When internet radio first started gaining momentum, many dismissed it for its limited content and low-quality audio. But today internet radio is huge, with thousands of stations available across the globe, a number which is growing all the time as regular broadcasters move online as well. Best of all, many now broadcast at bit rates of 128kb/sec or higher, resulting in sound quality that's as good as most people's home MP3
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collections.
The Revo Pico Wi-Fi costs just £10 more, yet comfortably beats the BT Internet Radio in almost every department. It's smaller and better looking, but its major strength is the rechargeable internal battery: this charges whenever it's plugged into the mains and we got a good six hours out of it when we took it outside. You'll obviously still need to be in Wi-Fi range for internet stations, but you can always switch to FM mode instead and take it wherever you like.
The control buttons on the front are a little awkward to push without holding the device still since it's quite light, but the dial works well and accessing stations is intuitive. The speaker gives a fairly well-rounded sound for its small size, and it's loud enough to fill a kitchen; plus, there's an input on the front to allow you to use it as a portable speaker for an MP3 player, which adds to its travelling appeal. With all this available for just £94, it's hard to imagine a better-value Christmas gift.
