The USB-computer link is how you set-up or change the four choices of stations (or podcasts) out of the tens of thousands available from around the globe. Despite the mass of stations on tap, the makers claim that “in practice nearly everyone sticks to their favourite two or three.” And in that lies the key to Q2’s simplicity.

Stations are configured from software on a Mac or PC - no Linux support, as yet

Its accompanying software, which runs on Windows or Mac computers, enables you to browse by categories such as country of origin and genre, or text search. A feature it lacks so far is to bookmark interesting stations or podcasts so you can easily rotate your presets from a favourites list, rather than a huge index of everything.

The only time I really missed a display was for stations that run a ‘now playing’ tracklisting, though if you have a smartphone handy you could use Soundhound or Shazam.

The computer app is also where you specify what wireless network to connect to, plus any security password. After this the Q2 will store the WLAN settings.

There’s nothing stopping you from switching to other networks but you’d need a computer to set-up the radio if you’ve not used it there before – the radio itself remembers logins for up to five networks. So even if you take the Q2 to a hotspot, you probably won’t be able to use the radio without a computer handy, though a netbook would do it.

Given that almost every analogue or digital station also streams a MWA or MP3 version over the net, a radio like this is a good alternative to DAB, as long as you’re in range of a network. The radio worked all around my house and to the end of the garden but reception of course depends on the router, its position and any signal interference.

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