I bought the Chumby One a few weeks ago from here with the intention of trying it out before gifting it to a family member down the line. After one hour of using it I knew it was going to stay with me. I keep it in the office since I don't really need an alarm clock. It sits next to my laptop all day and streams Pandora and ShoutCast radio for me all day while also keeping me updated on my Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as numerous other apps and clocks that flow throughout the day. It is not a replacement for a laptop or a smartphone at all. It is simply another device. I would be in for one of these today to replace my Chumby but I just jumped on another tech purchase that used up my loot.

tom61 wrote:I got one when sellout.woot had the refurb. So far, a pretty-OK internet radio alarm clock with an OK Youtube app that I use to catch up on my subscriptions while I'm waking up. I also have the MyEbay Watch List app and Woot! apps loaded. The Woot! app isn't Woot-off aware, but each time it cycles to that app it will show the current item, so you do get some hint one is going on when it changes at times other than midnight. A lot times I used to have to fire off my netbook late nights are taken care of with those two apps plus the built-in weather and Youtube apps. The 'night mode' clock is pretty nice, and I like being able to hit a button to blank the screen entirely with the power save if the extra light bugs me, and can bring it back by touching anywhere on the screen for quick checks of the time.

Built-in Youtube app wise, you can search, see what's popular, view your subscriptions, etc. Better than most Youtube apps I've seen, though, there's no master list of new videos from subscriptions, so I have to go to each user, then sort by date posted to get the new videos from them. Youtube is unfortunately limited to 480P max(no selection on quality) from what I've seen, even though Youtube HD rips play fine from USB sticks. Other streaming video apps don't seem to be limited to 480P, as watching (and pausing to get closer look at details) HD trailers on Flixster look amazing.

Alarm wise, it's decent. A bit disappointing that I can't seem to get it start a Pandora station as the alarm, something that I'd hoped it could do. It'll play from a small selection of included alarm sounds, as well as stuff like streaming music videos in a very limited genre selection seeming chosen at random, Dr. Dobbs Journal, and regular .m3u or streaming audio, but not Pandora or Slacker.

USB support is kinda tacked on, as it didn't even any way to be used for quite a while after this was released from what I've seen. Don't expect it do much more than play MPEG 4 videos and MP3 audio off USB mass-storage right now. It's still being updated with new firmware, so maybe that will change in the future.

The video playback off USB, when MPEG 4 and in the proper container -- .MP4, .mov (including H.264) or WMV 9 -- is pretty good. It can handle up to 1080p and scale it down to it's screen res very well from what I've seen. I mostly save stuff in 720P, so most of my testing was with that, which all looked awesome except an older WMV codec file.

The photo viewing app is very limited, only really useful to make it a digital photo frame. No controls beyond flicking the photos left or right for previous/next, and continues on to the next photo after a pre-set period of time (when you select all photos). No zoom or rotation capabilities.

In theory it should be hackable, the source code to the OS is here: http://products.sel.sony.com/opensource/source_dash.shtml It seems to respond to Chumby scripts placed on a Flesh drive, but I haven't played with it much.

While you are listening to a Pandora station, if you touch the screen you will get some options, one of which is to use the song that is playing as your alarm. I tried it and can't remember if it actually played the song I selected.

Shmuel510 wrote:As far as I know, the USB port can be used only for accessing photos, videos, and music on a USB key drive; I don't think there's any way of getting it to work with a projector. I also don't think it's possible to use music on a USB key drive as an alarm.

The official Sony Dash forum may be of interest, and you can also check out the available apps. (Note: the latter doesn't include the Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, streaming Internet radio, and a couple other similar features native to the Dash itself.)

Could the USB port be used for a plug-in battery on the go. I'm torn on bying this, the only thing holding me back is no internal battery.

kokeman36 wrote:Is there a browser or a browser app?
Does it support Flesh?

No browser or browser app, no keyboard driver either...

Yes, it does Flesh.

werikblack wrote:Answering your questions in order, no, and not that I know of, in the way that you're talking about. The USB connector on the Dash is only for hooking up a storage device (like a Flesh drive) so that it can read files. Think of the Dash as a glorified alarm clock. The clock is its basic functionality, and it pulls in data like news and weather. It also happens to play movies and music, but you still wouldn't want to run that through a projector.

USB on your projector is probably to control a computer hooked up next to it (projector acts as a USB mouse controlled by your projector remote).

Thank you! Very helpful!

What about streaming XM or Sirius net radio? Will the Dash do it or is there an app available which might provide that functionality?

Chumby's kissin' cousin.

bpmcdermott wrote:What about streaming XM or Sirius net radio? Will the Dash do it or is there an app available which might provide that functionality?

No Sirius/XM app yet for the Dash, but it is possible.

I got a refurb the last time. It was an ENORMOUS hassle to get it registered (it wouldn't do anything until I did that- server problem, I guess) but then okay afterwards. For what I use it for- a glorified clock with interesting "apps" during the day (I have some fish thing alternating with Philosorapter) and gigantic dim numerals at night- I love it.

rm9116 wrote:Looks like the Dash 2 will be available in May?

Link please, I was unable to find this info.

The zombies must be hungry today!! There is a lot of flesh on the minds.(FL ASH)

bop13 wrote:Could the USB port be used for a plug-in battery on the go. I'm torn on bying this, the only thing holding me back is no internal battery.

It runs on 9.5VDC, so, if you have sufficient Maker-fu, you can fairly readily craft a battery pack for it.

Does this take batteries? If there is USB it sounds like we'll be able to play videos and mp3s from it. I am thinking of getting this to play kids videos for my 2 year old son while on the road or at some place (restaraunt) to keep him busy. So I'm wondering about batteries, usb playback, etc. Thanks for all your help in advance.

I got one of these a while back from Woot and discovered something others might find useful. There's a rubber panel that covers the USB port so if you want to use a USB Flesh drive for photos/music, typically the panel will be held open. The "elago Mobile Nano II micoSDHC USB card reader" is small enough to allow the rubber door to close while it is inserted in the USB port.

bop13 wrote:Could the USB port be used for a plug-in battery on the go. I'm torn on bying this, the only thing holding me back is no internal battery.

Nope. The USB port can't be used to power it. (Though if you have a battery pack that goes where the conventional power cord would, such as Woot has sold now and then, I suppose that would be another story.)

At present, the USB port can be used for accessing music, photos, and movies on a key drive. I believe it can also be used to charge USB devices, though they won't otherwise work with the Dash. That's about it, though.

jrb2971 wrote:Does this take batteries? If there is USB it sounds like we'll be able to play videos and mp3s from it.

These aren't designed to be portable - wall wart only. I don't think it will play videos from USB, although it streams videos very nicely from Netflix and others. Sony will soon release a new model that supports battery power, which is why we're seeing this model heavily discounted.

dand2400 wrote:Link please, I was unable to find this info.

http://www.slashgear.com/sony-dash-gets-update-battery-usb-new-design-06123852/

No capability of taking a battery kills it. Sad I missed the Chumby Woot recently, but glad I scored one new on Fleabay. Wifey will be happy.

No HDMI, so I would have to watch movies on the device? Can't hook up to my TV?

Shmuel510 wrote:Nope. The USB port can't be used to power it. (Though if you have a battery pack that goes where the conventional power cord would, such as Woot has sold now and then, I suppose that would be another story.)

At present, the USB port can be used for accessing music, photos, and movies on a key drive. I believe it can also be used to charge USB devices, though they won't otherwise work with the Dash. That's about it, though.

Thx

jonnycando wrote:No browser or browser app, no keyboard driver either...

Yes, it does Flesh.

There is an on screen keyboard for twitter,facebook ect. This is a good demo link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrRSSzU6JTQ

I have two of these, and they are perfect for the kitchen/bedroom. They are splash resistant, so they are safe on the counter etc. Top uses for us are Pandora, Netflix, and Hulu Plus while cooking. Wonderful device for what it is designed for.

Be aware, because there is no browser app you can't connect to any network that requires a click through "terms of agreement"

Hmmmm, very tempting woot. I'm getting so tired of having to wake up to my iPhone, input my password, and then shut off my alarm. Being able to check current weather, email, and other media feeds at a glance would be nice too.

Also, thanks for providing the new version link, so I may just have to bite on this since I can live without the new updated casing and portable battery.

cnymike wrote:http://www.slashgear.com/sony-dash-gets-update-battery-usb-new-design-06123852/

New Dash versions announced in Jan 2011 and no new information since then.

Hmmmm.

Jumped on this last time. The website that is used for setup is clunky, but I really enjoy having this clock in my bathroom.

Great ever changing content to look at. Plus I can glance at the weather while brushing my teeth!

If you are worried about your power bill and the screen always being on, you can set some event alarms.

On weekdays, I have mine setup to turn on at 6am and turn off at 9am, then turn on at 3pm and turn off at 11pm.
On weekends, I have it set to turn on at 6am and off at 11pm.

Sony/Chumby has not given up on this hardware either. I still get regular software updates every few weeks.

I bought the most recent refurb from sellout and love it. Probably my favorite woot purchase, almost making up for the Scooba (well ... almost).

Like many of the commenters who are happy with theirs, I got it to replace an alarm-clock-radio, one that never got very good reception. So, instead of waking to static, I can wake to Pandora, as well as check the weather and other things before getting out of bed.

My only real complaint is the woot app, since it doesn't include sellout.woot. If it did, I could forego turning on my computer in the morning since the Dash allows me to do everything else I do on the computer before work - check weather, news, email, and woot.

My most pleasant surprise is how good it is at streaming video - I didn't expect to use Netflix much on it when I bought it, but have found, with a pair of earphones, it's a good option while the wife is reading or watching something else on the bedroom tv.

Debating canceling my order. Is that even possible?

I've got both the Sony Dash and the Chumby One. Both were Woot purchases. I purchased both with the thought that I was buying a bedroom alarm clock with some bells and whistles. Both have been great purchases.

I have the Dash next to my bed. Love the flexibility of alarms and powering on. I pretty much wake up between 5 and 5:30 everyday but the alarm clock is set to 5:30. I also have it power on at 5:15 so if I'm awake I can just look over and get a quick weather report for the day, some news, market info, and a brief look at whats in my inbox.

I bought the Chumby One for one of my daughters as a test to see if I might get them all one (4 teenagers). She loves it. Facebook features and Pandora Radio are her favorites.

One nice feature for us is that it can show your Google calendar. We all have Google calendars because of it's integration with iPhones and Android phones and the fact that they can share their calendar with us and I can put items on theirs. If you have teens and have the technology, it's a great way to manage a family calendar. Anyway.. the Dash and the Chumby have a Google calendar app that shows their schedule which is nice.

All this being said, I like the Dash more simply because it's bigger. I was surprised as to how small the Chumby was. I'll be getting more for the rest of the family.

We are iPad and G Tablet owners and while there is some overlap in technology I just dont think hauling my Tablet to bed and using it as my alarm clock is practical.

This is a great gift for non-tech grandparents if they have wireless in their home. You can remotely program it via the Dash website so they can see pics of the kids and other goodies.

Think of this item as an alarm clock on steroids and you cant go wrong. It's not really an interactive device that you sit with and browse. Sorry for the long post. As you can see I like the product. Have fun.

I've been using mine as an Alarm Clock and like it quite a bit. Watch netflix, etc. A couple of issues I've found is the Gmail viewer doesn't to HTML, so most mail is really ugly. I agree it's too bad you can't add your own video sources...right now its limited. ...You could definitely wire it up to a treadmill though to watch Netflix to respond to the one user.

It would be super if someone could figure out how to open it up to drive an external monitor. ....Way above my paygrade.

jonnycando wrote:No browser or browser app, no keyboard driver either...

Yes, it does Flesh.

There is a web browser arriving soon, we even hid the teaser in the writeup.......

billridge wrote:I've got both the Sony Dash and the Chumby One. Both were Woot purchases. I purchased both with the thought that I was buying a bedroom alarm clock with some bells and whistles. Both have been great purchases.

I have the Dash next to my bed. Love the flexibility of alarms and powering on. I pretty much wake up between 5 and 5:30 everyday but the alarm clock is set to 5:30. I also have it power on at 5:15 so if I'm awake I can just look over and get a quick weather report for the day, some news, market info, and a brief look at whats in my inbox.

I bought the Chumby One for one of my daughters as a test to see if I might get them all one (4 teenagers). She loves it. Facebook features and Pandora Radio are her favorites.

One nice feature for us is that it can show your Google calendar. We all have Google calendars because of it's integration with iPhones and Android phones and the fact that they can share their calendar with us and I can put items on theirs. If you have teens and have the technology, it's a great way to manage a family calendar. Anyway.. the Dash and the Chumby have a Google calendar app that shows their schedule which is nice.

All this being said, I like the Dash more simply because it's bigger. I was surprised as to how small the Chumby was. I'll be getting more for the rest of the family.

We are iPad and G Tablet owners and while there is some overlap in technology I just dont think hauling my Tablet to bed and using it as my alarm clock is practical.

This is a great gift for non-tech grandparents if they have wireless in their home. You can remotely program it via the Dash website so they can see pics of the kids and other goodies.

Think of this item as an alarm clock on steroids and you cant go wrong. It's not really an interactive device that you sit with and browse. Sorry for the long post. As you can see I like the product. Have fun.

Thx for the comparison,you should get a quality post for that one. There was alot of useless info though.

skankboy wrote:Debating canceling my order. Is that even possible?

If send them an email ASAP and they get it before it ships. I have had them cancel an order for me once before when I misread some of the specs on the description. I'd not get in a habit of doing this however, when you finally win a Big o' Cosmos who knows what they would send you in it

I got one last time. GREAT alarm clock. The speakers are Sirius GPP, and having no battery means you cant move around with it easily. The apps are limited to only a few and most dont work that well. You can watch Hulu on it before going to sleep and the alarm options are great and easy.

Got one of these refurb in a woot-off last month.

It's great for a bedside alarm clock:
Configurable alarms
Weather
Pandora
Netflix

That's all I use it for. Other stuff you could use it for:
Stock quotes
News
Facebook

There are a lot of apps, but mostly low quality time wasting stuff.

I could also see this used in a kitchen for netflix, news, weather.

99% of it's use at my house is clock, weather, internet radio.

I bought this from Sellout.Woot for 69.99 +5, and then saw them for the same during the wootoff. I love it. It can be a little quirky, and you have to adjust to how it functions a little, apps aren't the greatest but there are plenty. I use this on my nightstand as an alarm clock. I've gotten a little obsessed with the Spycam app that just scrolls random surveillance cameras from around the world. haha

Mostly, I use this to stream Netflix and the wife and i watch Dr. Who before we go to sleep, then I turn on Pandora, put the power save mode on so it goes black, and it shuts itself off in an hour. I'm so happy I bought it. If they are coming out with a new one, I may think about buy it as well and moving this to the spare room.

Also got a re-furbed unit from the woot-off last month, and I'm very pleased with it.

Not having a battery is not an issue at all as nothing gets lost in a power failure as all of your configuration data is stored online. If power goes off, it reloads everything when power comes back on. The time is set from the Internet, so it's always accurate.

Accuweather is great and provides precise weather info for my local area. The programmable alarms are very flexible and work perfectly.

Pandora works great on it and it sounds pretty good too - I have not tried it with external speakers yet, but I expect that it will sound even better.

It is not a PC or an Internet browser so don't expect it to run apps or to browse the Internet.

Overall, I could not be happier with it.

-Bob

mrk874 wrote:Got one of these refurb in a woot-off last month.

It's great for a bedside alarm clock:
Configurable alarms
Weather
Pandora
Netflix

That's all I use it for. Other stuff you could use it for:
Stock quotes
News
Facebook

There are a lot of apps, but mostly low quality time wasting stuff.

I could also see this used in a kitchen for netflix, news, weather.

99% of it's use at my house is clock, weather, internet radio.

Purchased refurb version during one of the recent wootoffs.

To summarize:

As an alarm clock, it is amazing. Motion-sensing, wi-fi, touchscreen bonanza.

As a computer, it is hobbled by the fact that it is mainly an alarm clock.

At $10 more than the refurb model, this woot is a steal. Alas--if I had only waited.

By the way: I have a Snapgear SG565 (somewhat enterprise-level router-firewall). The Dash found and connected flawlessly to the a-b-g firewall. The Dash also works flawlessly with Netflix on days when other devices (TV, Blu-Ray) stutter.

Nicely done, Sony.

Been trying to get my one of these working from the refurbished ones sold here. It is a bit of a pain to set up. It can view your facebook page (if you want that displayed to all), flicker photos (with rather restrictive binds as to what to show, or show all), and other data.

I have found it rather hard to work with, and for what I want it for most, as an internet radio, I have been unable after several days of trying to get any of the internet radio feeds I want on it to work on it.

So I think it could be a rather good product, but far from user friendly.