We can all listen to free music on the Internet. But, what if you want to go on a road trip, to the beach, or just be outside with commercial-free music?
There is a new breed of portable radios that play satellite or internet music. The difference between the old radios and these Internet radios is that the new ones are digital, play hundreds of channels, and are labeled by genre or category. The older radios were on dial where you can just numbers, such as 95.5 or 97.1. Now, like on computers or Sirius radio, you may choose categories, such as Alternative, Hip Hop, or Dance. The guesswork of what number is associated with what genre is now out the window. These new radios typically double as alarm clocks and integrate with external speakers. Ranging from $250 – 350, a great feature is that you don’t need a computer to listen to music on these radios.
Here are some of the new available Internet radios:
- Roku: This is the Rolls Royce of the bunch. It even networks with your home network and shows playlists from your computer on its sreen. Best sound quality, but thumbs down on not running on batteries.
- Phoenix: At just 2 lbs, it is the lightest of the bunch; runs on batteries; and USB drives may connect to it to listen to playlists.
- Pico: battery-operated and splash-proof for pool or beach fun. May integrate into wireless networks too. A little bulky.
- NetWorksGo: Battery-powered, iPod-input, and good sound. Difficult navigation.
- Noxon: Not a wise choice – poor quality and navigation.
