Apple HomePod first impressions: Great sound is a good start

OK, yes, the HomePod sounds great. After spending a good chunk of the afternoon with Apple's new Siri-controlled speaker, listening to tunes in the company's tiny Tribeca apartment meeting space, I'm more convinced than ever that Apple has built an aural triumph in its initial entry to the "smart speaker" space.

What I'm less convinced of, however, is whether customers will care. The success of the Echo Dot — Amazon's puck-shaped smart speaker that definitely de-emphasizes the second word of that description — tells me that anyone who's been won over by the category mostly just wants to get the power of voice command in more places. And audio? A glorified intercom will do. Or, hey, just connect your own speakers. Read more...