Cube radio

Cambridge Consultants’ new Iona ‘Cube’ internet radio design concept simplifies the way people currently select which internet radio stations they listen to, whilst reducing the cost of the radio at the same time.

According to research, the average person listens to between three to four radio stations regularly. The Cube has been designed with this in mind. By simply turning the Cube onto one of its four available sides, it will change to the desired radio station. A fifth side is dedicated to the speaker and the final remaining side is dedicated to switching the radio to the off position. The Cube can be quickly and easily customised to play a listener’s top four stations.

The designers involved in the new concept wanted to keep simplicity to the maximum. Accordingly, even the volume button has been removed. Instead, the listener just twists the Cube to the right to increase the volume and twists to the left to decrease it.

Based on the Iona platform technology shown at CES 2007, the Cube uses a Wi-Fi connection to provide a choice of up to 10,000 stations from which listeners can customise the four sides of the radio. Customisation of the Cube can be achieved via a number of ways, including using a simple web interface.

'Consumers won’t have to scroll through endless lists of stations to find their favourites, they will just have to flip the radio. It epitomises convenience and is so simple and intuitive that everyone will be able to use it,' said Duncan Smith, head of consumer products at Cambridge Consultants.