| Cutting the Cord IV: Listen to Internet Radio Like FM Radio |
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Cutting the Cord is a series of posts you will see over the next few weeks that explore the different ways you can listen to Internet Radio besides sitting in front of your computer. The 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas introduced two new products that could greatly improve the mobility and access to Internet Radio. Both devices use WiFi signals to connect to websites with audio streams. This post takes a closer look at both. Sandisk Introduces Sansa Connect
Flash memory company SanDisk unveiled its Sansa Connect MP3 player with 4GB of built in memory along with a slot for a memory card. Compared to hard disk players or even other flash based MP3 players the Sansa Connect is light on storage space. What diminishes the significance of low storage is the Sansa's WiFi capability. Using the 802.11g WiFi standard the Sansa Connect can use any open WiFi access point to listen to Internet Radio or subscription music services. It can also play music or display picture files stored on a local computer. The Sansa Connect is expected to arrive in retail markets in March 2007 at a price of $249.99. While the price pushes it out of reach for many people SanDisk has raised the bar for what portable music players should do. Expect competitors to follow suit with cheaper, better products in the months to come. Component Makers Bring the Future of Internet Radio Frontier Silicon introduced the Chorus 2i chip set at this year's CES. The chips enable devices to receive analog and digital radio in addition to Internet Radio via WiFi. Devices ranging from alarm clock radios to boomboxes and stereo tuners could carry the chip set. The company expects devices carrying the Chorus 2i to start appearing this summer for prices below $100.
Meanwhile, Cambridge Consultants, Ltd. has created the Iona chip set. The Iona only has WiFi capability (no analog or digital radio) but was engineered to have a $15 bill of materials as well as low power usage. Cambridge is positioning the product as an add-on for existing music players that don't have WiFi capability. The company expects products with the Iona to start appearing in time for the 2007 holiday season. By creating components that could be used by any equipment manufacturer the future for Internet-enabled Radios is wide open. Expect to see a wide array of products at multiple price points in the coming year. Some may be incredibly creative solutions while others are awkward and ineffective. One product could dwarf all others (like the iPod did) or the technology could seep into our lives in multiple products that creates a new standard for audio delivery. Either way, the push to deliver information and entertainment over wireless networks will further the reach and importance of mediums like Internet Radio. See also: |
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