October 12, 1999 Web posted at: 11:44 a.m. EDT (1544 GMT) by Jeff Partyka

From...

(IDG) -- Music fans who love Internet radio but hate being trapped in front of their PCs can now access their favorite Web stations on their home-audio systems, thanks to a new tool from start-up Sonicbox.

Sonicbox has announced a trial deployment during November of its Sonicbox Tuner, in conjunction with DSL service provider Flashcom. The device will be offered at a retail price under $50, according to Sonicbox, with delivery expected during next year's first quarter.

The Sonicbox Tuner, when plugged into a broadband Internet connection, can send Internet radio signals to traditional home-audio systems. A base unit connects to the user's PC, while the listener can move freely with the wireless remote tuner.

	 MESSAGE BOARD
MP3: The new wave


The base unit transmits signals across an unused FM frequency, and the user can select from numerous radio stations with the tuner, which also has a "Tell Me More" button that can be used to obtain more information about songs being broadcast, or even to purchase MP3 files or CDs.

The tool is to radio what cable set-top technology is to television, said David Frerichs, Sonicbox's co-founder, chief technical officer and vice president of marketing. It allows access to hundreds of radio stations around the world in conjunction with PCs and audio components that already exist in so many people's homes, he said.

"We considered the idea of a standalone device," Frerichs said. "But then we just decided to target broadband. Most users already have a PC and a radio, so why duplicate the functions of those devices in a standalone unit?"

The Sonicbox Tuner offers benefits to Internet radio stations, record companies and end users alike, Frerichs said. End users can spend more time listening to Internet radio, and do it in the comfort of their living rooms or wherever they choose. They can also customize the content they receive, including not only music but advertisements, depending on which of several privacy levels they have chosen.

MORE COMPUTING INTELLIGENCE
	IDG.net home page
Make your PC work harder with these tips
RadioWave adds vision to Internet radio
Making Internet radio pay
Reviews & in-depth info at IDG.net
IDG.net's personal news page
IDG.net's products pages
Year 2000 World
Net radio gets down to business
Tune in to Yahoo Radio
Questions about computers? Let IDG.net's editors help you
Subscribe to IDG.net's free daily newsletters
Search IDG.net in 12 languages
News Radio
	Fusion audio primers
	Computerworld Minute

Stations can reach far more listeners, including those beyond the range of their traditional transmitters. And record companies can offer samples of songs from new albums, with users voting for those that might make good single releases or taking part in other surveys -- or going ahead and buying the CD -- using the Sonicbox Tuner.

Sonicbox must carry stations in order for them to be transmitted via the tuner. The company has just announced an agreement with NetRadio.com to carry its Web radio stations.

Jeff Partyka writes for the IDG News Service in Boston.