It is über-annoying that the "manual" for the BeoSound 1 is split up into little online snippets, so you have to click twenty dozen times to see what there is to know -- or rather, what they choose to tell you -- about the speaker. But there are a few missing items...
-- FAQ #3.14159: Can I use my BeoSound 1 without configuring it?
A. Yes, Virginia, you need not become a slave to either the Apple or Google hegemons. After plugging in your BeoSound 1, just wait. Then wait some more. Finally, after several minutes of "anticipatory delight", the network setup mode will time out and the speaker will enter Bluetooth mode (status light changes from orange to blue). Because the default configuration has "Enable always open mode" set to ON, you can now pair any device to the BeoSound 1 and play music!
-- FAQ #2.71828: When I try to "Add a product" with the B&O app, it switches to the App Store, to download the Google Home app. No matter what I do trying to return to the B&O app, I'm stuck: it won't let me continue to configure my BeoSound 1?
A. Yes, if you're willing to live without Chromecasting, you can avoid the Googly-bits. The key is to attach the BeoSound 1 to your network, somehow. Then the B&O App will continue. The simplest way is to plug it in with an Ethernet cable to your router. However, some must do this wirelessly: (1) Select BeoSound 1's hotspot as your local network on your computer or mobile device. (2) A webserver is running on the speaker, so all you need to do is enter http://###.###.###.### with whatever IP address has been chosen by the BeoSound 1. (In my case this happened to be 192.168.255.149, but YMMV; here's how you figure it out:) Your own computer or device, when connecting to the BeoSound 1's hotspot, uses it as the "router", so look in the "details" section of your computer or device's network settings. The router's address is what you plug in to your web browser. (3) Click on the "Network" line in the left column of the webpage, and in the right column, choose your *real* wireless network and enter its password. (4) "Apply Changes", which will reboot the BeoSound One. Now re-select your own wireless network again on your device, and the B&O app will see your speaker.
(N.B. The FAQ for the Stage, which suggests a Google Home work-around in iOS of configuring the speaker through Settings/Wi-FI/Add Airplay Speaker, does not work. You can select the network which the BeoSound 1 is hotspot-ing, but the auto-Airplay-speaker-configuration is gone. Current versions of iOS suggest using the Home app to add a speaker, which process, including 2-factor authentication, is even more intrusive than Google Home! Even if you try older versions of iOS, the speaker is not advertising itself, so it doesn't pop up as a speaker, but only as a network, in the refreshing list. End Of Line...)
-- FAQ #6.25*10^18: What is my BeoSound 1 playing? I don't speak German.
A. That's RBB-Kultur, playing via TuneIn. (Schedule at https://www.rbb-online.de/rbbkultur/radio/programm/ ) Your speaker is downloading a stream from the internet, because you tapped its top without AirPlay-ing, Chromecasting, or Network Link-ing anything to it! TuneIn is the topmost line in the default Sources "Local List", so even though you have not configured any TuneIn account credentials, it's still trying to play <something>. Why TuneIn defaults to stream this station may be the result of some promotion, or just a glitch? No need to bone up on your Deutschunterricht, because maybe next month it could be the Turkish bouzouki station...
