connectedspeaker
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Urbanears made a smaller, $199 version of its connected speaker
Urbanears' first batch of Connected Speakers were clever, packing AirPlay, Chromecast and Spotify Connect into colorful boxes you wouldn't mind putting on display. There was one main problem, though: at a minimum of $350, you were paying a lot for the privilege. Enter the company's just-unveiled Lotsen: the new speaker is considerably smaller and drops the price to $199, all the while offering the same multi-room audio (and Bluetooth) as the larger Baggen and Stammen. It promises "well-balanced" sound for small- to mid-sized rooms and is meant to sit on corner tables and other areas where its bigger siblings might be intrusive.
Spotify looks into building its own hardware
Spotify, the most popular music streaming service, might be getting ready to jump into the hardware game -- if a few job postings are to be believed. The company recently posted a handful of openings that make clear references to designing and selling hardware direct to Spotify users. A posting for a senior hardware product manager says that the eventual hire would work on an initiative to "deliver hardware directly from Spotify to existing and new customers." It also indicates that the hardware would be "a category defining product akin to Pebble Watch, Amazon Echo, and Snap Spectacles."
Sonos 'Playbase' soundbar price and images leak
It looks like Sonos is about to release a new home entertainment speaker system, judging by a deleted B&H Listing (via article on Zatz Not Funny), a tweet and an FCC listing. Reportedly called the Playbase, it appears to be a flat soundbar that, rather than going in front of your TV like the Sonos Playbar, goes under it. According to the listing, it will cost $699, the same price as the Playbar and Sonos Sub. The idea may be to give folks a low-profile soundbar that elevates your TV a bit, not unlike LG's SoundPlate.
Sony's connected speakers take aim at Sonos, but come up short
When it comes to connected speakers and multi-room audio, Sonos is the clear leader in the clubhouse. Its devices are also typically more expensive than the competition. Sony, a name with a lot of home theater experience, is offering its own Sonos-like system with a collection of three speakers. The company's "SRS" line was announced earlier this year, and while the trio also features the larger SRS-X88 and SRS-X99, I've spent the past few weeks with the entry-level model, the $300 SRS-X77. With Sonos being the go-to name for gear like this, Sony has quite the uphill climb. That said, it at least makes a valiant effort.
