radio

Sony's clock radio is a blast from the past

Yes, it's another one. Given the sheer number of alarm clocks on the market, you'd think that narcolepsy was a global pandemic. It's at least mildly interesting to note that this latest example comes from Sony, which managed to make considerable hay (and money) out of reinventing the clock radio with its "Dream Machine" decades ago.

But Sony today is very different from its 1987 self, of course, and this product reflects that change in station. The clock plays the radio and CDs, but not MP3s. And Newlaunches says the alarm is just a buzz, … Read more

Nutsie launches in beta: iTunes on your phone, sort of

Mobile media company Melodeo, best known for mobile radio and podcast deals with cellular carriers, has launched the public beta of a new brand: Nutsie, which allows you to upload iTunes playlists to its Web site and stream them to your cell phone. (Get it? "Nutsie?" It's "iTunes" with the letters rearranged.)

So far, it's compatible with a bunch of different cell phones: the Motorola Razr, LG CU500, Sony Ericsson W600, and a handful of Samsung and Nokia handsets. Upon signing up, you export your iTunes library to Nutsie's Web site (no word … Read more

Webcasters ask court for delay in fee increases

Large digital media companies, small Webcasters and National Public Radio on Wednesday asked a federal appeals court to stall controversial new fees scheduled to kick in next month.

In a filing with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the Webcasters argued new royalty rates scheduled to take effect July 15 are "radical and arbitary" and requested an emergency stay of the decision by a three-judge copyright panel.

The SaveNetRadio Coalition, whose members include prominent Net radio operators RealNetworks, Yahoo, Pandora and Live365, said it hoped the move will allow Congress more time to … Read more

Sony announces new HD Radio gear

Today, Sony announced two new HD radio products: one for the home and one for the car. Now, if you gave up on terrestrial radio ages ago--either for the iPod, Internet radio, and/or satellite radio--you're probably not all that concerned about new developments in that area. But for those who still enjoy AM/FM radio programming, HD Radio offers some compelling developments. Namely, it allows for a wider selection of channels via substations, and it provides better quality audio than standard AM/FM radio--"crystal-clear digital sound" by some accounts. We ain't talking CD-quality … Read more

Ronn Owens and his cell phone obsession

Hi, I'm Ronn Owens. For more than 30 years, I've been on KGO-AM, San Francisco's No. 1 radio station. (For a full bio, just check out www.ronn.com.)

What you're reading now shows the fun part of me. I've been into cell phones since they were the bricks we lugged around to impress people. Now we're far more advanced. New styles and features are introduced daily. My hobby is learning what's new and trying out the more interesting ones.

What you'll see on this blog is not your classic review. Kent … Read more

Pandora's music box on Sprint phones

SAN FRANCISCO--At an event here Tuesday night, Pandora Media unveiled an updated Web site and new partnerships that would make its streaming Internet radio service more mobile.

Pandora, the third-largest Internet radio service, with nearly 7 million registered users, according to founder Tim Westergren, said it teamed with Sprint to sell its music recommendation service over the company's cell phones. Pandora will cost $2.99 per month after a free 30-day trial on select Sprint phones.

It also struck a deal with digital-media player maker Sonos to stream music into the home wirelessly for $36 a year. And down … Read more

Clock radio for shrinking apartments

Loath as we are to write of yet another alarm clock, we feel that this is something of a public service for all the space-deprived Crave dwellers in New York City and other urban jungles where a janitor's closet can be a decent-sized studio apartment.

This Philips AJ300D clock radio has a 6-watt amp, speaker and dock for an iPod or MP3 player while maintaining a compact footprint, according to Technabob. In addition to waking you two hours after you've gotten home from a good night's clubbing, it'll still leave enough space in the combo bedroom-kitchen … Read more

Video boombox for the iPod

We knew that one of these had to be out there. About a week ago we found a video boombox that seemed to have everything except an iPod dock--which, to many people, made it virtually useless. But Boston Innovative Products has come to the rescue with one that provides just that.

Its "iMep" line of iPod boomboxes are also equipped for DVDs, CDs, TV and radio, according to iLounge. They're a bit of a stretch for the manufacturer, which is better known for making air purifiers and other household appliances. But hey, Samsung and LG are making … Read more

Senators want to overthrow new Net radio fees

Congressional momentum appears to be building in support of overturning a contentious ruling that Webcasters argue could cripple their services.

On Thursday, U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) introduced a bill that would repeal a U.S. Copyright Royalty Board decision scheduled to take effect July 15. The rules would raise the rate per song and per listener retroactively to 2006, and then in each year until 2010. It would also require each Internet radio "channel" to make a $500 minimum payment.

Opponents of the new rules, which include large and small commercial Internet … Read more

Noxon digital radio adds iPod to the mix

OK, enough with the vintage stuff. The "Noxon 2" is about as modern as they come, in form and function alike, as well as having a name that sounds like a chemical.

This wireless Internet radio, which gets more than 10,000 stations, updates its predecessor by adding an iPod dock. And if you still can't find anything to listen to, SlashGear says you can also wirelessly stream audio from a computer or other devices.

But the real giveaway that this isn't a retro device? It's got that generic look that seems like practically every … Read more