Apple unveils AirPort Express

[Originally posted June 7th, 2004]

Priced at US$129 (undercutting the sans modem/antenna AirPort Extreme Base Station by US$70), Apple is billing its new AirPort Express as the "world?s first 802.11g mobile base station."

The device, which looks similar to the square white power adapters included with recent PowerBook and iBook models, plugs directly into the wall and provides one Ethernet and one USB port. There is also a built-in combination digital and analog audio connector, which allows you to stream music wirelessly from your Mac to a stereo or other audio device connected to the AirPort Express.

In conjunction with iTunes 4.6, the AirPort Express can use "AirTunes" to create a wireless music network that automatically detects remote speakers and displays them in a simple pop-up list for the user to select. Once the remote speakers are selected, AirTunes wirelessly streams the iTunes music from the computer to the AirPort Express base station.

The AirPort Express is available for order from the online Apple Store with an expected availability of mid-July.

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