Crosley Updates The 1950s Jukebox

Louisville, Ken.— The Doo-wop era will catch up with the digital era in May 2006 when Crosley Radio ships a floorstanding '50s-style jukebox that stores music on a hard disk drive and streams Internet radio stations.

Called the Digital Bubbler, the jukebox features percolating-bubble tubes, dual-tone neon lighting and high-gloss furniture-grade wood and wood veneers encasing a choice of 40GB or 80GB HDD for storage of up to 20,000 songs. It's built on an Apple hardware/software platform, uses Apple's iTunes user interface, and downloads songs from Apple's Web site directly through a built-on 802.11g wireless connection to a wireless hub and broadband modem.

Songs can also be transferred to its HDD via a built-in CD ripper or via USB and FireWire connections to a PC or other device. It also transfers songs to MP3 players in MP3, protected WMA and Apple-protected AAC.

The device is controlled through a touchscreen and from a remote that moves the screen's pointer. The 54.25-inch by 25.5-inch by 15-inch jukebox will retail for an estimated suggested $3,999. Distribution plans include the top 100 CE dealers, specialty stores such as Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware and major catalogs. The product will be map priced and available through online retailers that also have a catalog or brick-and-mortar presence, a spokesman said.

Crosley Radio, owned by Modern Marketing Concepts, markets vintage-style electronics, including radios and turntables, that look as close to the originals as possible or at least take major design cues from the originals, the company said.