1. What is UConnect® Hands-Free Communication?
UConnect® is an in-vehicle, hands-free, voice-activated communication system that allows you to talk on your Bluetooth^TM Hands-Free Profile wireless phone virtually hands-free. UConnect® is offered, depending on the vehicle, as a factory or dealer-installed option.

«Retorting The New York Times’ article on how dangerous Chrysler’s in-car Wi-Fi service may be is Rick Aristotle Munarriz at Motley Fool, who argues that the benefits of in-car Internet (primarily Internet radio) outweigh potential accidents cause by distracted driving. “Temptations to lose focus are already abundant,” he writes, “The allure of having a router in your car doesn’t involve multitasking drivers. Instead, it’s about enhancing passengers’ existing entertainment and information options…Critics traditionally decry most new technologies before embracing the benefits, and the concerns brewing about UConnect will likely prove no different.”»

«The new Apple 3G iPhone has received a lot of attention, but the more important story isn't the new hardware, but Apple's application store and the many programs that run on the new phone.
Thanks to a few of those programs there's an even larger story - the iPhone may fundamentally change the way people listen to the radio when they're in their cars or otherwise on the go.
Two free applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and another program that costs only $4.99, make it possible to listen to live radio on the iPhone from anywhere, including a moving car. 
(...) with the iPhone you can listen to stations from around the world, including some that broadcast only on the Internet and don't even have transmitters.
Over time, this could be as disruptive to the radio broadcast industry as the Web has been to print. (...) it does mean they will face competition from new players, including startups operating from peoples' spare rooms.
There are at least three "live radio" software applications available, not only for the new iPhone, but for the older iPhone and the iPod Touch that have been updated with Apple's new 2.0 software (free for iPhone users and $10 for iPod Touch users). Two of the programs: AOL Radio and Pandora are free while Tuner costs $4.99.
AOL Radio "Powered by CBS Radio" allows you to listen to more than 150 CBS music, news, talk and sports stations across the United States, as well as customized stations created specifically for online listening. By default, it uses the iPhone or iPod Touch's location awareness capabilities to play stations in your area, but you can also use it for out-of-town stations»

fonte: MAGID Larry, Can The New iPhone Revolutionize Radio?, CBSnews.com 28/07/08

When WiMax begins making its way into other manufacturers' vehicles, the public won't be searching for favorite stations while driving. A favorite station will already have been selected via laptop or desktop, and then entered into the in-car unit to add to the few dozen pre-loaded stations lucky enough to make that pre-installed list.

DARDIS, Ken, «How many radio stations does one person need?», Audiographics, 07/07/08 [http://www.audiographics.com/agd/070708-1.htm]

«Some of the founding fathers of consolidation truly believe satellite radio is their competition.
They are slow to embrace the Internet.
Have no plan to get into the mobile content business.
They are in deep denial that HD Radio will actually matter let alone make a difference.
They have become prisoners of Wall Street's slash 'em and trash 'em strategy of ruining good assets run by exceptional people just to deliver what investors want in the short term.
(...) WiFi on Wheels will prove to be radio's worst nightmare.
Ironically, the only thing more outdated than a tower and transmitter is the CEO who controls the tower and transmitter.
(...) To compete with thousands of new streams increasingly available on WiFi, terrestrial radio is going to have to get better. Fast.»

Colliano, iNside Music media, WiFi on Wheels -- Radio's Worst Nightmare  2/07/08

«the WiMax car radio of the future that would make every station stream in the world available to motorists. (...) So what then can radio as a whole do to take control of the Infinite Dial?

1) Radio, as an industry, must assert itself into any dialogue now taking place on the architecture of the WiMax car radio of the future or any of the devices that precede it to ensure both ease of use and representation of as many voices as possible. 2) Radio, as an industry, needs to redirect the effort that has gone into interesting Detroit in HD Radio into selling the value of 12,000 stations with an established listener base -- not merely a less developed handful of "stations between the stations."

3) Radio is already in the business of providing news, traffic, weather, and (in the case of most Rock radio websites) adult content. If streaming audio is going to be one of multiple applications offered by an in-car or tabletop device, radio should be offering one-stop-shopping. The only thing wrong with the multi-group initiative to offer traffic through HD Radio is its apparently limited scope.

4) To that effect, more broadcasters need to stay in the business of providing other services. Broadcasters' willingness to let news, traffic and weather come through a relatively small number of pipes has given the advantage to the major groups to whom broadcasters already handed those functions on a local level.

5) Part of the job of every marketing director in radio should today become the on-line presentation and search optimization of their stream. Radio people know that Chicago's Jack-FM rocks harder and L.A.'s Jack-FM plays more '80s alternative. Nothing on the good-looking CBS Play.It tuner would yet convey that to a listener.

6) Part of the job of every program director must be honing a station into a franchise that has a reason to exist among thousands of others. Broadcasters cannot count indefinitely on the affinity that listeners currently show to their local stations, even on-line. (That said, the franchise for a station among thousands of others may indeed lie in being "New Jersey 101.5" for their market, and broadcasters who want to own that franchise must now reassert their sense-of-place among hours of jockless content and syndicated shows that may not even be available on their own stream.)

fonte: Taking Control Of The Infinite Dial, Sean Ross, Edison Media Research Junho 08

«The nation's third-largest automaker is set to announce Thursday that it's making wireless Internet an option on all its 2009 models, according to The LA Times. The offering, dubbed UConnect Web, would be the first such technology from any automaker. Chrysler is hoping that providing drivers access to the information superhighway will set it apart from competitors. Needless to say, the system will be able to stream audio.
"It's a notion of always wanting to be connected wherever you are," said Scott Slagle, Chrysler's senior manager of global marketing strategy, who has been testing the technology since last week, allowing his daughters to surf the Web from the back seat. "There's a demand for that."
Chrysler says that when the car is in motion, the service is intended to be used only by passengers. The company acknowledges, however, that there is no way to prevent a driver from steering with one hand and Web surfing with the other.  Chrysler is not the first company to offer Internet access in cars. Avis Rent A Car introduced Avis Connect in January 2007. Like UConnect Web, Avis Connect (which costs $10.95 a day) operates on the 3G network using a cellular-based signal. RBR/TVBR observation: Radio shouldn’t be quite as alarmed as satellite radio at this development, because as folks choose to spend disposable income on subscriptions for car internet vs. car satellite service, they will likely choose internet, because streaming Internet audio would be free with the package. And remember, someone listening to a streaming, terrestrial radio station a thousand miles away in their car would be credited in the online ratings and that station would benefit with online ad dollars. Another thing to note is streaming video content will be on board as well, opening up more online views for the networks and other content providers»

 «the consequences for the radio industry - both good and bad - are profound. There are at least five critical issues facing radio as a result of this unambiguous trend (and I'll consider these more thoroughly after I get a peek at the Chrysler system): First, an Internet enabled car will have an all-new user interface which may substitute for the radio. Will this interface provide one-button access to what used to be a separate radio? Or will it be installed above the radio and have nothing to do with it? (If I were designing it, it would be the former). If this new interface replaces the radio unit (while not eliminating radio reception) then automakers have essentially turned a radio into an entertainment tool where at least some of the driver's time will be spent off the radio dial (so to speak) and outside the advertising universe under the control of the radio industry. (...) Second, the fact that your station streams (and it does, doesn't it?) does not mean it will be easily accessed on these new systems. Just as low channels on Cable systems are prime positions with larger audiences, so will there be premium placement on these new Internet entertainment systems. Who, for example, is likely to strike a better deal with the Chrysler's of the world, your station, your group, or AOL Radio (and their friends at CBS), Slacker, Pandora, AccuRadio, and their kind? Third, what does it mean to be "radio" in a world where audio is fully integrated into an experience that includes video, text, interactivity, and personalization? The attraction to these services will not only be that they're supplemental to radio, but that they expand the definition of radio. And that expansion will benefit only those broadcasters and their partners smart enough to recognize that the advantage of a broadcast tower is non-existent in this context. Fourth, that tiny whimper you just heard was the final gasp of HD Radio. Time to move on to the real challenges, radio. Fifth, why do I want a satellite radio when an Internet-enabled device offers so much more?»

«According to Keefe Leung, a Chrysler engineer for this initiative, "There are no limitations in content." That's a quote that should be posted in cubicles and offices throughout our industry.  The excuses for not streaming or for offering a substandard stream are coming to a swift end.  Radio is in a great position to brand and market its streams because as mobile WiFi becomes as ubiquitous as wireless laptops, there will be no limits on access.  The best known brands in local markets - KLOS, KBCO, WRIF, WMMR, KQRS - will have a decided edge.  But only if radio realizes what's at stake and steps up. (Fred Jacobs)

Our Tech Poll clearly shows the impact that iPods are having on the driving experience.  While iPod ownership continues to soar, more than half of these consumers say they can connect these devices into their cars.  It's more proof that radio continues to fight a difficult "location war," especially in its long-time bastion - the car.

*Among iPod Owners

Sinal de que é importnate

Mas antes seria impensavel; agora já começaria a ser possivel

«Detroit Radio Advertising Group President and CEO Bill Burton came up with the fabulous motto "An Automobile Is a Radio With Four Wheels" many years ago and it is and has been the most dramatic statement of radio's out of home dominance. We mean no disrespect to Bill or his fine organization as we look ahead to changes that may be on the horizon, but an automobile could one day be the Internet with four wheels. »

«(...)Asked what kind of equipment they'd be likely use to listen to Internet radio, 83 percent of respondents said a home computer, and 43 percent said a computer at work. Thirty-eight percent said they'd use a cell phone or mobile device, while 22 percent said they'd use an Internet connection in their vehicle. (Percentages add up to more than 100 because respondents could list more than one device.)»

Radio Ink,, 9/04/08

«The car has always been an important center of media consumption. In the next vehicle they buy or purchase, the most important tech item (besides an AM/FM radio and CD player) is the ability to connect an iPod or mp3 player (34%). This desire, coupled with rapidly growing iPod ownership, has important implications for the radio industry. GPS is mentioned by nearly one-fifth (19%), followed by a DVD player and HD Radio (both with 13%), satellite radio (12%), and Sync (7%)»

«TechSurvey 2008», Jacobs Media, Março 2008

«Remember when I said internet in your car may come sooner than you think? Well guess what, Chrysler is saying it will be the first car company to provide in-car Internet access - availability will come later this year.

The third-largest U.S. automaker will have the capability added to existing vehicles by dealers beginning this year, and later will be factory-installed on the assembly line.

The Washington Post is reporting that Chrysler will use a cellular signal and a mobile phone account to give passengers access to the web.

"We want to make the radio itself a WiFi port," said Frank Klegon, Chrysler's product development chief.» (Orbicast)

Mark Ramsey: «"The radio" is a technology device which will transform according to the capabilities of technology, assuming those capabilities are consumer-based. There is no necessity that any of these capabilities will have anything whatsoever to do with your station. Instead, these capabilities will be driven by the desire of consumers to be empowered - to control their entertainment and information experience - to have more fun in more places and to solve whatever problems they face on the open road. (...)So the strategy for your station is to think beyond the radio. You are not "the radio," you are an entertainment brand which distributes across multiple channels and has (hopefully) deep relationships with clients and hundreds of thousands of listeners.»

Click here for the video that explains it all. As CNet's Brian Cooley says, BMW is "the first car company to embrace a factory-optional Internet connection." As one correspondent noted to me, imagine if BMW owners could have their own branded internet radio station with format choices. BMW rocks, Jazz on BMW, BMW plays the classics. When your brand is BMW you certainly don't need Clear Channel.»

fonte: Mark Ramsey

A partir deste caso (real ou fictício, poderá muito bem ser verdade), mais uma reflexão: o consumo de leitores de audio digital nomeadamente no carro não só diminui o consumo de rádio mas tem outra consequência indirecta: afasta os mais novos do conhecimento/familiarização da própria rádio.

Corey Deitz, The Radio Borg Assimilates New Technologies: "Resistance is Futile"24/02/08, Radio.about

«Have you heard about what Ford Motor Company and Microsoft are partnering to do?
They’ve come up with a new factory installed fully-integrated, voice activated in-car communications and entertainment system for mobile phones and digital players. It’s called SYNC.
Users can access their mobile phones or digital music player including access to genres, album, artist, title, song all by voice commands. (SYNC is fluent in English, Spanish or French).
Names and phone numbers in mobile address books are wirelessly and automatically transferred to your car.
SYNC works with iPod, Zune (of course – it’s Microsoft), Play for Sure players and USB storage devices. The system can be updated for whatever becomes the rage next because all it requires is a software adjustment.
It’s hands-free thanks to Bluetooth. Contains a USB port for command and control and for charging digital music players. There’s audible text messaging from you mobile phone. Your contact list. Advanced calling features. It gets better and better.
While cars will still have radios and, increasingly, satellite radios, the traditional radio could become a relic of generations past. (...)

But auto manufacturers are also looking to install hard drives in their cars so drivers can download their own CDs, digital tunes or whatever and that entertainment remains in the car. Even exotic cars are adding distractions from radio. The new Maserati GranTurismo doesn’t have satellite radio. It doesn’t have Bluetooth. But it does have a hard drive for drivers to transfer their own content from CDs – those wild and crazy Italians (...).

The radio industry, still best equipped to produce content, must see this opportunity as a chance to adapt to the marriage of new technology and changing sociology. Radio companies can continue to run transmitters and towers, but now they must become content providers for new media – even entertainment systems in tomorrow’s cars.

fonte: Jerry Del Colliano, Inside Music Media, 27/02/08

Success! New York to Washington DC

«(...) The marriage of automobile and radio seems so logical, one can only wonder why it took the intervention of entrepreneurs to make it happen. Happen it did; and nearly 80 years later, radio and the auto remain joined at the hip.
The seminal year was 1929. After failing twice in the storage battery business, Paul Galvin was encouraged to try to put a workable car radio into volume production, an idea that had pretty much been ignored by auto manufacturers.
(...) Choices on the listening side are changing as well, thanks to satellite radio and HD2 channels, which can deliver traffic reports and information focused on commuters and provide more options and useful data to drivers than ever imagined possible.
But no matter how high tech, the simple joy of a pleasant audio companion in the car, a pleasure that stimulated radio sales at their introduction 80 years ago, is still there.»

(fonte: «Radio Has a Special Place in the Car, RWOnline, Charles S. Fitch, 2.01.2008)

This doesn’t mean that the radio industry doesn’t have a better product today and will for a long time to come. Every car comes with a radio that is simple to use. WiFi isn’t ubiquitous and free outside of the most dense major metropolitan areas. And it isn’t clear that WiFi or any other form of bandwidth will ever really be free and ubiquitous the way the radio spectrum is. But the trendline is going in a clear direction. High bandwidth IP is going to be everywhere someday pretty soon. In that world, the radio industry’s spectrum is not the proprietary advantage that it is today.» ,fonte: «Radio in 2010 July 12, 2004 in Venture Capital and Technology

«The majority of radio listening throughout the week takes place out-of-home except in the evenings.  (...) : At-home and in-car lead in mornings, at-work dominates in middays, in-car takes over in afternoons and at-home wins again in the evenings. Between 2002 and 2006, in-car listening rose throughout each daypart and on weekends, primarily at the expense of at-work tune-in. Over those four years, in-car’s share of listening was up 2% overall, 3% in mornings, 6% in middays, 5% in afternoons and 4% in evenings, while at-work was down in each daypart at least 2% and as much as 8%. These figures reflect the reality of American workers’ gradually longer commutes and increasingly mobile lifestyles.»

fonte: Radio Today 2007, Arbitron, pag 96

«'New Cars  have iPod jacks. That will greatly impact in-car listening. No matter how few commercials a radio station run, iPods run fewer,' Cooke [Holland Cooke, news/talk specialist with McVay Media]. (...) Not an easy chore since satellite, Internet, Wifi, and iPod and their ilk are expected to make the battle for sahres in of in-car listening uncomfortably close for 2017 and beyond, experts said».

fonte: «Radio in 2017 explored», RADIO World, 5/12/07, Randy j. Stine. pag 10

«Among the different listening locations, car radio listening seems to be the last bastion against the Time Spent Listening (TSL) onslaught new media poses.  But how certain can we be that radio will maintain its in-car primacy? When asked whether they listened to radio more or less than they did 1 to 3 years ago, Respondents to Paragon Media Strategies’ Youth Radio Survey had a negative Net 3% momentum (More minus Less).  The negative trend is most pronounced at Home and Work: down a net of 9% each.  Graph 1  That makes sense given the intrusion iPods, streaming, and CDs pose in those locations. Only in the privacy of the car does radio post a net increase of 11%.  But before we break out the champaign, let’s look which mediums 14 to 24 year olds listen to most while in their cars.   Graph 2  While radio enjoys a plurality over other mediums people listen to most in their cars at 48%, CDs (27%) and the iPods (19%) compete for the primary in-car audio medium. During Paragon’s focus groups last year, we heard many respondents naturally referring to iPods as what they go to first while in their car.  This trend may accelerate with more common use of iPod car adapters.  Therefore, the advantage radio has had for people in their cars may not be as safe as once thought.  14-24 year olds think of consumer-generated new media as much as or more as they think of radio when deciding what to listen to in their cars.»

fonte: Car Radio Listening: The Last Bastion Against TSL Erosion? Paragon Media Strategies 29/11/07

«When Audi showed off the Cross Cabriolet Quattro concept car at the Los Angeles Motor Show, one of the key features was a prototype of streaming internet radio direct to the car. It's a glimpse into a future that's not too far away - a future that could come sooner than you think Prototypes are one thing, but when will such a system see the light of day? The answer is 2010, according to the Center For Automotive Research (CAR). CAR conducted supplier interviews that indicate 2010 - which is just over 2 years away - to be when customized and/or on-demand content will be streamed to vehicles»

"O consumo de rádio no carro não é tão dominante como as pessoas o percepcionam", sintetiza o vice-presidente da Coleman. É junto dos jovens que o abandono da emissão quando surgem os anúncios é maior, mas mesmo no cenário menos positivo, um volume de 80,6% deste target mantém-se, "o que é um número bem melhor do que a maioria pensaria".»

fonte: «NAB: Onde estão as audiências de rádio durante a publicidade?», 7/11/07 Meios & Publicidade,

No futuro será bem mais fácil, quando os auto-rádios derem lugar a consolas multimédia.

Mas esta solução da Ford já é prática e barata (via bluetooth e telemóvel):

(clicar duas vezes se necessário)

(via Mark Ramsey, que avisa: This process will get dramatically easier and more widespread within the next 24 months, regardless of the development of WiMax (and that's another post, coming soon).

«A nationwide poll by American Media Services finds 63% of American adults listen to the radio one or more times a day. The car also remains king — with 74% of Americans saying they turn on the radio when they get into their car. Only 11% say they listen to satellite radio. What would get people to listen to more radio? The poll says more music and fewer commercials.»

fonte: «Despite naysayers, radio remains pretty popular», Inside Radio, 20/9/07

«"Radio is going to face an increasingly broad competitive environment," says iBiquity CEO Bob Struble. "The days of radio having a monopoly position in the dashboard and at the beach are gone forever. Competition is only going to get more pronounced. It will continue and accelerate – that’s reality." points to new uses for mobile phones, broadband, WiFi and WiMax, plus ultra-mobile PCs that will blend the cell phone with the laptop.» fonte: SAXE, Frank, "Looking towards radio's long-term future", Inside Radio, NAB Radio Show, Setembro 07, pag 7

Nos EUA há quem pense que sim:

«Lawmakers in a dozen states are trying to ban drivers from using video games, computers and fax machines in cars in a new wave of driver-distraction legislation. Since January, states including Texas, New York and Arizona have considered bills that would limit the use of car electronics that go far beyond cellphones, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Most bills would require violators to pay fines ranging from $50 to $600. So far, only one of this year's proposals has been enacted — in Tennessee. States also are trying to track how much of a threat electronic gadgets such as iPods and front-seat movie screens pose to safety. Statistics are scarce because it's difficult for police to determine whether an accident was caused by a distraction in the car, but legislators say electronics clearly are grabbing drivers' attention. "I got in a cab and the cabdriver was watching the fights on a TV he had in the front seat," says New York state Sen. Carl Marcellino, whose bill to prohibit drivers' use of display-generating electronics passed unanimously in the state Senate June 21. "Cars are becoming an extension of the workplace and an extension of the home."» (fonte: «New hazard: Driving while wired», By Christina Crapanzano, USA TODAY, 05/07/07)

«"As the number of Wi-Fi hot spots grow, so too do the possibilities of where they can be placed. No longer do they have to be in fixed locations such as coffee shops or libraries; planes, trains and automobiles are turning into wireless Internet access points. New technology WiMAX is expected to further accelerate adoption...
"Autonet Mobile Inc. builds the Wi-Fi box Mr. Dyer uses and also makes them available through Avis Budget Group Inc. car rentals. Autonet wants to eventually put Wi-Fi into every car... Amtrak is looking to provide coverage to its trains. AMR Corp.'s American Airlines plans to provide its passengers with Wi-Fi access by next year...
"Seen speeding the adoption of Internet access in vehicles is wireless technology WiMAX, which is similar to Wi-Fi but with longer range. Sprint and Clearwire Corp. are partnering to build a nationwide network.
"Sprint recently held a technology summit in which partner Nokia Corp. demonstrated the applications of WiMAX in a Ford Motor Co. Mustang fitted with Nokia N800 tablets embedded in the back of the car's front-row headrests, with clips of 'Terminator 2' and 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' wirelessly streaming from a remote personal computer. While the demonstration used a Wi-Fi signal, Nokia said WiMAX would fill the gap down the line.
"'It represents how the in-vehicle experience will look in a year,' said Claudine Goldsmith, head of marketing for Nokia's U.S. automotive group. She noted that even at 70 miles an hour, the car could maintain a steady connection to the Web."»

fonte: «Those on the Go Get to Go Online», WSJ, By Roger Cheng, 04,09/07

«(...) the dream of turning cars into digital communication hubs didn't die. Now, car makers and technology suppliers are rallying to take another shot. Car makers and inventors have been trying to develop a safe way for drivers to manage their digital clutter and connectivity angst while on the road. Ford Motor Co., for example, hopes to generate some buzz with a system called "Sync," developed in collaboration with Microsoft and rolling out this fall on about a dozen Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models. Ford's effort to develop a new kind of onboard entertainment system grew out of the frustration of a small group of Ford engineers with the auto industry's tendency to lag behind personal electronics trends, says Gary Jablonski, manager of infotainment system engineering for Ford in Dearborn, Mich. "Customers want the same stuff in their cars that they see in Best Buy," Mr. Jablonski says. "We are generally a year behind." Their idea: Develop a system, using a variant of Microsoft's Windows CE software, that can link to various digital devices using either Bluetooth wireless technology or a USB port. Then, no matter what kind of device is involved, the system can operate it using a voice-recognition system or the buttons, knobs or touch screens provided for the car's basic audio system. If I had a Sync equipped car, my morning drive might go like this: I would plug the iPod into a USB port in the storage bin under the center armrest, and pair my BlackBerry with the car's audio system using Bluetooth (that is, if my phone has the right kind of Bluetooth.) To get the iPod to play, I could tell the system, "play genre jazz" and the iPod would start playing tunes in that category. (...) The marketing research firm J.D. Power and Associates earlier this month released an outline of its latest survey of consumer interest in new automotive technology, which offers some encouragement and some caution for products such as Sync. The good news is that half of the consumers polled for Power's 2007 emerging technologies study said they'd be interested in paying as much as $100 to get a USB interface in their next car. Asked if they'd pay $150 to get an iPod interface, about 43% of the respondents said yes. (...)»

fonte: «Eyes on the road», WSJ, JOSEPH B. WHITE, 27/08/07

«Welcome to the new generation of corporate radio, coming to you live from an auto dealership near you. Car manufacturers are racing to establish Internet radio stations and online playlisting tools as part of a new marketing strategy aimed at hip, tech-savvy young adults. The latest, and so far the biggest, effort comes from Toyota's Scion division, which in July added 17 Internet radio channels to its experimental Scion Broadband microsite. Each channel features three hours of music that is looped 24/7 and updated monthly. The company tapped Live365 for the Internet radio technology, and 15 DJs from such partners as Vice Records and Ninja Tune Records for programming. (...) If Scion's online experiment proves successful, it's likely that more consumer brands of all stripes, and not just automakers, will launch their own online entertainment sites. As yet, though, the jury's out. While the main Scion Web site averages around 750,000 hits per month, the Broadband microsite averages merely 10,000. But that's with almost no marketing to date. With the addition of the Internet radio element, the company plans to begin advertising the service in hopes of seeing traffic increase.»

fonte: «Auto manufacturers enter Internet radio race», Antony Bruno, Reuters, Aug 19, 2007

O site da Toyota: http://www.scion.com/broadband/

«The entire auto industry is getting ready for something called ITS-Intelligent Transportation Systems. This is the convergence of the highways with the Net. My car already has voice recognition for the phone system ("call home") and can log on to the Net. Some cars already have global positioning systems which tell you which turn to take. Toll booths scan your information and ensure collection of tolls at 70 milles per hour. And most N-Geners will travel in vehicles which sense the road, traffic, and other conditions, and drive themselves. This is not science fiction - it is already in prototyping and development» (Tapscott, 1997: 25) 

«Despite popular wisdom, in-car media use still heavily favors traditional radio with 93% of the sample indicating they use it on a regular basis followed closely by Cell phones and CD players. See chart below for device trending over time.

Despite popular wisdom, in-car media use still heavily favors traditional radio with three-quarters of the sample indicating that it is their preferred device in that environment. The next-closest device, the cell-phone continues to see a rise in preference with nearly 25% of the sample stating such. MP3 players continue to gain as well.

(Sample size: 5102 persons 12+ Survey dates: 02/15/2007 - 04/10/2007; Markets included: Los Angeles, Portland OR, Dallas, Phoenix, New York, Boston, Washington DC, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Denver; Methodology: Random digit phone dialing, mall intercepts; Population estimates courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau)

fonte : «Digital Media Growth Projections - Updated 04/25/2007», Bridge Ratings

Etiquetas: telemóveis, mp3

According to the latest study by Arbitron and Edison Media Research, The Infinite Dial 2007: Radio’s Digital Platforms:

«iPod/Portable MP3 player usage has the greatest impact on over-the-air radio listening at home. Among those who report spending less time listening to over-the-air radio due to time spent with their iPod/portable MP3 player, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) report less radio listening specifically at home; nearly half are listening less in the car (49 percent). (pág. 17)

«(...)entre 1997 e 2006 o consumo de rádio em casa decaiu cerca de 39%, enquanto que a escuta de rádio no carro subiu, no mesmo período, 65%. O automóvel é desde 2005 o local onde mais Portugueses ouvem rádio. Ou seja, a primeira evidência é a de que a Rádio tem deixado progressivamente o lar e passado para o automóvel. (...) Atendendo a que o carro é o local onde mais indivíduos ouvem rádio hoje em dia, é particularmente relevante que o tempo médio se tenha mantido próximo das 2h diárias ao longo destes 10 anos abordados. Por outro lado, o local de trabalho apresenta uma tendência de subida, reforçando valores já elevados, enquanto que em casa a ligeira descida verificada é bem menos significativa do que outros aspectos, nomeadamente o peso deste local no total da escuta de rádio, já abordado atrás»

fonte. Marktest, «Os Portugueses estão a mudar os seus hábitos de audiência de Rádio», 27/03/07

(em vez de um modulador/adaptador de FM, que se liga ao LAD, este telemóvel já emite FM para o receptor do carro - ou de casa:

Etiquetas: telemóveis

«U.S. radio’s ratings weakness continues, with fall numbers down 1.3%. Commenting recently on the latest Arbitron ratings, JP Morgan analysts John Blackledge and Aaron Chew noted that radio’s “average quarter hour persons 25–54” has dropped in 25 of the past 29 books and was up only once in six years. Reviewing fall numbers, they said in-car ratings in this demographic were flat; and with increasing use of mobile technologies and penetration of satellite radio and MP3 devices, “in-car ratings will face greater challenges going forward.”

In the Fall 2006 ratings book, AQH P25-54 ratings at home declined about 4%, while ratings at work were flat, the analysts said. Those ratings at home and at work have declined 2.8% and 2.6%, respectively, annually since 1998 “due to more media choices available for listeners at home and at work.” But Internet radio’s unique visitors are up about 22% year over year, and terrestrial radio operators represented about 37% of unique visitors among key Internet radio operators, up from a 26.3% share a year earlier. The analysts think terrestrial radio’s online investments are “starting to take hold” and said increases in unique visitors over the past year are well above the growth of non-broadcast Internet radio operators. “With the addition of rich content and Web streaming functionality to their Web sites, the operators are attracting more users, driving advertising revenue.” »

fonte: «Radio's Ratings Continue to Fall, While Online Visits Bubble, Radio World, 16/03/07

«(...)

Major hurdles still exist. For instance, despite the industry's huge technological advances, it is still essentially music played through a computer. While companies like AOL, Yahoo and others have been successful at targeting the so-called at-work audience, the industry has yet to encroach on the radio's traditional sweet spot: the car. If mass wireless Internet access emerges in major cities across the country, it could be a watershed moment for the industry. Portable Internet radio would be available via everything from cellphones to dashboards, attracting more advertisers. As it stands, the advertising industry for Web radio is estimated to be roughly $500-million (U.S.) for North America, but at least 80 per cent of that comes from ads on websites of AM and FM stations. Commercial revenue from music streaming makes up less than one-fifth of that amount. The biggest hurdle of all could be the looming battle over royalties. "The end-game is that unless the royalties change, webcasting is pretty much done in the U.S. Kaput," Mr. Cuban said. "That's a shame because streaming music to the office is a better opportunity than video. People can -- and will -- listen to music at work." (...) The music industry may be forced to develop a global system of compensation, Mr. Kennedy said. "I think in 10 years, Pandora will be listened to in the car, while you're jogging . . . and wherever else people listen to music," he said. "And that will be following the growth of wireless broadband to ubiquitous form."»

fonte: «Everyone's on the same wavelength now», GRANT ROBERTSON, 10/03/07, Globe and Mail Update

Etiquetas: PAndora

«LG Electronics and Sprint have just released a new phone, the Fusic, that not only streams channels from Music Choice (if you pay the freight) and downloads music (like many other phones do), but it is the first phone to include an iPod-style FM transmitter. To make that clear, it doesn't mean you can listen to radio on your phone, it means you can listen to whatever you stream on your phone on your radio. This will unquestionably be the first of many mobile devices that mask whatever's on the radio in favor of whatever's on the phone. And in case you're thinking "yes, but folks have to buy a Music Choice subscription," remember that in the world of mobile phones consumers are very accustomed to paying for useful supplemental services. And the ability to broadcast your own personal station to the radio in your car just increased the value of the Music Choice service. That said, I am certain consumers are much more likely to broadcast their own mp3's than the content of any third party streaming service. But still, anything that replaces what's on the radio is a radio substitute - especially if you use a radio to hear it. Ironically, this phone just increased the value of the good old-fashioned car radio. As long as you can play what you want on it.» (MarK Ramsey diz que estes aparelhos valorizam o velho rádio do carro mas não para ouvir a rádio...)

fonte: Hear2.0, «What happens when cell phones can hijack your radio?», 11/03/07

Isto abaixo significa que ouvimos rádio 6 horas no trabalho, duas horas e 19m em casa e menos duas horas no carro?

Isto não é contarditório com o que a Marktest disse a semana passada («A observação transversal dos vários períodos, mostra que a casa enquanto local de escuta tem uma curva notoriamente descencente em qualquer momento do dia e, por contraposição, o carro tem uma curva notoriamente ascendente mesmo fora dos períodos normais de deslocação. Ainda segundo este estudo, a perda de escuta em casa é claramente compensada quer pela transferência para o automóvel, quer pela tendência crescente da escuta no local de trabalho»)?

«Detalhando um pouco a abordagem, vejamos agora como se processa a evolução do tempo médio diário de audiência por local de escuta:

fonte: Portugueses ouvem cada vez mais rádio no carro 07-03-2007 13:40:24

O texto da marktest

«(...)says Automotive Analyst, Clare Hughes. “According to our consumer research, US car buyers listen to radio nearly 60 percent of their audio entertainment time. There are around 160 million consumer vehicles on the road in the US, but only 14 Million satellite radio subscribers in total.”»

fonte: «STRATEGY ANALYTICS: XM Sirius Merger Boosts Automotive Radio Adoption», 1/03/07

Out of sheer boredom I started looking at my instrument panel, and lo and behold, there’s a radio! I never noticed it before. Both FM AND AM! I bet I paid extra for that. I remember something called talk radio, so I dialed in to the top station on the AM dial (I mean touchscreen pushbutton thingy, not dial) and started happily listening to newsradio. But I must have done something wrong because the sound quality was really bad and I swear they kept repeating the same news stories over and over.»

fonte: «Who needs the radio?»

Etiquetas: audiolivros

«A Ford uniu forças com a Microsoft, líder do setor de informática, para desenvolver o "Sync", sistema para conectar aos carros diversos aparelhos eletrônicos. "Nós precisamos inserir o carro dentro dessa equação, mas de um jeito simples e seguro", disse Gates, via satélite. O "Sync", que inclui tecnologia sem fio Bluetooth, é desenhado para permitir comunicação telefônica móvel sem uso das mãos e transferência de informações sem fio dentro do carro, incluindo e-mail e download de músicas. (...) Mark Fields, presidente da Ford para o continente americano, revelou que a tecnologia "Sync" estará com certeza disponível em carros ainda este ano. "O potencial do mercado (para o "Sync") é incrível", afirmou Fields.»

«Mark Fields, presidente da Ford para as Americas, anunciou que a tecnologia estará disponível ainda este ano em 12 veículos da empresa, incluindo modelos mais baratos, como o Focus. "O potencial do mercado é absolutamente enorme, antecipou Fields. Inicialmente, o Sync estará disponível em inglês, espanhol e francês. O motorista poderá telefonar para seus contatos apenas ditanto seus nomes, ou dizer o nome de uma música para ouví-la. O sistema será compatível com os tocadores Zune, da própria Microsoft, e iPod, da Apple. A tecnologia terá a capacidade de ler, em voz alta, mensagens de texto recebidas no telefone celular, incluindo a "tradução" de expressões comuns em SMS. "O Sync ajudará a revolucionar a experiência do motorista ao prover um sistema simples que conecta, de forma inteligente, telefones celulares, tocadores de música e outros aparelhos", declarou Gates.»

Etiquetas: Sync, Ford, Microsoft

«[Banc of America securities analyst Jonathan] Jacoby found that “many new devices/systems are making it easier to use your cell phone and MP3 player while you drive. Several products on display integrate the iPod and cell phone into the car. Our negative outlook for terrestrial radio are based largely on our view that radio’s in-car listening base will be eroded by compelling alternatives. Ford and Microsoft have developed a hands-free wireless system called Sync that enables any USB media player to connect and play through the car stereo and be controlled by voice commands. We note that Sync includes a feature that allows you to play music similar to a selected track based on your mood. More advanced music identification technology is making it easier to build/rearrange playlists – responding to the oft-cited criticism of the iPod era that playlists are static and become stale.”

Este analista acha, contudo, que «On the plus side for terrestrial radio, the supply of HD Radio units seems to be building(...) Many units are now available for less than $200, a price barrier considered critical in driving consumer adoption.”

fonte: «Jacoby From Vegas With Good News/Bad News For Terrestrial Radio», Radio Ink, 11/01/07

Etiquetas: musica, playlists, Sync

«Along with traditional forms of audio, such as terrestrial analog radio and CD playback, today's automakers are incorporating satellite radio, digital terrestrial radio (otherwise known as HD radio in the US), and portable MP3 player support into newer vehicles, as either factory-installed or aftermarket options.
 As the automobile market matures, automakers are seeking ways to differentiate themselves from the competition. The large installed base of portable media players represents an opportunity for automakers to build in-dash connectivity. Other forms of in-vehicle entertainment, such as satellite radio and multichannel audio, will also be compelling features to offer.
 Automotive manufacturers, portable media player manufacturers, and suppliers to each of these industries will benefit from this report because it seeks to understand the different types of digital audio found in today's cars.»

fonte: «Digital Audio in the Automobile», Outubro 2006, In-Stat

«Currently at hdradio.com, there are just over 600 stations currently listed. Although they are all FM stations at this point, I was assured that this would work for AM as well, which would make listening to sports on the radio (which are usually broadcast on an AM station) much more dynamic to listen to. And yes, after going to hddice.com (they make HD Radio for cars) and checking out the listings there for my state, there were indeed AM radio stations on their list. Of the remaining 12,500 or so radio stations in the US, 3000 are committed to converting to HD Radio, so if the stations where you are haven't converted yet, there's a good chance they will soon. So is it worth it? Well, if you're buying a BMW, Mini Cooper,  Toyota, Lexus, or Scion, you can just get one from Dice Electronics installed from the factory (the major American car makers haven't hopped on board just yet). And the Dice models also come with an iPod interface, so you can have AM, FM, HD, and your own personal music collection all available through a single in-dash unit. The average home unit appears to be running around $300 right now.»

fonte: «The Next Gen In Radio», AUdrey's blog, 7/01/07

Etiquetas: AM, HD, iPod

«As expected, XM will be displaying their pimped-out show vehicle at CES 2007, that will be packed to the gills with current and concept systems from XM's arsenal. This year the concept vehicle is called the XM "Infotainment" Vehicle, which is only a slight improvement to last year's super-sexy XM Advanced Services Vehicle namesake. Forgetting the name though, it's the vehicle that is drool inducing. The "Infotainment" vehicle will of course be packed with XM's new personal weather tracking system, which is just an incredible innovation. The vehicle will also showcase a variety of information and entertainment services (get it?) that XM has the ability to deliver to the automobile. And yes, for yet another year, we will be graced with yet another glimpse at the in-car video system developed by XM and On2 Technologies that can receive both video and audio from XM's current infrastructure. But beyond video, thankfully, the XM show vehicle is expected to be packed with other technological goodies. Goodies like XM's conversational voice-recognition software developed in conjunction with VoiceBox Technologies (view video here). The voice-command technology will not only include controls for the radio, but also for weather, traffic, stock quotes, and sports scores. Also as part of the "Infotainment" vehicle will be the XM ParkingLink, a parking-spot locater integrated into your GPS navigation system. XM ParkingLink will hopefully be offered to the general public in the second half of this year. The XM "infotainment" vehicle will be on display at the XM booth (CES Booth #4606) in the Las Vegas Convention Center's North Hall. Can't wait to see it.»

fonte: Orbicast, «CES 2007 Preview: XM's "Infotainment" Vehicle», 3/01/07

Etiquetas: satélite, XM

«Car audio systems are almost ubiquitous in Europe. So vehicle suppliers and manufacturers are looking to digital radio, satellite radio, Bluetooth and other alternatives as revenue generators. That’s the conclusion of consulting company Frost and Sullivan, which said car systems are close to becoming a “standard, saturated product offering.” The company said OEMs must “strike the right balance between offering sophisticated features while ensuring cost-effectiveness.” It said the car audio systems market in Europe pulled in 1.49 billion Euros in 2005 and will reach 2.37 billion by 2014 thanks in large part to “explosive” growth of MP3 head units. “Consumers increasingly want to use the MP3s they burn at home inside their cars,” stated a company official in the announcement. “MP3s are also available, physically separate from the CD, from many other sources. These factors are driving the demand for OE audio systems to offer MP3 playback capabilities — a trend that is promoting future market growth.” He said carmakers are challenged because the typical time for construction of a vehicle is three to five years, while the typical lifetime for a consumer electronics standard is about a year and a half.»

fonte: RWOnline, «Digital Media Will Push Growth in a Stagnant Euro Car Audio Market», 28/12/06 

Etiquetas: mp3

Aperta-se o cerco - de consequências imprevisiveis nesta altura - aos moduladores de FM que usam o sistema wireless para retransmitir leitores digitais de áudio:

«The Consumer Electronics Association is encouraging members to comply with FCC regulations concerning FM modulators. RW Online has reported that NPR is watching to see the impact of efforts by satellite radio companies, receiver manufacturers and the FCC after the holidays as consumers purchase new products. The commission began an informal inquiry into wireless modulators to confirm compliance with its regulations. NPR and NAB had submitted engineering studies showing that some FM modulated products were emitting too much power and interfering with some terrestrial FM stations. CEA has been in contact with the FCC on the issue; and XM and Sirius had some of their products re-tested, re-certified and approved for sale. In its daily newsletter CEA Smartbrief, the trade group encourages members that manufacture FM modulators to “ensure that they are compliant with FCC regulations, and to ensure that the devices are compliant with the products’ original FCC certifications.”»

fonte: RWOnline, «CEA Encourages Members to Comply on FM Modulators», 28/12/06

Etiquetas: LAD, moduladores, FM

« Ford says it will be the first major auto maker in Canada to include satellite radio as standard equipment on its new vehicles. The company announced yesterday it will install Sirius Satellite Radio receivers in almost all Ford and Lincoln cars and trucks by the end of next year. The radios will come with a six-month trial subscription to Sirius's 110 channels, which regularly costs $15 a month. DaimlerChrysler offers Sirius radios as a factory-installed option or standard feature in most of its new vehicles. General Motors offers XM radios from Sirius's rival, Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., as an option or a standard feature.»

fonte: «Ford will make satellite radio standard feature», 19/12/06, The Star

Etiquetas: satélite

Os adaptadores dos leitores de audio digital que utilizam o FM para se ouvirem nos carros estão em causa por uma denuncia da NPR que os acusa de prejudicar as suas emissões:

«The drama surrounding short-range, device-based FM transmitters is entering a new chapter, thanks to a recent complaint from National Public Radio. Bigger, commercialized radio stations are often higher on the dial, while public radio stations usually grab lower frequencies. That is the same range tapped by device-based transmitters, which broadcast across lower, unused frequencies. The technology is found within satellite radio receivers and other devices, and companies like Griffin Technology manufacture iPod add-ons that accomplish the same task. Now, the question is whether the transmitters are interfering with NPR broadcasts, and if so, what should be done about it. The public radio consortium has argued that a problem exists, and recently urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to re-examine the matter. Earlier, the FCC subjected both XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio to a rigorous compliance process, resulting in numerous manufacturing holdups. According to National Public Radio chief executive Ken Stern, that process has not solved the issue of over-powered transmissions, and an "unchecked, growing problem" remains. Meanwhile, users of the technology can easily become frustrated by heavy interference, especially in more crowded urban areas.»

fonte: Digital Music News, «NPR Rattles Over Device-Based FM Transmitters», 7/12/06

Etiquetas: Moduladores, iPod, LAD

Longe vão os tempos em que só havia o rádio e o leitor de cassetes...

«Vehicle dashboards are becoming increasingly sophisticated and entertainment-focused. Music fans began amassing digital music collections long ago, and now automobile manufacturers are warming to the trend. The latest example comes from Chrysler, which is stuffing music options into its upcoming 2008 Sebring Convertible. The car, which enters production during the first quarter of 2007, will roll with a 20GB hard drive, a music jukebox interface, and a USB port for transferring assets like MP3s and JPEGs. An immense selection of in-dash digital songs raises some safety concerns, though drivers are already dancing dangerously with toys like mobile phones, iPods, DVD players, and even navigation systems. Organizing the chaos in the Sebring will be Gracenote, which offers song identification and categorization by composer, artist and title. Chrysler also pointed to playlist-creation capabilities, and extras like Sirius Satellite Radio. Meanwhile, the jukebox is displayed on a 6.5-inch screen, which can also play movies and video clips. Other aspects include voice memo recording capabilities, and Bluetooth support.»

Etiquetas: convergência

«70% of 2007's U.S. car models will have built-in iPod connectors»

«the biggest challenge for all of the satellite broadcasters is only now emerging: Apple Computer’s iPod appears to be disrupting the broadcast business. Back when satellite radio systems were, literally, on the launching pad, the iPod did not exist and the main competition was conventional commercial-cluttered radio.

Now more than 67 million iPods have been sold and Apple has generated more than US$1.5-billion in revenue from downloaded songs. Analysts expect Apple to sell between 16-20 million more iPods in the current quarter alone, dwarfing the total satellite audience of 12 million, built up over the past five years.

Another important indicator is Apple’s new lineup of friends: Some 70% of next year’s U.S. car models will have built-in iPod connectors. And earlier this month, six major airlines announced they too would install iPod connectors and chargers at every passenger seat.

Conventional radio broadcasters, already in decline for several years, are showing signs of further weakness attributed to the iPod, with young U.S. adult audiences down 13-15% since 1999 according to Arbitron. Some stations are closing, some are being sold and some are changing their tune to mimic the "iPod shuffle" by playing a more random selection of music of different genres.

Given their high debt, high capital expenses and lack of profitability, satellite broadcasters would seem to be in an especially risky spot. A string of satellite industry bankruptcies including Iridium, ICO Global Communications, Motient and Telesat Mobile following a boom in the 1990s highlights the risk.»

fonte: «Urlocker: How Satellite Radio Can Survive the Age of the iPod», Michael Urlocker, Financial Post, Published: Sunday, November 26, 2006

Etiquetas: iPod, satélite

A partir do proximo mês já será legal na GB usar adaptadores de FM no carro para ligar os LAD (iPod e outros).

«Ofcom today announced that the use of certain low power FM transmitters, which wirelessly connect MP3 players and other personal audio devices to radios and in-car entertainment systems, will be legal for use in the UK from 8 December 2006.

Equipment previously available carries a high risk of interference to other broadcast services. However, in response to consumer demand Ofcom has led negotiations in Europe to develop a harmonised technical approach designed to limit the potential of interference to other wireless devices.»

fonte: «Change to the law to allow the use of low power FM transmitters for MP3 players», Ofcom, 23/11/06

Etiquetas: iPod, GB, lowpowerFMtransmitters

"The WCBS Video Cellmate is an exciting addition to our traffic reports, which are the most comprehensive in the Tri-State," said WCBS PD Crys Quimby. "Seeing your route live on your cell phone is a natural extension to logging on to WCBS880.com for traffic updates before you hit the road and listening to WCBS traffic reports on the radio when you get in your car."»

fonte: FMQB, WCBS-AM Launches Traffic Camera Access On Cell Phones, 20/11/06

Etiquetas: telemóveis, trânsito

«Listening to the radio is fine when driving near your home, but if your trip is longer than half an hour, you're going to lose reception. You need digital audio in your car. (...) You'll need a way to connect your digital audio to your car stereo:»

Eis algumas hipoteses aqui

Mais uma ameaça?

«Auto manufacturers are notoriously slow when it comes to implementing new OEM equipment, so this information comes to me as a surprise (and requires a grain of salt). According to WKJeeps.com, the 2008 model year of Jeep vehicles will include Sirius Satellite Streaming Video as a feature/option.

Models to include Sirius Satellite Streaming Video are the Jeep Grand Cherokee (including Laredo, Limited, Overland and SRT8 trim packages), the Jeep Commander (Sport, Limited, and Overland trim packages) and the Jeep Liberty (spy photo pictured).

Remember that Mel Karmazin stated that Sirius Video is "well under way" and will be available later this year. More info on this as it comes in»

fonte: 2008 Jeeps to feature Sirius Satellite Video? Orbicast, 22/8/06

Etiquetas: video, Sirius

«(...) the car has become a battle zone.  An astonishing number of cars roll off the lines today with built-in DVD systems to keep the kids occupied in the back seat. The GPS systems are rapidly moving from novelty to standard equipment, and all of them plan to replace the 'old-fashioned' radio traffic report.  And car companies are jumping over themselves to make integration with the iPod easier, through Bluetooth or other solutions. Can radio successfully compete in this environment? Of course. It will still be the leader for a long time to come...but today's radio companies must start to see themselves as being in the 'in-car' entertainment and information' biz, not just the AM/FM biz.»

fonte: «Car Trouble», The Infinite Dial, Larry Rosin, 12/10/06

Etiquetas: carro, GPS, trânsito

Finalmente um receptor HD para o carro:

«Visteon launched its new transportable HD Radio receiver at the Specialty Equipment Markets Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. This unit, HD Jump, delivers premium new HD2 multicast channels both in the car, as well as in the home. The receiver docks into a cradle in the vehicle. An optional home kit allows the receiver to also be used with a home stereo. The unit offers the full spectrum of HD Radio features, including program associated data, such as real-time song title, artist and album information, as well as multicasting»

Mais pormenores do HD Jump: «This transportable unit, HD Jump™, delivers premium new HD2 multicast channels and crystal-clear sound, both in the car, as well as in the home»

Etiquetas: HD, carro

Putting PCs on wheels are:

• Ford Motor. F-Series pickups can now be equipped with FordLink, which went on sale last month, as a $2,999 option. The PC is aimed at contractors who want to order building materials or send e-mail from the cab. A rugged PC fits into a cradle in front of the dash. The PC, which runs Microsoft's XP software, can play Internet radio and MP3 music files.

• KVH Industries. The TracNet 100 system, introduced in September, displays Web pages on a vehicle's navigation and video screens and creates a wireless connection in the car. The cost is about $2,000 for the hardware and $79 monthly for the connection. Web access in vehicles "is going to be as common as cellphones," predicts Ian Palmer, executive vice president of KVH.

• Microsoft and Azentek. The software giant, working with hardware maker Azentek, will offer consumers a choice of two small PCs next year. One is a small portable, a little bigger than a Cracker Jack box, that can be carried around and temporarily popped into the dash where the stereo is located. The other, a more powerful model, is installed in the dash. Prices for both will be upward of $2,000.

Drivers will need to exercise safety. They won't be allowed to view their e-mail and other distracting functions unless the car is stopped. But that problem is being solved as voice-command systems become more widespread. For instance, Canadian firm Intelligent Mechatronic Systems next year will offer its iLane cradle for personal digital assistants. The cradle uses a synthesized voice to read arriving e-mail, calendar reminders and text messages.»

fonte: USA Today, «Web Acess for autos goes on the road», 31/10/06, Chris Woodyard

A resposta é dada neste estudo de 2003 http://www.arbitron.com/downloads/UK_Incar_Study.pdf

GB: Rádio FM/AM 69%; (Leitor de CD 16%; telemóvel 8% e outros 7%)

EUA: Rádio FM/AM 67%; (Leitor de CD 18%, Leitor de cassetes 8%, Outros 7% e telemóvel 1%)

A propósito do estudo http://www.arbitron.com/downloads/UK_Incar_Study.pdf algumas notas:

-Enquanto nos Estados Unidos os respondentes dizem que as crianças que viajam no carro decidem o que se ouve na rádio 21%, na GB esse valor chega aos 34% (o que significa que os adultos vale nesse processo de decisão menos de 50%)

(ou seja, as crianças não querem ouvir o que os adultos ouvem)

E o mesmo estudo mostra que a rádio este menos dominadora entre os jovens:

(tempo dispendido a ouvir rádio no carro, GB e EUA)

12-17 (61% e 67%)

18-24 (59% e 55%)

25-34 (58% e 70%)

35-44 (71% e 83%)

45-54 (80% e 84%)

55-64 (71% e 84%)

+65 (61% e 71%)

Poderia pensar-se em valores mais altos, mas ainda assim o carro é em Portugal o local onde se ouve mais rádio, de acordo com os valores divulgados pela Marktest e relativos ao Bareme Rádio 2005.

«2 441 mil residentes com 15 e mais anos que costumam ouvir rádio no carro (referência: ouviram na véspera), um número que representa 29.4% do universo em análise». A um ponto percentual vem a casa como segundo local onde se ouve mais rádio e a grande distancia (cerca de 10 por cento) o local de trabalho.

O perfil das estações remete para diferentes universos: umas são mais ouvidas no carro, outras – em que predominam não activos ou os estudantes – em casa: «É o caso da RFM, Rádio Comercial, TSF/Press, Antena 3, RCP - Rádio Clube Português, Mega FM e Best Rock FM. Todas estas estações registam audiência acumulada de véspera superior quando analisado o carro como local de audição. Já a Rádio Renascença, Antena 1, Cidade FM, Antena 2 e o conjunto de Outras estações apresentam mais audiência acumulada de véspera quando analisada a casa como local de audição»

Fonte: «2,4 milhões ouvem rádio no carro», Marktest, 12/10/06

De acordo com este estudo de 2003 http://www.arbitron.com/downloads/UK_Incar_Study.pdf

os números portugueses comparam-se com os 24% franceses, 15% alemães, 13% holandeses, 18% da GB e os 33% dos EUA (percentagem da audiência total feita no carro)

entre estes dois estudos:

- Shifting Gears: The In-Car Study», sobre o Reino Unido (julho/Agosto 2003) e

- The National In-Car Study, sobre os EUA (Julho 2003)

Tempo de escuta de rádio no carro 33% nos EUA (passam mais tempo no carro), 18% GB

- dispositivo tecnológico usado no carro: rádio com 86% (EUA) e 96% (GB).

- distribuição etária: quanto mais jovens menos tempo passam/ouvem no carro (no estudo, população com mais de 12 anos)

- a mudança de pré-selecção não é muito frequente (comportamento constante dos consumidores)

- A audição no carro aumentou de 30% na primavera de 1999 para 34% no mesmo período de 2003

«Listening is roughly split between in-home (54%) and out-of-home (46%).» (fonte: Follow the Media, , Michael Hedges March 8, 2005) a partir do Observatoire de la radio 2004-2005 (http://www.ipfrance.fr/doc/112276.pdf#search=%22observatoire%20de%20la%20radio%20%22):

casa: 54%

carro: 26%

trabalho: 16 %

outros 4 %

... feita por Mark Ramsey

«(...) First, the 2006 Volvo. Nice, solid car. But what's up the the audio technology? No satellite radio options, no iPod hookup, no navigation screen. Frankly, I could have bought this car in 2002 and had the same audio options as they offer now.

Meanwhile, the saleswoman kept jibber-jabbering to me about safety. One feature after another that essentially added up to "if the car rolls over, you won't die."

Then I drove the Prius. Top-of-the-line version. Fancy navigation screen. Plug for the iPod. Whichever satellite radio provider you want, all operated from the nav screen. Bluetooth for hands-free mobile phone. Impressive. Especially in comparison. No chat about safety - but frankly I've never seen a Prius with a massive dent in the side (...)»

fonte: http://www.hear2.com/2006/09/a_tale_of_two_c.html

A Clear Channel assinou um acordo com a BMW: vários modelos de topo a sair no próximo ano já trarão - sem custos acrescidos - informação na hora de transito (em 44 cidades):

«Clear Channel Radio said Thursday it will provide data from its Total Traffic Network to the navigation systems for most 2007 BMW vehicles--including the X5, M5, M6 models and the 3, 5, and 6 Series lines. The service, which is set to kick in for new BMW buyers later this month, offers real-time traffic information for 44 cities in the United States. The service will be included in the cost of the navigation system, so there will be no monthly fees. This is Clear Channel's first partnership with an auto manufacturer, but the radio giant's Total Traffic Network has been paired with other services, among them WeatherBug and Microsoft's MapPoint.»

fonte: «Clear Channel to offer traffic updates to BMWs» CNet News.com, 8/9/06

Já não é a primeira que escrevo sobre a importância dos novos receptores de rádio (HD ou satélite) aparecerem como equipamento-base nos novos modelos de carros. Uma coisa é serem opção, outra é instalados de origem. Por isso esta é uma boa notícia:

«XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading provider of satellite radio with more than 7 million subscribers, today announced that Acura will expand the availability of factory-installed XM radios throughout its entire 2007 model year line, making XM standard equipment on all Acura models. In addition, Acura will now offer XM NavTraffic, the nation's first satellite-based real- time traffic information service, as part of the AcuraLink(TM) system available for an expanded line of four of its top-selling models including the 2007 Acura RL and TL luxury performance sedans as well as the all-new MDX and RDX luxury SUVs.

Acura was the first automotive brand to offer XM NavTraffic when it was introduced in the 2005 Acura RL. Now available in 44 major markets, award- winning XM NavTraffic delivers real-time traffic information by satellite to in-car navigation systems, giving consumers access to relevant traffic information to help avoid congestion while saving both time and the fuel often wasted by sitting in traffic.

"We're proud to be Acura's exclusive satellite radio and traffic service partner," said Steve Cook, executive vice president, Automotive, XM Satellite Radio. "Acura buyers embrace and expect class-leading, in-car technology and entertainment, and XM has the best combination of services to meet their high standards."

fonte: «XM Satellite Radio Now Standard Equipment in All 2007 Acura Models», Yahho Finance, Wednesday September 13, 8:00 am ET

«Clear Channel Radio snagged an automaker for its Total Traffic Network. The broadcaster signed a multi-year agreement with BMW to provide traffic data as part of standard navigation systems offered on some 2007 BMW models, including the X5, M5, M6 and the 3, 5 and 6 Series models. The feature becomes available on BMWs in the middle of this month. Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network serves 125 markets in three countries, including the U.S., Mexico and New Zealand. It delivers traffic data via in-car or portable navigation systems, broadcast media, wireless and Internet-based services.»

fonte: «BMW to Offer Clear Channel Traffic as Standard on Some ’07 Vehicles», RWOnline, 7/9/06

«iBiquity director of broadcast marketing Don Kelly reported that there will be an HD Radio car converter on the market by Thanksgiving for standard analog radios. Though not digital, he said the converters will also be available for home radios. He also said there will be a transportable unit with a car kit on the market by later this summer»

fonte: HD Radio Update From Conclave, BRMonitor, July 14, 2006, By Mike Boyle

comentário: «So in other words, we have a product called "HD Radio" where the very name of the product implies superior audio quality. And yet we sell an adapter that is designed to broadcast that digital radio on the analog radios in every car - to subtract the "HD" from HD Radio (and before you draw an analogy to satellite radio, the term "satellite" does not imply "high definition" the way "HD" does). While it is not wrong that all these channels should be available on conventional radios, it does yet again raise the spectre of a central marketing and communication issue: "HD Radio" is a bad and confusing label that promises something the audience does not want and does not even understand. Forgive me for asking this question so bluntly, but is there anyone in the HD radio daisy chain of decision-makers who is thinking through a product strategy, a consumer strategy, or a marketing strategy? Or is it just "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead"?» (http://www.hear2.com/2006/07/hd_radio_dumps_.html)

As novas tecnologias digitais estão a fazer com que a relação homem-auto-rádio, uma relação com quarenta anos e sem traições (os CD foram apenas pequenas aventuras...*), esteja ameaçada.

Há cada vez mais formas de disputar a atenção que, até agora, era dada apenas e só ao auto-rádio.

O telemóvel começou por ameaçar, mas enquanto foi apenas para fazer chamadas significou apenas uma ocupação do tempo - ou seja, para questões ludicas ou informativas, o autoradio não tinha concorrencia. Mas o telemovel já tem musica (em downloads ou via internet) e a musica já chega por outros meios que não o rádio ou o CD (por exemplo, atraves de leitores digitais de audio). E sem publicidade.

Ou seja, a disputa pela atenção (tempo disponível) no interior do carro é feita de duas formas: pelo aparecimento de novas situações que nos prendem (como o GPS ou as conversas ao telemóvel), pela concorrencia na parte informativa/lúdica (aqui não é posisvel ignorar os leitores de DVD ou os ecrãs de televisão, no painel frontal

A rádio saberá tirar partido das tecnologias para não perder protagonismo no interior do carro? (o digital, o satélite, a webradio?)

* só alguém muito disciplinado (ou muito melomano) consegue fazer uma gestão dos CD no carro, renovando-os. Mas, sobretudo na musica pop, ouvir um CD nem sempre é uma opção válida, por ser monotona (duas musicas «boas» num CD...); além do mais quem é que se dá ao trabalho de gravar CD com «música variada»? No entanto, há cada vez mais sistemas que oferecem  discos rtígidos com, por exemplo 30 GB, o que permite gravar os CD preferidos na memória... do carro e constituir uma oferta muito significativa e concorrencial com a rádio

«Honda Sells One Millionth Vehicle with XM Satellite Radio Factory-Installed»

«To receive portable Internet radio, you'll need:

- A pocket PC that has a built-in Wi-Fi card, such as the HP rx1955 ($299; www.hp.com);

- Free music-playing software, such as Windows Media Player 10 (www.windowsmediaplayer.com) or RealPlayer (www.real.com);

- A Wi-Fi hot spot, which is a place -- usually a coffee shop or public library -- that broadcasts an Internet signal in much the same way a radio station broadcasts its radio signal. A Wi-Fi enabled device can pick up these signals and log onto the Internet, in much the same way a radio can tune in radio signals.

While some hot spots charge $7 a more an hour to use their Internet, North America has tens of thousands of free hot spots. Find one near you at www.anchorfree.com.

- A wireless Internet account, if you don't want to be tied down to a hot spot. Verizon Wireless beams its broadband signal over most of the United States, and if you have a Wi-Fi enabled device, you can log on for $80 a month, or $60 a month if you have a Verizon Wireless voice account and a two-year contract; www.verizonwireless.com.»

fonte: Gwinn, Eric, «Radio on the go» Chicago Tribune, 30/5/06 in http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/reviews/chi-0605290211may30,1,3837879.column?coll=chi-technologyreviews-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Mais uma marca automóvel a promover-se com uma associação de um leitor de mp3, neste caso o Modus Creative.

(só não percebi se o leitor de mp3 liga directamente ao carro ou se são duas coisas diferentes e independentes)

A BMW propõe vários audio-books para ouvir em mp3, no computador ou - dizem - idealmente no carro!

«Put on your seatbelt and prepare for highs, lows and plenty of twists and turns. BMW, in conjunction with Random House, brings you BMW Audio Books, a unique series of specially- commissioned short stories showcasing the work of some of the finest contemporary writing talent. Each gripping audio book is yours to download for free. Listen to them on your MP3 player, your laptop or ideally, in the car. So sit back, hit play and enjoy the ride»

Como lembra o Edgard, a BMW está a fazer aquilo que a Mercedes já iniciara (ou é o contrário): «Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is testing their first iPod-compatible Audio Books at the New York Auto Show, open to the public March 25 - April 2, 2005 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. Designed to brief potential Mercedes buyers about new car features, Audio Books provide in-depth digital "walk-around" narrations through the familiar, easy-to-use iPod unit. Interested consumers at the show can download Mercedes-Benz Audio Books to their own iPod for $2.95 each, or they can experience the walk-around narrations without charge on loaner iPods. Downloads of the Mercedes-Benz Audio Books will also be available for purchase at http://www.apple.com/itunes/»; http://www.mbusa.com/features/iPod/index.do

«The battle between radio formats is about more than just music, especially when it comes to commuters. Americans spend an inordinate amount of time in their vehicles, often in headache-producing traffic jams. That has created a push for next-generation traffic navigation technologies, including new rollouts from both satellite and terrestrial companies. Most recently, terrestrial giant Clear Channel Radio announced a slate of new distribution deals involving its Total Traffic Network, which uses a team of reporters, traffic cameras, helicopters and airplanes to deliver real-time updates. That system will now be used by Citadel Broadcasting and Fox Interactive Media, according to an announcement made early this morning (...) Elsewhere, offerings like XM Instant Traffic & Weather from XM Satellite Radio offer real-time traffic information in 21 metropolitan areas, part of a plan to supplant the local advantage that terrestrial radio offers.»

fonte: «Clear Channel Radio Broadens Traffic Technology», Digital Music news, 26/4/06

da página da Apple: 

«Take your music on the road with seamless integration between your car and your iPod. A host of top automakers offer elegant solutions for both new cars and prior-year models. Or choose iPod integration options from leading car stereo accessory manufacturers and outfit any car to play well with iPod.

Acura MDX, RL, TL	Audi A3, A4, Allroad	BMW Z4, X3, X5
Chrysler Pacifica, Sebring, Town & Country	Dodge Caravan, Grand Caravan, Neon, Ram, Stratus Sedan	Ferrari Coming Soon
Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, Element, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline, S2000	Infiniti Coming Soon	Jeep Liberty, Wrangler
Mercedes-Benz C-Class, CLK, CLS, E-Class, SLK, M-Class, R-Class	Mini Cooper, Cooper S	Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder, Armada
Scion xA, xB, tC	Suzuki Aerio SX, Grand Vitara	Volkswagen Beetle, Jetta, Golf, GTI, Passat, Touareg
	Volvo S40, S60, S80, V50, V70, XC70, XC90

Reproduzo este texto na íntegra, porque o assunto assim o justifica: quando o carro deixar de ser um domínio de quase exclusividade da rádio,  ficará o quê?

«Automakers are continuing to stuff their dashboards with next-generation digital music amenities, and the iPod is just one part of the mix. At the New York International Auto Show, several advanced music services have been unveiled, offering the consumer a broad range of options. BMW, which has led the charge on iPod integration, just stepped up its support of the device with enhanced display, docking, and steering wheel controls. But the luxury carmaker is also offering Sirius Satellite Radio and digital radio amenities, among other features. Meanwhile, Subaru has also raised its game, delivering an in-dash connector for the iPod - and various other digital music players - within its 2007 WRX STI Limited, part of a 120-watt, 6 speaker system. And Infiniti is reportedly readying an integrated hard drive into its console, though details remain light. Most other manufacturers are also making musical moves, and the future automobile will include multiple radio and portable player options. Satellite radio, digital (HD) radio, portable MP3 player support, and mainstays like terrestrial radio and multi-CD changers will all be part of the mix. The result will be a Darwinian battle among a number of providers, and natural selection could favor multiple survivors. For satellite radio, that landscape lessens the in-dash advantage, though multi-month subscription freebies will offer a nice toehold. But digital radio will also have an increasingly strong impact, especially among those less interested in genre-targeted selections, extras like Howard Stern and monthly subscriptions. So where does that leave the iPod? Despite an increasingly crowded console, the iPod will probably remain a looming presence, and a growing answer for music ubiquity among consumers.»

fonte: «Automakers Broaden Music Dashboards, Push Beyond iPods» Digital music News, 17/4/06

«In an online distribution deal, traffic content provider Westwood One and Wisconsin-based TrafficCast say they are providing integrated real-time traffic information for Yahoo via the online company’s Maps service. TrafficCast is a data company that offers predictive and flow traffic information.

"Our rapid integration with TrafficCast has created the single largest U.S. traffic information database for the U.S.," Pat LaPlatney, EVP of Westwood One, stated in the announcement. LaPlatney touted the combination of traffic speed, predictive traffic services and incident reporting the companies can offer together. They are marketing services to broadcasters as well as other users like governments, Internet clients, telematics/auto navigation systems and fleet managers. (...)»

(fonte RW on line, Westwood One, Traffic Partner Snag Yahoo Deal, 2006-02-23)

Etiquetas: transito, internet

Paul Resnikoff, editor da Digital Music News,  faz neste texto um ponto da situação sobre a resposta da rádio convencional, via HD, àquilo que parece ser o sucesso do satélite (10 milhões de subscritores, nesta altura).  Mas destaco algo que, aqui, é muito relevante: os leitores de audio digital (LAD) são uma ameaça à rádio, tradicional, digital ou via satélite:

"the iPod is also taking its own chunk of the action, especially as more car manufacturers install iPod ports, steering wheel controls and in-dash displays."

Era previsível:

"The Chrysler Group will soon make full iPod integration an option across most of its new models, beginning in the second quarter. The move will embed the iPod into three million dashboards in Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge automobiles, a substantial percentage of new automobiles produced in the US. The news was confirmed by Steve Jobs at Macworld Expo San Francisco, and adds to optional iPod integrations from BMW, Volvo, Scion, Mini, and Mercedes-Benz. Acura, Audi, Infiniti, Ferrari, Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen are also developing similar solutions."

Para muitos, o carro será no futuro o local de eleição da rádio, aquele local onde não entra(ria) mais nenhuma tecnologia, onde a rádio funcionará como meio secundário privilegiado, dando sentido ao binómio condução-é-o-mesmo-que-escuta-de-rádio.

Acontece que o carro não está obrigado a ter apenas rádio. E quer a indústria quer os fabricantes de leitores digitais de música sabem disso. Exemplo recente: O novo Honda Civic inclui não apenas leitor de AM/FM, mas também outras formas de reproduzir som (mp3, por exemplo) e um adaptador para ligar o iPod.
Depois disto, a única esperança da rádio musical é que os outros fabricantes automóveis não se lembrem de incluir leitores digitais de música nos carros... *
Fonte: http://www.honda-acura.net/plugins/p2_news/printarticle.php?p2_articleid=230

* ou então a rádio vai ter de encontrar alternativas à massificação musical...

http://osegundochoque.blogsome.com/2005/09/21/55-minutos-ao-volante-eua/

Já tinha abordado, neste espaço, a hipótese de os Leitores Digitais de Musica se compatibilizarem como alternativa à rádio no único domínio que lhe era, até agora, exclusivo: o carro!

Esta notícia dá conta da aposta da Apple em ligar os seus iPods aos rádios do carro (e como vem dos Estados Unidos, a realidade de que falam já não é a do rádio FM mas o satélite).
"IPods On Wheels Could Cut Into Demand For Satellite Radio

As reported by Reuters, Apple Computer this week outlined plans to expand its iPod music players into cars, raising concerns that the move could cut into the growing demand for satellite radio.
Apple, which already cut a deal with BMW, announced it’s teamed with Acura, Audi, Honda and Volkswagen to integrate iPod products into their car stereos for 2006 model lines. They expect more than five million vehicles will ship with iPod support in the US next year.
As for industry reaction to Apple’s plan, XM doesn’t think iPod in autos is threat.
"These are two very different offerings, both of which have been embraced by millions of consumers," said XM spokesman Chance Patterson.
"XM is unique because we have hundreds of programmers delivering millions of songs plus live news, live sports and talk directly to subscribers," Patterson added.
Sirius Satellite Radio, meanwhile, declined to comment.
"If the iPod feature is cheaper and allows you to download music you already own, some car buyers might decide they’re not going to take satellite radio," said Gordon Wangers, CEO of AMCI, a California-based auto marketing consulting company.
"It could be a slight threat to satellite radio but I would expect they’ll coexist," commented Kit Spring, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus and Co., noting that listening to a radio is a more passive activity than using an iPod and that radio has live content."