Radiopaq: the future of radio

Radiopaq is set to launch the Radiopaq Rp5 this September, a new internet radio making use of its own popular portal at radiopaq.com, thus attempting to take internet radio to the mass market.

"We want to help to take DAB/FM and internet radio out of the kitchen and into the living room or the bedroom," a Radiopaq spokesperson told TechRadar.

Of course, there are other similar internet radio devices on the market (or soon to market) such as the Orange Live Radio and Revo's rather nifty all-in-one iBlik, though the key USP for Radiopaq is the availability and ease of use of its own portal on the Radiopaq Rp5, which the radio accesses via Wi-Fi.

Freedom to enjoy internet radio

"The Radiopaq Rp5 gives you the freedom to enjoy internet radio without having to sit in front of your computer, alongside your favourite analogue and digital stations – and, most importantly, the sound quality is fantastic," claims the press announcement.

"This unique Radiopaq offering, which showcases the kind of technology industry experts had predicted would be available no sooner than 2009, is the first step towards the future of radio in a fast-evolving audio environment… whether at home or in the office, at your computer or away from your desk – the same recognisable and easy-to-use controls will help you find your best-loved stations and podcasts at the push of a button."

You can search for whatever you like on the Rp5 by name, genre, country or language as well as accessing an extensive podcast library. Or you can choose to pop in your iPod or just listen in to your favourite FM or DAB stations on any mp3 player via USB.

'We believe that the Radiopaq offering, with its seamless interaction between the website and the hardware, is without a doubt the future of radio,' says Prash Vadgama, President of Radiopaq.

Not cheap

With its dual-contrast and clear screen, five way speaker system and high quality speaker and casing minimising sound distortion, the Radiopaq Rp5 don't come cheap, priced at £250.

But it that's the future of radio and the sound is anywhere near as good as the company claims, then it's certainly something for all radio fans to get excited about when it launches later in September.

The Rp5 also offers news feeds from The BBC, The Telegraph, The Times and The Guardian and Sky News, plus weather and traffic information from your local area. See radiopaq.com for more details. We'll be checking out a pre-production sample later so stay tuned for our detailed hands on test.