Currently, iTunes Radio is packed into the default Music app, the icon for which which cannot be removed from the iPhone/iPod/iPad desktop. The iTunes Radio brand is not spelled out anywhere in the system. As a review point of the service and its accessibility, we think iTunes Radio should exist as a separate identity in iOS. Continue Reading
Nielsen-owned (as of February) Harris Interactive conducts an annual nationwide poll of U.S. consumers to determine what it calls “brand equity.” Harris has released the 2014 edition, and called out streaming services for their rapid gain in positive brand recognition over the last two years. Continue Reading
In the wake of Audi’s announcement of its Internet-enabled 2015 A3 model car, with high-speed 4G LTE connectivity built in, we asked reader whether they would pay for a data plan for their cars. It was the most lopsided RAIN Poll yet. Continue Reading
M. Luke McDonell is a writer, artist, and photographer living in San Francisco. A veteran of South by Southwest, she is contributing airy contributions from the 2014 show. This SXSW report is from the first weekend of SXSW Interactive. Continue Reading
Editor’s Notebook: Shortly before noon today, my Android phone pinged with an iHeartRadio notification of a deadly explosion and building collapse in New York. Good job. But the resulting radio experience was ruinous, putting radio’s commercial-load problem in bold relief. There might be a solution. Continue Reading
PonoMusic fixes what Neil Young regards as a quality problem with existing music players. He has created a high-quality audio ecosystem (player + download store) that goes against at least three current rends in music consumption. Nevertheless, the PonoMusic Kickstarter campaign is a goal-smashing success. Continue Reading
Jelli has completed its transformation from a listening app to an ad platform with today’s announcement of SpotPlan, which Jelli claims is the first programmatic advertising platform for radio. Programmatic ad-buying is well-established on the Web at large, and is used for planning ad campaigns in streaming audio. Continue Reading
In what could be described as the first crack in The Echo Nest’s music-powering empire, Rdio CEO Anthony Bay told CNBC that his music service would end its relationship with the music-data company. The Echo Nest was acquired by Spotify last week, and Bay doesn’t want his user metrics visible to a competitor. Continue Reading
Money is pouring into online audio.Recently-launched Beats Music has completed a new funding round totaling at least $60-million. (The exact amount is undisclosed.) News of this investment comes in the wake of Beats competitor Spotify acquiring a $200-million line of credit, and acquiring music-data leader The Echo Nest for a reported $100-million. Continue Reading
The company is silent, but Spotify reportedly has arranged a $200-million line of credit. In addition, Spotify has $538-million total venture funding. When so much external money is in a company which carries an unprofitable balance sheet, it sometimes foretells a “liquidity event” such as an IPO. Continue Reading
Audi and AT&T announced the first car model to include high-speed (4G LTE) Internet connectivity built into the car. The feature offers convenience at a price. After a six-month free-trial period, the owner must pay $99 for six more months, or $499 for 30 months, for a data plan. Would you buy an in-car data plan? Vote your preference! Continue Reading
WNYC, flagship station of New York Public Radio, announced that NYPR received a $10-million grant from the Jerome L. Greene Foundation, a past major supporter. Most of the money is targeted to development of online products and mobile apps, with the remainder going to WNYC’s Manhattan performance space. Continue Reading