Tivoli calls this finish Zebra.
(Credit: Tivoli)Tivoli Audio didn't announce any new products at its annual showcase this year in New York, but it did reveal lots of new looks--13 new finishes, in fact--for its NetWorks Internet radio.
The new finishes are broken down into three groups: Texture Collection (four options); Color Collection (six options); and Cappellini, which features three hand-lacquered finishes created by Italian furniture designer Giulio Cappellini (Tivoli will also make its original Model One tabletop AM/FM mono radio available in Cappellini finishes).
Tivoli continues to make firmware upgrades to its existing NetWorks radio, which came out last year, but no new changes have made to the hardware aside from the finishes.
The new models should be available within 90 days and carry the same prices as existing configurations of the NetWorks Global Audio System. The mono version goes for $599, the mono plus embedded FM radio costs $649, the stereo version (with second speaker in a separate enclosure) hits $699, and the line-topping FM/stereo version comes in at $750. If you go the Cappellini route, you're looking at $999 for the FM/stereo configuration (it only comes in this configuration).
We're not so keen on the price, especially when you can get a decent Internet radio for far less these days, but the newly finished radios do look beautiful up close and Tivoli is positioning NetWorks as an interior-design accessory. In other words, picture these guys in trendy lofts and other chic abodes and you'll get an idea where the company is headed with this colorful move, global recession be damned.
This hand-lacquered Cappellini finish is called Chinablue.
(Credit: Tivoli)
Tivoli unveiled its NetWorks Go Wi-Fi radio in 2007, but it was subsequently delayed its release.
(Credit: dvice.com)In June 2007, Tivoli Audio unveiled two Wi-Fi radios at a Manhattan event: the Tivoli Audio NetWorks tabletop radio and the portable NetWorks Go (pictured above). Both models were said to offer identical functionality: the capability to tune in any MP3, WMA, or RealAudio Internet radio station, network audio sources (PC-based digital music collections), and standard over-the-air FM radio. And it wasn't just vaporware, either: company founder and CEO Tom DeVesto used the prototype to quickly pull up two distant stations based on requests from the audience. Unfortunately, neither product was released. The fall 2007 release window came and went, and it wasn't until February that a brief notice on Tivoli's Web site officially rescheduled the release date to June 2008.
However, it looks as if later this week we'll be getting updates on these products. ... Read More
(Credit:
ScandinavianDesign)
When we think of gadgets and crystal, the name Swarovski invariably comes to mind. (We hope this doesn't say more about us than anything else.) So it is with great pleasure that we're able to mention an adorned item that doesn't have anything to do with the dreaded House of S.
The "Tivoli Model One" radio is encased in handcrafted crystal designed by Scandanavian artist Per B. Sundberg, according to Techabob, in limited-edition form. Very limited, in fact--only 30 of them are available at ScandinavianDesign, and for good reason. They cost $4,200 each.
That's a pretty high premium considering that the radio itself goes for $120. And it's not even digital, though it does play MP3 files. We never thought we'd say this, but maybe Swarovski isn't so bad after all.
The Tivoli Audio NetWorks Table Radio streams thousands of Internet radio stations.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Tivoli Audio is well known for its tabletop radios, but the company has always remained somewhat on the conservative side when it comes to features: AM, FM, and CD, plus the occasional iPod dock and satellite radio. But the company is taking a firm step into the 21st century with a new pair of products, the NetWorks Table Radio and NetWorksGo. The models are essentially network-enabled updates of the Model One and the SongBook, respectively, with the Table Radio intended for stationary duty and the NetWorksGo offering space for six rechargeable C batteries (which you have to supply). Both models have a built-in FM (but no AM) tuner, but the real attraction is the ability to stream WMA, MP3, and Real Audio Internet radio stations via their built-in Ethernet or Wi-Fi connections; they can also stream digital audio files from networked PCs as well. Additionally, both also offer USB and line-in connectors for playing music from other devices.
Tivoli is emphasizing simple, computer-free operation--in the demo provided by company president Tom DeVesto at a New York press conference, he was able to tune in two stations, one from Seattle and one from Ireland, randomly requested from journalists in attendance. Automatic firmware upgrades will also be available--just touch a button to download and install new software, without the need to hook the radio to the computer. One possible cause for concern, however, is that the stations seem to be pulled from a master list that Tivoli sets--it doesn't appear that you can add your own. But DeVesto insisted that users need only "send Tivoli an e-mail," and compatible stations can easily be added.
The NetWorksGo is one of the first battery-powered Wi-Fi radios we've seen.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Pricing on both radios has yet to be finalized, and they won't be shipping until late 2007. Also, the prototypes shown at the event (and in the photos here) may undergo further tweaks before they're finalized. But Tivoli appears to be sticking with its winning retro designs, even as the company upgrades the functionality of its products.The NetWorksGo model is particularly intriguing--while transportable Wi-Fi radios such as the Philips Streamium MC-i250 and Roku SoundBridge Radio have been available for some time, Sony's VAIO VGF-WA1 (to my knowledge) is the only battery-powered Internet radio product with built-in speakers to date. As such, the NetWorksGo should be ideally suited for moving from room to room, or even having out on the deck. I look forward to getting some hands-on time with the final products once they're available in the fall.
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