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Apple Rolls Out AirPort Express, AirTunes

das writes "Apple has introduced AirPort Express (specs), a palm-sized, portable 802.11g base station with 10/100 ethernet, USB printer sharing, and analog and optical audio output, for connection to a stereo system or powered speakers for streaming your music collection via 'AirTunes.' It supports multiple profiles for easy use at multiple locations It can plug directly into the wall as a "power brick", or use a longer power cord, similar to the newer PowerBook AC adapters. AirTunes requires iTunes 4.6, expected to be available soon."

22 of 795 comments (clear)

  1. Cool! by GillBates0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just hope my neighbors get 'Airtunes' within a reasonable timeframe...they took forEVER to get a wireless router. Some people are so lazy...

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    1. Re:Cool! by morcheeba · · Score: 5, Funny

      I hope they like your taste in music... ... at 3 AM

    2. Re:Cool! by Sunnan · · Score: 4, Funny

      Last summer, whenever my flatmate would play obnoxious music at 3 AM I'd just ssh into her box over 802.11b and tell her XMMS to skip to the next song, and ocassionally lower the volume.

      Because of the Broadcom/Linux issue I guess it's back to ethernet this summer.

      Maybe we should just set up mpd.

  2. sigh by TedCheshireAcad · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't need it, I can't afford it...but it's just so cool. Sigh. Apple really got their foot in the door when I got this PowerBook.

    Where is my credit card?

  3. awesomely bitchin! by maxbang · · Score: 5, Funny

    This'll be badass with my shreddin air guitar!!

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  4. Call Me Amish, But... by bfg9000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... there comes a point where all this convenience is deadly to fat guys like me. I'll just stick with putting a CD in my stereo, thanks. North America has so much convenience we're all dropping dead. I even have a remote control to turn on my Exercycle from the couch, so my wife thinks I'm excercising when I'm actually watching Smallville reruns.

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  5. Re:Good niche by That's+Unpossible! · · Score: 3, Funny

    dude, you're getting a squeezebox

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  6. Re:Nifty for the price - but not a Squeezebox by grub · · Score: 4, Funny


    "Hookers are Free!"

    Those are called "Sluts" :)

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  7. Earbuds by alficles · · Score: 5, Funny
    Those tiny white earbuds become tiny white pains in the ass if used for any period of time,
    Perhaps you are wearing them incorrectly... they go in your ears. :D
  8. Re:Apple listens to customers... by inertia187 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Those tiny white earbuds become tiny white pains in the ass if used for any period of time, and I like to hear the phone ring while I'm working.

    You're supposed to stick them in your ear.

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  9. Re:Note to Apple by fr0dicus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Mail them and ask them to write it into the DVD player app. They listen, it's kind of scary.

  10. Re:That's where he started making sense, actually. by javax · · Score: 3, Funny

    yeah, mpg123 and winamp really do have a better gui then iTunes...

    or are you saying that there are no good music player UIs out there at all?

  11. Argh! Steve you magnificent bastard... by Anonymous+Meoward · · Score: 5, Funny

    And I was getting so psyched last night because I got my Via EPIA board loaded up with Fedora and XMMS, and could finally stream my favorite streaming audio site, albeit with Ethernet cable (Wi-Fi was on my project plan), and pipe it through my office stereo.

    And this little beauty will plug right into the wall socket by my stereo for a lot less money, less hassle, etc.

    Anybody wanna buy an EPIA, slightly used?
    (DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN......)

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  12. Re:Nifty for the price - but not a Squeezebox by Fubar · · Score: 4, Funny

    > It's most likely the only AP that was designed for portability (correct me if I'm wrong)

    Heck, this is Slashdot - people correct you when you're right.

  13. Love letter to Apple by NormanEinstein · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dear Apple,

    Please stop making so many little, cool geek products. I'm running out of money.

    Love, Norm

  14. AirTunes? Two words: AM Transmitter by $calar · · Score: 3, Funny

    OK, why spend money on this when you can build an analog oscillator hooked to your computer and using frequency modulation to broadcast your computer's sound over AM radio waves??? I have done this so that way I can listen to my good music outside with a cheap radio. I don't know what AirTunes costs, but my method is very cheap. In fact, it's so awesome you can set it up to broadcast over any frequency! I bet the FCC wouldn't be happy about this, but my signal isn't very strong.

  15. optical out really makes sense here....not. by SuperBanana · · Score: 3, Funny
    One thing missing from this device is a real optical out. I'm sorry but going analog mini jack -> digi optical doesn't make any sense.

    Yeah, and AAC/MP3 -> digi optical does...? You're not going to be playing audio CDs in your powerbook if you care about this sort of thing, because after all, you've got a $1k CD player, right?

    Yeesh, you audio weirdoes...

  16. Re:Apple listens to customers... by ThatsNotFunny · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're supposed to stick them in your ear. Ahh... I thought the clerk said your rear!

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  17. Re:plug-ins (including Ogg) and "proper" connector by piecewise · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just for the record, you could also plug headphones into the mini-jack, though I find it somewhat unlikely that people would be interested in plugging there head directly into a power outlet, which is the impression you would get with this device.....

    Funny. After reading some of this discussion (your comment excluded), I honestly couldn't think of a better idea right now.

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  18. Coming Products... by jollygreengiantlikes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Perhaps we'll see the combination of AirTunes software with Garage Band? The new AirGuitar software should really liven the party up.

  19. Re:Nifty for the price - but not a Squeezebox by Brad+Siemssen · · Score: 3, Funny
    Personally, I like the AirTunes idea, though the lack of a display or remote is big.

    AirTunes has an amazingly powerful remote. It's called a Powerbook (must be purchased separately...). ;->

  20. Damned if you do, damned if you don't by Infonaut · · Score: 3, Funny
    I guess if you're REALLY on a budget then this is interesting

    That's the first time I've heard Apple get dissed for selling something too inexpensively. You just can't please people. ;-)

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