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Sorry to everyone who was waiting for Sonos to release a streaming video device it seems that's not happening anytime soon. The company is said to have canceled the long-expected product, which was reportedly far along in development. Sonos leadership announced the cancellation in an all-hands call on Wednesday, according to The Verge. Interim CEO Tom Conrad says that, "for now," the company won't enter the streaming video market. The team that was working on the project, codenamed Pinewood, is set to be reassigned to other projects. It was reported last month that Sonos could start selling the device this year for between $200 and $400. Pinewood was rumored to have a unified software experience with universal search for shows and movies from various streaming services like Netflix, Max and Disney+. Pinewood was believed to have Sonos Voice Control integration and to act as an HDMI hub for home entertainment devices such as game consoles. And, of course, the box would have synced with Sonos soundbars and speakers. Per the report, Pinewood's cancellation leaves Sonos without a major new product to start selling in the second half of 2025. Instead, it seems that the company will double down on rebuilding its reputation and the performance of its software after the disastrous rollout of a new mobile app in 2024. That fiasco led to the ouster of former CEO Patrick Spence and other executives. Sonos also fired hundreds of workers as part of a restructuring plan. Engadget has contacted Sonos for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/sonos-reportedly-scraps-its-long-expected-streaming-video-device-193445993.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
iRobot, the creator of the Roomba and the company that popularized robot vacuums in the first place, told investors on Wednesday that it has "substantial doubt about [its] ability to continue." Beyond declining sales the company reported that revenue decreased 47 percent in the US over the prior year in its fourth quarter earnings iRobot is also struggling to pay off its debts. The company took on a $200 million bridge loan to stay afloat while it waited for its $1.7 billion acquisition deal with Amazon to be approved, which it's still paying off. The European Commission ultimately investigated the acquisition in 2023, and rather than address its concerns, Amazon terminated the deal and paid out its $94 million termination fee. That wasn't enough to eliminate iRobot's problems, though. The company now plans to review its options and see if it can find another way to stick it out, including "refinancing the company's debt and exploring a potential sale or strategic transaction." The timing is particularly unfortunate given the line of new robot vacuums iRobot recently announced. The company has a new robot for most price points, but the Roomba 105 Vac Robot series, which are supposed to feature 70 times more suction than past models, and the Roomba Plus 505 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock, which is able to clean corners better and has a dock that washes and heat-dries the robot's mop, stand out as notable improvements. The company is also adopting lidar sensors across the board, something that was missing from previous robots and should allow for better, more accurate mapping. It's possible new products help iRobot get to a better place financially the company still makes robots we recommend, after all but that doesn't change the fact that its facing stiff competition from companies like Roborock and Dreame, who are both getting much more adventurous with what their robot vacuums can actually do.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/irobot-has-new-roombas-but-it-doesnt-sound-confident-itll-be-around-to-sell-them-191747458.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
The second season of the fantastic detective dramedy Poker Face starts streaming via Peacock on May 8. Theres a trailer and it spotlights the many guest stars that will be showing up as suspects in the second season. These include folks like John Mulaney, playing a cop of some kind, and early 2000s heartthrob Katie Holmes. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. Fans of the first season know that Poker Face loves itself some guest stars. Giancarlo Esposito, Awkwafina, Justin Theroux, Cynthia Erivo and Melanie Lynsky will all be showing up in this new batch of episodes. For the uninitiated, Poker Face is (basically) an old-school mystery of the week show, recalling genre classics like Columbo. It stars Natasha Lyonne as a gritty New Yorker (duh) as she wanders the country solving crimes. She has a near-supernatural ability to tell when someone is lying, which helps a lot. The show was created by Rian Johnson, who polarized the Star Wars fandom with The Last Jedi before going on to make those well-regarded Knives Out movies. Two of those films have already aired on Netflix, with a third on the way. He also made some indie flicks earlier in his career, like Brick and Looper.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/poker-faces-season-two-trailer-features-guest-stars-like-john-mulaney-and-katie-holmes-184741470.html?src=rss
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