Wait and See

[AiKju]

The WACS700 seems to be a cool music device but after wasting my money on my last streamium device MC250i, I think that I will wait how Philips will handle that situation. I am wondering if Philips is able to develop lasting computerized music devices like Apple for example.

[scoobiesnacks]

I think they may have a new ipod here. The styling is first class (like the ipod), the interface is similar to the ipod (though this needs more work I think). The main reason I think so though is that in currys, dixons etc I've seen people playing with these, and buzzing around them.

The first clue we'll get if it is the new Ipod or not will be in Jan at CES when we'll probably get the first signs of version 2, or the mainstream competitors sony etc jumping into this market.

My prediction is that in say 4 years time most hifi's will have hard drives.

In the meantime the interface will need to be just a little slicker I think on the main screen to really shift the product. Ipod won primarily down to looks and ease of use. Philips Streamium has always been let down by its ease of use. You need to be a geek to use it.

[AlphaOne]

Lets remember though that these guys were the first on the block (I think).

It is a cool looking device, reminiscent of B&O gear.

[JaFO_NL]

They may have a new iPod, but their marketing has been rather lacking. And reading this forum I get the impression that the units are far from release-ready.

My prediction : Microsoft's Xbox 360 is the true new iPod for this marketsegment.
If even half their promises are true (their demonstration of the multimedia-aspect of this next-gen gamesconsole was impressive at least) then it is *the* true killer media-entertainment-device for the livingroom.

Compared to something that's twice as expensive and audio-only it's no contest and that's ignoring the bugs and other missing features in Philips' device ...

Philips : decent hardware, lousy marketing

[boris]

I cannot agree with your comparison about the xbox360.

Put an audio CD into the xbox and you hear nothing - put it into the WAC700 and you can actually hear music.

The xbox may work as a media server but there are plenty of these on the market already. It only contains a 20GB hard drive which for a media server (including video) is very poor. The WAC700 has been critisized for having a 40GB hard drive and this is just an audio servey.

This system is a HI-FI!!! which can stream audio simultaneously to up to 5 other stations. Can the xbox360 do this?

And as for price - for ca. £200 you can get the xbox, for £470 you can get the WACS700 which in addition to the hard drive also contains a set of speakers on the main unit, a set of speakers on the satalite unit, in built FM tuners on each unit, a two way LCD remote and a slimline remote. The ability to plug in aux devices into each unit is also present. It also looks like a system which you can be prous of not a glorified games console.

My understanding of the xbox (I may be wrong and wait to be corrected) is that if you want to stream wirelessly then you also need a windows media center (lets face it it can only handle 3 wireless controllers). If you have the media center already then you do not need the xbox!