Road map
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Main reason is not to give the heads up to other companies with plans
There are no plans, are there? Incorporating features that others already have is not giving anyone a "heads-up".
We are calling BS on this, it has sooo many years and you have done NOTHING!
sometimes plans have to change for hardware, software and logistical reasons
This is such a steaming pile. Everyone understands delays. Nobody understands inaction, which is what you are providing.
Can you imagine Apple publicity issuing a roadmap
I sure can! I have seen plans for products from Microsoft (heard of them?), SAP, Oracle, etc.
It's called "Communicating with your customers".
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My main point: 1. As a brand you start a community for your costumers 2. You have a subtopic for feature requests. 3. The only thing you reply is: no because.. or: thank you we ‘ll pass it through.
Why not be happy and gratefull with the input you receive and communicate with your fans and tell them what will be implemented? Please beware what value the community can give to the brand and give us a proper conversation :)
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I watched Nest do this to their forum customers. We were waiting years for a feature all their competitors had already implemented (humidistat setting automatically based on outside temperature) for many years and always got the same sort of BS non committal response. I and many others eventually left the Nest community and, I personally bought an Ecobee. The constant theme was YOUR FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE AS A MAJOR TURN OFF TO CUSTOMERS. In my case I am waiting for random album, a feature ALL BLUESOUND COMPETATORS HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED! The idea that it is not being discussed with the community for reasons of competition, is a major co-out. As for the notion that one should not buy products from a company that has released a road map, ARE YOU SERIOUS? THIS WOULD BE A MAJOR INDUCEMENT FOR ME. I am sick of companies like this refusing to engage with their customers in a meaningful fashion.
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And this is a major part of the problem. Failure to meaningfully communicate with the customers who want to be engaged is seen as a slight even if it is not meant as such, and understandably so. The stock answer provided repeatedly in this part of the forum is an insulting cop-out, or at least that is how it feels when getting it as an answer.
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This is not new; see this post from years ago...
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Tbf. it would be nice to know that something is happening behind the curtains...
In my opinion the app and firmware - in fact all of the software - needs a general overhaul (read: a complete replacement). i) The app is slow to load, ii) connections between devices are sketchy, iii) responsiveness is bad, iv) the app looks like something from 2009 and v) factory resets have to be conducted way to often due to buggy software. Before you ask - yes - I have done all the tricks in the book besides hardwiring every pulse speaker to ethernet (mind you, I bought WIRELESS speakers for a reason). And I havent even touched upon the features that have never been implemented.Bluesound has so much good going for it on a hardware level, but a multiroom sound system is first of all a software product and thus the current state of the software is appaling considering we are nearing 2023 - especially when comparing to the only true competitor, Sonos. If at least the current software was stable (and preferably slightly more responsive), things would have been bareable.
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We have big news coming on the app/software side within the next couple of months. Would anyone here want to be involved in beta testing when we get to that point?
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Sure, I'm a software developer too and I use BluOS every day for listening to music from Spotify, TuneIn or hearing the TV sound on my powernode N330.
I use the BluOS software on Android and Windows.
It's very nice to hear that there will be a bigger milestone for the BluOS system.
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I have a Vault 2, Node, Node 2, B100S & 2 Pulse Minis. I'd be interested. I use several services, and have a huge local file collection (350,000 ish tracks some with art too big). I will be selling one of these (B100S or Node 2) but I will still have 3 different units plus the Pulses ... BluOS on iOS and Windows 11.
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Hi Matt
I have The bluesound soundbar+, Sub+, Pulse 2i and the Flex 2i.
If that is of relevance to the testing, then I’ll gladly assist.
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Hi all,
Great news Bluesound keeps moving on and that software will benefit from an upgrade soon.
Lacking modern EQ options but great gear (esp. Wifi connectivity which is a treat).
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Hallo Matt,
I would also like to be included in the bèta testing of the software.
Thank you.
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Sure, count me in.
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I am available as a beta tester. Complete Apple household ;) Use my devices in Apple Home, controlled via Siri.
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You can count me in. I have various BS products (at least for now) in four rooms, use the API to some extent and I am happy to share my view on upcoming features being a persistent voice of flagging issues. :)
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You can count on me too, I have a spare node I can play with
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You can count me in Matt.
I'm a fresh owner of Powernode Edge.
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You can count me in as well. Im using a NAD C399 and also a multiple Bluesound Flex 2i. Using a Pixel 7 and Macbook Air to controll the systems.
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a post from over a year ago, and there was a response from Andrew H, Product Owner.
https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/4409019486615-Future-Features-flip-flop
I note above re the concerns of roadmapping improvements.
At the head of this section there's a sub-heading
"Ideas and requests for new features. Suggest ideas. Vote for the best. See what's planned"
In 'free' time, I started from the beginning, and might have missed some, but never encountered a What's Planned , or list of what happened to the User's suggestions when passed to Development, apart from Andrew's comments. It appeared one way, User > Product Support Manager.
Not roadmapping developments might make sense were they not already implemented elsewhere.
Bluesound is a step above when it comes to Audio Quality, a family trait from being in the Lenbrook fold.
I know from having owned and used 2 of the alternatives before BlueSound. 4 flex 2i Vault 2i Sounder 2i
I'd hoped for User Interface improvements that equalled my previous systems, and hope the new Beta sees realisation of my expectations, which comes ahead of Andrew H's " The roadmap goes out for a couple years in terms of current plans "0 -
I would be interested in Beta testing. I have a Node 2i 2021.
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I would be interested in testing.
I have 2x Node 2i, 2x CI580v2, a Flex 2i, and a Hub.
I use iOS, WatchOS, Windows, and MacOS controllers daily. I have also extensively automated my installation through use of the REST API.
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Has ANYONE been reviewing new software yet?
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I don't think so!
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I would like to be in the test of 4.0.
I got a node 2i and a Flex 2i 😊
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No news yet, Gordon :/
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When selecting Beta candidates, I hope that the chosen few include a smattering of users who have had a critical slant as well as the fanbois. Divergent views can bring better results.
note: not applying, done too much alpha & beta over the years. But look forward to a reinvigorated robust V4
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I am also very interested in Beta-testing the V4.
Of course I will criticize bugs and issues and will test every Single Detail.I have a BluOS enabled NAD (MDC 2i module) and a Flex 2i
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Anybody got something before the release or whatever they planned to do here? Or just more Bluesound hot air?
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Just coming here as well, having opened a similar discussion on Reddit.
BluOS 4 was hailed as a new era; new code, in-house, so quicker, more regular developments.
Aside from Tidal FLAC, reading through all the release notes since, there's not been any major developments in the 4 major releases so far (4.0.x > 4.4.x), just bug-fixes (Which wouldn't be a major release in our books, would be a X.x.2, not X.2.x...)
I get (to an extent) that Roadmaps could be viewed by competitors. I work for a software company, and our roadmap is only visible to customers (via ZenDesk of course...). But they're also a a great sales tool, and essential community engagement.
You know what sells things best? Recommendations from users. I love the hardware, but I have spoken to several friends about these frustrations, and specifically about features Competitors have (Soundcloud/Chromecast) and buyers remorse.
It's a fine balancing act, we also have a "Feature Request" community page, and sometimes this can be tricky ("You said you'd do this 3 years ago, where is it"), but most of the time it's positive ("We've just implemented this" to rapturous applause) and useful ("Why do you want this?" "How would this work for you?")
We switched away from a date-focused Roadmap, instead now offering Now/Next/Future.
Now = What we're working on now which will be in the next release
Next = What's we're working on now which will be in the subsequent release, or what we plan to tackle once features in "Now" have bedded in
Future = Stuff we want to do, but don't yet have a timeline for
It's transparent, it shows customers we're adding depth or breadth to our product, it gives them timelines, but not dates and also it's live - so if/when things change - which of course it does, because SOFTWARE - we note it down.
The lack of transparency, and lack of progress is what is really frustrating.
Stuff people have been asking for in Feature Requests here as others have mentioned is either "No because...", or "Sure, we'll think about it", and goes away to die.
It would just be re-assuring to know that Soundcloud or Chromecast is being considered, or someone's looking to fix the bug with Radio Paradise not linking through to Tidal, or you are going to enable Shuffle on your preset playlists... and the other many, many feature requests people have made.
Silence is not golden.
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I guess Bluesound has all their post-its filed under Future on their kanban :)
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