World's first standalone Internet radio

At the Demo 2000 show in California Monday, the world got its first standalone Internet radio. Looking much like a traditional AM/FM radio set the Kerbango lets users listen to broadcasts from online stations all over the world.

The Kerbango employs an embedded version of RealNetworks' RealPlayer G2, and plugs directly into a standard phone socket. The radio operates in conjunction with the company's Kerbango Tuning Service which allows users to look for and store radio stations, screen for content and quality, and create a personalised listening selection. These settings can be adjusted from any Internet connected PC and then accessed from the Kerbango radio.

"With our tuning service and Internet radio, we are speeding the adoption of Internet radio by giving users a personalised audio experience...they can access wherever there's an Internet connection," stated Jim Gable, Kerbango's president.

The radio's interface displays available stations by category, with a standard tuning knob used to move between categories.

If the radio is on the same LAN as a users PC, it can be used for playing MP3 files stored on the PC's hard disk.

There are stereo outputs to connect the radio to a home audio system and it also features an analogue FM/AM radio tuner. It will begin shipping in the US in March.

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