14 DAY TRIAL // I was really wondering who will be the first producer to embed the latest pieces of tech in audio gear we use day by day as we did 10 or 20 years ago as well, namely boomboxes or simple "cassette players" as we called them back at that time.
And I was really expecting that a name which was big then would make this move despite the avalanche of producers replicating all the gear we grew with. Indeed, I was right as I have seen Sony releasing the ZS-BT1, the first "gettoblaster" equipped with all classic FM tuner and front-loading CD as well as the Bluetooth connectivity.
The "traditional" features render the ZS-BT1 as a suitable tool for your parents as they'll surely know how to operate it and enjoy whatever music they would like, either on CD or on a local FM radio.
Now, you on the other hand: you're cooler than that, you know it and so should others know as well. In order to make others know you can jam, you need some tools and the ZS-BT1 looks just perfect: by means of the Bluetooth connectivity you can make your boombox play whatever tracks might you have on another (cool) portable device such as your SonyEricsson Walkman phone, if need be.
Any music device Bluetooth-capable can be connected to the Sony ZS-BT1 and have its contents blasted to the "gang". Brennan Mullin, Sony's marketing director for personal audio insisted that Sony's new line of Bluetooth-connectible audio gear will drastically enhance the way consumers perceive the listening of music; if it was only having your (bluetooth) MP3 player connected without wires to a bigger and louder unit and that would be enough for a big leap in what "modern", "portable" and "boombox" mean together.
For roughly $150, the ZS-BT1 looks like a very cool and handy blaster everyone might want to have. It's just you'll have to wait until August to get your hands on it.
Photo credited to Sony.