Customer Reviews

Kerbango 100E Internet Radio

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Kebango were bought by 3COM a while back. Due to the rapid slowdown in high tech 3COM decided to axe their entire personal products divison which includes the Kerbango. Ergo the Kerbango won't be coming to market anytime soon. Perhaps someone will buy the technology from 3COM perhaps not. But don't place an order for one until this all gets sorted out.

The Kerbango project was killed by 3Com in 2001 in what many thought as a rash decision, but nevertheless resulted in the destruction of several hundred Kerbango units on the factory floor in Asia. The only units available were a number of prototypes floating around Silicon Valley as part of fundraising and sponsorship deals. I've heard the number is as low as 30. Quite a collectors item.

If you want an Internet radio, you can go to PenguinRadio or Roku or Slim Devices, all of whom are marketing similar devices.

I have been waiting to buy one of these for over a year. I recently saw the unit at a trade show, buy the reps. were clueless as to when it will be available, or what the delay has been. The unit was much smaller and of cheaper construction (a lot of plastic) than I had imagined from the picture. Some of the buttons are a bit "gimmicy", if that is a word. They have the right idea, but it looks like there is much room for improvement. =I will probably still buy one if they ever actually sell them. Until then, I will continue to use the Sonic Box IM tuner, which does a respectable job of remote tuning, but requires the pc to stay on.

Too bad, 3Com as owner of Kerbango announced the end of some products of its internet appliance division. this means Kerbango is dead as well. and maybe of the whole division. for an article about this, see: http://yahoofin.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-5207113.html

The Kerbango Internet Radio unit simplifies access to InternetRadio Programming, and in doing so, simplifies your audio listeninglifestyle.

With Kerbango, there's no need to wait through anotherPC boot-up, no need to go through the motions of setting up anotheraudio selection, and no need to wake up to the same old "let'scram as many commercials as we can into the AM drivetimeslot."

The Kerbango function of an automatic Internetclock-radio alone, can and will change your life for the better. Thereare over 4,000 programming choices available on the net, and surelyamong some of the best you'll find music, sports, news and otherentertainment to better suit your individual needs than the paltry20-30 signals available in most broadcast areas.

Consider theinteresting experiences you have had, tuning into unique localstations when you travelled on vacation. This is your chance to"travel" anytime, anywhere, without having to even put yourshoes on.

The Kerbango does require an Ethernet RJ-45 connection,and for those with DSL or Cable Modem service, you will have toacquire and connect a multi-port Ethernet router (such as the LinksysEtherfast #BEFSR41,.... It's really not that difficult, as the newerrouters use the automatic DHCP connection protocol, and solidinstallation assistance is offered on the vendor's web sites.

Sincethe "back room" passage of the Telecommunications Act of1996, large companies such as CBS/Infinity, Clear Channel and othershave gobbled up radio stations coast-to-coast, in cases controlling upto 8 stations in a single market. To maximize profits they haveforsaken developing local talent in favor of providing nationwidecookie-cutter programming across their markets.

Broadcast radiooften has become the same 200 songs over and over, with a "bigvoice" telling you all how great it all is! Commercial mediaentertainment is also increasingly lurid, which is an indication oftheir lack of respect for their audience. The radio industry no longertries to uphold even a pretense of any committment to the kind oflocal public service it once was famous for. But now you have achoice, and technology allows you to stand up to these debasedprofiteers.

So toss the corporate radio programmers out of yourhouse... Get the Kerbango. You'll be glad you did!