Support for rdio

[mortslim]

apparently Logitech is not actively expanding and growing the Squeezebox line of products. Why? It doesn't have the budget for it anymore and its priorities lie elsewhere. Logitech has too many other products to focus on and it doesn't see the Squeezebox line as being a viable profit center. It will keep in place its existing products but not add to them, either in hardware or software or features.

the squeezebox has seen its day in the sun and now it is in the twilight. why? because since it came into existence, we now have plenty of alternate means to listen to music. E.g. airplay on the apple platform and bluetooth on all platforms. Just enable bluetooth on your cellphone (ios or android) or iPad and any bluetooth enabled speaker (including bluetooth speakers from Logitech) will play in great fidelity.

Why should Logitech spend money on adding features to Squeezebox when all you have to do is add your own favorite app to your cellphone or iPad and beam that via bluetooth to your own hifi speakers? Logitech's ecosystem for Squeezebox can't compete with that.

That is why when Mediafly stopped working with Squeezebox that there is no replacement. A competing service, Stitcher, contacted Logitech to be the replacement. But Logitech wasn't interested. In fact, Logitech wasn't even interested in responding to posts at all on the subject. Logitech just ignores the issue.

[JJZolx]

Is there a question in there?

I think you're right about why the Squeezebox line has been largely abandoned by Logitech. It was never wildly successful, and it's been supplanted by many other easy ways to stream audio. Eight or ten years ago it was unique and filled a niche. Not so much today.

In the last few years of its life, the development focus was on many of these random streaming services that have popped up. It soon became apparent, though, that the success/usability of these services on the Squeezebox was largely dependent on their support for Squeezebox, and not the other way around. Pandora One, for instance, can be played on an iPhone, but not a Squeezebox. It was Pandora's conscious decision not put resources into supporting a platform that is dwarfed by others.

[Mnyb]

"these random streaming services that have popped up" pretty much describes the market as it is and they keep popping up all the time ?
The real problem here is still the media market trying to find a working business model (free music for everyone is not it ) .
So some random venture capitalist tries something putting money in some service that be around a while and then slowly dies to later be forgotten .

But it must be frustrating for any smaller project with limited resources to be "running to stand still" just to keep up, instead of using these resources to develop something.

Now rdio tomorrow what ?

And yes apple and andriod have hit pay dirt here , but these devices are so multipurpose and widespread so a very large market for apps .
Everyone has one so why not use for music too ?

Here squeezebox advantage is it's disadvantage at the same time , it is a single purpose music and internet radio device and would not coincidentally be in everyone's pocket .
As a music machine it is better at it (imho) but that's actually a niche the whole music only hardware idea is a niche these days .

Everyone plays music on a device who main purpose is something else or a multi purpose device, I have a home theater it is also for TV dvd/blueray/games .
I sometimes listen on my computer or phone .
I think that for the average person music will be purely software in the future an add on to something else , like dlna in the TV ?
You just add music to what ever device you have ?

I have an iPad at home and next time my work cell phone breaks down my employer would place an iPhone 4 or an Experia on my table whether I want it or not ,
I would of-course investigate a number useful apps for it now that i got it ?