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Sonos announces new bundle, Pandora integration
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.%Gallery-3372%
The 2006 Engadget Awards: Vote for Home Entertainment Device of the Year
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. %Poll-276%
Sonos goes totally wireless with Digital Plumbers' Free Speakers
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.
Sonos adds support for Microsoft-DRMed music files
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.
Sonos and Rhapsody skip the PC with System Software 2.0
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.
Logitech's new and sexy Wireless DJ Music System
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.]
NaimNet brings multi-room audio to the audiophiles
If you're not completely up on Naim Audio's full product line, we can hardly blame you. After all, it's hard to be a frequent shopper of a company that sells a $23,000 pre-amp. But if you've got to have the bestest of the best, with a little UK flavor, exorbitant pricing, and now multi-room capabilities, Naim has a solution. Their new NaimNet product line, powered by StreamNet tech, uses IP networking tech for a scalable multi-room CD-quality audio network, and is based on plain-old CAT5E wired networking. They don't call their system "plug and play," Sonos sure seems to have them beat for ease-of-use, but at these prices you'll probably be opting for the custom installation anyways. NaimNet can be operated via PDAs, PCs and a stand alone control interface. Their first NaimNet products will be a four-output DAB/FM tuner, a multi-room pre-amp, and power amps for rooms, including concealed versions. Naim plans on having both top-end and "low cost" AV systems available for their system, and will support interoperability with home automations and other AV setups. NaimNet is scalable up to 1.8 million rooms, and will probably cost that many dollars by the time you get your house outfitted with the tech.[Thanks, Tom]
Sonos ZP100 system reviewed
Looks like HomeTheaterView got themselves a hold of a couple of Sonos ZP100s and a controller and put the spurs to 'em to see how the system works and performs in a real home environment. We have a Sonos we're currently checking out (expect more on that soon), but HomeTheaterView found the devices to work admirably out of box with a clean, labor-free setup, and simple, intuitive interface, which we won't deny. The concept behind the Sonos isn't a terribly complicated one, so outside decent codec support, wireless range, and the aforementioned (setup and interface / use), there's not a lot else to look for in an in-home wireless audio distribution system. Fortunately the Sonos nails the codecs (outside not supporting PlaysForSure), but while the range wasn't mentioned, and they wished there were versions outfitted for in-wall installs and wetter environs like bathrooms, they seemed to find the system an excellent choice that fulfills a need otherwise unmet by the other out of box consumer home audio distribution systems on the market.
Sonos launches ZP80 in $999 bundle
If you've been waiting for Sonos to break the $1000 barrier before you "unwire" your home music setup, today would be the day. Sonos is launching a new bundle for $999 which includes two of their new ZonePlayer 80 units, along with the standard Sonos controller. We saw the ZP80 at CES, and it's the same box as then: an amp-free version of the ZP100, which also includes optical and coaxial digital outs, along with two fewer Ethernet jacks. Just like its big brother, the ZP80 still doesn't have PlaysForSure or FairPlay support, though you can still use your Rhapsody or Audible.com files. The ZP80 is shipping now and goes for $350 by itself, compared to the $500 ZP100.
Video hands-on: Sonos ZonePlayer
Sonos is definitely a fav around the Engadget Mansion, and during CES we got to take a second and talk to them about the new ZP80 ZonePlayer. The new device supports Audible and Rhapsody, but unfortunately still lacks PlaysForSure support. Peep the vid below for a moving picture demo of the new software update for Sonos, and new ZonePlayer.Format[Download] QT MPEG4, 1:37, 6.13 MB
