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thePurpleGiant · Oct 5, 2004, 07:18 PM

My bright idea for the day is for Apple to licence the airport express/airtunes technology to any stereo maker that wants it. Basically, it would just save an extra power point, along with using up the AUX port, and using a cable.

The stereo would work like any other, with a Radio, CD, Tape, AUX buttons, along with an 'AirTunes' button. Clicking Airtunes Mode would be the equivalent of AUX plugged into an Airport Express unit.

If there was enough choice, or good models out there, my next stereo would certainly be one with AirTunes built in. That way I can keep my AirportExpress unit plugged into my modem/printer.

Thoughts?

nredman · Oct 5, 2004, 07:44 PM

makes sense, i can something like the new Bose ipod speaker solution. a really nice looking speaker set with airport express like features built in.

drive-thru · Oct 5, 2004, 07:48 PM

Nice idea. Not sure it would be a massive hit, but I can see it being taken on by Bose or others who currently make the iPod speaker/dock things.
If you already have an Airport Express, which you would keep for wireless internet & printing, then it's not really a deal-breaker, more for the gadget geeks. It would be cool for people who only have Airport base stations & didn't want to fork out for an Airport Express just to have Airtunes.

A further extension could be to have a printer with wireless printing built-in (do they have these yet?). I doubt Apple would go for this area because I assume it's already being worked on by the big printer companies & it should be Mac compatible anyway.

turtle777 · Oct 5, 2004, 07:54 PM

Originally posted by drive-thru:
Nice idea. Not sure it would be a massive hit, but I can see it being taken on by Bose or others who currently make the iPod speaker/dock things.

The question is who would be willing to pay the the extra price if a premium mfg. like Bose would do that.

Their stuff is already quite expensive. For the same price , you get better audio components. Maybe not as stylish, but IMHO that's secondary when it comes to the quality of sound.

-t

The Godfather · Oct 6, 2004, 10:01 AM

How much would you pay for a set-top AirTunes for your stereo?

drive-thru · 10:51 AM

Originally posted by turtle777:
The question is who would be willing to pay the the extra price if a premium mfg. like Bose would do that.

The same people who pay �180 for a 4GB mini iPod when a 20GB iPod costs �220. Or (better comparison) the same kind of people who would pay �250 for the Bose SoundDock when you can buy a better set of speakers, an iPod dock and an aux cable for less.
The SoundDock is the reason I could see Bose taking on this sort of project.

Originally posted by The Godfather:
How much would you pay for a set-top AirTunes for your stereo?

Isn't that what Airport Express is anyway? Or do you mean a stereo system with the technology built-in, like thePurpleGiant is talking about.
Personally I wouldn't buy it because my computer is my stereo and I don't need to stream music anywhere else, but if there's a market for Airport Express and a market for the SoudnDock then there's probably a market for an AirTunes enabled stereo system.

-Q- · Oct 6, 2004, 10:48 AM

So long as you could control the music via remote control, I'd be interested in something like that.

turtle777 · Oct 6, 2004, 10:52 AM

Originally posted by -Q-:
So long as you could control the music via remote control, I'd be interested in something like that.

Just a matter of time.
I'm sure Apple is already working on an AirTunes compatible remote.
There are quite a bunch or rumors out there...

-t