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Apple
AirPort Express with AirTunes
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You can use
Apple's AirPort Express ($99) to share
your Internet connection or a USB printer and extend your network
wirelessly. Nevertheless the real reason to purchase the AirPort Express
is to wirelessly stream your music via
iTunes.
Simply connect it to your AV receiver or powered
speakers with a mini to RCA cable or optical cable and all of your
iTunes music will be streamed from either your MAC or PC including DRM
files. You can even install several around the house with the ability to
play different music in each room or play the same music over the entire
house. If you plan on using optical be sure to pick up a
toslink mini plug adapter .
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Infrant ReadyNAS NV+ -
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The
Infrant ReadyNAS NV+ ($645 without
drives) is the latest
version of the extremely popular ReadyNAS that offers too many features
to list. However for starters it includes low power consumption and is
designed for quiet operation. You can add additional hard drives as you
go and they can be configured into different RAID levels.
With its Gigabit network support and
class-leading performance the ReadyNAS is capable of handling multiple
HD video streams. Supporting the leading network DVD players and UPnP AV
streaming devices you can use the ReadyNAS as the center of your digital
entertainment system.
Add in features such as auto backup,
hot-swappable SATA drives, and if you are serious about your data or
your digital entertainment you just might find it a must buy. Highly
recommended.
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Pandora Music Streaming
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If you haven't heard of
The Music Genome Project you might be
missing out on a lot of music you'll love.
Pandora can help you discover a new world of music based
entirely on your listening preferences. Simply visit their site and
create a station by entering an artist or song and instantly Pandora
will begin streaming songs to your PC based on your input.
As each song is playing you can give it a thumbs
up or down along with a few other options. Each time you provide
additional feedback Pandora further analyzes your musical tastes and
quickly the station you created becomes your favorite and more than
likely will introduce you to a few artists you that will also become
your favorites.
You can create up to 100 stations and the basic
service is free. If you want to leave the PC behind you can use the
Pandora service from a standalone player such as the Squeezebox for $36
annually. Other features include the ability to share stations or find
other listeners within the Pandora community. Well worth a listen!
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