I don't write much about gadget stuff. I'm too much of a gadget head, and I'm trying to unplug myself from all the doodah crap I've accumulated in favor of a slightly more austere lifestyle.
But I bought something this evening that I have to write about. It's a software app called Airfoil. It's from a company called RogueAmoeba. They are pretty much the experts on intercepting and redirecting Macintosh audio in ways OS X doesn't allow on its own.
I think I have written before about my AirTunes network. I have a batch of the Apple Airport Express units spread out around the house. Three of them have stereo receivers or amplifiers attached, with fairly decent speakers.
iTunes has a feature which allows me to select any or all of the speakers and transmit audio to them. But that only works with iTunes, and it won't let me send audio to another computer on the network.
Airfoil gets around these limitations. It can send audio to any of the Airport Express units with the receivers attached. It also allows me to set individual audio levels for each unit, rather than the one universal level offered by iTunes.
It also allows me to send sound to my work Mac in the den so I can play the same music through its Monsoon computer speakers. It even allows to me send audio to my iPhone.
This program only costs $25, and I'd say it's a heck of a bargain.
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