Tuesday, August 24, 2004

Review of Apple Airport Express and Interesting Alternatives.

Roaming charges: Hardware hunger hits Wi-Fi
The AX, along with D-Link's PocketRouter and Netgear's two specialized APs, are in many ways templates for the kind of products I expect to see more of from mainstream computer companies. All four enhance a user's ability to use the computer that he or she already has by adding both functions and value. And you can do things with the new AX that you couldn't do before, at a price point that is less than the previous cost of separate hardware solutions. And the AX's internal antenna has nearly the same range as the rabbit ears do.

With all four of the solutions profiled here, the key is how the hardware, by integrating with the user's software, has become part of the overall solution. AX needs iTunes as much as iTunes needs AX; and together the two deliver a more complete solution to the user. In the end, the user gets better and more for less. Not a bad deal, when you think about it.

Lots of fun for geeks!

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