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Is now the time to buy an Airport Express?

C

caseyh

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 27, 2007
34
0
Many retailers (online and physical) seem to have stopped carrying the Airport Express Base Station (AEBS). Obviously Apple "doesn't comment on future products," but is there reason to believe that this product will be updated soon? Perhaps with 802.11n support? Also, is M9470LL/A A1084 the most current model number? They have one of those left at my local Best Buy, but I can't seem to confirm at Apple.com if that's the newest one. As a sidenote--Amazon is selling the AEBS for 189.99; I don't know what that's about. Thanks for any insight.
 
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Don't mix up the two products. The Airport Express is a b/g router which also has an AirTunes stereo output, a single USB port for printers and a single ethernet port. Retails for around $99.

AEBS is generally shorthand for the Airport Extreme Base Station wich is an a/b/g/n router with 4 ethernet ports and a USB port for both printers and hard drives. Retails for around $179.

Some mutterings running around that the Express may get upgrade to n soon. No definite facts yet.

Amazons page looks like a typo. Check Apple's web site.
 
The Airport express works best as a small range rounter (think dorm room, not apartment) and to stream your music via AirTunes. Unless you're getting it for either of two uses, I wouldn't recommend it, especially not at that 189.00 price range. I'd wait until they upgrade it to 802.11n specs and a $100 price. However, it might be a while since the Apple TV is their new media streaming device, so they probably don't want to cannibalize into that market.
 
Clarification

I seem to have introduced some ambiguity with my acronym. I am definitely talking about the Airport Express b/g. I have an Airport Extreme n, and I will be using them together to stream music to my a/v system. I imagine that the Extreme won't be able to pass the signal through a 3-course brick wall onto the porch, and the Express bridge should be able to punch through the wall and give me wireless on my porch, for whatever that's worth. It sucks that I'll have to run a tandem n/g network, but whatever. I guess I can't have it all--at least not right now. Thanks for the info, and if anybody else has any input I'd appreciate it.
 
caseyh said:
Many retailers (online and physical) seem to have stopped carrying the Airport Express Base Station (AEBS). Obviously Apple "doesn't comment on future products," but is there reason to believe that this product will be updated soon? Perhaps with 802.11n support? Also, is M9470LL/A A1084 the most current model number? They have one of those left at my local Best Buy, but I can't seem to confirm at Apple.com if that's the newest one. As a sidenote--Amazon is selling the AEBS for 189.99; I don't know what that's about. Thanks for any insight.
Click to expand...

That's a third-party seller on Amazon taking advantage of the fact that none are currently available from Amazon itself. You see that price-gouging a lot around Christmas with high-demand items.

EDIT: I seems reasonably likely that a replacement is on its way. I'd give it a couple more Tuesdays and see what shakes out. That's what I'm doing anyway.
 
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Some dude just found one yesterday for $49.99 at Staples... not sure which store, but at that price, yes -- its a good time to buy.

Me personally, I just sold mine on eBay for like $88. Not a bad deal for me as I wasn't really using it anymore for the music/printing functionality. I think my next Apple Wireless BS will be the Time Capsule. Best of both worlds! :apple:
 
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Very interesting, Arran. Thanks.
 
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