UE Smart Radio is a music solution from Logitech that enables you to play music from many sources in multiple zones at your house. It can be local music, Internet Radio or services like Spotify, Pandora and Last.FM. With UE Smart Radio, Logitech has built a multi-room system that should be easy to install, use and maintain. It is meant to replace their previous system Squeezebox that was more powerful but also more complex, thus a little harder to use.
UE Smart Radio only has one zone player for now. Logitech will probably release another zone player that has a digital audio output which is needed for optimal integration with receivers. If logitech fails to do so, they leave the market wide open for Sonos, which seems like a stupid move in the long run.
Cloud service
The UE Smart Radio is setup and managed through the service http://www.uesmartradio.com. Connection to the service is required even though you play music from a local UE Music Library so an Internet Connection is a must.
Music services
The UE Smart Radio can use Spotify, Pandora, Last.FM, MOG, thousands of Internet Radio stations and more.
Playing music from the local network
Download UE Music Library from http://www.uesmartradio.com/download and install it on either a client computer (XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8) or a server (2003, 2008, windows home server).
UE Music Library exposes music on the computer and on selected network shares as a playlist for the smart radio client. It is possible to have multiple UE Music Libraries on the network.
Remoting
Logitech has made remoting apps for both iOS and Android. They both enables play music on the Smart Radio from all attached services and music libraries.
The Android app: UE Smart Radio Controller.
The iOS app: Logitech UE Smart Radio Controler.
Integration with receiver
The current Smart Radio device can only output analog audio to a receiver through it´s 3.5mm jack. It works good even though a digital out would be required for maximum quality.
Mobility
The Smart Radio device has a built in battery pack that enables mobility in and outside the home. As long as a Internet Connection is available.
Compatibility with Squeezebox
Squeezebox Radio devices can be upgraded to the UE Smart Radio software. Other than that, there are no compatibility between the old Squeezebox system and the new UE system. The upgrade is available by logging in to you www.mysqueezebox.com account. Read more on upgrading.
Forums
For now, smart radio does not have an own forum at Logitech so check out the (general UE forum.