sonos

Logitech's Squeezebox Duet: Sonos for the masses?

Digital audio is great--especially if you've got a multigigabyte music collection sitting on your computer or you subscribe to an "all you can eat" music service like Rhapsody. The problem, for a lot of people, is that they're stuck listening to all that great music on the tinny speakers of their computer--or perhaps patching the laptop into their living room stereo system. Dedicated audio streamers have helped somewhat, but they have tiny little screens, which--like docked iPods--aren't very useful if you're sitting on a sofa across the room. And the best solution to date--the excellent Sonos Digital Music System--costs a prohibitive $1,000. Enter Logitech's new Squeezebox Duet: the $400 network digital audio streamer employs a winning handheld remote with a brilliant color screen (not unlike an iPod) that lets you navigate your entire music collection--including some online services and the majority of free Internet radio stations--from the palm of your hand, even while you hear the music from the big speakers of your home stereo. … Read more

Sonos upgrades software, adds Napster, launches ZoneBridge accessory

Sonos today issued a flurry of announcements that will further augment the appeal of its Digital Music System: compatibility with two additional premium music subscription services--Best Buy's Digital Music Store (BBDMS) and the revamped Napster; a new software update that adds a handful of useful features, including search; and confirmation of the ZoneBridge BR100 networking accessory. The details, in brief:… Read more

Leak of the day: Sonos ZoneBridge BR100

If last week's FCC leak wasn't proof enough, the UK's Automated Home (via Gizmodo) has pretty much filled in all the details on an as-yet-unannounced networking accessory for the Sonos Digital Music System. The Sonos ZoneBridge BR100 will act as a wireless bridge between other ZonePlayers in the Sonos' proprietary mesh network. That's useful because the Sonos system requires at least one of its boxes to be tethered to a wired network connection. Previously, that meant one of the two included base stations of the Sonos system would need to be near an Ethernet port, or … Read more

Pimp-worthy Sirius Sportster 5

The folks at Sirius are brimming with news this morning (seriously, pace yourself guys). Between their announcements of the Stiletto 2 handheld satellite radio and their partnership with wireless home audio mavens Sonos, news of their latest Sportster 5 plug-and-play receiver snuck right past us. The car-friendly Sportster offers a full-color screen with selectable color schemes that will do a much better job of integrating with pimped-out car interiors where monochrome just won't do. Other features include a real-time sports ticker, FM transmitter, 30 presets, and the ability to pause and rewind up to 60 minutes of live radio. … Read more

Sonos adds streaming Sirius to its content roster

Add Sirius Satellite Radio to the roster of content choices available on the Sonos Digital Music System. The version 2.3 firmware, available today as an automatic upgrade, delivers access to more than 80 Sirius stations to Sonos' line of multi-room digital audio products. Because the stations are streamed via the Sonos' broadband Internet connection, there is no need for any additional hardware, such as a satellite receiver add-on. After a free 30-day trial, access to the Sirius channels costs $3 per month (for existing Sirius subscribers) or $13 a month (for new subscribers who just want the service on … Read more

Sonos in action

One of my former neighbors, the Captain, recently informed his sons that he intends to spend their inheritance. His eldest son, who's about my age, helped him with this task by installing a state of the art multiroom digital music system in the Captain's house.

This weekend, I went to the Captain's annual block party, and while I've seen the Sonos system demonstrated at the last couple Consumer Electronics Shows, this was the first time I've seen it in action. My friend kept the set-up fairly simple, with only two zones: Upstairs encompasses the living … Read more

Hands-on: The Sonos Bundle 130

For the past month, I have been playing with (and enjoying) the Sonos Digital Music System (Bundle 130). Offering a sleek design and a surprisingly useful remote, the Bundle U130 raises the bar for other systems that take your music and transmit tunes throughout your home.

What's in the box

When you first open the bundle, you are immediately presented with a host of cords and the same products that you would find in the Sonos Bundle 100 or the Bundle 80 - the ZonePlayer 100 (ZP100), the ZonePlayer 80 (ZP80) and the CR100 controller. And while the same … Read more

Sonos Digital Music System to Be Sold at Best Buy

In an announcement that is sure to excite digital home music fans everywhere, Sonos has announced that its Digital Music System will be available at over 440 Best Buy locations.

Released in the Spring of 2005, the Sonos' Digital Music System proved to be a bit ahead of its time. But with the push for more interaction with audio, Sonos' unique idea quickly became a leader in the digital home music market.

The Digital Music System is comprised of three unique and useful products: the ZonePlayer 80 (ZP80), ZonePlayer 100 (ZP) and the Sonos Controller (CR 100).

The ZP80 can … Read more

Pandora escapes browser, heads for phones and living rooms

Internet radio service Pandora is now lending its services to mobile phones and living rooms in a new platform called Pandora Everywhere. Sprint phone subscribers will be able to access the mobile version of Pandora to listen to music, give songs the thumbs up or down, bookmark what they like, and get new music recommendations based on their tastes. Pandora to Go is free for 30 days, and jumps to a $2.99 monthly subscription when the trial is over.

The Pandora Everywhere platform is also launching with support for home products from Sonos, the music hardware that connects to … Read more

Sonos offers new hardware bundle, adds Pandora compatibility

In the past, Sonos has offered two configurations of its multiple-room Digital Music System--the original ZonePlayer 100 Bundle, and the more recent ZonePlayer 80 Bundle. The built-in amplifier on the ZP100 meant that you needed only to add speakers, while the ampless ZP80 was designed to plug into a nearby stereo system, AV receiver, or boom box. As of today, the company is splitting the difference. The new BU130 bundle includes one ZP100, one ZP80, and--the key ingredient--the company's unique CR100 wireless remote, which offers complete control of the two-room system with its iPod-like scroll wheel and color LCD … Read more