Quick Hits: Sonos One reviews; iHeartMedia on TV; iPhones and FM chips

Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web:

First reactions to Sonos One: Reviews are out for the recently announced Sonos One, the audio company’s updated take on voice-controlled smart speaker and the reactions are uniformly positive. Tech outlets from The Verge to Wired have lauded the new device for its sound quality, making it a noteworthy option for serious audiophiles. The few detractions are the comparatively hefty price tag and a lack of Spotify at launch.

iHeartMedia gets a dose of reality (TV): iHeartMedia is getting involved in a musical reality show. Fox is teaming up with the media conglomerate for its new talent search called The Four: Battle for Stardom. iHeartMedia will provide exposure for the competitors, with the winner to be crowed an iHeartMedia “On the Verge” artist and participate in its artist development program.

What’s the deal with iPhones and FM chips? We covered a rather odd exchange between FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai and Apple over the question of FM chips in iPhones and how feasible it is to activate them. A Journal of Musical Things took a closer look at the technical details behind how FM signal can be accessed in any smartphone and iPhones in particular. The gist is that this is all much more complicated than just flipping a switch at Apple HQ for the devices to receive broadcasts.

Anna Washenko