These look like great devices--I read the webpages. Squeezebox even supports ALC. My question is this. If I run iTunes and have an Airport Express don't I have everything but Pandora (which is a cool feature)? What am I missing? I can serve up internet radio and my own recorded music to any wireless connection in the house. Not being argumentative--really wanting to know what I'm missing.

The advantages over the Airport Express that occur to me are a remote control (although there may be a way to do a remote now) and a display of what's currently playing.

Without meaning to sound like an Applephile, Front Row and a Remote Control now comes with Macs and it allows control over iTunes content (web and HD). You could buy the program and a remote (or program your remote) for less.

So if you are in the Windows world the Sqeezebox is a great solution -- it looks very good indeed. If you are in the Mac world you don't need it. I might buy one anyway!

I can't address any thoughts/concerns/issues regarding Mac/Apple/Airport applications. I have absolutely no experience with Mac units.

One issue might be can you access Internet radio with the computer off. With Squeezebox that is a done issue.

It is hard not to be suspicious that these units don't all use the same electronic modules but I think you have found a difference. The Mac/Airport solution doesn't need a computer to be on to be connected to the internet but it needs something with a logic and a processor to control things. That's what the Squeezebox provides which is different. It works without a PC or Mac.

Actually the Squeezebox server software is very agnostic as far as OS use goes. It is open source and written in Perl with versions readily available for Windows, Mac and Linux. I know quite a few Mac guys using the Squeezebox, although I have no idea why they selected it over the Airport Express as the AEX looks like a nice solution if you are Apple centric. I do like the fact that the Squeezebox is open source and I’m not tied to i-Tunes with it.

I have two of the SBs and am using Linux as the server with the CDs ripped to FLAC.