The modern age has gotten rid of that communal feeling inherent in the jukebox, a cultural relic rarely experienced and as a result underappreciated. Nowadays, music lives on smart devices which can make the act of listening to music a singular one.
The team behind the Electric Jukebox is eager to tap into the spirit of yesteryear with their plug-and-play music streaming device. By requiring only an HDMI-enabled television and broadband connection, Electric Jukebox is hoping to make the idea of accessing absolutely any song at a moment’s notice a reality — no smartphone or laptop necessary. Users can control Electric Jukebox with its supplied remote control or with voice search to digitally thumb through singles and albums ad-free for up to year, with a premium subscription going for $60 every year after that. Electric Jukebox also touts celebrity playlists from the likes of Sheryl Crow, Robbie Williams, and Stephen Fry to entice listeners as well. The product can be pre-ordered now for $199 shipping sometime before Christmas of this year.
While the price of the initial product is something to contend with, what the product does for only $60 a year is a dream come true for non-techie wallet-abused streaming music subscribers everywhere. While something like Sno Speakers offers a portable Bluetooth speaker with a display along with access to every music service, it still needs to be charged and realistically only uses one streaming service. By putting everything into one package for a single price, the Electric Jukebox may be up some consumers’ alleys — even if they lose the portability inherent in competitive products.