Many of us reading the coming ads for two new products from Tivoli Audio likely will experience a deja-vu of sorts. "Travel the world and never leave home behind" reads the publicity sheet for NetWorksGo, Tivoli's portable Internet/FM radio which - along with NetWorks, Tivoli's Internet/FM table radio - is scheduled for a late 2007 release.
Yes, descriptions formerly reserved for shortwave are now being applied to these Internet radios. And radios they are. There's no need to boot up the computer. With a wireless (WiFi) or Ethernet internet connection, thousands of radio stations worldwide - including many HD multicast and DAB stations also broadcasting via the Internet - can be received literally at the touch of a button. Tivoli already has a list of over 11,000 stations and Tom DeVesto, the company's founder and product designer, promises that more will be added, including any requested by Tivoli NetWorks and NetWorksGo owners [see Second Opinion at the bottom of this page].
Main features
Both models decode WMA, MP3 and RealAudio, are compatible with WPA and WEP security, and include an easy-to-read backlit display, digital clock, alarm and sleep timers. There's a USB input for connecting a compatible MP3 player or memory stick, a stereo headphone output, and an auxiliary input for iPod or similar audio device. Internet stations may be browsed by country and genre and selected via preset, personal menu or - on the NetWorks table model - via direct input of a station's call letters.
Music files can be streamed from your PC (all except iTunes DRM) and each model's firmware is fully and automatically updateable as upgrades become available. This radio clearly is designed not to go out of style anytime soon. According to DeVesto, it has been five years in the making with the biggest challenge to come up with a user interface that approximates that of radios in general use today.
Smart appearance
The Networks table radio is housed in a furniture-grade wood cabinet that will be available in a variety of finishes. The dulcet tones that Tivoli radios are known for will come through a three-inch (7.6 cm) magnetically shielded full-range driver. A remote control is included in the package and a right channel output allows for the additional of an available optional matching stereo speaker. For those familiar with Tivoli products, it will resemble the company's legendary Model One AM/FM table radio. That model's analogue tuner will be replaced in the Networks model by a large, backlit digital display allowing for four lines of text. The unit measures 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) H x 8.375 inches (21.3 cm) W x 5.25 inches (13.3 cm) D.
The NetworksGo travel model, which resembles the Songbook AM/FM travel radio, goes a big step further by making Internet radio truly portable. Along with its WiFi reception capability, six "C" batteries and a built-in charger for use with NiMH or NICAD cells provide for up to twelve hours of use without resort to mains power. It has a 2.5 inch (6.4 cm) magnetically shielded full range driver in a weather-resistant housing with rustproof hardware and a two line digital display. Like the Songbook, it will be available in a range of colours. It will measure 6.13 inches (15.6 cm) H x 7.36 inches (18.7 cm) W x 2.63 inches (6.7 cm) D.
And for those progressively fewer occurrences when Internet access is not available, both models include FM and FM RDS Data System with manual and auto seek tuning.
Release date is late 2007 and the retail prices are yet to be determined. At the new product demonstration I attended in New York on 22 June, each radio easily ping-ponged around the globe at the touch of a button and provided a rich, full audio experience.
I already know what I want for Christmas.
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Second Opinion
Jonathan Marks writes in the Critical Distance Weblog : "According to the company president more stations are easily added. A user needs only to send an email to Tivoli requesting a new station and if approved it will be added to the list. The radio owner then can update the radio’s firmware with a manual button press which will update the list with any newly-added stations.
Note the words "if approved" above. Is Tivoli going to play gatekeeper? Imagine if you had to send an e-mail to your TV manufacturer if you wanted to watch free-to-air stations outside the standard package! This is a business model from the 1950's - perhaps to match the style of their radios."
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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the personal views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Radio Netherlands.
Tags:
Internet,
Networks,
NetworksGo,
radio,
Tivoli
Pete Anderson,
24-05-2008
- United Kingdom
Sounds like a good idea, but the manufactuers have certainly slipped up as music files cannot be streamed from a computer using iTunes. Oh dear!!!
Internet Radio receivers are the way forward to the future, but cheap indeed FREE and widely available wi-fi is a must for the average person to want to take up on the aqdvantages of this new technology.
These radios are only likely to appeal to a nich market of dedicated enthusiasts for some time yet, as are the Worldspace satellite radio receivers.
John Figliozzi,
23-05-2008
- USA
UPDATE! The prototypes described in this article never made it to market. However, on May 7, Tivoli took another swipe at the market and introduced a markedly different NetWorks model that looks somewhat similar to its PAL series radios albeit larger. he cabinet is fine wood, a degree of elegance and style for which Tivoli is known. (Their devices are sold as design pieces as much as high end audio.) And it looks to be sized along the lines of a small to medium bookshelf speaker. (It also could be said to resemble the Revo Pico, only in wood form.) Anyway, it is said that it will hit the market in June at a price point around US$600. Details, including video and audio footage, can be found here: http://www.tivoliaudio.com/articles.php
Anthony,
30-07-2007
- United Kingdom
This is good but there are caveats;
(a)WiFi access isn't fully widely available to everybody for a start off,
(b)In some locations you have to pay costly fees by the minute or hour for the WiFi access,
(c)And until it's spread across open public spaces and throughout the country of it's use you're pretty much limited,
(d)Also what if interference to WiFi signals by outside influences by mobile phones etc is picked up(this will break through spoiling the listening experience)?
Until these problems are sorted and solved I cannot see a place for portable internet radios;and why should stations abandon AM/FM/LW/SW/DAB and DRM when these formats provide an adequate listening experience in the first place;also if high internet traffic etc slows down connection speeds in WiFi and causes frequent dropout/breakup of audio particularly in places with slow connection speeds and poor phonelines in countries that don't have broadband that can spoil the listening experience too.
Blake Finley,
04-07-2007
- USA
I think we should be particularly concerned about the change to WiFi possibly making news and entertainment increasingly inaccessible to the poor... for example:
1) Is WiFi clearly as accessible as the free airwaves? Will WiFi always be freely accessible, or will one have to pay for access?
2) Considering the problems of widespread news censorship as means of ideological control in various nations, is WiFi more or less susceptible to jamming?
3) Is WiFi more cost effective for broadcasters, and will it likely continue to be? Will it risk interception or control by intermediate corporate agencies that can intercept or block transmission?
4) Is WiFi truly needed, or just another gimmick for technology sales companies to make money?
Such questions are absolutely critical as we see a revival of fascism and other forms of totalitarianism and censorship around the planet in various locations.
Shortwave radio has always been accessible to most anyone who can get a decent shortware receiver, despite totalitarian state controls, and high-sound-quality reception accessible to those who can afford the equipment accessories. Even most broadcasters have learned to get around jamming counter-transmissions.
Personally, I would prefer to see shortwave continued unless WiFi is absolutely guaranteed not be be monopolized by commercial interests, and especially by ideologically-motivated censorship interests (corporate or government, one and the same).
We need to be very cautious to defend against the onslaught of 'New World Order' censorship and information control, particularly by political corporatists.
Roberto C. Alvarez-Galloso,CPUR,
02-07-2007
- Florida
I like both but I prefer Shortwave Radio since they function better in time of an emergency.
peter skiera,
02-07-2007
- USA
There was either a misunderstanding or a miscommunication. I don't think our CEO said "if approved". If he did, then it was meant from the standpoint that the requested internet station's stream must be available in order to be added. To be clear, Tivoli Audio has absolutely no intention of "approving" any customer requests for new internet stations. That would neither be fair, nor pratctical. We also hope to not require the user to initiate an update to get the new station. Thank you. Peter Skiera Senior Product Manager
Joseph Miller,
02-07-2007
- U.S.A.
As long as the price is within reason, I would be very interested. I have always enjoyed web radio, but the connections are either slow or overwhelmed, not available (when I am at work), or not accessible from my favorite easy chair at home. Lastly, this shows a lot more promise than either HD or DRM. Thanks for hearing me out.
John Figliozzi,
28-06-2007
- NY
Jonathan points out an important distinction. The impression left with me at the New York event was that the only criteria under which something requested would not be added to the list is if the station requested placed some restriction (legal or commercial?) on Tivoli's ability to do so. Nonetheless, if it were anything more than that, I would have concern Jonathan expressed.
