OK This is the Coolest Invention Since the iPod
Saturday, January 29, 2005

http://www.sonos.com/

Check this out, this by far is the coolest mp3 device for the house I have come across. Now the price sucks so I won't be getting one for a while but the idea is here. What you have is a zone player for a room, that runs $499 a piece and u supply the speakers, kinda like the mac mini. Then for $399 you can get the controller that can access up to 32 different zone players. The controller displays all the zones and is color and shows your cd artwork if your tags are correct. Each player can stream internet radio and mp3s (all formats) wirelessly and does not have to play the same songs. So you can have different music in each room all pulling from your collection. They are selling 2 zone players and a controller for $1199, maybe when it comes down to about $399 for that setup I will be on board. I have a feeling I will be waiting for a while but feel free to keep this as a birthday or xmas gift for me, I wouldn't turn it down.

If this is too much for you, there is always the squeeze box from slim devices, there is no cool remote but the price is $199. I don't think you can have multiple ones around the house, I need to research that one but you have display on the unit with the song that is playing. You can download for your pocket pc a remote device that works wirelessly and shows artwork and playlists. This is way cool and would be a reason I would buy this unit.

http://www.slimdevices.com/index.html

For the mac users you have Air Port Express with Air Tunes that plugs into stereo systems and broadcasts your music wirelessly. I need to head to the Apple store to find out more about this one to see if u need the Air Port Extreme or if this will work with an existing wireless router. The price is $129, a remote is extra for $59. I don't really think this is the best option even though I have been raving about mac products the last couple months. There is no display and I am not really sure how this fits into existing stereos.

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

One of my other favorite players out there is from Roku Labs, it looks way cool and can stream internet radio, mp3s and plugs into existing speakers. This one has a display on the unit that is easy to read and uses a remote to access your music. Now if this had a cool remote interface like the Sonos this would rock but of course no display on the remote.

http://www.rokulabs.com/

So I am still sitting here mulling over all the choices and will do so for probably the next 6 months. The Sonos rocks but too expensive, the air port, too many possible restrictions so that leaves me with the Roku which I think is a better option than the Slim Devices. If anyone has any other devices they think are worthy, please feel free to post a comment. There are a few other ones that I have looked at that are good but I can't remember their names so I couldn't write about them.

Posted by mardenhill 1/29/2005 05:00:00 PM    

1 Comment:

1. Anonymous said...
   6:07 PM  
   Enjoyed a lot! »

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