AmRadio
Latest
Are morning commuters using iPhones to listen to NPR?
Although your car has a fully-capable AM radio, and you're an NPR listener, do you find yourself jacking your iPhone into your car stereo and listening to NPR through its app instead? New data released from NPR seems to indicate that's what a lot of people are opting to do. According to its data, NPR has noticed a rather significant spike in its iPhone app usage during typical morning commuter time. What makes that data so interesting -- at least to NPR -- is that, presumably, these people are in their cars. They're with radios capable of receiving AM FM signals and, therefore, NPR's programming over the airwaves. So why use the app? I say the data isn't so cut and dry. The sample they are seeing is only 8,000 people, which really isn't all that many when you consider there are many more people listening to NPR on a daily basis, overall. There's also this thing called telecommuting, so I wouldn't assume all of these people are in radio-equipped automobiles. There are also thousands of people who walk to work everyday and thousands more who simply don't work at all. If you're using the NPR app and have access to an AM FM radio, why are you using the app instead of the radio? Let us know in the comments. [via MacDailyNews]
Stylish Sony Walkman docks sport WiFi radio, ludicrous sheen
Thermos audio wasn't the only idea Sony Japan introduced this week; there's also the company's glossy new speaker docks, the NAS-V5 and NAS-V7M, whose intense reflection make us remember that time mom told us never to stare at the sun. Unfortunately, NAS doesn't stand for Network Attached Storage here, but the ¥50,000 (about $535) NAS-V7M does have 16GB of internal memory onto which you can rip audio CDs with a single touch, and both it and the ¥40,000 ($428) NAS-V5 have internal WiFi that'll have your Japanese counterparts pumping internet radio jingles from Shoutcast, vTuner, your PC and anything else with a compatible wireless audio stream when they hit Akihabara on June 26. They both feature 32-bit DSPs for what we can only guess will be crisp, clean audio quality, have all the standard AM-FM radio features you've come to expect, and include an AUX jack and a powered USB port. Oh, and lest we forget amidst all the bedside table aural goodness -- they're also Walkman docks. Hear a deep, soothing Japanese voice explain why you need one, after the break. %Gallery-90120%
C. Crane Witness AM / FM DAP will make you wish Wolfman Jack was still on the air
AM radio often gets left in the dust in this here digital age -- we can't remember too many PMPs that bothered supporting it -- but the C. Crane "Witness" is here to tell you it's not dead yet. Sure, it looks like a clunky old DAP, has a monochromatic screen and only two measly GB of memory. Yes, it's true, you can't even make an MP3 playlist on it, but it's got built-in AM and FM tuners and you can definitely schedule it to record Coast to Coast AM hours and hours in advance. It's a pricy $229 but we have a good feeling that some of your um... relatives will think the Witness is totally awesome.[Via DAPreview]
Timex intros diminutive Ti700 iPod alarm clock
It's no secret that quite a few companies are jumping in the iPod speaker system / alarm clock game, but you know the market's saturated when Timex dives in. Sporting a slim, travel-friendly silver and black enclosure, the Ti700 rocks a blue-backlit LCD, twin alarms, AM / FM tuners, nine station presets, and even a nine-button wireless remote to control the action from afar. Of course, Timex isn't exactly the king of audio, so you'll be relying on a single (likely subpar) driver to belt out the jams, but you can plug in other audio devices via the aux in jack if you leave your 'Pod behind. No word just yet on pricing and availability, nor if it'll be setup beside the bargain watch display at your favorite retailer.
