The Sonos S3/Play:3 is a wireless speaker system in which you can stream music from a hard drive/music library, online Internet radio stations, and can be controlled by an Android or iOS device. Additionally, the Sonos S3 boasts 3 digital amps, 1 tweeter, 2 mid range drivers and 1 bass radiator, all in a small compact design. The wireless speaker system was previously seen through an FCC filing, but Sonos has been relatively quiet on details regarding the S3/Play:3, but fortunately, it looks like Amazon jumped the gun on this product and prematurely posted a product listing displaying the speaker system at a $299 price point.

As you can probably guess, Amazon has quickly removed the product listing, but a Google cache still exists of the page, and Engadget quickly snapped a screenshot. Judging by its model number of PLAY3US1BLK, it is safe to assume it will launch in black and white. For now, we are not exactly sure when the Sonos S3/Play:3 will launch in the United States, but given the fact that Amazon has already posted a product listing, the official launch should happen in the coming weeks. At the very least, we can now be certain that it will be priced at $299 when it launches.

Via [Engadget]

The battle for smart alarm clocks is on with Archos new entry, the Android-based 35 Home Connect. Like Chumby, the internet connected companion device, the Archos offering is WiFi connected so radio streaming, alarms and apps bring a new level of functionality to these bedside gadgets.

The Archos 35 Home Connect has an internal battery, so it can come to your WiFi enabled beach or even just by the pool. Archos even threw in a webcam so video conferencing is an option or it can double use as a baby cam.

The 3.5″ screen provides you with the touchscreen you’ve come to expect from your smartphone. And speaking of your smartphone, you can control the Archos 35 Home Connect with a remote app on your smartphone. Pretty cool.

There’s a lot you can do with this little thing, much more than a mere alarm clock. Find it this September for $149.

Product Page: [Archos]

If you love Pandora for streaming music, there’s a new reason to love the service: comedy. The content provider is adding comedy from over 700 comics to its offering. Pandora says over 10,000 clips will be available starting today.

Pandora is one of the darlings of the tech world. You can find Pandora on TVs, boxes like TiVo and Roku, smartphones and of course computers. Despite this, the company reported losses of $1.7 million the past year that ended January 31.

The new comedy service attempts to apply similar logarithms to analyse music now with comedy. Similar comedy styles will be grouped together in much the same way similar music artists are with Pandora’s streaming music service.

Will it make you laugh?

Read: [Pandora] via [New York Times]

PANDORA DEBUTS PERSONALIZED COMEDY

• Just like music stations on Pandora, comedy stations can be personalized to each individual’s taste
• Powered by the Comedy Genome Project™
• Listeners can create comedy stations based on their favorite comedians, or on popular genres such as political comedy, working class comedy, PG comedy, or comedy from the 2000s, 60s and 70s, or 80s and 90s

OAKLAND, Calif. MAY. 4, 2011 – Pandora, the popular internet radio service, today announced that comedy is now available on the service where radio stations can be created and Personalized.

Pandora, known for pioneering personalized music listening and discovery, is broadening its array of content to include comedy in order to meet the requests of its listeners. A team of Comedy Genome Project analysts at Pandora has analyzed thousands of performances to capture their comedic style and content. Additional comedic material is being analyzed daily.

Pandora Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Tim Westergren said, “Pandora is about creating a great, personalized radio experience. Comedy is a natural part of that experience, and it’s something our listeners have been asking us to deliver for a while. We are delighted to now be able to give people a mix of familiar and new comic material that they’ll love to listen to.”

Starting today people can listen to comedy on Pandora in the same manner that they listen to music: by choosing a favorite artist or genre as a seed to start a station and then giving thumbs-up or thumbs-down feedback to shape the station to their individual taste. Like music stations on Pandora, comedy stations will play the seed artist and related material.

John Hyde, Vice Chairman of Image Entertainment, Inc. said, “Everyone knows Pandora – it’s unique in the entertainment industry for personalizing the radio experience for listeners and enabling talented artists to discover audiences that will love their music. Image is delighted that our comedy content is being included in the Comedy Genome Project and believe that Pandora’s reach with so many listeners offers an unprecedented opportunity for all comedians. It’s going to be fascinating to see how personalized radio tackles the comedy listening experience, it’s a new frontier and we’re excited to be a part of it.”

The app gives BlackBerry users access to 120 channels of music (most of it commercial free!) news, talk and sports. Some will be disappointed that Howard Stern isn’t included but Stern says it’s because of “contractual reasons” and that he hopes to be added to the app at a later date.

The app is free but the service is not. You’ll need to be Sirius/XM subscriber ($12.95 a month) and add the $3 a month online streaming service. I’ve been a subscriber for 7 years now and it’s been worth every penny. The app is compatible with the Storm/Storm 2, Curve (8500, 8900), Bold (9000, 9700), and Tour (9600).

Read [SiriusXM]

Is Apple getting into the streaming music game? According to rumors regarding next week’s Apple event, yes. According to the rumors, Apple has spoken to the top four music labels about music streaming as a way to add value to the sales iTunes currently garners.

The rumors play off Apple’s purchase of Lala, a streaming music service. The idea is Lala would be the backbone of the iTunes streaming plan where users could stream their music (with an option to store music on iTunes servers) and listen to preset stations for free. This move has many of us asking, how would this affect Pandora?

Pandora, perhaps the most popular music streaming service, just recorded their first profitable quarter. It has been a long road for the 10-year-old company to profitability, but if CES showed us anything, it is that Pandora is now ensconced in the tech world. From new Ford cards, to Pioneer radios to Panasonic TVs, among lots others. Pandora is the cool app to have for your ecosystem.

How could Apple make iTunes streaming beat out Pandora, one of it’s most popular Apps? It is extremely likely that Apple will add iTunes streaming to it’s core applications that can be run in the background. One of the issues with Pandora on the iPhone is the inability to multitask while streaming music through the app. Apple could keep Pandora at bay by granting multitasking to its program.

Is it too late for iTunes or does Apple’s walled garden, that is the iPhone OS, present a captured market that need only one benefit (perhaps the ability to run in the background) to convert users? Or is Pandora’s head start combined with tech’s embrace of the app enough to compete? Time will tell.

Read [Fonehome] and [CNET]

Internet streaming service Pandora appears to be looking at partnering up with auto makers in an attempt to gain marketshare. Pandora believes many users work around their car stereo systems to stream the services music. An offering from auto makers would reduce clutter and hassles for many users, according to Pandora’s remarks at the SF Music Tech Summit.

Tom Conrad, CTO for Pandora explained that half of it’s customers already use Pandora in their mobile phone or iPod touch devices to listen while in the car. Pandora’s phase one looks to be a tethered system, relying on the phone’s data connection to stream music. Phase two looks to be bringing data services to the cars stereo unit, forgoing the mobile device altogether. Conrad sees Phase 2 coming together in two years.

Pandora’s plan present an interesting jumping off point. Instead of just competing with satellite radio, as comes standard in many cars for a free trial period, Pandora could be one of many connected services. Pandora could help create an app store of sorts for connected cars. I am sure forward-looking companies like TeleNav might have interest in getting in vehicles to provide navigation. Other apps, like those from gas stations, hotels, attractions, audio books, Yelp, GoodRec, Opentable, etc would likely beat down the door to get in. If played correctly, this could be a boon for the auto industry.

When the industry thinks of convergence, the mobile smartphone is often the carrier device. Could it be the smartphone’s reign will last only until everything is connected?

Read: [GigaOm]

Disclosure: While writing this post, I was listening to Pandora.

Today, Olive introduces some high-end audio gear that is said to have 250 times the resolution of a CD. The Olive 4HD Music Server not only holds up to 20,000 songs at HD quality, but will record at 24 bit. The unit is backed up by a host of accessible options that allow you to control your server from your HDTV or iPhone.

Removing the need to keep a music collection on a computer, the 4HD Server will store your music, convert CDs and even burn CDs. To get users started, the company offers to import up to 100 of your CDs for free, so the new system is delivered to them complete with your music already digitized. After the first 100, there is a nominal fee per CD.

“With a proprietary DAC featuring TI’s best-of-breed BurrBrown 1792A 192Khz/24-bit DAC, optimized circuit design, HD quality digital sound, ultra-quiet hard drives and passive cooling to eliminate fan noise, the Olive 4HD Hi-Fi Music Server delivers the best possible HD hi-fi audio experience. You’ll never hear anything like this on your computer, iPod or any other MP3 music player.”

To find music, users can interact with the 4.3 touchscreen on the server, use the HDMI interface that allows selections to be made on your HDTV or even use the company’s iPhone app. Each choice offers beautiful (in my opinion) graphics, clean and clear navigation, an impressive collection of ways to interact with music. Each offers full color album cover images.

Other features include the ability receive internet radio stations, more information about your music, infrared remotes to work through closed doors and has WiFi (802.11n) as well as a wired connection.

The 4HD Music Server costs $1,999 and is backed with a 60-day money back guarentee. The company says you will hear a difference in your music from the first note.

Company site: [Olive]

HD radio, the standard that is slightly more exciting than shoelace technology, is coming to more BMWs standard. The 2009 6 and 7 Series already had HD Radio. Now the Z4 Roadster, the 1, and 3 Series will get HD Radio standard. BMW joins Ford in pushing HD Radio.

Don’t know anything about HD Radio? Let’s fill you in. The HD does not stand for “high definition.” In fact, it used to stand for “hybrid digital,” but now it stands for nothing in particular. The name is a trademarked term for higher quality audio like 5.1 surround sound sent over the air. What does this really mean? If your town has a HD Radio station and you have a HD Radio receiver, you get better audio quality.

Read: [PR Newswire]

I hate surprises. This year, it looks like a showdown of portable music players is being leaked early and I, for one, am thrilled. No more watching keynotes to see what is coming down the line. Today we can reveal one confirmed product and one that looks to be very real.

The Zune HD is real

Microsoft has confirmed the Zune HD we told you about here, saying it will be available this fall. This new Zune is designed to compete head-to-head with the iPod touch; which is a bold move as many of us believe that device is the pinnacle of PMPs.

The Zune HD will include an OLED screen, HD radio receiver, and HD output to a TV. There hasn’t been any announcement yet about apps (the big advertised point of the iPod touch), so surely MS has something more up there sleeve, right?

Zune owners love their little portable media player and are usually very vocal about it. Unfortunately, they are in the minority of PMP buyers. Quite frankly, I am a little surprised Microsoft is pushing forward with the much maligned Zune brand. Microsoft will be using the goodwill of the Xbox brand by having the Zune HD being a “premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of new consumers for the first time.”

Next iPod takings shape

Also revealed is what looks very likely to be the next iPod Nano. The newest feature appears to be a camera that is also rumored to make it onto the new iPod touch (uh-oh MS, quick – put a camera on the Zune HD). The location on the purported new Nano is very odd, unless it can only be accessed in landscape. The supposed release time is June to September (when Apple historically releases new iPods).

What this tells us at Gadgetell is we’ve not seen the final shape of PMPs. They continue to change and evolve. They also tell us Microsoft believes there is a market for it’s Zune (hopefully more than that Zune tattoo guy). It will be interesting to see how these announcement/rumors change before release time.

Read: [CNET]

Somehow, WMpowerusers got their hands on what is purported to be images and specs of the Zune HD. We’ve heard rumors of a new device supporting HD for some time and this image would be in the direction we’d have guessed. If this image is close, the Zune HD could be a worthy device and help get Zune out of the joke genre of PMPs.

Besides really good looking, the tipster suggests the specs are solid: OLED capacitive screen, 16:9 aspect ratio, multi-touch browser, HDMI port (??!!?!?), wireless sync, 16 and 32 GB versions and support for 3D Xbox games. Drooling yet?

The site claims their info says this device will launch to much fanfare in the fall.

I am going to call BS on this one. While the specs look good, they look too good. The cost of all this would likely push it out of the market and then there is the problem with the backside. The silver and black is far too reminiscent of the first generation iPhone. Microsoft has an identity image with the Zune, but it is unlikely they’d try to solve this by copying the competition that is eating their lunch on the mobile phone OS.

Our Natesh Sood took a look at the timing of launching something like the Zune HD this year and projects what a late release will do:

The worst thing Microsoft can do is release the Zune HD right after Apple either releases a totally new iPod or upgrades an old one.

And an early release:

The main concern here is with the launch of all the phones, Microsoft making Windows 7 available and ready to go, as well as the possibility of there being a new iPod in September, a Zune HD could get lost in the shuffle.

The bottom line is, this late spring/summer/fall is jam packed with new stuff from all the big players. Microsoft will have its hands full to make enough noise to get the Zune HD noticed if it isn’t amazing.

What is your take? Are you ready to camp out when this goes on sale or is it far to fairy-tale like to be real? Let us know in the comments.

Source: [WMpowerusers]