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"One of the new features that Apple announced at its music event last week was AirPlay, a feature that lets users wirelessly stream their music to different stereo systems all over their house.\nAn evolution of AirTunes, a feature that first premiered with the AirPort Express in 2004, AirPlay lets users stream their iTunes library from and to multiple locations, including the forthcoming Apple TV. It also offers the ability to control playback and manage playlists from an iPhone or iPod touch. The big difference with AirPlay is that instead of connecting an AirPort Express to an optical audio cable or headphone jack, music can be transmitted wirelessly to compatible stereo equipment.\nCNBC has a profile of BridgeCo, the company responsible for making AirPlay work with stereo makers like Denon, iHome, Maranz, JBL and Bowers &amp; Wilkens.As CNBC notes, this appears to be the first time that Apple has opened up its iTunes software system to a third party. Similar music streaming systems such as Sonos or Logitech's Squeezebox have required reverse engineering to work with iTunes' streaming protocol. These systems can work quite well, but there is always the possibility that a software update could break compatibility.\nThis time, Apple let BridgeCo's staff look at the iTunes code in order to build software that could be embedded into stereo systems and interface naturally with computers running iTunes.\nOfficial compatibility also means that manufacturers can add features such as the ability to display song or playlist information on LED and LCD displays.\nAirPlay will offer more than just wireless music streaming; beginning with iOS 4.2, users will also be able to stream video and audio content to an Apple TV from their iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad. It isn't clear if that capability will be supported to speaker systems, but that should be a theoretical option.\nFor BridgeCo, nabbing the Apple deal might just be what is able to push the company into the black. The 10-year old company still isn't profitable but hopes to change that after the first wave of AirPlay-enabled devices start arriving in stores.\nWhat do you think? Would you buy a stereo with AirPlay enabled?"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2010/09/09/airplay/>