We've been griping about the limitations of the existing wireless Sonos controller for just about as long as Sonos has been pumping them out -- not that it's a horrible chunk of hardware, just that we love to gripe, and the lack of good text input is extremely limiting in these modern times of limitless content to surf through. Well, the problem's been solved, at least for iPhone and iPod touch users, and in typical Sonos fashion the solution's free. Starting today Sonos will be offering a free Sonos Controller app on Apple's App Store, which can handle just about every function the existing controller can, with the additional convenience of a touch interface and an on-screen keyboard. Multi-room control, Napster and Rhapsody, your own music library -- it's all here, thanks to the magic of WiFi. Sonos even saw it fit to pack a general software update (Sonos Software 2.7) which includes fifteen thousand internet radio stations and Last.fm integration. The primary limitation to iPhone control is the fact that you're relying on your home's WiFi instead of that schmancy mesh network Sonos products employ, but that's a small price to pay for usability. Check out our highly enthralling hands-on shots below, and then peep the read link for more info and video, which should be live by the time you read this. The app should go live sometime today.

It's been a while since Sonos last had a significant hardware announcement, so welcome into the world their new ZP120 ($500) and Z90 ($350), as well as the $1,000 BU150 bundle (which includes both the new devices and the same original controller). The main difference, which we'd already heard: they now both support SonosNet 2.0, which uses MIMO to double the wireless distance between nodes. Also clear to those paying close attention, the amp-enabled aluminum-clad flagship model (ZP120) has undergone an intense weight loss treatment, leaving it significantly smaller than its predecessor (but still capable of driving 55W of sound).

Sonos is also launching the 2.6 version of its desktop software, which indexes more music than before (65k tracks total) and, surprisingly enough, gives new AND existing users $200 in free music from sites like eMusic and Livedownloads. Of course, the one piece of Sonos gear we've been most longing to see updated -- the $400 controller -- has gone totally untouched, and won't even be getting SonosNet 2.0. Maybe they'll throw us a bone and hook us up with an iPod touch / iPhone controller app in the mean time, but we're not holding our breath. Photos and unboxing / hands-on shots below.

There's no official word on the wires, but we don't think Stuff.tv has a particularly good reason to fake press shots of new Sonos gear, so we'll give 'em the benefit of the doubt until we hear otherwise -- the cheeky Brits say Sonos is set to unveil two new ZonePlayers, the ZP120 and ZP90, both of which feature MIMO antennas for extended range. Just as in the current lineup, the £249 ZP90 is a receiver only, while the £349 ZP120 features a built-in amp in a package 43 percent smaller than the ZP100. Should be available soon, separately or in the £699 BU150 bundle.

There's really not much to say about the new simple-as-could-be ZoneBridge BR100, but it's got a pretty specific function and seems prepared to carry that out. Sonos primarily sees the BR100 as a range extender, specifically solving the problem of some households wasting a ZP80 or ZP100 locked away in a closet with their router due to the requirement of at least one Zone being hard plugged directly into the network. The unit itself is smallish, light and of quality construction -- and that's really all there is to it. As for firmware 2.5, Napster is obviously the primary addition, but we're pretty partial to the new search function; text input is a chore, but there's really no better way to locate your own music or track down new tracks on the multiple music services available to the system.

Busy morning for Sonos so let's just get to it. First, the ZoneBridge BR100 is out and official for $100 just like we expected. It features a pair of Ethernet ports to link your Xbox 360, TiVo, etc. into the Sonos network and onto the nets. It'll also extend coverage to network dead spots without having to unload $350 for another Zone. The free 2.5 firmware update brings direct, PC-less access to Napster's new 4.0 Web platform and Best Buy's Digital Music Store. The update also tweaks features and zone management while adding a new search function which spans both premium services and your home music library. Available now at Sonos which sits just beyond that little read link.

[Via PC Magazine]

Sonos' ZoneBridge 100, which managed to surface on the FCC's website just days ago, now has a price and release date. According to Automated Home, the BR100 "will be available from October 24th and will have a retail price in the UK of £69" (it'll be $99 here in the US). Furthermore, the box will reportedly enable Sonos users to "extend the range of their Sonos system without having to sacrifice a proper ZonePlayer," or it could be used "in between two zones that are too far apart to link currently." Check out another picture after the jump.

Sonos fans, there's a new box in the FCC for you. Well, not really FOR you, it's got confidentiality agreements all plastered all over any truly useful information, but we do have the above image, and know it's called the ZoneBridge BR100. Since we don't yet know for sure what exactly it does, we're going to take a wild guess and peg this as some kind of low cost box with no audio hardware which is intended to plug into your network, thus bridging to the Sonos's proprietary mesh wireless network so you don't have to keep a more expensive ZonePlayer box close to your router or nearest Ethernet connection. If indeed that's what it is, we'll take it!

Hey all you Sportster fans out there, don't think we forgot about you in the midst of all the Stiletto 2 excitement. Sirius let us snap a few shots of this latest iteration in their popular line of dock-and-play radios, but frankly, you'll probably get a better feel for its color screen in the professionally done press photos here than from the handful of shaky pics we managed to fire off. A little more exciting are the live shots we got of the upcoming SCV1 backseat tuner and kid-friendly remote, along with a sample of the video feed -- none of which were in the press material sent out today. Also of interest to Sonos owners out there will be the screenshots of Sirius doing its streaming thing over the multi-zone system -- and while the GUI is certainly tight, we weren't paying enough attention to really attest to the quality of low bitrate audio they're offering. Click below for all the hands-on goodness...

Satellite radio provider Sirius really is busy today, announcing a bunch of products, and also a collaboration with Sonos to deliver wireless multi-room streaming Sirius content via broadband. By updating to version 2.3 software, the Sonos hardware can directly connect to Sirius Internet Radio and stream throughout any of the 32 supported zones. Current Sonos owners can also get a 30-day trial to Sirius to try out the system, and decide whether compressed audio sounds better in the bathroom than it does from their computer speakers.

While Sonos hasn't yet found it fit to upgrade their line of home audio streaming devices, they do have a new bundle at that $1,000 pricepoint: now, instead of two ZP80s and a controller, you take home a controller, one ZP80, and its bigger brother, the ZP100. But more interesting still, as of today Sonos is adding Pandora integration for $4 per month, meaning you can get music nerds' favorite recommendation-based customized internet radio streamed directly to your audio system -- album art and all -- for $36 a year (after upgrading to v2.2, available tonight). Not bad if you're a Pandora fan with a Sonos; check out the integration in our mini-gallery.

Now's your chance to cast your ballot for the 2006 Home Entertainment Device of the Year! Our Engadget Awards nominees are listed below, and you've got until 11.59PM EST on Sunday, April 15th to file your vote. You can only vote once, so make it count, and may the best tech win! The nominees: DirecTV HR20, Slim Devices Transporter, Slingbox PRO, Sonos ZP80, Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray player, TiVo Series3, and Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD player.

With the Sonos ZP80 so cheap n' easy, you'd figure they'd be popping up everywhere around the house -- now even apparently inside your speakers. Digital Plumbers' new Free Speakers (not as in speech or beer, but as in cables) come with a ZP80 built into each free-standing unit, so one only needs to plug in the power to get mesh-networked Sonos audio around the house. We're not sure how they do stereo separation, but for those considering the option, do realize Digital Plubmers doesn't just want to sell the speakers: they want to rip your CD collection, put it in a NAS box (encoded losslessly, of course), and send you two Free Speakers and Sonos controller for about seven large. We'll let you know if they loosen up and and start vending those supposedly rather sweet sounding speakers by their lonesome.

Today, Sonos announced a software update for its music setups, which will allow users to listen to Microsoft DRM-encoded music. Version 2.1 includes tracks purchased from AOL Music Now, URGE, Napster, Wal-Mart, Yahoo! Music Unlimited, Zune Marketplace and adds "improved playlist and volume normalization support" for iTunes 7.0. It also brings full compatibility with Windows Vista and Windows Media Player 11. So for the small group of you out there who have all your music constrained by Microsoft DRM and wished you could buy a Sonos system, Christmas has come very early for you.

These lovebirds go way back, but now Sonos and Real are sticking it to the man with the new Sonos System Software 2.0 that does away with the PC for a middleman. You can of course do things on the regular with a clunky old beige box serving up your music collection and Rhapsody tunes, but now you've got the option to plug your Sonos system straight into the internets and browse Rhapsody from your Sonos Controller, without any messy peecees getting in the way. Sonos is hoping this'll be a hit with technophobic or overly busy baby boomers, who don't have the time and/or know-how to manage a music library on a normal PC. The 2.0 update also features musical alarm functionality, gapless MP3/Ogg playback, extra internet radio stations and other little tweaks. Another plus to the free update, which is out today, is a free 30-day trial to the Rhapsody service -- so you can get your baby boomer self going on for a whole month without dipping into that nest-egg just yet.

There are plenty of wireless music systems already competing for our home entertainment dollar, but this new Wireless DJ Music System from Logitech is looking snazz enough to at least give a second glance. Taking a welcome cue from our usual favorite, Sonos, Logitech's remote features a clickable scroll wheel, and while their LCD isn't near as impressive, it should get the job done. The system's StreamPoint software can hook up with popular jukeboxes like iTunes, Windows Media Player and Musicmatch, and uses some 2.4GHz wireless tech for digitally streaming your tunes to the included Music Receiver, which also happens to be a dock for charging up your remote. Logitech has the price set fairly low at $250, but there's no word on when this setup is due to hit the streets.

[Thanks, Dave Z.]