A minha rádio é o iPod; a rádio é o iPod de todos...
Interessante reflexão de Mark Ramsey sobre os méritos do iPod (que permite a personalização total) versus a rádio que é a soma de muitos gostos médios:
3.1.1 iPod
A capacidade de penetração do iPod nos ouvintes de rádio
Trata-se de um estudo que inquiriu apenas ouvintes de rádio do formato AAA (“Adult Album Alternative”), mas os resultados são elucidativos:
«- Ownership of a portable MP3 player (iPod or other brand) has jumped from 13% to 48% in two years.
- Listening to an iPod/MP3 player as the primary music choice is up over 400% in two years.
- IPod/MP3 users (48% of total) and Downloaders (33% of total) spend far less time listening to music on FM radio than the total.
- iPod/MP3 Users and Downloaders are more likely to buy CDs than the total.
- CDs purchases as the primary way to obtain music has decreased significantly.
- Satellite listenership has grown 166% in two years but total audience still pales compared to audiences of other music choices like FM, internet, iPods, etc.»
Pode proteger a palavra «Pod»
«A Apple quer proibir que outras empresas usem a terminologia Pod nos seus produtos. A empresa quer proteger a marca iPod e para isso está a desencadear processos contra fabricantes que incluam o termo Pod nos seus produtos, segundo notícia o Financial Times. Designações como a TightPod, uma linha de capas para sistemas Mp3 e portáteis, e a ProfitPod, um scanner de infravermelhos utilizado em consolas, estão entre os alvos da Apple.»
fonte: Meios e Publicidade, Apple quer proteger marca Pod, Ana Cavaco, 17 de Agosto de 2006
Um iPod que recebe rádio satélite?
«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
«Gremlin ameaça domínio do iPod»
Este é o título de um texto do Wall Street Journal, republicado no suplemento económico do JN de hoje.
O texto reproduz este artigo de Walter S. Mossberg e Katherine Boehret, que anuncia um novo sistema, capaz de disputar com o iPod o mercado da música digital (embora tenha uma série de limitações, identificadas no texto):
«How do you dislodge Apple's mighty iPod music player, and its popular iTunes music service, from their total dominance in the digital-music market? Numerous hardware companies and music services -- most backed by Apple's historic rival, Microsoft -- have tried, and failed, with all sorts of approaches. Some contenders were cheaper. Others had built-in features the iPod lacked, like FM radios. Some had more capacity, or greater battery life. Others relied on monthly subscriptions instead of per-song fees. But the public has mainly yawned, and none of these approaches has gained any traction. On Wednesday, a small New York City company called MusicGremlin Inc. rolled out a fresh approach to denting the iPod hegemony: the wireless music player. Its new $299 Gremlin portable player has built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking, so it can download songs from an accompanying subscription service directly, without requiring the use of a personal computer. Not only that, but Gremlin users can wirelessly exchange entire songs right from their players, legally, as long as both the sender and receiver are subscribers to the MusicGremlin Direct service, which costs $14.99 a month. This process, called "beaming," allows you to share songs with your Gremlin-toting pals, no matter where they are, without ever using a computer or a CD burner. You can even peer into other users' Gremlins to see what they're playing and what they've downloaded, and pluck any song you like from their devices, if they give you permission.»
fonte: «Mossberg Solution: A Gremlin challenges the iPod», June 14, 2006, Wall Street Journal
Novidades (especulativas?) do novo iPod
«Apple is rumored to release an updated iPod within the next few months, and that will place even more pressure on precious, NAND flash memory supplies. According to a recent research report issued Wednesday by Gartner Research, global sales of portable MP3 players will soar to 187.7 million units this year, up from 134.5 million in 2005. A major chunk of that growth will come from Apple, which leverages its market dominance to craft longer-term memory supply contracts. The Gartner report pointed to a 5.8 percent supply deficit during the fourth quarter of this year, and a 2.6 percent shortage during the first quarter of 2007»
fonte: New iPod Release Could Prolong Flash Memory Shortages, digital music news, 22/6/06
O LAD da Microsoft...
«More information is now surfacing on the possible launch of a Microsoft-branded iPod competitor. The device would be the latest attempt to chip away at the continued dominance of Apple in the space, and would be accompanied by a hand-in-glove, music software companion. A recent report in Reuters pointed to Robbie Bach, a major player within the Xbox division at Microsoft, as a contender to lead the project. Discussions and rumors have been circulating on a Microsoft bid for some time, driven by the inability of numerous partners to offer a serious threat to the iPod+iTunes stalwart.
The latest iTunes competitor to emerge was Urge from MTV, which beta launched in May. That system plugs into the freshly-unveiled Windows Media Player 11, which delivers enhanced media management, device synchronization, and a competitive interface. But early reviews have been sour on the release, both on early-stage bugs and the overall strength of the play. The system is part of the Microsoft PlaysForSure network of compatible devices and services, though an incompatibility with the iPod is likely to create serious adoption problems. The MTV launch was timed with the release of the iRiver Clix, which offers an innovative click-screen approach and tiny form factor, though most iPod competitors have had difficulty gaining significant market share.»
fonte: «More Chatter Bubbles on Microsoft-Branded iPod Killer», Digital Music News, 19;6,06
Mais do planeta iPod
Mais um esforço de ligar rádio e iPod
The DLO nanoTune. FM transmitter, radio and headphone amp in one cool little iPod nano package. Boosts your headphone sound by up to 25%, which is probably nosebleed country. £49.99.
You can switch modes on the fly. When in iPod Mode, the nanoTune increases the nano’s volume output by over 25%. Tune the nanoTune’s FM radio or control your iPod nano using the nanoTune’s external controls. The nanoTune features buttons for next track and previous track, volume control with headphone amplifier, tuning in FM Radio Mode and FM Transmitter Mode, and Mode selection
Nike + Ipod
«Quem gosta de correr ou de caminhar para se manter em forma já muitas vezes se terá perguntado, afinal, quantos metros percorreu. A Nike e a Apple desenvolveram um sistema que permite responder. Os ténis comunicam com o iPod e este indica a distância que foi feita, a velocidade média e as calorias perdidas, tal como acontece nas passadeiras dos ginásios. A junção entre um bom par de ténis e um leitor de áudio portátil não é de agora, pois milhares de desportistas gostam de correr acompanhados da sua música preferida. Mas esta é a primeira vez que a maior marca de ténis e o principal fabricante de leitores de áudio portáteis se juntam para oferecer novas funcionalidades relacionadas com a prática de atletismo. O sistema chama-se Nike+iPod e a ligação entre os ténis da Nike e o Nano - o modelo mais pequeno dos iPod - é feita através de um transmissor que é colocado na sapatilha e de um receptor que é ligado ao iPod. O kit, que apenas inclui o transmissor e o receptor, estará disponível dentro de dois meses e deverá custar 29 dólares (cerca de 23 euros). O utilizador pode continuar a ouvir música enquanto tem o novo sistema ligado e até registar o seu desempenho em www.nikeplus.com, para poder depois consultar a sua evolução numa espécie de diário dos treinos. "Sabemos que estas duas marcas funcionam muito bem juntas", adiantou Trevor Edwards, vice-presidente da Nike para a gestão global da marca, citado pela BBC News. "Partilhamos o mesmo tipo de utilizadores", explicou. Esta não foi a primeira tentativa de ligação entre a Nike e uma empresa de electrónica de consumo, mas a experiência anterior, com a Philips, não foi bem sucedida. Tal como não é inédita a produção de roupas da Nike adaptadas aos iPod»
fonte: Isabel Gorjão Santos, «Ténis Nike vão comunicar com o iPod e dizer ao utilizador quanto correu«, Público, 25/5/06
O iPod e televisão portátil
Uma coisa é querer derrotar o iPod´; outra conseguir, não é Sony?
«Attempts by Sony to lure customers away from the iPod have so far been disappointing. By now, the story is a tired one. Sony’s lineup of Network Walkman portable MP3 players have failed to put a dent in the dominant iPod, and Sony Connect has mostly been met with lukewarm reviews and consumer indifference. But despite the setbacks, the company is keeping its head in the portable MP3 game. Last week, Sony SVP Takao Yuhura met with the press to announce the arrival the next iPod killer, as well as a new download service to replace Connect. Unfortunately, Yuhura offered no details on the upcoming player/service pairing, leaving pundits wondering whether Sony will be more competitive this time around. Meanwhile, one executive close to the situation told Digital Music News that a new lineup of players will not carry ATRAC-3 compatibility, though that information has not been corroborated by additional sources.
So what will the next generation of digital music services look like for Sony? A possible clue may come from another Sony service called LocationFree TV, which allows PlayStation Portable (PSP) owners to receive television programming and other content wirelessly and on-the-road, all from a home-based unit. Like the SlingBox from Sling Media, the concept is all about content ubiquity and portability, and Sony could expand the platform to include portable MP3 players. Meanwhile, Yuhura was vague on when the new players would appear, only indicating that they will go on sale sometime next year.»
fonte: «Sony Targets iPod Once Again, New Strategy Emerges», Digoital Music News, Richard Menta, 1/5/06
Ouvir rádio no iPod
Por um lado, o fenómeno iPod é demasiado importante para ser ignorado, por outro porque não potenciar as suas capacidades para associar a rádio? É o que faz a empresa norte-americana Griffin com este programa iFill: uma vez descarregado (custa 20 dolares mas há uma semana de experiência à borla), permite receber e gravar directamente no iPod as rádios com transmissão na internet.
É uma ideia bem interessante: escolhe-se a rádio que passa a música que nos interesse, põe-se o ipod a gravar e de manhã é só ouvir! (pelo que percebi não utiliza o iTunes, mas se estiver errado corrijam-me por favor)
Vender iPods como pão quente
«Apple posted another strong financial result for the quarter ending April 1st, with revenue topping $4.36 billion. That represents a 34 percent jump over the year-ago period, and the second-highest quarterly result for the company. The three-month period - which technically corresponds to the second fiscal quarter of 2006 for Apple - also saw robust iPod sales and strong overall profits. Specifically, Apple shifted 8,526,000 iPods in the period, a 61 percent surge over the year-ago quarter. And earnings surpassed $410 million, or $.47 per diluted share, a 41 percent rise»
fonte: «Apple Posts Strong Quarterly Earnings, 8.5 Million iPods Sold», Digital Music News, 20/4/06
Confirmado o telemóvel iPod?
«Insiders at Taiwanese phone maker BenQ say that Apple procurement executives have been talking to various Taiwanese phone makers during the past few months in an effort to cut a manufacturing deal on an iPod Phone. They say that Apple will launch an iPod with phone functions within the next few months. "An iPod phone is definitely coming. BenQ will not be making it as we are in competition with Apple however several of our suppliers have been approached to manufacture parts. Among manufacturers in Taiwan it is common knowledge. The issue for many is the availabilty of parts if the phone takes off" said the BenQ executive. (...) Analysts believe that if Apple does come out with a music-playing cell phone, it will likely have the biggest impact on Motorola, the leading cell phone maker in the U.S. "Even a modest showing for an Apple multimedia cellphone could put a dent in Motorola’s profits," Barron’s says. "If Apple were to grab just 1% of the 900 million phones expected to be sold world».
fonte: «iPod Phone Confirmed», SmartHouse, David Richards - Tuesday, 21 March 2006
[obrig E]
Sobre o iPod, quando a Apple faz 30 anos
«Quando o iPod chegou às prateleiras das lojas, em 2001, foi o primeiro leitor de áudio portátil digital com um disco rígido, na altura de cinco gigabytes (GB), uma capacidade que superava tudo o que havia no mercado.
Hoje, o iPod clássico tem duas versões, com 30 ou 60 GB, e o mais barato custa 319 euros. Para além disso, foram lançados outros dois modelos: o Shuffle, que é pequeno como uma caneta de memória que se liga ao computador, e o Nano, que foi lançado no ano passado, cabe no bolso da camisa e faz lembrar as caixinhas onde se guardam os cartões de visita. Este, na versão de dois GB, custa 208 euros. Também no ano passado foi lançado o iPod Vídeo, que é semelhante à versão clássica mas que permite ver os vídeos disponíveis na iTunes.
Na terça-feira, um artigo publicado no CNET News, um site dedicado às tecnologias, referia que o iPod levou muitas empresas a produzir acessórios e criou um mercado na ordem dos mil milhões de dólares. Atrás dos leitores vieram as capas, os auscultadores, ou os suportes e tudo isso ajudou a criar uma enorme legião de fãs.
Dois anos depois do iPod, em 2003, a Apple lançou a iTunes, que é hoje a maior loja de música na Internet, onde se podem descarregar ficheiros de áudio por 99 cêntimos. A quantidade de conteúdos disponíveis depende da iTunes a que se acede, uma vez que em cada país foi aberta uma loja diferente. Na iTunes norte-americana existem dois milhões de músicas, 3500 vídeos, 35 mil podcasts e 16 mil audiobooks, ou seja, livros cujo texto foi gravado em áudio e que agora podem ser ouvidos nos iPod.
A junção entre os iPod e a iTunes acabou por ser vital para a Apple, até porque esta optou por não disponibilizar a sua tecnologia de protecção anti-cópia e impediu que os ficheiros da iTunes pudessem ser descarregados para outros leitores de áudio portátil. Em resultado disso, os clientes da iTunes apenas podem copiar ficheiros para o computador, PC ou Macintosh, e para o iPod.
Essa medida da Apple começou a ser alvo de contestação quando, há duas semanas, o Parlamento francês votou uma proposta legislativa sobre direitos de autor. Nessa proposta era exigida a interoperabilidade entre os ficheiros da iTunes e os vários leitores de áudio portáteis, para além dos iPod. A Apple considerou que essa medida se traduziria em "pirataria patrocinada pelo Estado" e justificou com o facto de os iPod não deverem ser compatíveis com outros ficheiros de áudio que não estejam "adequadamente protegidos" quanto ao copyright.»
(fonte: Isabel Gorjão Santos, «O leitor de música digital iPod tornou-se um fenómeno cultural», Público, 1/4/06, pág 3)
Surpreendente (?): HD preferido a iPod?
«Mercury Radio Research has released the results of a survey of 1,000 people conducted in Jan.-Feb. about HD Radio and the iPod. Given the choice between the two technologies at the same price, better than 50% preferred HD over the iPod. In polling men and women aged 12-54 of various ethnicities, Mercury gave participants a description of HD radio and asked for their preference versus iPods. Overall, 53% gave the thumbs up to HD, while 37% chose the iPod and 10% answered “don’t know.” Broken out, 18-34 adults chose HD by a 51% margin compared to 43% who selected iPods and 6% answering “don’t know.” HD led by 59% to iPod’s 28% in adults 25-54, with 13% of respondents answering “don’t know.”
More info on the study, including format breakouts are available at radiomarketingnexus.com»
fonte: Billboard Radio Monitor, Report: HD Radio Preferred Over iPod, March 15, 2006, By Mike Boyle
iPod reina nos EUA, mas na Ásia nem tanto
«The iPod has been a runaway success in the United States, though the story is a bit mixed globally. Steve Jobs recently claimed a healthy 78 percent of the US-based market during the current quarter, though overseas markets have been less receptive. During a Monday SXSW panel on consumer digital behavior, Yahoo vice president of Corporate and Sales Research Michele Madansky pointed to an entirely different consumer in Asia. "The brand is far less important," Madansky said in reference to the portable MP3 market. That highlights an incredibly well-executed iPod marketing campaign in the United States, according to the Yahoo research executive.
The cult of iPod is a dominant force among US consumers, and one that Apple cultivates well. But analysts also point to excellent device functionality as a major success contributor, typified by a smooth iTunes+iPod connection. And globally, the picture is actually solid overall. iPod market share has been pegged at about 55 percent worldwide, though figures differ. In Asia, the iPod has caught fire in Japan, though other markets are far less hooked. Those countries offer the greatest challenge to Apple moving forward. Meanwhile, the mobile phone remains an inseparable appendage for most Asian consumers, and that is already having an impact on the portable MP3 market. Most recently, Samsung introduced an 8GB, HDD-based phone, offering a glimpse at next-generation storage and convergence possibilities» (fonte: Digital, Music News, iPod Dominates in US, Asian Markets Harder to Crack, 14/3/06).
Mais um que acha que o futuro da rádio é o iPod...
«Radio may be going through a tough patch, but Regent CEO Bill Stakelin warned Wall Street analysts not to write off the sector - - or his company. He pointed to improving ad sales in several Regent markets. And he said there are exciting things happening for the radio industry. Stakelin said it is exciting that Apple's new iPod comes with an FM receiver included and exciting that Motorola's newest cell phone comes with an FM radio included. So, Regent will continue to work on building its business. However, he warned, "We are always at the mercy of our dumbest competitor."»
(fonte: «Stakelin still sees exciting things for radio», RBRepaper, Volume 23, Issue 44, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher, Friday Morning March 3rd, 2006)
(fonte: «Stakelin still sees exciting things for radio», RBRepaper, Volume 23, Issue 44, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher, Friday Morning March 3rd, 2006)
O iPod e a rádio
A proposito de uma especulação sobre a introdução de sistemas wifi e bluetooth nos iPods, o RAIN conclui:
"Wi-Fi Bluetooth iPods sound like the ultimate in convergence fantasy for a wide variety of tech industries. But for RAIN readers, talk of such a player could signal Internet radio capabilities for the world's most popular portable digital media player.
Picture this: When you turn on your iPod, an "Internet Radio" menu would appear, where you could browse through your favorite stations' streams from your iPod's display. This would realize so much of Net radio's portability potential, and in a very mainstream way. Pair that with the hottest personal player going, and what follows should be absolutely huge. -- DM"