Amazon Echo

I see your point; but it should do all else that Echo/Dot can do today? And even so there is little point in throwing a hissy fit over the time Sonos is taking and jumping over to the Echo?

Has Apple said this can be done via their offering when it will be available which should be well after the Sonos release?

Well, generally speaking, I agree, and I'm not throwing any hissy fit, since Sonos said 2017, and we're not even half way through that time period.

Sometimes I connect a Dot to my Play;5, although more frequently it's connected to a laptop, so I can listen to TuneIn premium content.

As for Apple's offering, there's just not enough information available for my tastes yet. Which I understand, but until I can get a few questions answered, I'm not jumping on that bandwagon as a replacement for Sonos. And, even if I had those answers, it's a slim bet that I'd be getting rid of my Sonos equipment. It works perfectly now, even without voice commands, so while I like the icing that voice will bring, it doesn't change the content of the cake.

Using Alexa with squeezebox system devices is already an (alpha) reality - it works well,

But it isn't the holy grail of device control that many seem to hope/believe it will be.

It works fine for distributed devices not in the 'listening' area of an echo/dot where the echo can easily 'respond' to any music lyrics it picks up*. It can become tiresome to have to repeat 'Alexa, ask SB to do whatever' for every action, eg. select a device, set volume, choose a stream, play, etc.

Fun, definitely. Useful, yes with reservations

* I'm definitely interested in how Sonos handle the ambient 'noise factor!

Ok castalla, we get it. You like Squeezebox. May I remind you of this forum's TOS? Spam is not permitted, and I dare say if Squeezebox was actually a viable commercial product, instead of a failed one kept alive by geeks in their basement, your posts shilling for them would be deleted by now. Let's move this thread back on topic, not to mention back within the TOS of this forum, shall we?

As far as using the line in with Dot as a temporary integration, it's far from ideal.
Quite understandable, but it would be a useful preview for a small investment to quell the anxiety that people seem to have for laying their hands on the Sonos release; and it is cheaper than buying another Echo.

It would also give users an insight into how the integration is a lot more complex than just having the existing Amazon voice application connect to a Sonos speaker without a wire or a line in jack.

The more I read about these complexities, the more I realise that voice will be a huge learning curve and it is best to wait till it matures before bringing audible chaos in the home audio system command and control environment.

Ok castalla, we get it. You like Squeezebox. May I remind you of this forum's TOS? Spam is not permitted, and I dare say if Squeezebox was actually a viable commercial product, instead of a failed one kept alive by geeks in their basement, your posts shilling for them would be deleted by now. Let's move this thread back on topic, not to mention back within the TOS of this forum, shall we?

I'm not shilling for squeezebox ... all I'm doing is relaying my experience with voice control of audio devices. I'm just trying to introduce some actual experience in the face of so much speculation. I have Sonos devices also, but yes, they are used mainly as part of my LMS system.

Your charge of spamming, etc. is just ridiculous.

I'm not shilling for squeezebox ... all I'm doing is relaying my experience with voice control of audio devices. I'm just trying to introduce some actual experience in the face of so much speculation. I have Sonos devices also, but yes, they are used mainly as part of my LMS system.

Your charge of spamming, etc. is just ridiculous.

You repeatedly post messages touting the features of a competing "product". Your post in another thread that "Well, meanwhile the Alexa-Squeezebox integration continues apace. ...." has nothing to do with relaying experience, it's touting Squeezebox's implementation over Sonos' "late" (in your opinion) one. That's spam, and you know it.

I'm not shilling for squeezebox ... all I'm doing is relaying my experience with voice control of audio devices. I'm just trying to introduce some actual experience in the face of so much speculation. I have Sonos devices also, but yes, they are used mainly as part of my LMS system.

Your charge of spamming, etc. is just ridiculous.

You repeatedly post messages touting the features of a competing "product". Your post in another thread that "Well, meanwhile the Alexa-Squeezebox integration continues apace. ...." has nothing to do with relaying experience, it's touting Squeezebox's implementation over Sonos' "late" (in your opinion) one. That's spam, and you know it.

We could argue over style and semantics ... but why bother?

I've raised some experiences using the echo voice control system. There are only two skills (as far as I know) which can control audio systems (the SB alpha, and BandCamp for JRiver). I reported on the one I used & pointed out some of the issues I've encountered.

The fact that SB has features which Sonos does not, and vice versa, is simply that, a fact. Overall, I prefer the SB experience, you don't. So what?

And to further goad you (just joking!), I probably have to admit that overall we use the Echo system natively more than either SB or Sonos. I expect you'll now accuse me of shilling for Amazon next.

Actually, as stated before, I find your affection for failed technology quite quaint, not goading at all. Just like I feel about people who still play Atari era games and Laser Discs. It's cute; in a sad, nostalgic sort of way.

It's your continued off-topic shilling of that technology, which is against the TOS of this forum, that I find annoying.

Actually, as stated before, I find your affection for failed technology quite quaint, not goading at all. Just like I feel about people who still play Atari era games and Laser Discs. It's cute; in a sad, nostalgic sort of way.

It's your continued off-topic shilling of that technology, which is against the TOS of this forum, that I find annoying.

Just like I feel about people who still play garage rock and punk :D:$:D