A página dedicada à rádio online inclui já alguns podcasts, nomeadamente um magazine de informação com a duração de 60 minutos, para escutar «as notícias que os grandes média ignoraram ou desvalorizaram; (...) a voz dos movimentos sociais, dos temas mais incómodos. (...) debates e opiniões que trazem as ideias fortes».»

fonte: Net FM; http://netfm.blogspot.com/2006/07/esquerda-tecnolgica-o-novo-portal-do_03.html

«O Senado francês votou favoravelmente uma proposta do Governo que vai forçar os vários distribuidores de música online por download a partilhar entre si os seus sistemas de protecção de copyright, que já havia sido aprovada pelo Parlamento em Março. A Apple, Sony e Microsoft poderão, assim, ser obrigadas a adaptar os seus ficheiros a um modelo "universal", compatível com qualquer leitor de ficheiros digitais. O texto final desta lei deixa espaço para os artistas assinarem separadamente acordos com as diferentes lojas distribuidoras, permitindo-lhes restringir o acesso à sua música aos sistemas em que a quiserem ter para venda ao público.

Segundo defensores deste texto, a lei foi criada não só para deter a pirataria, como para garantir que o explosivamente crescente mercado da música por download não ficasse dominado por uma única companhia. Esta lei promoverá a criação de uma autoridade independente que decidirá em que casos se verifica a "inoperabilidade" entre sistemas que forçará as autoridades a agir. O texto acrescenta ainda novas molduras penais contra actos de pirataria, nomeadamente a aplicação de multas de milhares de euros e penas de prisão.»

fonte: «França aprova lei que obriga i Tunes a partilhar sistemas de codificação», Nuno Galopim, 2/7/06

Já aqui falei do HSDPA, que segundo li numa publireportagem sobre a Samsung (na Connect nº 90) vai vai proporcionar, já em 2007, 14,4 megabits por segundo. A Samsung introduziu a tecnologia na Europa no final de 2005, tendo apresentado o primeiro equipamentoi (com velocidade capazes de atingir o 3,6 Mbps), uma tecnologia que oferece taxas de transmissão mais elevadas, downloads de ficheiros de muisca e videos com qualidade DVD.

Em Portugal, o HSDPA entrou gradualmente. Actualmente, nas zonas de maior densidade, os débitos atingem (apenas) os 1,8 Mbps

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

Online success

The personalised radio scheme is expected to build on the success of the BBC's online radio services. In March, the corporation said people had listened to 20 million hours of BBC content online, using everything from live streams to downloaded programmes. The most requested shows include BBC Radio 4's long-running soap opera The Archers, and Chris Moyles' BBC Radio 1 breakfast show. In May, audiences downloaded 4.5 million BBC podcasts. In his speech, Mr Thompson said the corporations' governors would decide on whether podcasting would become a permanent service later this year. The decision will be based, in part, on a study of how the BBC's podcasts affect the commercial sector (...)»

fonte: «BBC to offer 'personalised' radio», Tuesday, 4 July 2006, 12:57 GMT 13:57 UK (via Pontomedia)

«One key theme of the event, starting with Ralph Guild's introductory comments and reinforced heavily by the media buyers' panel, is that the product category should no longer be called "radio" but rather "audio information and entertainment."

This new category definition, of course, includes both satellite-delivered and Internet-delivered  radio. Along with AM, FM, and HD delivery, it's all going to be competing for the same ears and same advertising dollars.

Prospects for growth in "traditional" radio were not seen as promising by anyone (except perhaps in the statements of the radio group heads). BearStearns's Victor Miller observed that radio audience has declined 10% over the past six years and that revenues in current dollars have declined in four of the past five years (with the one "up" year looking good only because it was compared against the comps of 9/11).

For example, many speakers saw opportunities ripe for the taking in the world of digitally-delivered radio. CBS Radio CFO Walter Berger noted  that delivering programming to office workers at their PCs via the Internet offered the opportunity for "incredible value creation."»

fonte: «Net radio holds best opportunities for broadcast groups, panels say», RAIN, 5/7/06

Overall, 40 percent of Internet radio listeners surveyed have tuned in to a specialty site, with 26 percent saying they listen to their local stations on the Web and 22 percent reporting their listen to out-of-market stations' streams. (...)

fonte: «Study Finds Listeners Prefer Specialized Internet Radio Sites», FMQB, 29/6/06

So here we are. Profitable privately owned analog broadcast groups are examining their options for an economical and expedient way to make the digital transition on their own. No new national networks required, and backward compatibility with an embedded base of receivers assured. HD Radio, even with its limitations, is indeed getting a global second look.»

fonte: «HD Radio: An Emerging World Standard?» radio magazine, 5/7/06

«It's been widely discussed that Apple and Sirius met to discuss a potential satellite radio-enabled iPod, and that nothing substantial came of that meeting. Steve Jobs doesn't add anything to the iPod that's not bulletproof, and portability hasn't been satellite radio's strong suit so far. But now that Sirius has reduced the size of its satellite receiver chips, Jobs could change his mind.

Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin recently showed off a digital audio player with a built-in satellite receiver at a conference last week, as Richard Menta recently pointed out. Could the satellite MP3 player player Karmazin says will be available by the end of the summer be a satellite iPod? Regardless of who makes it, an MP3 player with satellite reception could be pretty attractive, assuming users' needs are keep near the top of the priority list. (...).
Users could specify the sort of music they want to hear, either specifically or in general, on a computer or on the device itself. The satellite MP3 players would act as TiVos, scouring channels for requested songs and saving them to memory. Requests might even be sent back to Sirius in order to create ten or so democratically-created radio stations, increasing the likelihood that requested content gets played.»

fonte: «How the Satellite iPod Might Act», Wired, 5/7/06

«Judging from the amount of press radio trades give the topic of listening to radio on cell phones, the radio industry seems to ignore the potential of how popular this could become. Yet, if industry titans misjudge the oncoming train called cell phone radio, like they did that of satellite radio, they may find themselves being hit upside the head with another blunt reality: It's not a question of "if" listening to radio on a cell phone will become common, only "when."

RRadio Network's continuing survey of online radio listeners is showing what could be another thorn in the radio industry's side; the concept of paying to listen to radio on a cell phone is gaining ground. When this hits mainstream status, there's a very good chance that the stations offered (on cell phones) will originate more from online than terrestrial.

In March 2005, Audio Graphics released data from 2038 listeners answering the question "If Internet radio were available on your cellular telephone, for a reasonable fee, would you pay to listen?" At the time only 27.9% answered "yes."

Our current survey, although only partially completed, is indicating that the public is far more receptive to the concept of paying to listen to radio on a cell phone. Of those answering the same question this time around, 35.4% say "yes," they would pay to listen to radio on their cell phone if it were offered for a reasonable fee.

(...) Youth and cell phones are inseparable. Is there anyone in the radio industry that doesn't see where this is a problem? (...)»

fonte: «Radio Industry Quandary: Cell Phone Radio», Audiographics, 5/7/06

«(...) Media futurist Gerd Leonhard, while addressing delegates at the RadioAsia2006 conference in Singapore last week, said that audience growth now lies in interactive services and broadcasters had to be quick to capitalise on this phenomenon.

He said technological advancements allowed users to create and even send their own content through the Internet, which has become more of a social medium and a cheap and effective means for them to find new music and content.

Mr Leonhard emphasised this point by saying that in just a few years, podcasting had outgrown the number of radio stations globally, as there were currently only some 30,000 radio stations in the world as compared with about 47,500 radio station podcasts.

“The people formerly known as listeners are getting involved and even co-creating content. They once were just receivers. Now, they are senders. They can now interact with you and make their own contributions,” he said.

Mr Leonhard also warned radio broadcasters if they did not provide on-demand content that can be recorded and stored by users, they risked losing 50 percent of their market share. (...)»

fonte: «Media futurist: Radio broadcasters must go digital and interactive, Unesco website, 30-06-2006

The latest developments come amid a flurry of activity from content providers and device manufacturers. Intel is already developing chipsets that will allow users to hook seamlessly into both WiFi and WiMax, and that will allow content applications to benefit from a new crop of "always connected" users. Already, some early-movers are emerging. Manhattan-based MusicGremlin has unveiled a WiFi-enabled MP3 player, and Microsoft is rumored to be developing a similar media player coupled with an iTunes-like service. What's more, the build-out of new wireless internet "pipes" may support Professor Christopher Yoo's "network diversity" theory, which holds that potential entrants in the ISP field are encouraged to invest in new broadband infrastructure so long as they can "differentiate" their services through content partnerships and services that appeal to consumers. Already, wireless carriers such as Sprint and Verizon have invested in networks to deploy their own mobile players and music stores—creating distinguishable and unique service offerings.»

fonte: Digital music News, «Big Players Continue to Push WiMax Infrastructure», 7/7/06

«(...) O Lusocast dispõe de um directório que inclui, entre programas portugueses e brasileiros, 234 podcasts, num total de 3718 episódios listados até ao dia de ontem (...). O agregador de podcasts do Sapo, no "ar" desde o início do ano, funciona como um blogue e lista um total de 125 podcasts divididos em duas categorias: os amadores, 72 ao todo, e os institucionais, pertencentes a rádios, televisões e jornais - eram 53  até ontem. Os podcasters nacionais dedicam-se  quase exclusivamente a três temas: humor, tecnologia e música».

fonte: «O admirável mundo novo in Portugal», Publico, Luis Leal Miranda pag 51, 1/7/06

“There are a lot of advertiser and sponsorship opportunities involved with P1 SMS, particularly radio advertisers and record labels,” said Eric Murphy, president of three-and-a-half-year-old Pop2Life. “The response to the text message can be branded by advertisers, but the real revolutionary part of the system is the M-Wallet piece.” (...)

« "Intel Corp. is investing 0 million in Clearwire Corp., a company led by cellular pioneer Craig McCaw, as part  of a 0 million investment that could help spur adoption of a wireless  technology called WiMAX...

"WiMAX is a longer-range cousin of Wi-Fi, the wireless technology that now comes with many laptop computers. It is expected to deliver service at ranges of one to 10 miles — compared with around 150 feet for Wi-Fi —and is being developed for both stationary and mobile Internet access.

"Unlike Wi-Fi, WiMAX is expected to be used with licensed radio frequencies. Clearwireis believed to be the second-largest U.S. holder of frequencies that are suitable for WiMAX, behind  Sprint Nextel Corp.

"Intel, which already held a small stake in Clearwire, said it hopes the 0 million investment by its venture-capital arm, the largest in that unit's history, could  allow Clearwire to deploy WiMAX-based networks faster...

"The more recent investments in Wi-Fi and WiMAX, by contrast, are designed to stimulate demand for laptops and other portables.... Eventually...[Intel] expects one set of communication chips to handle both Wi-Fi and WiMAX, to enable users to remain connected to the Internet as they move around."

fonte: Wall street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115214498454699023-email.html, via RAIN

The NV3 also delivers 7.2 megapixel photo resolution, which easily trumps rival solutions from mobile phone manufacturers - and many other stand-alone cameras. That will help to attract more serious photographers, and the MP3 capabilities will offer a nice perk to increasingly media-hungry consumers. The NV3, which is part of a larger NV series, will hit various markets this fall, just in time for the holiday buying season. The NV3, NV7, and NV10 all feature an ultra-slim form factor, and a black exterior.»

fonte: «Samsung Prepares Music-Enabled Digital Camera», Digitalo music news, 10/7/06

(só com um modelo)

«Nokia has recently crossed sales of one million units of its 3250, a music-focused mobile. The RAZR-like sales curve is impressive, and reaffirms analyst projections of strong music-focused mobile sales. The device first hit markets in March, sporting 1 gigabyte of total storage, a 2 megapixel digital camera, and little extras like an airplane listening mode. The phone comes pre-packaged with the S60 3rd Edition software and Symbian OS, and support for a variety of codecs, including MP3, WMA, M4A, AAC and eAAC+. "S60 3rd Edition introduces a new level of flexibility and security, enabling easy creation of devices and applications targeted to mass markets," commented Heikki Norta, a senior vice president at Nokia.»

fonte: «Nokia Crosses One Million Units on 3250 Music Phone», Digital Music News, 12/7/06

Quem tem este modelo vai ouvir música na rádio? a resposta parece-me óbvia...

«Nos primeiros seis meses de 2006, os portugueses dedicaram à internet cerca de 94 milhões de horas, uma média de cerca de uma hora por utilizador. Estes números correspondem a um crescimento de 30.8% face ao semestre homólogo do ano anterior, quando se contabilizaram cerca de 72 milhões de horas de acesso à internet»

fonte: «Consumo doméstico de internet aumenta 30%».; Marktest, 11/7/06

«As Classical programming continues to become more scarce across radio dials, a community of enthusiasts and experts is moving online to fill the void.

Laurel Ornish, a veteran Classical music supporter and one-time on-air personality at WRR-FM in Dallas, is part of this resurgence of the popular format on the Net. Ornish says that, "since the deregulation of radio in 1996,... most classical-music radio stations around the country... have had their formats switched to something more mass appeal."

Ornish claims that after much research, she found that demand for the format had not disappeared. Instead, she saw the move away from classical music as more of a corporate decision instead of a popular one. As a response, Ornish launched ClassicalTexas.com to attract fans of the format that she was convinced were still passionate as ever about classical music.

Ornish says that after attending presentations on streaming technology at an NAB conference, she was convinced of the potential of this medium to "step in and take up the slack with niche formats, such as classical and arts, that were going by the wayside in terrestrial radio."

ClassicalTexas.com offers a number of interviews with prominent classical music personalities conducted by Ms. Ornish herself that are available for listening on the Net or for download as a podcast. There is also a 4-hour program of music curated by Ornish and powered by Live 365 that is available to stream from the ClassicalTexas site. »

fonte: RAIN, http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/071106/index.asp

"Wireless OTA music services offer music fans a convenient source of music and bring the music industry new opportunities to reach consumers and drive revenue. Wireless music services are still in their infancy in the U.S., but are expected to quickly gain traction during the forecast period. By the end of this year, the number of U.S. OTA customers will be approximately half that of online music service users, but may surpass them by the end of the forecast period," says Susan Kevorkian, program manager, Consumer Markets: Audio.

According to an IDC survey, a total of 22% of respondents indicated that they would buy at least one track from their service provider within the first three months of availability, assuming they had an appropriate handset. Eight percent of respondents age 25-44 indicated they would buy four or more tracks. It’s this 25-44 age group that IDC analysts believe could be the core base of wireless over-the-air service users, in particular those who may be new to digital music services. (...)»

fonte: «IDC Says Wireless Mobile Music Users Could Surpass Online Music Service Users by 2010», IDC, 15 Jun 2006

«A RFM, rádio do Grupo Renascença, assinou um acordo com a MúsicaOnline, com o intuito de disponibilizar para venda as músicas que têm lugar na grelha da emissora. "A RFM passa a ser a primeira rádio nacional, e uma das primeiras da Europa, a dar a possibilidade aos seus ouvintes de adquirirem as músicas que ouvem e que gostam", informou a estação em comunicado.

O sistema, em funcionamento desde ontem, pode ser acedido através do site http://www.rfm.pt/queMusica_MO.asp?, onde está colocada uma listagem das músicas tocadas na rádio. Fruto do acordo com a MúsicaOnline, loja de download de música lançada o ano passado, os ouvintes da RFM podem assim descarregar para computador ou Mp3 as suas canções favoritas.

“É frequente os nossos ouvintes perguntarem-nos os nomes das músicas que tocamos e onde as podem comprar. Agora, o site da RFM passa a responder a estas solicitações de uma forma muito mais completa, já que, para além de poderem ficar a saber os nomes das músicas de que gostam, também as podem comprar”, referiu António Mendes, director de programas da RFM.»

fonte: «RFM vende música online», Meios e Publicidade, Hugo real, 13/7/06

That's some 2.4 billion clicked-on videos every month -- postings that range from a teenager bemoaning her parents who won't let her go hiking with her boyfriend to U.S. soldiers capturing scenes of combat in Iraq.

But can YouTube make money from these millions of mouse clicks? Is there a business plan that ensures the 1 1/2-year-old San Mateo start-up is not just another Silicon Valley one-click wonder?»

fonte: «How will YouTube make money?» San Jose Mercury News, 12/7/06, John Boudreau

«Satellite radio will boast 19.5 million subscribers by 2010 with about 17% of all U.S. households tuning in to at least one of the two pay radio services, primarily because consumers like commercial-free music and the ability to listen to their favorite channels no matter where in the country they are»

fonte: Study: Satellite Radio To Grow -- Slowly, July 12, 2006, By Paul Bond, The Hollywood Reporter

«half of all people who subscribe to video-enabled cell phones - by far the most deployed of the new mobile video technologies - never use those devices for viewing video»

fonte: «Study Finds Mobile Video More Hype Than Reality - For Now», Media Daily News, Joe Mandese, Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 9:00 AM ET

por isso é que Mark Ramsey pergunta «How do I watch TV on my phone when I'm busy making calls?»

«America's smallest state is seeking to become its first to offer a wireless broadband network from border to border. Backers of Rhode Island's million project say it would improve services and make the state a testing ground for new business technologies. It also comes at a time when Rhode Island's capital of Providence is stepping up efforts to lure business from Boston, about a 50-minute drive away, in neighboring Massachusetts, where office rents are among the nation's most expensive. The Rhode Island Wireless Innovation Networks (RI-WINs) should be fully in place by 2007, providing wireless connectivity throughout the state, whose land mass of about 1,045 square miles is only slightly more than double the size of metropolitan Los Angeles. (...) The Rhode Island network is a hybrid of WiMax and Wi-Fi technologies that would deliver real-time connections at a minimum speed of 1 megabit per second (Mbps), allowing users to download a typical Hollywood-length film in about 100 minutes. The system will be supported by 120 base antennas placed throughout the state. © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.»

fonte: «Rhode Island embarks on statewide wireless network» ZDNet News, April 28, 2006

Mark Ramsey questiona: «And that will precipitate the arrival of the Internet in cars, which is already on the drawing board in Detroit. And that will create a broad range of new opportunities for radio, all of them online. And it will create a serious new threat to radio, entirely online. Are you ready? Or are you still pitching HD?»

«Radio has a bright future! Really?

Having spent a few decades working in radio when its future was bright, when a programmer concentrated on one station, when competition was strong between all stations in any market, when jocks were given the leeway to communicate with their audience, and when stations had a local news staff - I'll report that things aren't looking so bright now.»

diz o eidtor do Audiographics, 13/7/06, http://www.audiographics.com/agd/071306-1.htm

A discussão segue nos EUA: empresas como a Google ou a Yahoo permitem corresponder informação (em sentido geral) com publicidade, através de pesquisas especializadas e locais. Uma ourivesaria de Tampa tem uma alternativa aos meios clássicos para difundir a sua publicidade: 

«Although the potential for competition from local search has been around for a couple of years, Yahoo! and Google's local search programs are only now making the rounds in radio industry trades. One scant mention comes at the end of a story at Radio & Records in 33 words: ""We now fear that in 2007 Yahoo! and Google local tools may siphon 2%-3% of local advertising share. We see risk of further downside of 10%-15% by year's end, even after declines of 20% to date."»

fonte: «Local Search Will Damage Radio Industry», Audio Graphics, 12/7/06 

«(...) according to research released on Wednesday by Nielsen//NetRatings, which found that just 6.6 percent of the U.S. adult online population--or less than 10 million users--have recently downloaded an audio podcast (within 30 days of the survey). Even fewer folks have actively pursued the newest of the new medium--just 4 percent of adults, 5.6 million users, have recently downloaded a video podcast. According to Nielsen//NetRatings, at the moment, those figures place podcasting among the more niche Web activities, such as blogging, and a long way from more popular activities like online shopping or bill paying.
In typical Internet fashion, podcasting is being adopted first by younger, more tech savvy demographics. The youthful end of the adult world, 18-24 year-olds, are nearly twice as likely to be active podcast consumers, while adults 45 and older fall mostly below the podcasting curve. (...)

fonte: «Nielsen: Podcasting Remains a Niche Activity», Mike Shields, JULY 12, 2006 -

XM Canada President/COO Stephen Tapp said it's the first offer of streaming real-time satellite radio programming to Canadians.

Twenty XM Canada channels will be offered over some Telus cell phones for per month. Initially, the service will be available on the LG 8100 and Samsung A950 phones.

The deal is similar to one signed last year between Sirius and Sprint. »

fonte: «XM Canada Branches Out to Cell Phones», RWOline, 7/7/06

«The new iPod will tell you what it is about to play, removing the need for users to look at the screen while selecting music, and making the device safer and easier to use while driving, cycling or in badly-lit locations.

Crucially, the talking machines could give the iPod a badly-needed new competitive edge in the hotly-contested digital music player market.

The iconic machines were last week reported to have lost some of their sheen, with consumers following a series of technical problems and controversy surrounding the working conditions of those who make them. To make matters worse, software giant Microsoft is said to be working on its own iPod-bashing digital music player. »

fonte: «Apple pips its rivals with the iPod that talks» Scotsman, Richard Gray, 9/7/06

«A Rádio Clube FM - uma emissora de S.Paulo, Brasil - deu inicio à transmissão em HD Radio em Fevereiro deste ano. Segundo aquela estação, a rápida evolução dos sistemas de radiodifusão digitais mostrava que era necessário «actualizar tecnologicamente a emissora Clube FM e adquirir a experiência necessária neste tipo de operação».
Na escolha do sistema HD Radio pesou o facto de este permitir a transmissão simultânea de sinais analógicos e digitais. O ouvinte recebe os dois sinais da emissora na mesma frequência, mas um não interfere no outro.» fonte: A Rádio em Portugal

«Harris said Rádio Globo has expanded its use of Harris 3DX products for high-power AM transmission in Brazil. The transmitters will be used at sites in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and will also be outfitted with Harris Dexstar exciters for HD Radio broadcasting. Rubens Campos is general director of Rádio Globo. He said in the Harris announcement, "Going digital, especially on the AM band, is the only way that radio can grow its audience." The company has a 3DX-50 transmitter at the Belo Horizonte site broadcasting analog and HD Radio signals since last September.» fonte: RWOnline

Não sei o que é mas convém estar atento:

«Bear Stearns analyst Bob Peck said Sirius’ subscriber adds were “significantly higher than our 565k estimate.” He also expects that Sirius will maintain its subscriber momentum into the Summer—driven, in part, by an expected push into offering a Wi-Fi enabled receiver.

In a note to investors this morning, Peck wrote: “The technological gap between the two has largely narrowed to an extent that the features available on one platform are virtually comparable to those on the other.”

The next stage in this development, he says, will be Sirius’s next-generation receiver: a “live wearable satellite radio-cum-MP3 player. . . that could feature WiFi access (as Sirius becomes agnostic to the method of distribution.)”

Peck says such a device could be released by the end of this summer.»

fonte: Billboard Radio Monitor, Satcasters Add 1 Million Subs; WiFi Link Next?, July 06, 2006, By Tony Sanders

«Our esteemed colleagues at Engadget seem to have scooped the first look at Microsoft's Argo PMP, which ruffled a few Mac feathers when I reported on it yesterday.

I have to say, it looks nice; the 16:9 screen looks like it'll top the current 'video-capable' iPod (or the 'widescreen' iPod, which doesn't look like it'll be released any time soon), and while the controls look a bit on the iPod-ish side, the whole thing does have a nice, simple look to it.

If anything, it promises several things; to match the iPod in terms of a credible media player, to work in conjunction with an online music download service, it has wif-fi, it's rumoured to work with the Xbox 360, it offers a 16:9 aspect ratio for video -- and more importantly, it's not an iPod. I'll not hold my breath waiting to see if it has a video line-in, but you never know.

And remember folks -- competition is healthy, even if it does come from the guy with the bigger boat.»

fonte: http://www.pvrwire.com/2006/07/11/microsoft-argo-first-look/

E agora Edgard, «Will podcasting become Argocasting?»

«one in five Americans ages 12 and up now owns a portable MP3 player, a new statistical high. Also, one in 20 Americans in that age group now owns more than one portable music player. There is also increased interest among younger consumers in watching video on their players, but even more interest in their players doubling as a radio»

fonte: «Portable MP3 Player Ownership Continues To Rise», FMQB, June 29, 2006

There is little loyalty shown by radio listeners online. In fact, the local sites were barely preferred over non-local radio sites online(...)»

fonte: Emarketer, «What Do Listeners Listen To When They Listen To Radio Online?» JULY 14, 2006

KPIG-FM (107.5) is one of the nation's last bastions of freeform radio, where music is chosen with some panache and integrity. It was one of the first roots rock music stations in the country and, despite corporate ownership, has maintained some quality in playing serendipitous rock, bluegrass, blues and country. (...)»

fonte: Mercury News, «KPIG RADIO CUTS STAFF: THE CORPORATE SWINE GNAW AWAY AT QUALITY AGAIN», Saturday, July 08, 2006, Brad Kava, 11:20 AM

Mais sobre a KPIG e o free form: http://radio.about.com/b/a/257701.htm?nl=1

Alguém me pode explicar o que é que isto significa (ou o que é que, tecnicamente, isto quer dizer - que eu não percebi)?

«Gadgets which transmit MP3 players' output so they can be heard on FM radios may become legal in the UK. Communications regulator Ofcom is holding a public consultation over the issue until September. Using iTrips and other "low-power FM transmitters" is banned in Europe as their low-power transmissions can, in theory, interfere with legal stations. The devices and other similar MP3 player accessories are popular abroad and widely available online. The Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1949 forbids the use of radio equipment without a licence or an exemption. But the gadgets are now expected to become legal to use - without a licence - by 2007»

«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)

A GB é um caso único, a nível mundial, na aposta no DAB.

A tecnologia não pegou nos EUA e na Europa Continental é olhada com grande desconfiança. O que é que faz a GB? Indiferente às dúvidas e alternativas, avança para impor esta tecnologia como dominante.

Nos próximos três anos, diz a Ofcom, haverá mais uma rede nacional e vários frequências locais.

«CHICAGO -- News Corp.'s zealous embrace of interactivity soon will reach way beyond the runaway success of the social networking Web site MySpace when its majority-owned DirecTV decides on a path and partners for creating a national WiMax network.

Approval is imminent for the project that could take at least two years and billion, providing News Corp. and DirecTV a valuable wireless interactive broadband loop with consumers to directly sell content, advertising, goods and services. WiMax is a wireless a broadband technology often referred to as "WiFi on steroids" with a much wider 30-mile range than the more limited access offered by WiFi services. WiMax, which is short for World Interoperability for Microwave Access, also promises to provide more security and speed than traditional wireless connections.»

fonte: «News Corp., DirecTV take broadband to the Max», Hollywood ReporterJuly 18, 2006

«6,6 por cento dos americanos decarregaram recentemente um podcast e 4,4 por cento um videocast, revelam os mais recentes números da Nielsen»

fonte: Pontomedia

Clear Channel, which has more than 300 stations broadcasting digitally, is busily developing niche formats — a package of everything from audio cues to programming and playlists — that stations can use to create extra HD channels. The 80 already devised, with 50 more planned, include The Pride (for gay listeners), Workout (for exercisers) and Kisspanic (Spanish language Top 40). All also are available for purchase by radio companies.

Some consumer advocates say that's the wrong approach. HD Radio is becoming "a mirror image of what Sirius and XM have done," says Michael Bracy, policy director for the Future of Music Coalition. "There's no shortage of national platforms. The way to compete is to be live (as opposed to pre-recorded) and local."

Though he sees profit in the long term, Hogan expects to lose money on HD until about 2009. It costs a station about 0,000 to add the technology, and stations in the Alliance have agreed to keep the new channels ad-free until 2007.

Hogan's also excited about developing digital profit potential beyond radio. Clear Channel's 1,145 websites attract about 8 million unique visitors each month. Some provide videos of live performances, interviews with emerging artists and podcasts. In January, most Clear Channel Radio sites began offering on-demand viewings of music videos from Universal, Warner Music, and EMI.

The company also provides sports and music programming to cellphones. And it plans a news, traffic and weather service.

While some of the online and cellular ventures make money, Hogan still considers them investments in his plan to make the radio business cool again.»

fonte: USA TODAY, CEO Hogan may be hero to Clear Channel Radio, 19/7/06

«Media Audit has released the results of what they’re calling "landmark" study of 1,000 adults in which they gave consumers a choice: cellphone or pager. Media Audit says consumers would be far more likely to participate in a research study using a cell phone rather than a pager-like device. Not surprisingly, Arbitron disagrees with Media Audit’s findings.

“This is a landmark study," said Bob Jordan, president of The Media Audit. "The research shows adults are 3.5 times more likely to agree to participate in a panel study using a cell phone (66%) versus 18% who would agree to carry a pager. These findings coincide with common sense and put a dimension to what most people already believe. The cell phone is an integral part of people's lives today. The less disruptive the monitoring device, the more inclined people are to cooperate. Greater cooperation leads to more reliable and accurate research. Of the monitoring devices that are being used today, cell phones are the least intrusive to our life styles. This is why we say the cell phone is the simple, common sense solution for media measurement today and for tomorrow."

Arbitron VP/Communications Thom Mocarsky responded, saying “landmark” is “an awfully big word to describe a telephone survey that asked a single question among only 1,000 people. That's exactly half the size of the number of people who have been carrying PPMs in Houston for the past year.”

Mocarsky continued, “Arbitron never describes the PPM as a ‘pager’ to consumers. We call it a ‘Personal Meter.’” And, he added, “Arbitron has shown in real field trials in a real radio market that people really do carry the PPM.”

Mocarsky concluded, “Never forget that the PPM system measures compliance every day. We know when and for how long people participate. We are way past ‘if you were to agree.’"»

fonte: «Arbitron Disputes Media Audit Study», radio Ink, 21/7/07

Agora com a Coca Cola...

«Coca-Cola and Clear Channel Radio have recently announced a partnership that will focus on branded venues and streaming concerts. The action begins in Dallas, where two venues - the Tab Energy Lounge and Full Throttle Garage – have opened their doors. Each location, which accommodates a small crowd, takes its name from a high-energy drink from Coca-Cola. Dallas area Clear Channel Radio stations will offer giveaways to various mini-concerts, and the action will also be streamed on station websites. Similar rollouts are expected in other cities across the United States»

fonte: Digital music News. Coca-Cola, Clear Channel Radio Partner on Streaming Concerts, 25/7/06

«A Microsoft confirmou que está a trabalhar numa série de gadgets para consumo de música e outras propostas de entretenimento, um dos quais deverá ser lançado ainda este ano, certamente a tempo do Natal. Chamar-se-á Zune, é um leitor de mp3 e já é naturalmente apontado como um potencial rival do iPod da Apple. A imagem que ao lado publicamos, e que desde ontem circula pela Internet, apresenta o que se supõe ser o Zune, um protótipo em design que se crê próximo do definitivo. Não sendo uma imagem "oficial", resta todavia saber se corresponderá, de facto ao aparelho. Ou se representa, até uma simples manobra de diversão.

Não será todavia fácil combater o iPod (que detém hoje 50 por cento do mercado de leitores portáteis), assim como será difícil combater o sucesso global da loja iTunes (que detém 70 por cento das vendas mundiais de música por download).

Os especialistas que já se pronunciaram na Internet afirmam que as possibilidades de sucesso do Zune dependerão da sua capacidade em permitir downloads de música e vídeo sem fios… Por enquanto sabe-se que, pelo menos numa primeira geração, o Zune não terá menu de jogos. Que deverá surgir no mercado em, pelo menos, três cores: branco, preto e castanho. E que Paul Oakenfold poderá ser um dos nomes ligados ao seu lançamento.»

fonte: Diário de Notícias, «Microsoft lança rival para i Pod este ano», 24/7/06

Mais:

Já tem um site na net!

Por que vai falhar

A propósito deste texto do Radio Inside («Does podcasting cut into radio time? A new report finds the answer is yes. 38% of active podcast downloaders say they’re listening to radio less often (according to a report by Nielsen). The survey of 1,700 people also finds that more than 6% of adults — or about nine million web users — have downloaded a podcast in the past 30 days. The average time spent listening to podcasts is 44 minutes. Many stations have begun offering ad-supported podcasts but the challenge is to get folks to listen to the ads. 60% of those in the Nielsen study say they always fast forward past commercials. Women (67%) are more likely to skip ads. The other gender factor — 75% of those who described themselves as regular podcast downloaders were male.), Mark Ramsey afirma:

«Podcast listeners skip past commercials? Duh. Ever heard of TiVo? Of course they skip past commercials. But why would you have commercials on a podcast when you could have the entire podcast sponsored by a client and thus elminate the need for annoying commercials? Or use "sponsored by" messages the way public radio does. You only skip what drags on, what's annoying enough and long enough to skip. You don't skip what flashes by. Fast spots or sponsorship messages are far more trouble to skip than they are to listen through. It's HOW advertisers use podcasts - not whether thair traditional ads will be listened to - that is key. And that doesn't even begin to touch on the relevance of those ads to the listeners of the podcast. Indeed, the problem with advertising in general is a preference for tonnage over relevance - but that's another post for another time.»

«A report by Arbitron shows their Portable People Meter measures large listening increases during major sporting events especially those with afternoon and early evening start times. These big increases in sports radio listening were recorded during major sporting events such as World Cup Soccer, the NFL Football Draft and regular local team games»

fonte: «PPM Indicates Large Listening Increases During Major Sporting Events», radio Ink, 25/7/06

excerto da carta:

«Broadcasters are concerned with the future and viability of Internet streaming of free over-the-air radio broadcasts. Internet streaming offers listeners an innovative and convenient way of accessing radio broadcasts, and it will be a significant source of entertainment, news, and information for our listeners as we move into the digital age. We are committed to securing the future of this new and growing platform for the distribution of free, locally oriented radio.»

fonte: Radio Ink, «Rehr Writes Senators Regarding Internet Streaming Of Terrestrial Radio», 25/7/06

«Internet and satellite radio have capitalized on broadcast radio's inability to give listeners what they truly seem to want - variety, voices of knowledge and authority, some sense of excitement, and the ability to hear what they want, whenever they want. Radio, as we know it, has been reborn. "The new radio formats are all about choice," says Spin magazine Executive Editor Doug Brod. "In a sense, this very choice may eventually bring about the end of the album as we know it. No longer do listeners have to buy entire albums when they can just pick and choose particular songs to download. This very efficiency is already having a tremendous impact on the art of the album-making. Artists can now release only a few songs at a time." Though its methods of delivery are changing, radio has once again become a key player, not just in shaping the way that we hear music, but in shaping the way that it is being made. If that's not a revolution, then it's certainly the seed of one.»

fonte: The Buffalo News, «The REBIRTH of RADIO», By JEFF MIERS, 7/23/2006

«Está desde ontem a emitir o novo canal da RTP exclusivamente destinado a equipamentos móveis com funcionalidades 3G. Chama-se RTP Mobile e pode ser acedido através das três operadoras nacionais – Optimus, Vodafone e TMN. O RTP Mobile disponibilizará conteúdos próprios ou adaptados a este tipo de plataforma e o seu acesso implica uma subscrição mensal fixa de 7,50 euros ou, em alternativa, a adesão a um sistema pay-per-view, em que o utilizador só paga o que quiser ver, podendo aceder apenas a conteúdos específicos como, por exemplo, aos episódios das séries Gato Fedorento e Contra-Informação.»

fonte: Exame Informatica

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