Bang & Olufsen's BeoSound 5 lands next year, is pure insanity

Bang & Olufsen knows as well as anybody that you can't (usually) compete only on design and quality these days, people want functionality, and the much rumored, newly official BeoSound 5 is just such a monster. The unit is controlled by the BeoSound 5 controller, a rather large "remote" with a 10.4-inch XGA LCD and an aluminum scroll wheel. On the back end there's a 500GB BeoControl 5 music server running Windows XP Embedded with internet connectivity and patent pending intelligent playlist creation. Naturally there are outputs and inputs galore, and it's not just for audio: the box pumps out DVI-I and HDMI, and can play back plenty of video formats. Oh, but then there's the price. B&O isn't budging on this front, with a £3,500 tag (about $5,262 US) for when this hits in March 2009. We'll take two.

[Via SlashGear]

[Gabe @ Nov 12th 2008 2:31PM]

I'll be sure to grab one once I finish building my mansion on my private island.

[Leo @ Nov 12th 2008 2:43PM]

you only have ONE private island?

[y3k.nik @ Nov 12th 2008 2:47PM]

I suppose I am the only one on engadget suffering with the loss of private islands during this credit crunch... ah well.

[lowdef @ Nov 12th 2008 3:08PM]

where's flashpoint??? come talk about your benz you cool guy you!!!

[Neeko @ Nov 12th 2008 5:29PM]

ITS JARVIS without the touchscreen.

[Ellianth @ Nov 12th 2008 11:45PM]

testing

[Nick M. @ Nov 13th 2008 12:29PM]

5 grand and no touchscreen...

[jackthelad244 @ Nov 12th 2008 2:36PM]

Pumpts?!....Numpts...

[collegekid13 @ Nov 12th 2008 2:36PM]

added to the never ending list of things i'll buy if i ever win the lotto

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 12th 2008 3:13PM]

I'd have to win the lotto twice at least to complete my list ;)

[Senor_Tom @ Nov 12th 2008 2:55PM]

OMFG

I feel that sums this up quite nicely...

[happy_penguin @ Nov 12th 2008 2:55PM]

Typical B&O. Pointless design aesthetics with an over the top price.






It's beautiful! Where can I get one?!

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 12th 2008 3:15PM]

It is indeed beautiful and awesome, in an over the top way which we all love (GreenPeace, and buddhist monks excluded)

But the question is not where to get one of these, it's where to get the money :(

[htd @ Nov 12th 2008 2:57PM]

sorry, guys, I dont think they can secure 2nd round funding in this recession to actually release this POC into market.

[bandigolo @ Nov 12th 2008 3:02PM]

wait, so that tablet thingy has a 500 GB HD and runs Windows Server?

anyway, check out the gallery shots on the website. Very 5th Element futuristic. This technology would really take off HUGE if the tablet was actually networkable with other tablets around the house and you could control smarthome functions through it, as well as just media playback.

[schmitty338 @ Nov 12th 2008 3:08PM]

Why in the world would they not make such a beautiful and potentially functional piece of electronics a touchscreen? Especially at that price...

[Marx83 @ Nov 12th 2008 3:26PM]

Because as the B&O CEO said to a danish newspaper: Because it's pretty and without touch screen you avoid getting the display all dirty... hmm

Also: B&O Beosound 5 hands on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMnFIP-Q1xY&eurl=http://pleasure.dk/gadget/artikel/144852/

[balls @ Nov 12th 2008 3:21PM]

Looks like one company believe Barack Obama will fix the economy.

[balls @ Nov 12th 2008 3:22PM]

believes*

[Puddy @ Nov 23rd 2008 6:04AM]

Does B&O stand for Barck Obama the? :-)

[Cybergypsy @ Nov 12th 2008 3:22PM]

Love everything B&O Makes....

[Poom @ Nov 12th 2008 3:46PM]

except the ugly samsung-B&O phone...

[MrTrue @ Nov 12th 2008 3:24PM]

B&O have problems.. Looks good for 5 seconds. But compared to Playstaion 3 it seems to fall short. Not even WLAN!? nice to have ethernet cables in the living room...

resolution is xvga.. its lamost what my mobile phone have :-)

No, B&O have alwys been good at design, but not sound or picture quality. A simple LCD TV can cost 20 000 euro from B&O. ANd you get better specs with a SONY for 2 000 euro (and almost better design!)

B&O is only targeting people that have loads of money, and bad taste nowdays, sad to see.

[balls @ Nov 12th 2008 3:24PM]

Just remember folks, a few months ago, that would have nearly cost us $7,000 USD.

FOUR MORE YEARS!

[rds @ Nov 12th 2008 4:10PM]

I should know better than to comment, but Mr. True quite obviously knows nothing about Bang & Olufsen products, their quality, materials, and performance. Just because they aren't for everybody (me included), doesn't mean they aren't glorious. Spend some time in a real B&O store, and you can at least appreciate the depth and energy that goes into even the simplest product. And yes, the BeoSound 5 was not created in response to SONOS or the iPhone remote.

[happy_penguin @ Nov 12th 2008 9:48PM]

So what's your point? :)

[balls @ Nov 12th 2008 4:13PM]

@rds: Your commenting skills makes the baby jesus cry.

[Str1ker @ Nov 12th 2008 3:43PM]

Well I still don't what this is exactly, but it looks good...very futuristic.

[MW @ Nov 12th 2008 3:50PM]

Windows XP? Jesus aged holy christ, pardon my blasphemy but could we not use something as shitty as windows for something that's suppose to be cool?

[drjay868 @ Nov 13th 2008 12:41PM]

At least its not Vista

[Nomi @ Nov 12th 2008 4:16PM]

Why why WHY?!

[Fred @ Nov 12th 2008 4:25PM]

But will it play Doom?

BRING ON THE DOWN-VOTING!!! WEEE!

[Anders @ Nov 12th 2008 4:49PM]

M.m.m.m.m.

Looks like our Danish Friends have made it again with their stylish design, functionality and feature-rich toys. As a swede I'm happy they can play in the Apple "spot" of design and in the Rotel, HK, Yamaha etc. for sound.

2 bad that the prices in their homeland is even higher, dam danes. I wounder what would happend if you mix Sony, Ericsson, B&O and Apple together :) World Domination?

[Marx83 @ Nov 12th 2008 5:21PM]

Danish price: 37.000,- kr. = 6.200 USD... ouch. So contrary to what you might expect, it is cheaper to import B&O into Denmark than buying it in Denmark. Damn 25% sales tax!

[happy_penguin @ Nov 12th 2008 9:52PM]

That's the price you pay for socialism. However, I remember seeing a report that said that Danes, from doctors to garbage collectors, are the happiest people in the world.

[Holger @ Nov 13th 2008 5:04AM]

well yeah supposedly we're pretty happy... I guess it's not too far off... :P

[Bad Beaver @ Nov 12th 2008 5:19PM]

The day I pay $5000+ for something that runs Windows you can check me into the nearest convenient asylum. Also, 500GB is a joke.

[K-Canuck @ Nov 12th 2008 5:33PM]

This a beautiful looking system (although I'd think they'd want a bigger HD if it's going to do movies/video as well). The smoothness and simplicity of the software makes it shine, which is why I enjoy my little piece of B&O with the BeoPlayer (freeware music program on their website). :)

[Holger @ Nov 13th 2008 5:05AM]

Well this screen is just meant to preview stuff... you'll want a HD tv for the viewing of video...

[SlyJon @ Nov 12th 2008 7:21PM]

I don't even think engadget can afford this. although, I dare them to buy one and review it for us...

[miranon @ Nov 13th 2008 5:54AM]

Looks like crap. 500GB for 5000$??? Is this a joke?

[Abbey @ Nov 13th 2008 11:22AM]

What's the point of this really? Only a nitwit would buy such an overpriced LCD display. Right now you can get several top of the line LCD panels up to 4 times the size of the B&O at a fraction of the cost. Heck, with even free shipping right now. Sorry B&O groupies, but even you cannot justify their prices.

http://www.jr.com/category/video-tv/tv/flat-panel-lcd-tv/n/79880-4294585549/?JRSource=socnet