REVIEW: Revo Pico WiFi Internet Radio

Almost every WiFi radio is based around the same Reciva technology so when comparing devices it's the detail that matters. One of the latest entrants into the market are Scottish radio devotees, Revo and their Pico WiFi which they claim has one of the best USPs around - it is totally portable.

Will it be enough to propel it to the top of our ‘must haves' for 2007?

First Impressions

The Pico WiFi is small and light. The basic construction is plastic, but there is a satisfying enough solidity to the radio to inspire confidence that it could survive the rigours of garden life. The case is actually splashproof so it is more than capable of withstanding a light shower, but not a complete dunking. 

The Pico WiFi boasts a more contemporary design than many of its rivals who have gone down the retro route. There is a large LCD display and one main recessed control dial surrounded by six function buttons. It looks good, but not stunning, suggesting that excitement lies under the hood.

Let's cut straight to the chase.

The Pico WiFi's stand out feature is its portability. It contains a rechargeable battery that should provide 3 to 4 hours of use depending on the strength of the WiFi signal.

The transformer is built into the plug so the power cable, which disappears into a funky rubber cover at the rear of the device, is pretty subtle. Initial charges take several hours, but speed up with repeat charging. The Pico will charge while operating, but only at a quarter of the rate. On occasion we could hear a high pitched hum coming from the Pico during the charging process, but it was not intrusive.

Operation

If you have ever enjoyed a Reciva powered radio before you will know what to expect here.

On power up the Pico scans for available networks and locks onto the strongest signal. If the network is encrypted it will ask for the key.

Browsing through menu options is done using the central scroll wheel. It is recessed into the casing and is moved using a ‘dimple' for your finger. This looks great but in practice is not as easy to use as a stick-out dial. It just wasn't possible to make fine adjustments and we often found ourselves ‘skidding' past the option we wanted. Entering the network key took twice as long as it should have.

Once the network has been set up the Pico connects, downloads the latest station updates from Reciva and waits patiently for you to tell it to find a station or stream audio from a networked PC or Mac.

Stations are handily categorised by Reciva into location or genre so it's easy to track down the station you want. If it's not in the list then Reciva will add it for you if you contact them.

The Pico's portability also enhances two of its additional features - streaming audio from a networked computer and acting as a speaker for an mp3 player.

Streaming audio files was as simple as locating the PC on the network, scanning for shared folders and creating a playlist. Using the Pico as a portable speaker was even easier. You can use the supplied cable to connect the headphone socket on the mp3 player to the Pico and it instantly detects the presence of a suitable device. Press play on the mp3 player and away you go.

In some ways, the portability of the Pico creates a small problem. Unlike a device which is tethered to the mains, you are encouraged to carry the Pico WiFi with you - into the garden, the garage, places which another WiFi radio would fear to tread. Any holes in your signal will be ruthlessly exposed as the Pico did seem to be more sensitive to low quality signal than a laptop with an embedded WiFi chip. It would have been nice to see an external USB port so that an external WiFi receiver could be plugged in, but then you can't have everything.

Sound quality

There is only one speaker so sound is definitely mono, but it was good enough for everyday listening. It didn't quite have the depth of the Tangent Quattro we reviewed last month, but that is a much larger and heavier radio.

Verdict

The Revo Pico WiFi is a world first. Portability adds a whole new dimension to the internet radio experience. This solidly built device will certainly satisfy most users and is the first WiFi radio we've ever tried that seems to completely understand what it is all about. That's not to say it's perfect. The interface was balanced slightly too much towards looks than practicality and we did suffer loss of connection in areas which should have been fine. However, this is the best WiFi radio to yet hit the market. Yes, it will be beaten one day, but we would bet that it might be Revo themselves who do it.

The Revo Pico WiFi will bring WiFi radio to the masses.