Frequent readers of SvenOnTech know just how much we love our Sonos and there really isn’t anything out there that compares to it. Outside of Apple snubbing our favorite Santa Barbra company from getting a FairPlay license (and thus being unable to play iTunes Music Store purchased songs,) there really is no wrong with Sonos. Well, okay, it is a bit pricey but dude, it sounds sooo good!

What if you don’t have nearly a grand for the best digital player in the world? What does an iPod tottin’ user do if they wish to play music anywhere in their house? You know, without being tied to a PC or Mac running iTunes or an iPod on an A/V dock? Well, looks like you can grab a Keyspan TuneView Dock for iPod for about $80 and then pair it with the newly announced TuneView Remote. For just another $100, you’ll be able to control your iPod from any room with the remote. You know, pause, play, skip, yada, yada. But new to the remote scene for the iPod is the ability to change play lists, and browse artists. The secret lies in the little LCD screen on the TuneView which mimics the look-and-feel of your iPods screen on the fly.

Taking it to the next level, Keyspan will also release an iTunes controller that plugs into your USB port that will do the same thing on the remote as the iPod dock does. All the things the remote can do to the iPod it will do on your PC or Macs iTunes music player. Not bad for $50…and not bad marketing on KeySpan’s side either. $80 for the dock, $100 for the remote, and $50 for the USB controller. But still, $230 for all that is way cheaper then the Sonos.

How will this remote eat into Sonos’ business? Replicating pretty much all of Sonos’ strengths, sans the built-in amp and network switch, the masses will be able to play music and control it through out their house from a controller in their hands…just like Sonos. In short, Sonos really needs to watch KeySpan and its new remote and take notes. Maybe Sonos should slap an iPod dock onto its unit to get a hold of those iTMS purchased songs or even more so, lower its pricing. The ZP80, the passive Sonos, will help with that, but the controller is mighty pricey at $200 alone. Sonos needs a new game plan or KeySpan will be the toast of wireless iTunes/iPod controller for users around the world.

TuneView ships in May. The dock will also ship in May and is compatible with, “all 4G and 5G iPods including click wheel iPods, the iPod mini, the iPod nano, and the iPod with video. The dock includes a USB power adapter, USB cable, audio cable (3.5mm stereo to dual RCA) and three dock adapters.”

[tags]mac,ipod,pc,itunes,sonos,remote,cheap,tuneview,lcd remote[/tags]