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Ars Reviews AirPort Express
ack154 writes "Ars Technica has a nice, comprehensive review of the new AirPort Express from Apple. There is a breakdown of each of the main features: music streaming, a mobile base station, a base station extender, and networking a printer. All features were tested from both Mac and Windows perspectives. Overall it got an 8/10 with points mainly lost for no means of remote control and no audio cable included in the package."
Now, I haven't read the article yet, so I dont know the context, but isn't a computer running iTunes supposed to be the remote control?
It's marketed as a digital life device to allow iTunes to stream over the home stereo (source of criticism). However, it depends on what it's being plugged into...most stereos take RCA. 3.5mm line in is not typically. Apple sells a kit for 39 bucks for those not already equipped.
Of course, I have the RCA -> 3.5mm male bit for hooking my iBook into the stereo plus a 3.5mm headphone extension so i have a 6' or so radius to put the iBook in a safe and accessible location.
It's not in the article, but in the WWDC Jobs mentioned that, "It's encrypted, so the labels will like it". I don't know how it is encrypted(whether it uses WEP or a proprietary encryption algorithm), so they will have to do a lot of toying arond to come up with a compatible product.
Walt Mossberg reviewed it in today's Wall Street Journal, as well. You can find the article here. He mostly likes it, but wants to be able to play through multple outputs (either two Airport Expresses or an Airport Express and the local speakers). Also, the lack of remote control and display was a huge downside for him.
You just come along with me and have a good time. The Galaxy's a fun place. You'll need to have this fish in your ear.
The airport express as shipped will need a 1/8" (3.5mm) to dual RCA or mini-Toslink optical cable to hook up to an audio device. Out of the box it can not do so. While radio shack has the cables necessary, it doesn't have the power cord which replaces the flip out plug in (ala iPod and power book adapters). I've had my AX up and running since last friday and finally got the connector kit yesterday.
Does anyone have any idea if it would be possible to route the audio from the WiFi-interface to the USB port?
Apple emphasizes in its documentation that the USB port is for printers only.
That's like dodging points for a graphics card w/o a speaker.
:P
Actually, it's not like that at all. See, one of the "big deals" of this product is that you can play your computer audio files on your stereo with little fuss. Not just your computer, but any computer on your network that has itunes installed.
Not including an audio cable is stupid, in my book, because one of the biggest selling points of the product is NOT FUNCTIONAL without additional equipment. Sure, it's a cheap cable (3-5 bucks most places), but I imagine there are a number of people who don't have these handy. And if Apple bought these in bulk (which they obviously would), it would probably cost them 25 cents at the most to include this cable in the box.
For me, playing mp3's or aac on my stereo isnt such a big deal, beacuse I've been doing it for years with a 25 foot audio cable going direct from my comp to my stereo. But for many, their stereos aren't so close to their computers. This product is a cool idea, but like I said, the (probaby) biggest selling point isnt functional without additional equipment. That's just lame.
Joseph?