Torian's InFusion portable wireless Internet radio

At every Consumer Electronics Show there is always a handful of startups for whom the trade show isn't about pimping their latest product to the press and the public—it's about finding somebody to invest in their company and help them take some prototype they're working on from concept to reality or find licensees for their technology. Torian is a good example of the latter, they're going to be showing off a new technology for "portable Internet radio" they're calling iRoamer (wonder where they got that name from…) that they hope will someday be used to wirelessly stream Internet radio to portable media players, car stereos, home stereo systems, cellphones, etc. To demonstrate how iRoamer works they're also pitching the InFusion (pictured at right), a portable wireless Internet radio that also play MP3s and has a built-in FM tuner (they don't mention whether it uses WiFi or GPRS or whatever, but it sounds like this is more of a proof-of-concept thing at the moment).

[Oliver in Seattle @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I've done this on my audiovox smt5600 regularly. The only way I've been able to do it is to enter the URL into WMP mobile directly, but I also haven't taken the time to load up opera yet, so who knows, it might work directly from there.

It's a standard GPRS connection, but it's fine to stream up to 56 kbps with few if any rebuffers. Using a 3G connection one could undoubtably have a VoIP conversation and stream at 96 kbps at the same time!

O

[kamalot @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

You can do this on your Treo too using a program called Pocket Tunes. I stream digitally imported just about every day.

Pocket Tunes: http://www.pocket-tunes.com/

Digitally Imported: http://www.di.fm/

[Torr @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

They need to get this out soon! Unless someone else knows a way I could hear www.woxy.com on my car stereo using my aux port like I do for XM Radio and my ipod?

[kwik @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

can't they just make my cellphone reception before trying to start this up

[StaticBeats @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I run a webcast and would be absolutely delighted to see something like this come out. I fear however there would be the requisite monthly fee and would limit users to available access points but still - it's great to see something like this on the horizon.

[kamalot @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

My guess is that cellphones will hop on this bandwagon very soon. With more phones having faster processors and higher-speed internet connections all the time, you won't have to worry about finding a hot spot.

[Chris Dasky @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I have emailed them asking if there are monthly fees and there are absolutely no fees involved! Pretty awesome! Can't wait to here my own webcast on this new invention! :)

[Robert Kim @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

heck.. there are fm rf broadcasters out for ipods so you can even be your own radiostation within a 20 foot radius... it just never stops http://wireless-internet-broadband-service.com

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

This sounds pretty cool. So does the Motorola's iRadio service, which sounds like the same exact thing. However, they'll probably charge a monthly fee of $5-$7 bucks for the service. But you'd be able to listen to internet radio stations in cars, living rooms, and while jogging...I've been waiting for this for YEARS, and am so obsessed with it, I started blogging about it on impulse..! :)

-M
www.iradiowaves.com

[uncajesse @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

The iRoamer is WiFi. It uses the InFusion technology. (cough) duh....

It's going to start shipping this summer btw, so they arn't exactly looking for people to get them off the ground, but to send them to the next levels. And then they keep folding new investors into it. Pretty normal startup stuff a 6yrold knows. ;)

As for price, I think you will be pleasantly happy. They obviously want to proove how cheaply something can be produced for, using thier InFusion technology. ;)

[uncajesse @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Btw, if you want REAL wireless broadband now, Verizon is testing a new setup in 7 cities, and there's also many cities and a surprising ammount of rural areas with Motorola Canope system.

I have a Canope on my laptop and i get 44KB down (yeah the large B stands for Bytes), 20KB up, unlimited, for us$44/month. and i can drive from 1 - 2 hours in any direction without loosing coverage. :D

But WiMAX pwn3dZ0rz all. period. ;)

[Craig Patching @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I can't wait till this hits the shops, i trust it will be released world wide becuase i really want this cool piece of technology, makes the Ipod look like rubbish in my opinion (althought their two completly different systems)as for price, i don't care, the current exchange rate with US dollars is something like 1.9 so even if its sold for $250 its only like �130 if i order it from abroad, sorry im rabbling, but anyway kewl tech, can't wait until its out in england.