AirPort Express Does
What Apple Claims,
But It Still Falls Short
July 22, 2004; Page B1
The race to help consumers wirelessly stream music from their computers to their stereos continues apace. And now it has been joined by a real heavy hitter: Apple Computer.
Apple is uniquely positioned to do this job right. It was the first computer maker to offer Wi-Fi networking widely, and its iconic iPod portable music player makes it the unquestioned leader in digital music. So I tried out Apple's new $129 streaming gadget, AirPort Express, which not only transfers music wirelessly around a house but is also a full-fledged Wi-Fi base station.
Alas, I found that while AirPort Express works as promised, it falls far short of being an ideal solution for listening to computer-based music in a distant room.
The first thing to know about AirPort Express is that, like the iPod and iTunes, it works just as well with Windows PCs as it does with Apple's own Macintosh computers. You can use it happily in a Windows-only home.
The second thing to know is that, unlike most other music-streaming products, AirPort Express is a triple threat. You can use it as a base station for creating a Wi-Fi network, even if you never intend to stream music. You can connect it to an existing Wi-Fi network, so that it can stream music around the house. And, finally, if you have one of Apple's earlier Wi-Fi base stations, you can use the AirPort Express as a repeater, to extend the range of your wireless network.
The third thing to know about AirPort Express is that it's very small -- about the size of an iPod, only thicker and a bit wider. And it is designed to plug directly into a wall electrical outlet, like a power adapter does. You can easily carry it to a friend's house, or a hotel room, or a temporary office or dwelling, where you can plug it into a wired broadband connection and create a wireless network in a matter of minutes.
I tested AirPort Express as both a base station and a music-streaming device at both my home and my office. I tried it with both Macs and Windows computers, and with existing Wi-Fi base stations made by Apple itself and by Linksys.
Apple's setup software, called AirPort Express Assistant, is, in typical Apple fashion, simple and crystal clear, and it works the same whether on a Windows computer or a Mac.
As a base station, AirPort Express worked fine at both my home and office. It uses the newest and fastest flavor of Wi-Fi, called 802.11g, but it also supports computers using the older, slower 802.11b version. In my tests, the range of the AirPort Express was decent but not exceptional.
I also tested the AirPort Express as a music-streaming device in both locations. I set it up both times as part of my existing Wi-Fi networks. During the setup process, you are prompted to name each AirPort Express you are setting up with designations like "Family Room" or "Living Room."
This type of setup doesn't require you to connect the AirPort Express physically to your broadband modem or even to an Ethernet cable. You can just plug it into a wall outlet near a stereo or a set of powered speakers.
The setup was a breeze in my office, where my wireless network isn't password-protected and is driven by an older Apple base station. But at home, where I do use a password and a Linksys base station, the AirPort Express Assistant failed. I had to resort to a somewhat more complex software utility Apple also supplies to get the AirPort Express set up properly with my password.
Once you set up the AirPort Express, you can just plug it into any stereo receiver, boombox or set of powered speakers using a standard audio cable. You must also have the latest version of Apple's iTunes jukebox software, for Mac or Windows, which comes with the AirPort Express.
When the computer detects an AirPort Express connected to speakers, iTunes automatically displays a little pop-down menu at the bottom of its screen that lets you redirect the music it plays away from the PC's own speakers and into the remote speakers connected to the AirPort Express.
In my test at home, for instance, I selected "Dining Room." Instantly, the music started playing in the dining room, even though it is one floor down. This worked perfectly on both a Mac and a Windows computer.
There are limitations. You can send the music to only one location at a time, and you can't play it simultaneously through your computer and the remote speakers.
But the biggest problem with AirPort Express is more fundamental. Unlike most of its competitors, Apple's product lacks any remote control or remote user interface. If you are sitting in the room where the music is playing remotely, AirPort Express gives you no way to see what song, or play list, is currently playing, and no way to change the music. To get any information, or to change songs or play lists, you have to tromp back to the computer.
That's just unacceptable in a device of this kind. Apple hints that it will be addressing this problem in a future version or via some kind of add-on product. But it's surprising and disappointing that a company renowned for ease of use shipped a music-streaming product without those crucial capabilities.
