After years of sulking in silence while the PC–pumped up by the Internet and MP3s–became a favored household music gadget, the stereo strikes back. By adding computerlike smarts and a WiFi Internet connection to boom-box sound, the Philips Streamium MC-i250 ($500) finds a new groove.

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Using its PC Link feature, the Streamium can play music MP3s on any computer within its wireless network. The MC-i250 can also go online to Web sites including Live365.com, MP3.com, and Launch to play about 100 channels of streaming audio. Or pop in any CD, and the Streamium automatically heads online to the Gracenote database service to download the artist and song titles. This info is displayed on the bright, easy-to-read display. The patented wOOx sound system, which adds a woofer to the top of each speaker, gives the Streamium a much richer boom than you typically find in a minisystem.

Setting up the Streamium is probably as easy as any manufacturer could make it–the radio does most of the driving on its own: contacting the network, downloading, and installing updates to its software. But there is one catch: You need to be familiar with WiFi networking. If you've already got a WiFi network in your home, you probably know enough to get the Streamium working. Neither the manual nor the tech support line can offer much guidance for troubleshooting. The MC-i250 also uses MusicMatch software–not the more common Windows Media or Real Audio–for its streaming features, seriously limiting Internet radio options.

Though setting up the Streamium can be a challenge for nontechies, this stereo nevertheless proves that you don't have to be a geek to get a kick out of WiFi home networking.
–Kenneth Terrell