sonos controller for android
Posted by Matt Brotherson in announcements on April 22, 2011
It is finally here – the Sonos controller app for Android! Head to the market and grab it, then you will need to update your zones to 3.4. This thing is pretty slick and I am glad they waited to get it tested to their standards before releasing it. The app works great on my Motorola Atrix.
finally with the time – motorola atrix
Posted by Matt Brotherson in asides on April 11, 2011
After delaying for many years, I finally upgraded to a smart phone. The salesman was impressed as my old phone was activated in 2005. The funny thing is, I’d still be on an even older phone if it weren’t for Cingular buying AT&T Wireless and shutting down the TDMA network forcing me to upgrade in 2005. Now Cingular is AT&T Mobility and we’ve gone full circle.
I don’t care for anything Apple, but relented and allowed my wife and daughter to get iPhones. Feeling out of the picture, I decided it was finally time to upgrade. I’ve been holding out for the latest Google Nexus, but the cost factor pointed me to the Motorola Atrix running Android on AT&T’s “4G” network. It is a pretty slick phone with powerful hardware and the community is anxiously awaiting updates to a newer version of android and unlocking of other capabilities.
I’ve got everything I need on this phone but a Sonos controller. I installed andronos but am still waiting on the official Sonos release which has been delayed until “April”.
Words with Friends people – I’m struggling to get up to speed so take it easy on me.
long term engagement end of the road
Posted by Matt Brotherson in announcements on March 2, 2011
I got the word yesterday that at the end of next week, I will be rolling off this client. This marks the end of the road here, a journey that lasted nearly three and a half years. The client does not have anyone on staff that has knowledge of the project I have supported all this time, so it will be interesting to see if in a few months they need me back. The easy commute and nice campus will be missed, that is for sure!
panasonic bd-60 + inglourious basterds
Posted by Matt Brotherson in asides on January 22, 2010
After having trouble viewing Crank 2 Blu Ray on my BD-60 and then witnessing similar behavior for Inglourious Basterds, I thought the SD card trick would work. Nope.
I spent a while researching and decided to update the firmware to the latest version. After the update I was able to view Inglourious Basterds.
For any of you Panasonic BD-60 people out there with troubles – update your firmware either via the internet or burn a CD with the file from Panasonic support on it.
rhapsody over satellite
Posted by Matt Brotherson in announcements on March 23, 2009
After having my Sonos whole home audio system along with Rhapsody streaming over the Internet for more than a year, I can’t help but ponder something that most definitely has been asked before. Why aren’t we seeing service providers creating portable devices that can stream audio directly from a satellite?
Satellite TV/Internet exist. GPS devices fetch your location and map the location you’re heading to via satellite. It seems entirely plausible that one could make a portable device or a car head unit that is capable of accessing the libraries of your paid subscription service such as Rhapsody and stream that to you anywhere you are, regardless of lack of an internet connection.
We love being able to have virtually any track at our disposal while using the Sonos or downloading it to an MP3 player with Rhapsody to Go. It would be pure audio utopia to stream tracks to your car wherever you are. Get a song in your head – search it and play it instantly.
What do you see as the major hangups in this scenario? I’m not seeing satellite “bandwidth” as an issue as they already push HD channels out with full 5.1 audio tracks and high bit-rate video. Is it a safety issue where companies don’t want drivers distracted searching for a song? (Disclaimer like the GPS units would solve that!) Costs for deploying the satellites? Maintenance? I think the idea is great…but why have we not seen it yet?
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