1) Blaupunkt "Internet Car Radio"
First was the Blaupunkt "Internet Car Radio" which debuted at CES.
Obviously this tagline was going to get some attention.
So did they integrate a GSM or CDMA modem into their radio units?
Did they resolve the limitations of current car radio displays with a rich touchscreen?
Did they figure out a way to reduce dropouts on the 3G network?
The answer to all these questions is NO!
The first "Internet Car Radio" was nothing more than a radio console that uses Bluetooh to play music streamed from a users cell phone.
The Intel WiMax demo we discussed a few months ago was far more impressive.
GRADE: F-
2) Radio Bookmark
The second device grabbing some headlines was the Radio Bookmark which is being exclusively promoted for public radio. This USB dongle from SkyBlue Technologies allows users to hit a button on the Radio Bookmark when they hear a story on public radio that is of interest to them.
Later, when users are at their PCs, they can plug in their USB dongles which will automatically relay the time and frequency to a web service that will then return detailed information on the story via the web.
Thanks to the iPod, USB interfaces on car radios are increasingly available, which is good news for fans of this concept.
Unfortunately, this concept will remain limited unless this feature can be integrated with iPods which has successfully trained people to synch their devices with the PCs at regular intervals.
But as "Tagging on HD Radio" has proven, the disconnect between when people first get excited about a story in their cars, and the time when they actually get to their PCs, is often too great.
Nice try and brownie points for working with public radio (big fans!)
Grade: B-
2 comments:
"Did they figure out a way to reduce dropouts on the 3G network?"
"Blaupunkt shows off world’s first Internet car radio"
"DAB is dead. It’s about to be crushed by Internet radio, which is coming to cars courtesy of Blaupunkt. It’ll dish up more choice than ever before, as well as working in areas where there’s no digital radio signal."
http://tinyurl.com/dyfxed
Internet Radio will eventually crush HD Radio, DAB, SIRI, etc. You can downplay Internet Radio all you want, claimimg that it just uses BlueTooth and that the 3G Network suffers from dropouts, but I can assure you that consumers want simplicity and cell phone companies are constantly expanding their networks - e.g., 4G networks. Blaupunkt also won PM's Editor's choice Award, while the iBiquity booth at CES was empty. And BTW, talk about HD Radio's dropouts. Have you ever tried navigating HD radios, with 5 - 10 second delays for acquisition/reacquisition of HD signals for each station.
Like it or not, nationwide wireless Internet access is in our future. Either paid or for free, every dashboard is going to be web enabled.
So among the studies showing the growth of online radio..
One broadcaster unplugs from streaming content.. How can this be?
I guess for Renda Broadcasting it's still 1970. I have to admit it was a great time to be alive. What else can anyone say about Renda Broadcasting. Most would agree with the continued growth of ipod and internet usage that perhaps living off towers alone isn't a wise decision. The RIAA fees killed one broadcaster, so Renda Broadcasting has stopped all webcasting of music..
In general broadcasters deserve an (F) for internet programming and a complete lack of understanding and vision. The same can be said for HD...
Sellers haven't done a good job selling web programming, perhaps because their focus is spread very thin... and because clients see little to no value. They don't want it..
Clients buy stations in the top ten, because they want the most bang for the buck..... But a radio station website or streaming isn't even considered...unless it's added-value..
It's dead space!
Meanwhile, in 07 before our recent depression, new media, web revenues beat radio. In the meantime, more and more traditional media dollars are being shifted to web campaigns. What do advertisers want, that radio and Renda can't seem to figure out?
Maybe somebody in radio should ask them!
According to a soon-to-be released multinational survey commissioned by Deloitte, three-quarters of Millennials (ages 14 to 25) view the computer as more of an entertainment device than their television. Across borders and cultures, these prized young consumers are demonstrating striking similarities in their media consumption preferences and behaviors — truly a “global early-adopter generation.”
http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/press_release/0,1014,sid%3D2283%26cid%3D242616,00.html
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