What Recession? Linksys Unveils $1,000 Wireless Home Audio System, Wireless Media Hub

Not unlike Eos or Sonos’ offerings, the Linksys Wireless Home Audio System, announced early this morning, allows users to play music from their PCs and from Rhapsody in any room of the house. Users can also synchronize the music so that the same part of the same song is playing in different rooms. In addition to the director—the main unit, which comprises a touchscreen and speakers—are media players, which are speakers without a display attached. They can attach to users’ existing stereo systems. Users can also control playback with a universal wireless-N remote. Its touchscreen allows users to scroll through Rhapsody and PC libraries, and shows album art, too. One problem? It’s pricey: a bundle  including one remote, player, and director costs $1,000. Additional players cost $299. Linksys also announced the Wireless Media Hub, an external drive that attaches to your router, and allows PCs with the corresponding software installed to access any of this content wirelessly. It will be available in two 500GB and one 1TB version ($349). The second 500GB ($349) and the 1TB version ($429) has an LCD and 6-in-1 memory card reader. All have external drive bays and USB ports. The basic 500GB version costs $249.