AppleInsider podcast interviews Matt Hines of iZotope, talks about HomePod, DJI drones

AppleInsider editor Victor Marks and Neil Hughes discuss:

• Deals: B&H Photo this week is offering shoppers the lowest price available from an Apple authorized reseller on the Late 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro (2.6GHz, 16GB, 256GB, Radeon 450) in Space Gray. Now $1,799.00 , this offer is $600 off MSRP, beating other Apple authorized resellers by at least $170
• HomePod preoders are (about to) open! Are you getting one? Neil is.
• What's the relationship between HomePod and HomeKit?
• The thing everyone's talking about while Apple says it's irrelevant: How a HomePod stacks up against Alexa and Google Assistant devices, even the more expensive ones.
• FLAC audio for QuickTime Player and HomePod. This feels like something unusual. Almost as if Apple acknowledges that audiophiles like lossless formats like FLAC.
• Apple increases the self-driving fleet to a total of 27 vehicles.
• Victor mentions Anker's Roav Viva product and the Garmin Speak and Speak Plus products, which put Alexa in the car for navigation.
• Neil's experience at the DJI Mavic Air product launch.

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Show note links:

• B&H Photo this week is offering shoppers the lowest price available from an Apple authorized reseller on the Late 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro (2.6GHz, 16GB, 256GB, Radeon 450) in Space Gray. Now $1,799.00, this offer is $600 off MSRP, beating other Apple authorized resellers by at least $170, according to the AI Price Guide. What's more, each MacBook Pro qualifies for free expedited shipping to the lower 48 for fast delivery to your doorstep within 1 to 3 business days. And since B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY and NJ, many shoppers outside those two states can save another $140 on average.
• Tim Cook says hardware, software integration puts HomePod ahead of competition
• HomePod: Everything you need to know about Apple's smart speaker
• Apple's latest iTunes release includes HomePod support
• HomePod hands on account finds sound superior to competitors, data only read to main user
• Sonos fires back at Apple's HomePod by offering a pair of One speakers for $349
• HomePod, QuickTime Player now support FLAC audio files, iTunes still doesn't
• Siri now actively used on more than 500M devices, up from 375M in June
• Reminder: HomePod can replace an Apple TV or iPad as a HomeKit hub
• Apple enables basic AirPlay 2 functionality in iOS 11.3, tvOS 11.3 betas
• Apple now has 27 self-driving Lexus cars on the road in California
• Video: See DJI's iOS-connected, foldable Mavic Air drone in action

Follow our hosts on Twitter: @vmarks and @thisisneil.

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