The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an important snapshot of the digital product landscape, with a view toward the future. As such, CES commands attention, but each year brings a different focus. CES 2014 is the most important CES in memory, for anyone interested in radio, Internet radio, audio, and mobile infotainment. Continue Reading
Doc Searls is an author and a fellow of the Center for Information Technology & Society (CITS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has a lifelong love of radio, and recently wrote a prescription for the future of broadcasting: How to Rescue Radio. We spoke with Doc Searls about radio, programming, and the future. Continue Reading
Today, Gracenote announced a new developer product called Gracenote Rhythm, which competes directly with The Echo Nest, whose music intelligence technology powers over 400 services. How will the two companies differentiate? Continue Reading
Reports are circulating that Google is extending its Glass Explorer program to subscribers of Google’s arduously-named Google Play Music All Access on-demand music service. This makes perfect sense, since Google recently added music-control features to Glass. Continue Reading
Clear Channel-owned iHeartRadio has been emphasizing Talk, the spoken-word portion of the iHeart app, since that section was introduced to the menu last year. A recent app update adds a feature with which you can listen to previous episodes of a talk-radio show. Continue Reading
Happy New Year! One easy prediction is this: 2014 will be an eventful year for all stakeholders in broadcast and Internet radio. RAIN is pleased to present predictions from thought-leading guest futurists. Continue Reading
AOL-owned (but not for long) Winamp and Shoutcast are reportedly being acquired by online streaming platform Radionomy. A clearly synergistic acquisition if true. In ShoutCast, Radionomy would be obtaining one of the largest self-serve streaming audio platforms, adding 50,000 stations to its home-grown portfolio of 7,000 stations. Continue Reading
Google and Audi will announce a tech/auto partnership at CES next week. Google is squaring off against Apple’s “iOS in the Car” program announced last summer. Car companies are flocking to CES, a trend that represents the re-invention of the automobile as a mobile device. Continue Reading
WiFi speakers arguably replace home radios except in one aspect: price. Wireless-enable speakers cost hundreds of dollars each. Samsung feels our pain, and has announced a younger sibling to its Shape M7 wireless, 400-dollar, Internet-enabled speaker. Continue Reading
It’s New Year’s Eve, and the question is this: Look back, or look forward? Sentiment or anticipation? The station was founded by Ron Lisk, who nurtured a lifelong love of radio and classic rock in college and with an indie low-power station before webcasting came along. Continue Reading
On February 5, RAIN Summit NYC – Pureplays and Podcasts will be hosted by RAIN Enterprises CEO Jennifer Lane and founding editor Kurt Hanson. The event will take place at WNYC’s The Greene Space in downtown Manhattan. Continue Reading
Radio stocks did well this year, notching double- or triple-digit growth in 2013. Gains far surpassed the S&P 500, which itself enjoyed 20-percent growth. We put a radio-stock basket against the S&P index, and also against Pandora for a graphic look at a banner 2013 for radio and Internet radio brands. Continue Reading