Apple AirPlay
Music is a tricky thing for me. Sometimes, the sound just annoys me. Other times, it gets in the way of receiving phone calls. Not so noticeable now, but playing music on the computer always annoyed me due to the extra strain on the processor when I'm trying to get work done.
So, when the iPhone came out and I could offload music playing onto it, I began keeping it plugged into the speakers on my desk. It's nice, because when a call comes in, the speakers ring and the music mutes. The downside is trying to talk on a phone that is plugged into speakers.
Then Apple released AirPlay, a wi-fi solution offering wireless streaming to Airport Express and Apple TV. Since then, it's been hacked to allow streaming through Boxee, desktop computers and jailbroken iOS devices. The iPad 2 and iPhone 4S can even stream HDMI over it, meaning you can play games on the iPad while your friends get to watch on the TV.
Currently, my iPhone 4 is plugged into a charger on my desk, and the music is blasting on the living room system. I prefer to have music a room away from me, as it allows for the loudness to drive the subwoofers correctly. The separation ruins most of what I find distracting about music while working (phase shifting and stereo effects, aggressive high pitched sounds and so forth)
I've been building my system using refurbed $60 Airport Expresses from CowBoom.com and whatever 2.1 speaker system I have lying around. Fortunately, I've picked up a bunch of good ones over the years and can easily add music to every room in the house, while further expanding and enhancing my wireless network. I've also put some old stereo amplifiers back into service with this. I expect the feature to make its way into more products this year. It's far more robust than Bluetooth audio, as it transmits everything through 802.11n. This is especially awesome for people who have speakers built into their back yards, as you won't lose the music when roaming around the house.
So, when the iPhone came out and I could offload music playing onto it, I began keeping it plugged into the speakers on my desk. It's nice, because when a call comes in, the speakers ring and the music mutes. The downside is trying to talk on a phone that is plugged into speakers.
Then Apple released AirPlay, a wi-fi solution offering wireless streaming to Airport Express and Apple TV. Since then, it's been hacked to allow streaming through Boxee, desktop computers and jailbroken iOS devices. The iPad 2 and iPhone 4S can even stream HDMI over it, meaning you can play games on the iPad while your friends get to watch on the TV.
Currently, my iPhone 4 is plugged into a charger on my desk, and the music is blasting on the living room system. I prefer to have music a room away from me, as it allows for the loudness to drive the subwoofers correctly. The separation ruins most of what I find distracting about music while working (phase shifting and stereo effects, aggressive high pitched sounds and so forth)
I've been building my system using refurbed $60 Airport Expresses from CowBoom.com and whatever 2.1 speaker system I have lying around. Fortunately, I've picked up a bunch of good ones over the years and can easily add music to every room in the house, while further expanding and enhancing my wireless network. I've also put some old stereo amplifiers back into service with this. I expect the feature to make its way into more products this year. It's far more robust than Bluetooth audio, as it transmits everything through 802.11n. This is especially awesome for people who have speakers built into their back yards, as you won't lose the music when roaming around the house.