Sonos

Why the big deal? It means you can stream tracks without the need for a server or host PC.

Songza, I discovered, is a startup in New York City whose staff includes software engineers, and music experts... and what any self-respecting startup also considers core to the business: "absurdly talented dancers."

Sonos users, rejoice. Soon you'll be able to stream your personal music files via the cloud, instead of from a local hard drive.

Just take me to Echo & The Bunnymen for a moody drive on a foggy SF evening; or maybe some incredible Janelle Monáe when highway 101 is at (another) standstill.

The new look is a winner. Soft blues and quiet greys provide a pleasing aurora. Everything is right where you'd expect it to be.

I gave the new Slacker service a spin. It's now included free as part of the 3.6 update. In a word it's great.

I'll cut right to the chase, and suggest that probably everything you've read about Sonos is true. They have positioned themselves, amidst stiff competition from Apple TV, Roku, and others as a go-to platform when you're serious about music.