Designed to look like the power adapters for PowerBooks and iPods, AirPort Express is small easily wall mountable: you just stick it into the wall socket — or surge protector — and that's that. To play music, plug in a cable that can easily be found at Radio Shack, with a stereo mini-plug on one end and those red-and-white RCA plugs on the other. You can plug in a special optical cable that connects to your digital audio receiver's optical audio input (sometimes called Toslink). Only audiophiles will be able to hear a difference — and even that is questionable — but it's still cool to say that you've got a fully digital audio connection from PC to stereo.

Yes, I said PC. Because Express uses standard networking, and because iTunes is also the best music jukebox for Windows users, even Mac-free homes should look into this. Unlike earlier Mac products, the install disc runs on both Mac and Windows OS.

Once you're plugged in, you go to your computer and run the installation wizard. When finished, launch iTunes and select it from a speaker-selector tab now visible in the main window. If your home sound system is on, anything you play will blast right through it. You can use every iTunes feature that you're accustomed to — even playing shared music from other computers — but there's no remote operation: you can't advance songs or pull up new playlists without being in front of the computer.

You only have to run the wizard once. Once that's done, other computers on the network and running iTunes 4.6 automatically offer the Express as an audio output option. Naturally, two iTunes computers can't play through the same sound system at the same time. Also, unlike running a cable straight from computer to stereo, this only streams the music from iTunes. You won't be hearing assorted computer noises through your sound system.

I must admit that, though the Express works completely as billed, my own setup had a few minor bumps. First, if you have a Microsoft-branded wireless router (now discontinued), you may have difficulty sending music to Express. Second, on a Mac, if you've just gone through setup and can't get the Express speaker option to appear in iTunes, check your AirPort connection. On at least one occasion, upon completing setup, I was casually dropped off the network. A final piece of advice is this: if you do run into any trouble and have to reset the Express, hold the reset button for at least five seconds, maybe even as long as 10 seconds, to ensure a fresh start.

Gadget Bonus: I said there's no remote operation of iTunes, but one savvy reader begged to differ. If you have a Bluetooth-enabled Palm or certain Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Nokia phones, you can purchase the Salling Clicker ($20; salling.com), a program that does give you remote control over iTunes. I tested it out with a PalmOne Zire 72 and, sure enough, it works fine. However, it's only for Macs running 10.2 or higher, and since it relies on Bluetooth wireless connectivity, you have to stay within 30 feet of your computer, or else you'll lose control. Thanks for the tip, Eric!