Announced last September and expected to launch in time for the 2010 holidays, iHome’s iW1 AirPlay speaker system will finally begin shipping in a a few days with orders starting August 31st at 2PM EST.
The iW1 weighs in at $300, the same price point as the highly regarded Sonos Play:3 connected speaker system. But there are some significant differences in how these two products move music around your home. The iHome speaker receives audio wirelessly directly from Apple products, such as an iPhone or computer running iTunes, via AirPlay technology – which hasn’t yet lived up to its potential. On one hand, you should be able to stream just music from just about any iPhone app to the iW1. Yet, you’re obviously restricted to the Apple ecosystem.
By comparison, Sonos streams audio from the Internet or home computer and you’d use your smartphone as a remote (if you so choose) – including Android-based handsets. In my household, this means that my wife and I can both control the Sonos experience from any phone or computer while the AirPlay experience is more a 1:1 relationship. Of course Sonos also provides a whole-home solution as you add more wirelessly connected speakers. But, as compelling as Sonos is, the charging dock of the iW1 appeals (see here).
Video of both premium wireless sound systems follow…
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I should add that Sonos offers something of an AirPlay hack, but it's not as elegant as their native, core experience. I should also add I have a Play:3 in here for review which I hope to get to in the near future.
It seems this is a very dumbed down Play:3. The Play:3 might as well be a full featured PC in its ability to consume content from Internet / NAS as compared to this as a wireless speaker with a charging dock? I guess if this cost $150 I would be more interested, just doesn't make the value for me. I am curious to see how you think the two stack up as I was thinking of getting a 3 soon.
Yeah, unfortunately, I kinda find AirPlay nothing more than a glorified Bluetooth speaker at this point (potentially making the fine $200 Jawbone Jambox a better comparison). Well, beaming pictures from iPhone to AppleTV is pretty cool and if video was done better with broader support that'd be THE killer feature. But, as far as audio is concerned, Sonos is far more sophisticated than AirPlay... although I still can't stream Slacker (but at least I can finally get my XM Online).