NewsDude
07-01-2008, 02:50 PM
What's more boring than the stuff on AM radio? The stuff on FM radio, of course. No wonder millions subscribe to satellite radio services like XM and Sirius, or sample the delights of Internet audio streams.
According to Arbitron Inc., 33 million Americans listen to Internet audio every week. Most hear the audio streams through computer speakers, but that's a lousy deal when the PC is in one room and you're working or relaxing in another.
Luckily, a solution is at hand: the Wi-Fi wireless networking system that can transmit data over the air to any nearby digital device. And I don't just mean desktop PCs. You can now buy Wi-Fi equipped desktop radios that will let you hear thousands of online audio streams almost as easily as tuning in a Red Sox game. You can also listen to music stored on your computer's hard drive.
I went looking for one or two such radios and came up with four.
None of them are cheap (though one looks it). An audiophile set from Boston's own Tivoli Audio costs an eye-watering $650, or $750 with a secondary plug-in speaker.
Each radio works in much the same way. Turn it on and follow a setup procedure that connects the radio to your home Wi-Fi signal. Then enter your Wi-Fi password by using a rotary knob or an infrared remote control -- this part can be a hassle, but you need only do it once. You will also want to set up your home computer to recognize the radio as a network device, so it can play back tunes on your PC or Macintosh.
Each radio comes with a library of preselected Internet audio streams. By registering the device online, you can add your favorites. The process doesn't always work with subscription services like the Live365 Internet audio network,...
More... (http://www.toptechnews.com/story.xhtml?story_id=60531)
According to Arbitron Inc., 33 million Americans listen to Internet audio every week. Most hear the audio streams through computer speakers, but that's a lousy deal when the PC is in one room and you're working or relaxing in another.
Luckily, a solution is at hand: the Wi-Fi wireless networking system that can transmit data over the air to any nearby digital device. And I don't just mean desktop PCs. You can now buy Wi-Fi equipped desktop radios that will let you hear thousands of online audio streams almost as easily as tuning in a Red Sox game. You can also listen to music stored on your computer's hard drive.
I went looking for one or two such radios and came up with four.
None of them are cheap (though one looks it). An audiophile set from Boston's own Tivoli Audio costs an eye-watering $650, or $750 with a secondary plug-in speaker.
Each radio works in much the same way. Turn it on and follow a setup procedure that connects the radio to your home Wi-Fi signal. Then enter your Wi-Fi password by using a rotary knob or an infrared remote control -- this part can be a hassle, but you need only do it once. You will also want to set up your home computer to recognize the radio as a network device, so it can play back tunes on your PC or Macintosh.
Each radio comes with a library of preselected Internet audio streams. By registering the device online, you can add your favorites. The process doesn't always work with subscription services like the Live365 Internet audio network,...
More... (http://www.toptechnews.com/story.xhtml?story_id=60531)