Internet streamers and
radios are nothing new,
but
Com One's $249 Phoenix
IP Radio is cool
because it's
battery-operated and
doesn't need a computer,
so you can carry it
around like an FM or AM
radio—just like in the
olden days. The radio is
about as big as an
old-school portable
AM/FM radio, but has a
sleeker, curvier, iPod-white
design. It can detect
and sign on to any open
Wi-Fi hotspot
automatically, and
features eight presets
so you don't have to go
fishing for Internet
stations.
The Phoenix IP Radio may
not sound as good as,
say, the audiophile-esque
Roku Soundbridge Radio,
but it's got
portability, and works
with virtually any
Internet radio station.
Like the Roku, it has a
built-in alarm, so you
can wake up to your
favorite streams. It's
also compatible with the
latest version of
Bluetooth so you can use
stereo Bluetooth
headphones and listen to
tunes wirelessly up to
30 feet away.
The Phoenix IP radio is
just one of several
innovative sound
products I saw this week
when I met with Com One,
the French company best
known for its Bluetooth
accessories (like the
Bluetooth Stereo Speaker).
Personally I prefer
Internet radio to FM,
satellite, or HD radio,
so I welcome anything
that helps me access my
favorite streams in new
ways.
How about you? Do you
listen to Internet radio
a lot? Do you prefer it
to regular radio? If so,
what's your favorite
Internet radio station?
