In the latest Personal Technology column in the Wall Street Journal, Walter Mossberg reviews the Apple AirPort Express and comes away disappointed with its performance.
Unlike a few people editing gadget-oriented websites, I have a great deal of respect for Mossberg’s opinion, because I know that he is writing for a readership with moderate technical knowledge, at best. His chief complaint about the AirPort Express is that it “lacks any remote control or remote user interface”. He says that it’s unacceptable for a “music-streaming product” to lack these features.
When I read comments like this, I wonder why a person who has access to a wireless network and purchases an AirPort Express would not also have a laptop running on that network. I would assume that:
- iTunes would be running on that laptop,
- the laptop would be somewhere nearby, and
- songs or playlists could be changed relatively easily.
But, let’s say that it’s just not convenient for you to look at your laptop right now. If you’re computer runs Mac OS X 10.2.8 or better, you can take your phone or PDA out of your pocket and change songs or playlists with the Bluetooth digital hub software called Salling Clicker. With all do respect, DIY integration like that can’t be assumed in the Wall Street Journal reader demographic.
Let’s accentuate the positive aspects of Mossberg’s review:
- “it works just as well with Windows PCs as it does with Apple’s own Macintosh computers”,
- it can be used as a base station, repeater, or streaming-music accessory,
- it can be used to create a wireless network in practically any setting in minutes, and
- it interoperates with WiFi devices from other manufacturers.
For the purposes of the Operation Gadget readership, this review might as well be a rave. Read it and see if you don’t agree with me.