Internet Radio
Posted: January 2000 - Updated
4/12/01
500
Channels - and more...
It took a millenium change to make it a reality. 5000 channels is not the limit!
Technology has a funny way, sometimes, of
reinventing some of the great pioneering products of human
ingenuity. At the Demo 2000 Technology Conference in
Indian Wells, California, just such a product was unveiled
which will radically change how people think of radio.
Developed
by a Silicon Valley start-up (where else!) founded by former
executives from Apple Computer and Power Computing Corporation,
the Kerbango Internet Radio is the first true, standalone
radio that allows you to listen to audio streams being broadcast
through the Internet.
In other words, the Kerbango radio allows you to "tune in"
broadcasts ranging from those originating from local radio
stations, to those being broadcast from across the country,
and across the oceans to international programs in foreign
languages.
The setup is relatively simple: all one needs to do is connect
the "retro box", radio that is, to a standard dial-up,
cable modem, DSL, or network.
Press
the "ON" button, and the radio automatically connects to the
Internet and displays available stations on a medium sized LCD
display by category. These include: rock & roll, classical,
talk radio, country & western, jazz, and about a dozen more.
By using the tuning knob on the face of the radio, you select
the desired category and then individual stations or streams
will be displayed to you. Press "SELECT" and you have the desired
stream automatically being broadcasted to and played over the
radio.
Tune
In
Using an embedded version of the RealNetworks® RealPlayer®
G2, the Kerbango radio tuner always stays up to date with the
latest stations available over the Internet through an extensive
database, termed the "Kerbango Tuning Service", which stores
information about all stations which the device finds on the
Internet. Each audio stream is screened to ensure acceptable
broadcast quality. Once added to the Kerbango station library,
special automated programs, called "StreamBots", continuously
check the station's transmission quality and reliability to
confirm suitability.
If
you have an always-on connection provided by a cable-modem,
DSL or an ISDN line, then the radio can be left connected to
the Internet and is "radio ready" all the time. An additional
feature of the Kerbango product that will excite the Gen "Y"
crowd is the ability to play back stored MP3 files from a computer
when both are on the same Local Area Network (LAN). Via the
LCD display you can select a local directory on the computer's
hard drive that contains MP3 files, so that you can play the
files by name, date, or in a random play option.
Looking
like a stylish, retro 'Fifties' radio with big knobs and push
buttons, the Kerbango design supports modem and Ethernet, and
USB connections. The USB port can be used to connect other forms
of networking or storage devices, such as a USB hard drive or
a portable MP3 digital audio player (sorry, no copying from
the radio to the MP3 possible.)
Info
World
With a push of a button you can find out more about the current
song playing and even order the related CD. (This service will
be available for some channels.)
Digital World
To get an idea what your "reception" of national and
worldwide radio stations through your net connection could be,
go to the Kerbango Web site, enter your favorite station in the Search Field,
and listen via any of the available audio players available
for your PC or Mac. We found in a random search more than 1260
stations!! Kerbango's Tuning Service tracks over 4600 channels
total as of this time - and the number is steadily growing.
Through
the Air - The Analog World
However, a built-in AM/FM tuner lets you listen to local stations
(in case you are off-line), and makes the Kerbango a well-rounded
product (not just from it's physical appearance.)
It has two full-range speaker built-in (right for its size)
and line outputs to connect to your larger audio system and,
as with most radios, it incorporates clock radio functions and
a headphone jack for private listening.
Specifications:
- Plays streaming audio from the Internet via modem, DSL, cable.
- An always-on connection is prefered.
- Large and growing database of stations (>4800.)
- LCD display as control panel and user interface.
- Modem, Network, and USB (2) connectors.
- Two, 2 watts speakers.
- Headphone and audio connector.
Dimensions:
10.5" x 8.0" x 7.5" (W x
H x D)
Powered by: Linux™ and an external power supply for 110-240, 50/60Hz
Availability: June 2000
now
in February 2001... still waiting
...now
in March 2001 - - - - 3COM, the company that bought young Kerbango decided not to release the product. It became a victim of the dotcom bust.
Price: just under $300
Comments:
- great for out-of-the-area stations specially from abroad
- receives local AM/FM stations through the air
Send
us e-mail about what you think about this review. Was this review
useful for you?
See the Kerbango listing on Amazon.com.
As late as September 2000 3Com was demonstrating the Kerbango and there might even be remnants of the Kerbango Tuning Service code still in use in Apple's iTunes Internet Radio section.
