Ask Rick: what is an Instant TV and Radio USB Stick? For Christmas I was given a device called an Instant TV and Radio USB Stick. It picks up broadcasts from all over the world by just plugging it into my computer. It seems to have no aerial so I wonder just what sort of a gadget this little thing is? Hedley Williams, by email Sadly there's no magic or even any mildly interesting technology involved, and impressive as it seems, it's basically just a memory stick. There are quite a few of these doing the rounds at the moment and essentially all they do is open a database or viewer program that contains links to streaming Internet TV and radio stations around the world. You can find these stations, and more besides on Google or through dedicated websites like World TV and Radio Tuner (http://goo.gl/QGhdS), and watch and listen for free on any web browser. It seems from user reviews on sites that sell these things that the links are often broken or out of date, and the promise of access to high quality entertainment channels and the latest movies turn out to be somewhat exaggerated, or are in a language you are unlikely to understand...