devices

Long gone are the days when your Internet radio listening experience was limited to your computer speakers. There's now a wild, wide world of speakers and devices to stream web radio (see our story below for a new review of one popular choice). That world expanded today with the introduction of several new devices (and one new rumor from Apple). 

Logitech has launched several new devices including the new UE Smart Radio, "the next generation" of Logitech's Squeezebox web radio players. The tabletop radio can stream Pandora, Spotify, Rhapsody and thousands of web radio stations.

Also from Logitech: the UE Boombox -- an impressive and "booming" wireless Bluetooth speaker -- and its little brother, the UE Mobile Boombox. Both are capable of playing music from any Bluetooth-enabled device (including your web radio-streaming smartphone). CNet has more coverage here.

On the topic of wireless speakers, be sure to check out the SRS-BTM8 offering from Sony. The distinctive device boasts Bluetooth and NFC connectivity ("an addition that lets you play music simply by tapping the speaker with your smartphone," writes Engadget). It's powered by four AA batteries (remember those?) "that promise 20 hours of playback time." Engadget has more here.

That's all well and good, but what you if happen to already own some decent speakers, perhaps as part of a home entertainment system? Netgear has you in mind. The company launched what it call the Powerline Music Extender, which boils down to streaming your music around the house using your electrical outlets.

You may have seen devices that share your network around the house via your outlets, but now Netgear offers a device (XSUB2511) that lets you stream music too. The device connects to any audio device via RCA jacks, reports SlashGear here and PC World here. Netgear's sytem supports both Apple and Android devices, even integrating with Apple's AirPlay system for iOS gadgets.

Speaking of AirPlay (click here for a refresher on what AirPlay is), The Telegraph reports Apple's wireless music/video sharing service may be getting an upgrade soon. AirPlay currently relies on your Wi-Fi network to stream audio (like Internet radio streams) and video around the house. But on September 12, Apple may announce "AirPlay Direct," an upgrade that would allow AirPlay devices to connect directly to each other, without the need of a Wi-Fi network. (Apple may also announce an update to some phone it makes that day, too). Find The Telegraph's coverage here.

So what do you think? Any of these gadgets sound appealing? Have a better suggestion? Let us know by leaving a comment!

A new line-up of car stereo units from Sony include App Remote -- a feature that lets users stream music (like web radio stations) from mobile devices via Bluetooth. Sony specifically mentions that the new stereos can control playback of Pandora.

A connected iPhone, Android, or Blackberry device is required. The stereos also include USB jacks for wired connections to mobile devices. If you forget your smartphone, Sony's stereos also include a CD player, AM/FM radio and (if you shell out for an add-on antenna) SiriusXM. Engadget has more coverage here.

A select group of New York City payphones will soon become free Wi-Fi hotspots. "The hotspots are initially coming to ten payphones in three of the boroughs and will be open to the public to access for free," reports GigaOM (here).

"Users just agree to the terms, visit the city’s tourism website and then they’re up and running... The effort is part of the city’s larger goal of providing more digital inclusion for residents."

We'll leave you to bask in the delicious irony of new smartphones tethering to a data connection transmitted from a payphone.

The cars of tomorrow will likely rely on smartphones for a plethora of features, including streaming web radio. But perhaps your car of today isn't quite up to the task.

You can help make your car a bit more smartphone-friendly with a new DIY project spotlighted by Lifehacker. It's a way to turn a car's ashtray into a dock for your smartphone.

"All you really need for this project is a bit of scrap plastic, an old dock connector for your phone, and a few tools," writes Lifehacker. "When you're done, you'll have the perfect spot to put your phone, no messy cables required."

You can find Lifehacker's coverage here and the "how to" instructions at Instructables here.

New research predicts the popularity of tablet devices like Apple's iPad won't abate any time soon. In fact, NPD DisplaySearch expects shipments of tablets to likely outpace that of notebook computers in 2016.

"Consumer preference for mobile computing devices is shifting from notebook to tablet PCs," said Richard Shim, a senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch. "The lines between tablet and notebook PCs are blurring."

Mashable has more coverage here.

TuneIn will add the streams of the more than two hundred stations owned by Entercom, Cox, and Emmis with a trio of agreements announced today.

TuneIn aggregates Internet radio streams for consumers (and maintains tuning softward for device makers) on its website and mobile apps, making available more than 70-thousand broadcast and Internet radio stations and more than two million on-demand programs from all over the world.

Just yesterday (see RAIN here) Cox and Emmis announced a similar partnership with Clear Channel, making their streams available on the iHeartRadio tuning platform (Entercom, for its part, does not make its 111 stations' streams available on iHeartRadio).