Sonos Adds iPhone-Styled Touchscreen Controller: CR200
By Rachel Cericola
Last fall, Sonos added a little something extra for customers that also owned the iPhone: an app that would turn the portable device into a handheld controller for Sonos whole home entertainment systems. Well, now they want to share that wealth of instant access to people that don't have an iPhone, with the
Sonos CR200.
Also known as the Sonos Controller 200, this wireless touchscreen allows you to control and play music almost anywhere in or around the house. The screen on the device is a 3.5-inch full-color VGA display (640x480 pixels).
Just start typing into the on-screen keyboard for music suggestions. The system can tap into Napster, Rhapsody, Sirius Internet Radio, and about 25,000 radio stations and podcasts. Not enough music for your many moods? You can also create custom stations on Last.fm and Pandora. Of course, expect to pay subscription fees for some of those extras.
However, the system can also stream the music stored in and around your house -- and all of those tracks are freebies.
"Finding and playing music all over the house needs to be so easy that anyone who walks into a home can pick up the Controller and start playing DJ," says John MacFarlane, CEO of Sonos, Inc.
Once you access music, the display will feature what's playing and where, complete with artist information and cover art. Dedicated buttons for mute, volume and specific zones also mean you can expect a lot less fumbling. Other features include multi-room volume control, a transflective screen for the great outdoors, and up to five days use via the lithium ion battery.
The Sonos Controller 200 ships with its own charging cradle, but it's compatible with all other Sonos products. It's available now for $349.
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