Usually most "consumer" users rather than "enthusiasts" want to keep it simple. Most of the suggestions here are from rather hard-core users, as you would expect on a dedicated forum.
Unfortunately Sonos has beaten Squeezebox in this particular format battle. Now when I describe my Squeezebox system to friends they say "oh, you mean it works like a Sonos". The reason Sonos won is they offer a fully integrated hardware and software system that offers a whole working setup from Speakers, amps, clients and access points making sure they match visually as well as technically - and their bespoke wireless net where every client is also an access point was a stroke of genius that solved the big bug that has forever plagued the Squeezebox. They keep up with Apple and Microsoft by not relying on either company for any part of their systems - except to make sure their "server" software works on both setups. Even then, I know four people with Sonos systems and none of them run a server, listening entirely through on-line systems like Napster/Rhapsody and Spotify. That means their Sonos systems work completely independently from any other piece of computer hardware in their houses, connecting only at their router. Hi-fi is a dying hobby. 90%+ of people buying consumer electronics want a whole "system" - in most cases this means just a single "music box"! They certainly don't want to buy their amplifier from one company, speakers from another, CD player from a third and digital streamer from a fourth. So, what would most users want from Logitech? It is probably too late to create their own wireless net, which would probably infringe Sonos patents anyway. However they could sell a 1 - Squeezebox branded wireless access point / bridge / wireless extender In addition to the Touch and Radio which are fine, 2 - visually matched high quality powered speakers to go with the Touch (not just some crappy PC speakers) 3 - a player with an integrated amplifier (why oh why oh why have they never done this obvious thing!!!) 4 - a player with an integrated amplifier and speakers (Boom II, but prettier) and because the Squeezebox system is aimed more at those with their own digital music libraries 5 - a dedicated (Linux) server to run the software I know that 3rd parties have provided all of these at one time or another, but my point is that they have to be visually integrated and produced and supported by Logitech. Ideally all the components, including the Touch, Radio and new hardware would have a design overhaul to make them prettier. Provide hardware in white as well as black to better match existing interior decor. That way, somebody could go into an electronics store and buy a complete working Squeezebox system from network and client through to speakers. Of course this will never happen now. Logitech still had the time to do this when they bought Squeezebox but they failed to put in the necessary investment and commitment and now this technically superior platform has lost out to the inferior one. Anybody else remember Betamax? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TheLastMan's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=16021 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94987 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
