AirPort Express - wireless access, audio and printing for Mac and PC (Apple Airport Express Base Station with Airtunes)

Member Name: TheRedTower

Product:	Apple Airport Express Base Station with Airtunes
Date:	05/07/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: multi-functional, easy setup, AirTunes audio streaming

Disadvantages: gets hot, cumbersome if space is an issue

Yet another apparently expensive wireless product from Apple... with a twist.

AirPort Express is a mini wireless (and wired) access point with the added bonus of being able to share audio from iTunes and a printer (via it's USB port.)

Installing and setting up this device couldn't be simpler (I only have Macs so I can't speak for the PC setup process.) Power it up and plug it into your network using the RJ45 socket, let the AirPort Utility find it and you're pretty much away.

As wireless access point it is fine, does the job without hassle, but as with some other Apple products it has more than one trick to play. You can plug in a printer to the USB port and share it across your entire network, quite handy if you have more than one computer or laptop. You can also use the RJ45 socket as a standard network port, handy for gaming or using internet enabled devices (such as a blu ray player which I use it for.)

The real party trick is the AirTunes function. Once you've set it up, fire up iTunes and tell it to look for wireless speakers, select your AirPort Express from the list and you can use the audio jack for streaming music from your iTunes library. I have this plugged into an amp in my front room streaming the audio from my iMac in the cellar wirelessly, it's impressive (especially coupled with the iPod Touch's Remote app controlling my iMac's playback.) There are also a couple of third party applications that allow you to use the AirPort Express with more than just iTunes (Rogue Amoeba's AirFoil is one.)

The main downside to this unit is the size and the amount of heat it produces. After sustained periods of use it gets very hot to the touch and probably shouldn't be kept in a confined space. The size of this thing makes keeping it well ventilated sort of difficult, but not impossible, using a third party power lead (the plug comes off allowing for international sockets so a longer lead could be used instead of the plug provided) would ensure the unit could be stored flat and out of the way.

Summary: Very useful for accessing your audio and internet wirelessly.

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