Last year we reported about Tivoli's plans for a standalone Internet radio device. It never came out. The radio manufacturer ended up redesigning the unit from top to bottom in an attempt to make it easier to use, and the result is the new NetWorks, a small wood-finished table radio that gets all its stations from the Internet, not the airwaves.
The first big factor in NetWorks favor is you don't need a computer to use it. But you do need a home network — the radio uses Wi-Fi to access the Net (though there's an Ethernet jack, too), bringing any radio station in the world to your home, all without wires. Well, one wire: the power cord, since the NetWorks isn't portable (Tivoli boss Tom DeVesto said one was in the works). Another plus is the radio's "superbuffer," said to keep the music streaming, even if the connection stutters, for up to 45 seconds. You also get some standard digital-music-networking features like connection to an iPod and access to music on your PC.
Do you want this? Does anyone? Internet radio hasn't exactly been a powerhouse, but maybe the medium was just lacking a convenient device like the NetWorks. Its $600 price isn't going to win over too many fans, though, no matter how good it is.
Via Tivoli Audio
editor@dvice.com
By Maksimir at 12:11 PM ON 05/08/08
I actually use internet radio on my sonos system quite a bit - but if I didn't have sonos - I wouldn't buy this thing.
By Nick51 at 2:40 PM ON 05/08/08
This is not only ugly but way out of the ballpark price wise. Peter, 12M folks a day listen to Internet Radio, Many more would do so if they did not have to sit next to the radio to do so.
www.digitalnick.com Internet Radio & TV
By PDM at 6:29 PM ON 05/09/08
Internet radio has potential, and a device to let you listen to internet radio without using your computer is a great idea . . . but this thing misses the ballpark on every level. It's ugly and it's extremely overpriced. Why would you spend $600 on this thing with it's 70's look and low-tech screen display when for the same price you could buy an actual COMPUTER that could play internet radio and do hundreds of other things.
Any sort of internet radio player needs to be $150 or less to have any hope of market penetration, and even $150 is seriously pushing it.
I think a better idea would be an attachment for your stereo or home theater that can tap into internet radio. It could be a fairly small device and wouldn't need to cost that much.