It looks like NCIX has come through. The package, originating in Vancouver on the other side of the country, has now already made its way into the province. Tracking information still doesn't mention a specific delivery date, but in my books, it's looking like some great service so far. I also really appreciate how NCIX sends detailed reports of the order status as it changes within their organization up until the item has actually been "shipped."

I should have the DCDC supply sometime tonight as well, but I think I'll end up paying with the Zbox for the week installing VortexBox and seeing if I can find any information on getting the LuCI UI on top of it as well.

Even though it's early in the process, I have no doubt based on experience with the Squeeze and iPeng products that this will work famously. Which does lead me to wonder why some folks in the SB forums are so hell-bent on finding "alternative" products, prompted by Logitech's apparent lack of advancement of new Squeeze models.

When an iOS device makes for such a capable player within this ecosystem, I can't fathom changing over to a completely different platform, something as clunky as some of the options I've seen tossed about on that forum. If someone already has SqueezeBox server set up, and an iOS device, as many do, it seems like a no-brainer to give it a try. iOS devices aren't free, but some of the alternative products cost a lot more.

The server software has received a new name, and is now called Logitech Media Server. The really need to stop changing the name, but this newest version brings online UPnP and DLNA serving capabilities and support for photos and video. Supposedly they're going to use it to complement their GoogleTV-based offerings, so it seems like they're doing some in-house software consolidation. The changes also open the door for other products to make use of the very good underpinnings of the server. Let's hope however that Logitech continues to make sales so they can keep developing the software, since it's clearly the most valuable IP of the entire ecosystem.