Sonos Announces Play and Era 100 SL Speakers, Emphasising System Longevity

Sonos has announced two new additions to its product lineup: the Sonos Play and the Sonos Era 100 SL. By focusing on system longevity and backward compatibility, the company aims to counter the consumer technology trend of new devices replacing old ones, ensuring instead that adding new products enhances the existing system without requiring a reset.

Sonos Play

Sonos Play

The Sonos Play is designed as a dual-purpose indoor and portable speaker. Acoustically, it is equipped with three class-H digital amplifiers, two angled tweeters for high-frequency response and stereo separation, one midwoofer for mid-range and bass frequencies, and dual force-cancelling passive radiators intended to deliver deep bass while minimising physical vibration. Users can manage the device's EQ settings through the Sonos application.

The Sonos Play measures 7.56 inches in height, 4.43 inches in width, and 3.02 inches in depth, weighing 2.87 pounds. It will be available in black and white matte finishes. The device holds an IP67 rating, certifying it as dustproof and capable of withstanding submersion in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. A removable utility loop is included for transport. Top-mounted button controls allow users to play, pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, mute the voice assistant, and manage speaker groupings, while LED lights indicate network connection, battery life, microphone activity, and mute status.

Sonos Play

The speaker is powered by a replaceable 35Wh battery, which provides up to 24 hours of continuous playback. The device features a USB-C port that can function as a power bank to charge mobile devices. Additionally, the USB-C port can accommodate an auxiliary cable via a Sonos Line-in Adapter, or an ethernet network cable via a Sonos Combo Adapter, though both accessories are sold separately. For indoor use, the package includes a Charging Base that requires an 18W or greater USB-C/PD power adapter.

The Sonos Play supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. It introduces a new feature allowing users to group multiple speakers directly via Bluetooth when outside a WiFi network. By connecting a phone to the Sonos Play and holding the Play/Pause button, users can synchronise audio with up to three additional Sonos Play or Move 2 speakers. The device includes a far-field microphone array utilising advanced beamforming and multichannel echo cancellation. This array facilitates voice control and enables Automatic Trueplay, a software feature that continually optimises acoustic output based on the surrounding environment. For users seeking privacy, a physical hardware switch on the back of the unit disconnects all power to the microphone hardware. The speaker supports Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and various voice services.

Sonos Era 100 SL

Sonos Era 100 SL

Alongside the Play, Sonos introduced the Era 100 SL. This speaker is engineered with a mic-free design and a streamlined feature set. It is designed to function as a standalone unit while allowing users to expand their setups over time. It can be integrated into existing systems as an additional room speaker, paired for stereo sound, or utilised within a home theater configuration. Like all Sonos speakers, both new models were tuned with input from the Sonos Soundboard, an advisory group of music and film industry professionals.

Pricing & Availability The Sonos Play will retail for S$549, and the Era 100 SL will retail for S$349. It will be available from April 7, 2026.

Meta Details Four New Internally Developed AI Chips

Meta Platforms presented a development roadmap for four new chips it is producing internally, as the organisation rapidly expands its data centres. This initiative follows a broader trend among Big Tech companies, including Alphabet and Microsoft, which have heavily invested in in house chip design teams. These companies aim to supplement their purchases of standard products from suppliers like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices.

Credit: UNSPLASH

The development of chips specifically designed for Meta's distinct data processing requirements can result in designs that consume less energy and offer improved cost efficiency. This strategic shift reflects an ongoing effort to optimise infrastructure for the increasing demands of artificial intelligence workloads.

These new chips form part of Meta's Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA) programme. The first of these, designated MTIA 300, is presently operational, powering the company's ranking and recommendation systems. But the remaining three chips are scheduled for deployment this year and in 2027.

Yee Jiun Song, Meta's vice president of engineering, indicated in an interview that the company is currently focused on the surging demand for inference capabilities. Inference refers to the process where an AI model, such as the technology behind the ChatGPT application, generates responses to customer enquiries and requests. The MTIA 450 and 500, the final two chips in the new series, are being designed specifically for this function.

Meta has experienced some success with its inference chips. However, the organisation has encountered challenges with its long held ambition to create a generative AI training chip, which would be capable of building the large scale models that underpin AI applications. This aspect of chip development has proven more complex than anticipated.

The company stated that the MTIA 400 is progressing towards implementation in its data centres. Meta has engineered an entire system around these chips, which approximates the volume of several server racks and incorporates a version of liquid cooling. And this integrated approach aims to maximise performance and efficiency within its infrastructure.

The rapid expansion of data centres, necessary to support applications such as Instagram and Facebook, dictates a release schedule of new chips at intervals of six months, according to Song. He described this pace as "the reality of how quickly our infrastructure is being built out."

Earlier this year, in Jan., Meta announced projected capital spending between USD 115 billion and USD 135 billion for the current financial period. This significant expenditure indicates the scale of the company's investment in its technological infrastructure.

Broadcom assists Meta with certain aspects of the chip designs, though Song did not specify which particular chips benefit from this collaboration. So the fabrication of these processors is handled by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

According to Reuters, Meta entered into significant agreements with Nvidia and AMD last month, in Feb., to acquire tens of billions of USD worth of chips. This indicates a multi pronged strategy for chip acquisition and development.

• Meta Platforms has outlined a roadmap for four new internally developed chips to support its expanding data centres.

• These chips are part of the Meta Training and Inference Accelerator programme, with MTIA 300 already in use.

• The MTIA 450 and 500 chips are designed to handle inference, catering to growing demand for AI model responses.

• Meta's capital expenditure for this year is projected between USD 115 billion and USD 135 billion.

• The company collaborates with Broadcom for design elements and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. for fabrication.

China Issues OpenClaw Safety Rules: the Dos and Don'ts

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has issued new guidelines for the adoption and use of OpenClaw, a prominent artificial intelligence agent. A unit of the ministry outlined both recommended practices and prohibitions. This advisory aims to address risks associated with the software's typical applications.

Credit: OpenClaw

The guidelines suggest users apply the official and most recent version of OpenClaw. Users should also limit internet exposure for the agent and grant only the necessary minimum permissions. Caution is advised when engaging with the skill market, which contains various third-party offerings. Users are also told to guard against browser hijacking and to check regularly for software patch vulnerabilities.

Conversely, users are warned against several actions. These include using outdated versions or unofficial third-party mirror copies of OpenClaw. They should avoid exposing AI agent instances directly to the internet. And administrators should not enable administrator accounts during the software's deployment.

Further prohibitions include installing skill packs that require password entry, browsing unverified websites, and disabling detailed log auditing functions. According to the National Vulnerability DataBase (NVDB), an MIIT-run entity, these measures were developed in collaboration with AI agent providers, vulnerability platform operators, and cybersecurity firms. The NVDB also supplied instructions on how to restrict internet access, scan files, and uninstall the software properly.

The advisory specifically pointed out situations where security risks could arise. One such scenario involves connecting instant messaging applications to OpenClaw. This action could give the agent excessive permissions, potentially allowing malicious reading, writing, or deletion of any files within a system.

This recent warning represents the second such caution issued by the NVDB regarding OpenClaw. Earlier, the NVDB had alerted users that improper handling of the AI agent could expose them to significant security risks. The cybersecurity sector in China has increased its oversight of this open-source technology.

The National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China (CNCERT), a non-governmental and non-profit cybersecurity technical platform, recently indicated OpenClaw's susceptibility to threats. These threats include "prompt injection," a method where attackers embed hidden malicious instructions on webpages. Such instructions could deceive the software into revealing system keys.

OpenClaw, previously known as Clawdbot and Moltbot, was developed by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger some time ago. The software has became widely used internationally due to its capability to perform tasks for a user. Such tasks include organising and responding to emails, drafting work reports, and preparing slide decks.

OpenAI acquired OpenClaw recently, which generated considerable interest worldwide. So, Chinese companies, including Big Tech firms like Alibaba Group Holding, Tencent Holdings, and ByteDance, quickly adopted this trend. These companies have released their own versions of OpenClaw to provide easier or less expensive access.

Additionally, local governments in China have shown support for the software. Authorities in Shenzhen, located in the southern province of Guangdong, along with those in Nanjing and Wuxi in the eastern province of Jiangsu, have drafted policies to support the adoption of OpenClaw. This indicates a broader governmental interest in the technology, despite the associated warnings.

• China's MIIT has issued guidelines for OpenClaw use.

• The advisory outlines six recommended practices and six prohibitions.

• OpenClaw is a popular AI agent developed by Peter Steinberger and acquired by OpenAI.

• Chinese firms and local governments have adopted or supported the software.

• Concerns exist regarding security vulnerabilities and potential misuse.

Source: SCMP