The BBC commissioned this novel idea that combines social networking with a digital radio, and the result is Olinda. It’s a normal digital radio until you remove its translucent orange cap, exposing a plug-in interface. You can add modules onto the end of it, and this one has small buttons, each corresponding to one of your friends. A button lights up when one of your friends is listening to the radio, and when you push that button, you’ll hear the same radio station that friend is listening to.

Neat idea, especially since musical preferences are such a defining attribute in today’s social networking society. Olinda’s creators hope that other modules will be developed that will fit into the radio’s LEGO-like interface, expanding the uses of this experimental device. We’re thinking since it's Wi-Fi-based, an internet radio module might be a worthy addition, or maybe some kind of file-sharing application would work. Oops, the BBC might not want to commission anything like that.

Schulze & Webb, via Like Cool