APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS 2

A Gadget That Refuses to Fade

- Words By: Shintu Dhang

In the cluttered garage, among forgotten tech like floppy disks, flip phones, and that one bulky VCR, sits my Apple AirPort Express 2nd generation, which was a sleek white brick humming quietly like a loyal old dog.

Launched in June 2012, this unassuming router was never meant to be a showpiece. It was Apple's love letter to simplicity in a world of tangled Ethernet cables and clunky DSL modems. Thirteen years later, in 2025, it still powers my home network as a trusty WiFi extender, piping crystal-clear AirPlay audio to speakers that predate Bluetooth. In an era of mesh systems and AI-optimized hotspots, why does this relic refuse to gather dust? Because it didn't just connect devices, it connected us to a wireless future we didn't know we desired.