ASUS u-Nedio: Internet radio without the PC 16/03/2007 It may just look like a regular tabletop radio, but the u-Nedio takes Internet radio to another level. According to a ASUS spokesperson, the u-Nedio can currently connect to over 10,000 radio stations. It connects via Wi-Fi to 802.11b/g or through LAN itself. But while we were a tad disappointed to discover that it can't tune in to regular FM radio, the u-Nedio does double up as an alarm clock and syncs to Internet time. Additional stations can be added via url entry, but for technophobes, stations can also be added via a firmware update.

* WLAN security: WPA, WPA2-AES, 64/128-bit WEP
* MP3, WMA
* 5watt speakers
* 128 x 64 FSTN graphics display

SOURCE

Fans of Internet radio who want to listen to their favorite stations away from the computer will soon be able to do so with a new digital music player called Slacker.


The new gadget, by a San Diego-based start-up of the same name, aims to compete with Apple's iPod and in-car digital radios offered by XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio.

http://www.slacker.com this week.

Fans can customize radio stations using their computer and listen to them on Slacker Portable Radio Players, which will retail from around $149 starting this summer. Stations are loaded via Wi-Fi wireless Internet connection.

The device will also be able to play MP3 and WMA audio files, and MPEG and Windows Media video formats, to compete in an increasingly crowded digital music player market that includes offerings by mobile phone makers.

"The hardware player is critical," Slacker Inc. Chief Executive Dennis Mudd said in an interview on Friday. "This is going to be the first personalized radio that's really portable," he said.

Personalized radio online allows users to customize music based on similar artists and genres, and has been made popular by other start-ups including Last.fm and Pandora, as well as Yahoo Launch.

The company also plans to offer in-car digital radios with the Slacker Satellite Car Kit.

"I expect that we'll be competing with several people but not directly because we're creating a new category," said Mudd.

Slacker said it has signed music licensing deals with Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and hundreds of independent labels, and has around 2 million tracks at launch.

It said it also agreed terms, but not signed deals yet, with Warner Music Group.

Slacker's founders have a strong pedigree in the digital music industry. Mudd was previously chief executive of Musicmatch, an online music company which was sold to Yahoo in 2004. Slacker's president is Jim Cady, former chief executive at Rio, a digital media player maker. Jonathan Sasse, vice president of marketing, is the former chief executive of iriver America, another media device maker.

Mudd said Slacker is backed with $13.5 million in funding and employs around 50 full-time employees.

Copyright 2007 by Ziff Davis Media, Distributed by United Press International


Did I tell you this was coming or what???

SOURCE

Radio listening reaches record high thanks to digital technology

Radio listening has reached a record high, with more than 45 million people tuning in each week, according to new figures.

It is the highest figure since industry body Rajar began keeping track of the nation's listening habits in 1992.

The rise is being attributed to growing numbers of people tuning in via the internet, digital television or their mobile phones. Some 7.8 per cent of people aged 15 and above listen to the radio via their mobiles, according to Rajar research conducted in the last three months of 2006.

The figure is 24 per cent up on the same period of 2005.

A quarter of all 15- to 24-year-olds said they listened to the radio in this way.

Listening via the internet was up 10 per cent and via digital television up 9 per cent.

Internet podcasts are also increasingly popular. There are now 2.1 million people (17 per cent of MP3 player owners) who download and listen to podcasts - a rise of 15 per cent on the previous three months.

Jenny Abramsky, the BBC's director of audio and music, said: "It's great to see radio listening at a record high, with more than 45 million people tuning in every week.

"It proves that radio still plays an incredibly important part in people's lives and that, despite the range of new media available, listeners continue to value the close relationship they have with radio."

[08-11-06] - Torian Wireless named Innovations 2007 Design and Engineering Award Honoree

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®) today announced Torian Wireless Limited as an International CES Innovations 2007 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for their Internet Radio Module (IRM-06) at the International CES New York Press Preview. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the trade press to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products.

The Internet Radio Module allows manufacturers to add Internet radio functionality to a range of products, such as home stereo systems, amplifiers, and portable boom box units. With either WiFi or Ethernet connectivity, the technology allows users to choose from an unprecedented 10,000+ stations of streaming music from around the world. These include traditional terrestrial based radio stations, as well as specialist Internet radio content providers offering a wide range of music genres.

“We are very excited to win a prestigious Innovations Honoree Award at CES 2007”, Mr George Parthimos, Founder and CEO of Torian Wireless Limited said today. “This award recognizes our innovation and engineering capabilities, and reinforces Torian’s position as the global market leader in Internet radio technology.” he said.

As a widely renowned consumer technology awards program that began in 1989, the prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards recognize achievements in product design and engineering. It is sponsored by CEA, the producer of the International CES, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession through education, information, community and advocacy.

Torian’s Internet Radio Module will be displayed at the 2007 International CES, which runs January 8-11, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category at Innovations Plus at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Booth #68747. New for 2007: High-Performance Audio (HPA) Innovations Honorees will also be exhibited in The Venetian on the third floor, across from the San Polo Ballroom. Best of Innovations honoree products will also displayed at the Grand Lobby of Las Vegas Convention Center, next to Experience CEA, and at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES. Visit www.CESweb.org/innovations for details on Innovations 2007 Design and Engineering Honorees.

Products entered into Innovations 2007 must be available to market to U.S. retail outlets or the company website between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007. The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:

• Engineering qualities of the product, including technical specifications and materials used
• The product’s intended use/function and user value
• Aesthetic and design qualities (using visuals provided)
• Unique and novel features
• Contributions to consumers’ quality of life
• Impact on the manufacturer’s business model

Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Innovations honoree products are featured on www.CESweb.org/Innovations, where you can see a list of product categories, as well as each product name, manufacturer information, designer, description, photo and URL.

[02-10-06] - InFusion Countdown Begins

The InFusion portable Internet radio release date was announced today by founder and CEO, Mr George Parthimos. Torian Wireless confirmed that the product will begin shipping from 17 November 2006.

“After a rigorous development and testing period, I am pleased to confirm that the InFusion will be available in time for Christmas. This is an exciting time for Torian, as we prepare to bring one of the most highly anticipated consumer electronics devices to market.”

Given the unprecedented excitement for the product, early demand is expected to outstrip supply. “Initially, stock will be limited.” Mr Parthimos said. “People will need to be quick if they want one under their tree this holiday season.”

Torian are advising all customers to pre-order an InFusion to be guaranteed delivery by Christmas. The InFusion will initially be available through the company’s website at www.torianwireless.com. Retail channels are expected to follow in 2007.

[01-09-06] - Content Partnership

Torian Wireless are pleased to announce the addition of radioio as a content provider for the InFusion portable Internet radio. InFusion customers will be able to access radioio content “out of the box”.

“I'm very excited that InFusion users will be able to listen to their favorite radioio channel without being tethered to a PC.” said Mr Mike Roe, founder of radioio.

“Internet radio offers a hundred times more genre choices than satellite radio without the mandatory subscription price. Internet radio offers a thousand times more music than terrestrial radio. The audience is clamoring for more music choices and wider playlists and now finally, the technology is here for listeners to finally get what they really want” he said.

radioio is one of the worlds largest Internet radio services. It supports 22 ad-supported free streams. The individual stations that make up the radioio service are individually programmed by DJs known as "stream hosts". Streams are available in most common streaming formats, including MP3, Windows Media, and RealAudio.

“We are extremely pleased to provide radioio content to all InFusion customers. It provides people access to quality content in the palm of their hand” Mr George Parthimos, founder and CEO of Torian Wireless, said today. “The future of radio is coming, and premium content providers such as radioio are leading the way.” Mr Parthimos said.

The Future of Internet Radio Is Bright

A site visitor, recently posed some questions to me about the future of Internet Radio. Here they are with my thoughts and some additional resources.

What is your opinion on the future of Internet Radio?

I think Internet Radio is as exciting an innovation as radio itself. Not only does it provide enormous variety and niche programming, but it also allows practically anyone to start up and run their own online radio station - and reach the world. Never before have so many people been so empowered with audio.

I also believe Internet Radio will slowly evolve and with the help of broadband, wireless and product development it will find it’s rightful place in the home, auto and hand-held device.

The key for users will be the given ability to walk away from their personal computer - and household - and still access their favorite Internet stations. The technology is already here; it just needs natural evolution to become more embedded and more affordable.

Do you think there will be portable Internet Radio receivers? What technology will power them (cellular, satellite, wi-fi?)

There already are. A British company, PDT, recently displayed in Las Vegas their InTune200 portable Internet Radio tuner for the home. And iMuse Electronics just introduced, iAPlayer, a new home entertainment audio component that moves streaming audio and music files from your personal computer to your home stereo or entertainment system.

Also, check out these articles:

Portability Has Been Redefined For Radio

New Internet Radio Device, iAPlayer, Bridges PC With Home Stereo

The Cell Phone-Satellite Radio Connection

Is Your Cell Phone The Future of Radio?

How much of a pain in the ass will the F.C.C be to Internet broadcasts?

At present, the F.C.C. has no contol over Internet broadcasts. These streams are not within the scope of the F.C.C.’s responsibilities

Do you think that portable Internet Radio will make satellite radio obsolete?

That’s an interesting question. I think it’s safe to say there are enough great net streams out there to satisfy anyone’s taste. Getting online radio in your home is relatively cheap but once you make some of this entertainment available to portable devices, chances are there will be some costs involved.

The easiest way to distribute Internet Radio is by satellite or through the current wireless cell phone infrastructure. But, since satellite time can be cost prohibitive, that means only a limited amount of streams would be available and inevitably, the cost would be passed along to the consumer. The same can be said about receiving Internet Radio on your cell phone or PDA. There is cost involved and bandwidth considerations. For more, please see:

Internet Radio In Your Car

Do you think that portable Internet Radio will make Clear Channel obsolete?

I doubt that. But, portable Internet Radio - and Satellite Radio - certainly add to the mix of competition that traditional, terrestrial stations have to contend with.

InFusion Provides Portable Internet Radio That Fits In Your Pocket

By Corey Deitz

Dateline: 05/15/05

A week or so ago I wrote an opinion piece which in part suggested that Satellite Radio's biggest threat might very well be from:

1. The combination of G3 Wireless technology which allows Internet data to be transmitted at high speed to mobile technology and
2. The continued infrastructure growth of cellular networks and WiFi hotspots.

In effect, I suggested that what Satellite Radio provides now from space could eventually be eclipsed by a ground-based wireless network that effectively provides the same coverage to end users.

At the time, I wasn't aware of a product recently introduced which testifies to those possibilities.

The world’s first portable compact Internet radio device, developed within Australia by Torian was recently highlighted at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

It's called InFusion.

A technology called iRoamer, owned by Torian and developed for Torian by another Australian company, Grey Innovation, provides InFusion with a portable Internet radio connection allowing it to tune into any streaming radio station, anywhere in the world while in a wireless hot spot.

InFusion has other features such as audio recording either directly from the Internet or via a timer, MP3 player, news/sport/weather banner, FM receiver, and rechargeable batteries. These features are all contained within a portable handheld device, approximately the size of a credit card.

Infusion has apparently impressed people. It was voted one of the top three products in the ‘Audio to go’ category of the "G4TechTV Best of CES 2005 Awards" which included all portable digital audio players, portable satellite radio receivers, speakers and headphones.