Airplay disappointment
Airplay has been around for awhile... for myself, the trickle of 'Airplay Enabled' products has been a disappointment. For myself, its something I use daily. Why has it been so slow to catch on?
Streaming music doesn't appear to require significant horsepower or cost. After all, AppleTV streams music and video for $99. So why hasn't Apple, (or some authorized third-party), built a $39 'dongle' that would allow me to turn any amplifier in my house into an Airplay enabled device?
Sure, I can stream to multiple iPhones via Airfoil, but that can turn dicey when the wife starts demanding her phone back.
(Apologies if this is covered elsewhere. The search button wasn't working, and a quick browse didn't show any on topic threads...)
Streaming music doesn't appear to require significant horsepower or cost. After all, AppleTV streams music and video for $99. So why hasn't Apple, (or some authorized third-party), built a $39 'dongle' that would allow me to turn any amplifier in my house into an Airplay enabled device?
Sure, I can stream to multiple iPhones via Airfoil, but that can turn dicey when the wife starts demanding her phone back.
(Apologies if this is covered elsewhere. The search button wasn't working, and a quick browse didn't show any on topic threads...)
Comments
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/20...speed-bump.ars
One would hope that Apple will also reconsider the $99 price tag, given that the AppleTV does much more!
If Apple were to price it at, say, $49, I could see buying one.
I think the product you are looking for is the Apple Airport Express, although it is considerably more than $39. The Express is due for a refresh, and some rumors indicate one might be forthcoming:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/20...speed-bump.ars
One would hope that Apple will also reconsider the $99 price tag, given that the AppleTV does much more!
If Apple were to price it at, say, $49, I could see buying one.
I have an Airport Express (as well as Apple TV).
A cheaper Airport Express would be excellent, but (for the sake of pricing) why not cut out the extra functionality of the Airport Express (USB printing and networking) to focus on music. (An *Airplay* Express).