and-age, then you must either have a pretty knackered PC, or an internet connection so slow that streaming wouldn't work anyway! *

100MB is about one seventh of the capacity of a single CD.

 

[daveh75]

Is it possible to listen to the Beats 1 radio station by normal means e.g. an Internet radio stream and not an Apple device or iTunes software?

Unofficially, yes.

Reddit users discovered the the stream URLs (though Apple being Apple, they don't last long)

https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/3bq8ix/beats_1_stream_urls/

This one is currently working having just tried it

http://itsliveradiobackup.apple.com/streams/hub02/session01/256k/prog.m3u8

Shame its just a Radio 1 clone...

 

[tino]

It'll be on Android soon enough and if you are concerned about the 'inconvenience' of downloading 100MB in this day-and-age, then you must either have a pretty knackered PC, or an internet connection so slow that streaming wouldn't work anyway!

Android (and Sonos, web browser etc.) support is not available now which I consider a major demerit for the Apple music service if you are going to review it fairly and objectively. In terms of the iTunes requirement on a PC, if I have to download 100MB of software just to listen to a 'free' radio stream on a PC that's very ineffcient. I have no issues with my PC, internet connections, or other software that can stream radio or other music service using far less resources ... more like 5-15MB ... or I can just use my existing browser.

 

[tino]

Is it possible to listen to the Beats 1 radio station by normal means e.g. an Internet radio stream and not an Apple device or iTunes software?

Unofficially, yes.

Reddit users discovered the the stream URLs (though Apple being Apple, they don't last long)

Shame its just a Radio 1 clone...

Thanks ... I did find those links you mentioned and glad to hear they still work. I'll give them a go.

 

[Andy Clough]

so you don't experience all the problems the guys on apple forum reporting?

and What's Hi-Fi gave five stars review..

LOL..

That's how Apple works. The 'invitations' come with a specific name on it and only that person can attend. If that person gives a bad review, they never get another invite. That is why we have had 20 adverts, oops, stories on Apple music in the last month. Anyone giving an honest review is cut. So the naff 256Kbps music is suddenly the greatest thing in the World. The high res being developed by Apple with Bono of U2 will be another story, but until then....

Just to be clear, we didn't have any 'invitation' from Apple, they do not advertise with us (and probably never will). We downloaded Apple Music like everyone else, a number of us subscribed to the free trial and we've been using it on a mix of Mac laptops, iPhones and iPads ever since. All opinions are our own and frankly I don't care what Apple thinks about us.

 

[jjbomber]

I'm surprised by this as well ... as a service it may be competetive, but I would knock off at least 1 star for the poor device support

As explained, they are not allowed to. The 'review' is just an advert. No Android yet, no hi-res, only 256Kbps, bloatware like Bonjour, losing artwork, etc. these all have to be ignored or the invitations stop.

 

[Andy Clough]

I'm surprised by this as well ... as a service it may be competetive, but I would knock off at least 1 star for the poor device support

As explained, they are not allowed to. The 'review' is just an advert. No Android yet, no hi-res, only 256Kbps, bloatware like Bonjour, losing artwork, etc. these all have to be ignored or the invitations stop.

I will say again: there were no 'invitations', we are allowed to write whatever we want and I don't give a hoot what Apple thinks. Frankly, they're probably not that bothered about us either.

Apple has said publicly that Android support will follow later this year, and Sonos has confirmed it will add Apple Music as soon as it can. I don't agree we should delete a star just because those options are not supported at launch - they will come in time.

http://www.whathifi.com/news/apple-music-will-be-available-sonos-later-year

 

[Andy Clough]

I've been using it since yesterday, I like it. I'm not fussed on airplay though. Would it be worth while getting an ATV? The problem with airplay is that the stream has to bounce from your phone to the AVR, would the ATV grab the stream directly itself and my phone act like a remote?

Just to be clear, the Apple TV does not yet have a dedicated app for Apple Music (it still has the old iTunes one) so no, it can't stream Apple Music directly like Spotify Connect, using the phone as a remote.

But an upgrade for Apple TV to incorporate Apple Music directly is due later this year, along with Android and Sonos support.

 

[chebby]

C'mon JJ, I don't have much time. Are you going to call the editor a liar for a second time or not? If so i'm getting another coffee.

 

[Andy Clough]

Another coffee sounds like a great idea Chebby! And I've been called far worse things than a liar

 

[tino]

Apple has said publicly that Android support will follow later this year, and Sonos has confirmed it will add Apple Music as soon as it can. I don't agree we should delete a star just because those options are not supported at launch - they will come in time.

I find this conclusion to be very strange. You should review the service for what it does now, not tomorrow, not next week, or some speculatve date in the future. I have fallen foul of technology companies promising upgrades in the future and they never materialise or fall far short of the original promise. At the moment, device and platform support in Apple Music is poor for what is purported to be next best thing in music streaming. This is a signifcant disadvantage compared to other competitor services. Today I can run Deezer Premium+ on Sonos, Squeezebox Touch, Android, Blackberry, Windows PC/Phone/RT and many others ... best of all I can do it for free for a year.

 

[tino]

... best of all I can do it for free for a year.

I thought that was - essentially - what lay behind your prostest. Free stuff

Not at all ... But if Apple can't make a free internet radio or trial music streaming service available on other (not tied into iTunes)platforms when many other people can, I know where my free money is going, and where I might place my non-free money in the future ;-)

 

[chebby]

... best of all I can do it for free for a year.

I thought that was - essentially - what lay behind your protest. Free stuff

 

[jjbomber]

C'mon JJ, I don't have much time. Are you going to call the editor a liar for a second time or not? If so i'm getting another coffee.

It was all in The Sunday Times last weekend. The lowdown on how Apple manipulates the press. It was also stated in the launch that the music would be 256Kbps, so why did What HiFi take 3 days and yet another advert/story to say so, while trying to claim they didn't know?

Remember the ipad 3? Heap of junk that got pulled after 6 months by Apple while still selling the ipad 2. The Economist told the truth and gave it 3 stars. They were never invited back.

Enjoy your coffee.

 

[MajorFubar]

Remember if you just don't like it you have the option just simply not to use it without the seemingly obligatory Apple bashing

 

[lpv]

Another coffee sounds like a great idea Chebby! And I've been called far worse things than a liar

I'm not surprised you've ' been called far worse than a liar' if you and the gang can write glowing review of a mediocre product. That also means that:

a) apple music app on all your apple devices work flawlessly so the outcome of the review must be 5 stars because apple music is an outstanding product

b) tino called it ' invitations' but I call it ...beep... and ...beep...

there are no other options for you this time.

the real review can be found on apple forum, where you can find LONG list of complaints from no agenda users.. go ahead people and check yourself and then don't forget to read what's hi fi review straight after.

 

[tino]

b) tino called it ' invitations' but I call it ...beep... and ...beep...

there are no other options for you this time.

Hi ... just to say I didn't say anything about Apple reviewer 'invitations' ... that was jjbomber ...

My point was that even though I would like to give Beats 1 radio a spin and maybe trial the music streaming service at some point, I want to listen to those on my Sonos and mobile devices so am I currently out of luck. This is my first Apple Music experience/impression so I think it is valid to point it out in this thread.

 

[chebby]

I've sailed through no end of these "sky is falling" scenarios with Apple upgrades, new products etc.

The odd thing is how I have always been unaffected. (Way too many times for it to be pure co-incidence, or sheer dumb luck, over the 8 years I have been an Apple customer.)

I am on my fourth iPhone (since a 3G) and second iPad Mini and second Mac (the 1st iMac lasted us just under 8 years and is still in use). Our two daughters have had (and still have) iPhones, iPads and now our eldest has a £1500 MacBook Pro too. Not a peep out of either of them about any problems over the last few years. I have friends and colleagues unaffected by all these 'cataclysmic' problems over the years too.

Yes I know there are people who have problems. Thousands of people might have problems with something new from Apple. But how many is that compared to all the people who are unaffected? Given Apple's market reach i'd guess a small minority.

It is a truism that we never hear about people who are content with their purchases and only from those with a complaint. (Or an axe to grind in some cases.) Add the world's 'media microscope' that is permanently fixed over Apple (like it's boardroom was harbouring ISIS top brass or some other 'great evil' lurking within) and you get "Sky Is Falling" when someone twists an ankle walking home with a new iPhone!!

We - and now our daughters - have spent many thousands on this company's products over the years and - so far - we are all enjoying them hugely. I do not represent Apple nor have their shares and nor do I rely on their success for any part of my income.

I feel sorry for those people affected by problems caused by changes in Apple products or software upgrades. I wish them a speedy resolution. I hope they all mitigated against the potential damage with full backups before major changes.

 

[MajorFubar]

Why do the anti-apple activists have to spoil every f---king thread and YouTube video about apple products, services and apps? No-one's making you use them. Why can't you just STFU?

(Not aimed at any one person here, but just generally. It does my head in.)

 

[lpv]

I've sailed through no end of these "sky is falling" scenarios with Apple upgrades, new products etc.

The odd thing is how I have always been unaffected. (Way too many times for it to be pure co-incidence, or sheer dumb luck, over the 8 years I have been an Apple customer.)

I am on my fourth iPhone (since a 3G) and second iPad Mini and second Mac (the 1st iMac lasted us just under 8 years and is still in use). Our two daughters have had (and still have) iPhones, iPads and now our eldest has a £1500 MacBook Pro too. Not a peep out of either of them about any problems over the last few years. I have friends and colleagues unaffected by all these 'cataclysmic' problems over the years too.

Yes I know there are people who have problems. Thousands of people might have problems with something new from Apple. But how many is that compared to all the people who are unaffected? Given Apple's market reach i'd guess a small minority.

It is a truism that we never hear about people who are content with their purchases and only from those with a complaint. (Or an axe to grind in some cases.) Add the world's 'media microscope' that is permanently fixed over Apple (like it's boardroom was harbouring ISIS top brass or some other 'great evil' lurking within) and you get "Sky Is Falling" when someone twists an ankle walking home with a new iPhone!!

We - and now our daughters - have spent many thousands on this company's products over the years and - so far - we are all enjoying them hugely. I do not represent Apple nor have their shares and nor do I rely on their success for any part of my income.

I feel sorry for those people affected by problems caused by changes in Apple products or software upgrades. I wish them a speedy resolution. I hope they all mitigated against the potential damage with full backups before major changes.

I agree. I almost never had problems with my macs.. iPhoto was one ( long story... I just stopped using it completely) and now I have checked new apple music and it's far from good and I am surprised by what's hi fi rating ( well I'm not that much surprised after all considering this is a magazine and they simply cannot gave their honest opinion because making money is what they do).. like I said before.. I use McIntosh as a excellent platfrom ( far better than windows) for no-apple software.