Thursday, May 13, 2010

Car Radio Listeners Get Another App...

In-car radio listening continues to expand with another player joining the fight for supremacy. Livio Car Internet Radio is a new iPhone app, developed specifically to be used for in-car listening. While giving consumers over 42,000 AM/FM internet-only radio stations via Radio Time radio service, you'll also be able to listen to your favorite local station by using your GPS location to track local stations and listen to them in digital quality. The cost is reasonable with the app priced at $4.99. Livio comes complete with social features to allow you to share your favorite stations with friends through Twitter & Facebook as all good apps must...

Livio will not deliver advertising. 28-year old company founder Jake Sigal explains: "Even though Pandora has a free app you still have Pandora advertising. So one end of spectrum is free, which is what Pandora is doing and on the other is XM and Sirius where you pay $12.99 a month. Pandora provides great customized music, but doesn't provide live and local, we're doing that, we're doing that with a one-time use fee. We think that's fair. We thought about doing a free version that's ad supported but visual ads are unsafe while driving." It's interesting to note that Livio, founded in 2008 developed its app to let users listen to Pandora and NPR in-home...

While there will be other radio apps added to in-car listening, what's becoming clear is that the major players will be providing thousands of internet radio station choices, the better to compete with Sirius XM, Pandora and local, public & network radio stations. I believe it will take internet radio some time to establish itself in order to catch up with Pandora & Sirius XM. When they do, internet will become part of the big 3 in-car listening sources with terrestrial radio trailing the field. And down the stretch they come...

10 Timeline Memories:

1.1607] That’s settled: The English colony at Jamestown (VA) is settled. It will be founded the following day…
2.1846] There goes the Cinco de Mayo celebration: The U.S. declares that a state of war exists against Mexico…
3.1929] It’s a numbers game: When the Indians beat the Yankees 4-3 in Cleveland, it marks the first game to feature numbers on the backs of the players…
4.1940] Churchillian: Winston Churchill tells the British House of Commons: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat” in his first speech as prime minister. So how come the group wasn’t called ‘Blood, Toil, Tears & Sweat’??? Just asking…
5.1976] The Doctor makes a house call: Led by Dr. J, the New York Nets win their second ABA title with a thrilling come-from-behind (they trailed by 22 with 17 minutes left) victory over Denver at the Nassau Coliseum in the last ABA game. After this game the ABA becomes part of the NBA…
6.1981] The Pope takes a bullet: Pope John II is shot and seriously wounded in St. Peter’s Square by Turkish assailant Mehmet Ali Agca
7.1985] Wedding Bells: Bruce Springsteen and Julianne Phillips rock down the aisle. Bruce is on fire. They will separate in 1989 and then divorce…
8.1993] Elite company: One day before his 40th birthday, George Brett becomes only the 6th player with 300 (or more) home runs and 3,000 hits. The historic ball is picked up by a fan on a veteran’s hospital outing. The fan is blind. True!!!
9.2000] Rickey released: The Mets release Rickey Henderson after he fails to hustle and turns a double into a single. He was also hitting .219 with no home runs at the time…
10.2007] ‘Happy Trails’: Bill Todd aka Johnny Williams, former WRKO disc jockey passes away from Lou Gehrig’s disease...


Music Memories:

1966] Recorded on this date: "Sunny Afternoon" - The Kinks...1970] Badfinger begins recording "No Matter What"...
1970] Debuted on this date: The Beatles movie "Let It Be" premieres in New York...1977] Dolly Parton makes her New York City debut at The Bottom Line...
1977] Mira Que Linda: Linda Ronstadt denies reports that she was offered $1 million to be photographed nude for a Hustler centerfold...


"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Darius (Hootie) Rucker (44), Sean McDonough (44), Dennis Rodman (49), Bobby Valentine (60), Stevie Wonder (60) and Harvey Keitel (71)...

Timeline Countdown: 18 days until Memorial Day, 38 days until Father's Day & 39 days until summer...