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Eos Wireless' Converge system streams audio all over your home
Considering that Eos Wireless is introducing its Converge wireless audio system at Macworld, it follows logic that the press release is geared towards Apple kit. So yeah, there's no question this stuff will stream jams from your iPod, iPhone, Apple TV or Mac to any room in the house, but you should also know that the system plays nice with the anti-Apple (but pro-USB / auxiliary port) crowd as well. It promises a wireless range of 150 feet, and it seems to be available in a variety of "Groups" depending on how complex or simplistic your home setup is. Look for the components to ship in March for as low as $89.95 per piece.
Switched On: From Bluetooth to the bedroom and the backyard
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment. Last year, Switched On discussed the KeySpan TuneView and the DLO HomeDock Remote, two products that allowed remote control of an iPod using small screens on a remote. One of the limitations of those products was that they each required their own docks instead of working with any of the scores of iPod docks already on the market. At CES 2008, though, a company showed a product that not only allows you to use your iPod -- and many other devices -- as a wireless remote with the iPod dock you may already have. Even more unusually, the company that sells it is not one well associated with these speaker docks, such as Altec Lansing, Bose or Logitech, but rather It is iSkin, a company that made its name selling silicone cases for iPods.iSkin's music product line is called Cerulean, the most flexible configuration of which is the $129 TX+RX (transmitter / receiver). The transmitter, like those bundled with iPod wireless headphones for years, allows you to use your iPod as a remote, sending music to any Bluetooth stereo speaker. But not only does Cerulean free the iPod from the dock, it frees the dock from the iPod.Plugging the Cerulean Bluetooth receiver into practically any iPod dock opens a door for many Bluetooth stereo music sources -- such as MacBooks and notebook PCs, digital music players from Sony and Samsung, and many cell phones. When used with a subscription service such as Rhapsody, the Cerulean lets you create playlists from thousands of songs or listen to YouTube music videos on your notebook with better audio quality, but there's even one more trick up its sleeve.
EOS' Wireless iPod Speaker System does multi-room audio for less
Multi-room audio systems tend to come with big price tags, so EOS Wireless is definitely onto something by pricing its Wireless iPod Speaker System -- which includes a base station, a remote control, and one set of wireless speakers -- at $299, with additional speaker sets being a reasonable $129. You better be alright with getting up from your seat every now and again to change songs, though, because that budget price means you won't get a remote out of the deal. Still, the supposedly "WiFi-friendly" speakers can be placed up to 150 feet away from the base station, and you can look forward to CD-quality sound as well. Up to four speakers can be used at one time, although sadly each speaker will only play one song: probably due in no small part to its relatively low price, this is a multiple room, but not multiple audio stream solution. Expect to see the system launch in March 2007, and if you're interested, keep your eye out for EOS's homepage relaunch on January 6 of next year.
