Kerbango

Infobox computer
Name = Kerbango Internet Radio
Photo =
Type = Internet radio
Released = Announced, but never released
Discontinued = March, 2001
Processor = 80 MHz PowerPC
Memory = 8MB DRAM
Storage = 8MB Flash RAM
OS = Linux

Kerbango was both a company acquired by 3Com and its lead product. Kerbango was founded in 1998 in Silicon Valley by former executives from Apple Computer and Power Computing Corporation. [Gadget Central coverage of Kerbango product release [http://www.gadgetcentral.com/kerbango_intro.html] ] On June 27, 2000, 3Com announced it was acquiring the Kerbango company in an $80 million deal. As part of the deal, Kerbango's CEO, Jon Fitch, became vice president and general manager of 3Com's Internet Audio division, working under Julie Shimer, then vice president and general manager of 3Com's Consumer Networks Business. [Streaming Media ezine coverage of acquisition announcement [http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp?id=5700] ]

Kerbango Internet Radio

The "Kerbango Internet Radio" was the first stand-alone product that let users listen to Internet radio without a computer. Linux Journal quipped that the Kerbango 100E, the prototype, looked "like a cross between an old Wurlitzer jukebox and the dashboard of a '54 Buick." [Linux Journal ezine coverage of the acquisition [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4190] ] This initial model was even advertised on Amazon.com in anticipation of its sale, although it was never released. [Amazon.com Kerbango 100E Internet Radio page [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004XONG] ]

The Kerbango 100E was an embedded Linux device, reportedly using RealNetworks' G2 Player to play Internet audio streams (RealAudio G2, 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0 streams as well as streaming MP3). A broadband connection to the Internet was required as dial-up connections were not supported. In addition to Internet streams, the 100E featured an AM/FM tuner. [InfoWorld coverage of the Kerbango 100E's release [http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/00/06/12/000612opmetcalfe.html] ] The Kerbango radio's tuning interface was created by long-time Apple QuickTime developer Jim Reekes and was later adopted for use within iTunes.

References