Magicbox internet radio

Internet radio for the masses...

Internet radio - a great idea, but a pain to use, right? Step forward Magicbox's latest creation, which lets you listen to radio stations worldwide without any technical know-how.

Providing you've got a broadband connection and Wi-Fi network, you can be up and running in minutes - without even needing to find the web address a station uses to broadcast - it taps into an online directory at www.reciva.com.

Searching by country or genre is simple; you just click through the list to find a station you fancy, from Xfm in London to Shyam Radio in India. You can store up to ten presets, too.

Sound quality is reasonable if you're using it in the kitchen - it's only got a mono speaker on the front, but it can go pretty loud. It's also compatible with the BBC Listen Again service, so you'll never miss your daily dose of Jo Whiley or Terry Wogan.

Altogether, it's one of the most user-friendly ways we've seen of entering the world of digital radio.