<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Gigaom]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://gigaom.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Janko Roettgers]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[http://search.gigaom.com/author/jankor/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Aether adds multi-room functionality to its Cone speaker]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>San Francisco-based IoT-startup <a href="http://www.aether.com">Aether Things</a> has beefed up its Aether Cone speaker with some additional features: Cone users can now play music on multiple speakers at the same time, Sonos-style, and a firmware update is also bringing Bluetooth connectivity to the Cone.</p>
<p>The $400 speaker is supposed to learn from your listening habits and compile music on the fly. So far, though, it doesn&#8217;t look as if many people have actually bought a Cone. The company&#8217;s Android app, which isn&#8217;t required to use the Cone but helps with set-up and control, has been downloaded between 50 and 100 times, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aether.aethercone&amp;hl=en">according to Google Play.</a></p>
<p>Aether is competing in an increasingly crowded market. On the loudspeaker front, there&#8217;s the industry leader Sonos, but also connected speakers from LG, Sony, Denon and others. But as a smart connected device that can be controlled with voice commands, the Cone also competes with <a href="https://search.gigaom.com/company/amazon/">Amazon</a>&#8216;s Echo, which offers <a href="https://gigaom.com/2014/12/12/amazons-echo-is-a-good-listener-but-a-wretched-assistant/">a lot of additional functionality</a>.</p>
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