Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Logitech Buys Slim Devices

Posted by ryuzaki0 on

Logitech today announced the purchase of Slim Devices, longtime makers of network audio players SliMP3, Squeezebox, and the new Transporter. A couple years back Logitech bought Harmony Remote, becoming the makers of all my wireless control devices for my entertainment center (Bluetooth mouse, remote control, and PS2 controllers). Now they make my Squeezebox, too.

20 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Not so sure ... by mrbanzai · · Score: 3, Informative

    My experience with Logitech hasn't exactly been stellar. While my Squeezebox is probably my favorite piece of equipment in my entertainment system, I have a box of cast-away Logitech parts that don't seem to adhere to the same quality standards. Additionally, one thing I cherish about my Squeezebox is its integration with SlimServer running on a Linux machine. SlimServer has its oddities, but in general it's a solid piece of software. I'm uncertain that Logitech would be as supportive of Linux as Slim Devices currently is. Prove me wrong, Logitech, prove me wrong ... please?

    1. Re:Not so sure ... by bartyboy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      My experience with Logitech (or their Harmony Remote) has been stellar. My Harmony Remote 680 is probably my favorite piece of equipment in my entertainment system, and I only bought one because it controls everything I own and doesn't break after I drop it. Additionally, one thing I cherish about my Harmony Remote is its integration with the remote control database and ease of setup. The remote has a few oddities, but it's a solid piece of hardware. I'm certain that Logitech has not screwed up Harmony Remote by buying it.

      Isn't anecdotal evidence great?

      (On a more serious note, I highly recommend the Harmony Remote to anyone with more than two remote controls in their entertainment system. The wife loves it, too.)

    2. Re:Not so sure ... by asdhwesd · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree... Slim Devices has done a good job of communicating and working with its customers over the years to make things work better and in adding new features.

      This is a sad day for Squeezebox owners and fans of Slim Devices.

      As said by someone elsewhere in this thread, I just hate it when big companys buy little companies out.

      http://www.slimdevices.com/

    3. Re:Not so sure ... by AmaDaden · · Score: 2, Interesting

      My experience with Logitech hasn't exactly been stellar.

      Really? I have never had any problems with Logitech what so ever in the past few years. To the point where I only buy Logitech stuff. The same is true for my friends. What logitech stuff have you guys had problems with? I've never used anything from Slim Devices but I would think that this would be good for them. Logicitech should have the power and money to make what ever they make even better or at the very lest cheaper and easier to find.

    4. Re:Not so sure ... by dubiousmike · · Score: 2, Informative

      Their remotes is supposed to be the OS X of universal remotes. Its what you are supposed to buy for your relatives who can't set the microwave clock. And yet my 50 something year old mother doesn't use it because its too confusing.

      Can't win...

    5. Re:Not so sure ... by mspohr · · Score: 2, Interesting
      My Harmony remote has been great. It's easy to set up thanks to the online configuration databank.

      Also, big suprise was that they have great technical support. I had a question and talked to a real person who was very helpful. The tech support people can even set up your device for you since they store the configuration in their database.

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    6. Re:Not so sure ... by profplump · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You're aware that you can re-map both the hard and soft buttons arbitrarily, right? If it knows a command to make disks change, you can make any button you like send that command.

  2. Was it these guys that... by WasterDave · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ....were on slashdot a few years back hand soldering resistors onto logic boards to get their first batch out the door? If it was, well, way to go back bedroom hardware hackers! There is hope beyond yet another godforsaken web project yet :)

    Dave

    --
    I write a blog now, you should be afraid.
    1. Re:Was it these guys that... by notanatheist · · Score: 2, Informative

      You're very right. The original version was a rather crude product but it worked. The SB3 (same hardware as the SB2) is a much more refined product. Nothing else on the market comes close to it's performance. Sonos is cool but isn't as fast and responsive as the SB. Also, Slimdevices is a much more open community with an extensive set of plugins for obtaining information on the VFD. Personally, I only use the Alarm Clock and Weather plugins. With Logitech's acquisition there is hope of bringing the price down to a $199 point to make it more affordable. If you hit the forums you'll notice the "Logitech buys Slimdevices" thread quite lively with an actual Logitech VIP chiming in with answers to questions.

    2. Re:Was it these guys that... by jacobcaz · · Score: 2, Informative
      ....were on slashdot a few years back hand soldering resistors onto logic boards to get their first batch out the door? If it was, well, way to go back bedroom hardware hackers! There is hope beyond yet another godforsaken web project yet :)

      Yep, and they make a good product. I bought one of the first 100 (which were the hand assembled units) - I believe I have #49 - and it still works like a champ. About two years after I bought it I emailed Sean Adams (the CEO) and inquired about the case upgrade which had long since been discontinued and he not only scrouged one up for me but included one of the new switching power supplies to replace the wall wart that came with the first batch. Excellent company to deal with and excellent support from the original guys.

      I hope Logitec lets them keep their level of service where Sean and the original crew kept it.

    3. Re:Was it these guys that... by Holmwood · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Version 3 of of Slim Devices Squeezebox is quite polished. I agree, V2 looked a bit clunky.

      Moreover, the informal tech support on their boards is amazingly good, IMHO. I posted about a problem in the evening one holiday weekend, and their CTO posted back with a suggested solution later that night. Now a fan of their products, sure, but the CTO? Great.

      In the short term, this is great news for the employees (assuming they have options/stock in the company) and founders. Shareholders can cash out and get a return on the equity (sweat and cash) they've put into the business. I'm very happy for them.

      In the longer term? They'll probably lose some good people, and I doubt that in five years time senior company officers will be answering a new users questions late at night on the boards on a holiday.

      Also, unless I'm really missing something, I don't see where a product like the Transporter (http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_transporter.html) fits in. I mean circa $2000? For something from Logitech!?

      Thinking about it that way, for me, this is a little like a decent, but unexceptional fast-food chain purchasing the local bistro.

      So it's kind of mixed news for consumers, I think. More backing, deeper pockets is good, but I do worry about what will happen to their customer service. I also worry about a junky cost-reduced product killing them.

      -Holmwood

  3. hmm, not sure that's a good thing by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 3, Interesting

    logitech makes CRAPPY drivers. their software side of things is really bad.

    large companies almost ALWAYS ruin smaller ones when they buy them (out).

    I have a slim mp3 hardware box. its reasonably well designed and mostly trouble free.

    but honestly, I am not going to hope for much more now that they're no longer a small company ;(

    --

    --
    "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
  4. Very interesting by NaCh0 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    As a squeezebox owner, good and bad thoughts are passing through my head...

    Will the quality remain top notch in future versions?

    Will we see price drops?

    Will logitech be able to pull off a killer device that combines the squeezebox with an equally versitile video component? (mpeg,wmv,mov,avi,etc)

  5. crazy by bunions · · Score: 3, Insightful

    the kings of bloated drivers (30MB to install my keyboard?!?) meet the kings of super-awesome software. WHO WILL WIN?!

    My money is on logitech. Glad I bought a squeezebox a few months ago (they are 10lbs of awesome stuffed into a 5lb sack).

    --
    there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.
  6. Sigh by DaveJay · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I love my Squeezebox. I have a box full of Logitech peripherals that I no longer use. I can only hope that they let the Slim Devices folks keep doing what they do best, but with the marketing muscle and distribution that Logitech can leverage (I hate seeing Roku players on the shelves at Fry's, but no Squeezeboxen.)

  7. SlimServer is still GPL by tomRakewell · · Score: 3, Insightful

    One of the best things about the Squeezebox is the open source SlimServer app that powers it. Written in Perl, it runs on any operating system. How can Logitech take that away? It's even conceivable that, if Logitech destroys the Squeezebox, somebody else can create a hardware box that will run on Slimserver.

    I think re-engineering Slimerserver would be difficult, expensive and stupid. Logitech will keep it. That's the core of the Linux Squeezebox compatibility right there.

  8. So long Slim Devices... by 10Ghz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When I read this piece of news, I was immediately reminded of the purchase of Empeg my SONICblue. Empeg was a kick-ass piece of equipment, and SONICblue promptly ran it to the ground. I have a bad feeling that same thing will happen here. The world is full of cases where a big company buys a smaller company with great product, only to kill the product. Besides Empeg, Sun and Cobalt comes to my mind.

    --
    Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
  9. Re:oh no.... by Jussi+K.+Kojootti · · Score: 2, Informative
    I don't understand your point... Why would slimserver be forked? Because it's now owned by Logitech? I fail to see the connection...

    There is a wired-only squeezebox by the way (https://secure.slimdevices.com/order/index.cgi), but for some reason the resellers don't seem to have it in stock.

  10. Older people and Harmony remotes... by norminator · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I love my Harmony, but I think people need a good introduction to it, otherwise they don't understand it, because they think it's more complicated than it is. My dad came over, picked up the remote and turned off the TV, but not using the big "Off" button at the top... he went through the device menu, selected TV, then hit the soft button for power. Then he proudly proclaimed that it was a man's remote because women wouldn't be able to use it.

    I didn't have the heart to tell him that you can do just about anything you want with one button press. Maybe someday I'll tell him all about the Activities buttons...

    In the meantime, my mom just looks at the remote and shakes her head.

  11. Not Windows Only by Big_Al_B · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I haven't bothered to confirm that it's still using HTTP to interact with Logitech servers--as I suspect--but the Harmony OS X Client that I downloaded several weeks ago is a also fully stand-alone package not requiring a separate browser session.

    So far I've been very impressed. Prior to this version, I was having a heap of trouble with both OS X and XP SP2 clients not working properly.

    Now I've got exactly zero problems and zero complaints. I love my 688.