I want this. Badly.

by Volker Weber

airportexpress.jpg

All the rumor sites have been predicting new PowerMacs, iMacs, iTMS Europe. Then Apple proves again that those guys only extrapolate from curves. Without advance notice they drop a small bomb: The Airport Express. It takes a while to understand what this small gadget does:

Enjoy your iTunes music library in virtually any room of your house. Share a single broadband Internet connection and USB printer without inconvenient and obtrusive cables. Create an instant wireless network on the go. Extend the range of your current wireless network. How many devices do you need to do all this? Just one.

So what is it?

  1. It is an access point. A very small one, that does not need an external power supply. You plug it into the wall and an ethernet cable. It will extend this connection to all wireless devices within range.
  2. It is a wireless repeater. So if you need to extend the range of your wireless network, you just plug the device into a wall outlet.
  3. It is a print server. Plug a printer into the USB port and you can share the printer over the network.
  4. It is an audio streamer. Plug your stereo (or a set of powered speakers) into the audio out and you can stream your iTunes library there.

And of course it is all of the above at the same time. Plug your stereo, your internet connection and your printer into the device and you can start accessing all of those things from your notebook. This can be an essential you want to have in your travel bag.

Did I say, I want one? Make that two. Or half a dozen.

Comments

that's why i love apple! an "access-point-network-extender-media-transmitter-printer-server" for just CHF 199.00!

Cool :-)

Andreas Jakopec, 2004-06-07

Seems to be nice but I think they should've added iPod-like controls or anything similar for the AirTunes feature. ;-) Having always to run to the other room where your Mac/PC with iTunes is just to skip a song seems to be rather useless to me.

Oliver Regelmann, 2004-06-08

Und das Beste: Es ist egal ob ein analoges oder optisches Audio-Device:

... "Connect your stereo or a set of powered speakers to the audio port using either an optical digital or analog audio cable (both are included in the AirPort Express Stereo Connection Kit). "...


Also demnächst digitaler Hörgenuss im Wohnzimmer ...

Gruß
Max

Can anyone tell if the following scenario will work:

PC (connected by Ethernet to wireless router) sending songs to the AirPort Express? Or do you need a "direct" connection from PC through wirless LAN to Express?

Shamus, 2004-06-08

I already feel the pain on my back by posting such a question, but I will give it a try nevertheless:

Has anyone ever heard (even a rumour) about such a neat device for non-Mac users?

Cheers: Matthias

Matthias Lorz, 2004-06-08

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/specs.html

They make a fairly good effort of saying it's for "Mac + PC". The technical specifications say XP or Win2K are required for accessing the print server. iTunes is of course required for the audio streaming. Other than that, it looks like an ordinary 802.11g WAP.

scott lewis, 2004-06-08

Of all the functions mentioned I believe that you need iTunes (PC & Mac) for the audio streaming. Extending the range of your WLAN will require a compatible Access Point. I assume that Apple will just follow the WGS standard here.

However there is one thing that is not completely clear yet. Apple talks about five setup profiles for the device. A web server inside the device is not good enough since you need to find it first by IP. I guess they will use Zeroconf (a.k.a. Rendevous) to find and configure it, so you will need some sort of client software to do that. Let's hope that this will be available for both the PC and the Mac.

Volker Weber, 2004-06-08

and the last question ... when will it be available?

Thomas, 2004-06-09

Thomas - the Apple site says "mid-July".

Bruce Elgort, 2004-06-09

... and iTunes has already been updated to cater for the device: v4.6, with support for “Airtunes”, has been released via Software Update.

Ben Poole, 2004-06-09

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