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iTunes Radio now streams the news, thanks to NPR
It's been nearly a year since Apple announced its plans to join Spotify, Rdio and Pandora as a music streaming service provider. However, while beats, melodies and harmony are great, some would say iTunes Radio's sonic buffet is lacking -- it has no news channels. No longer. NPR has joined the service as a 24-hour news streaming station, with broadcasts starting right now. Of course, folks have long been able to get their public radio fix via NPR's website, but now fanboys and girls can get it straight from Apple's service. For now, NPR is the first and only news channel on iTunes Radio, but we've a sneaking suspicion that exclusivity won't last for long.
NPR receiver gets closed-captioned radio emergency alerts for the hearing impaired
I'll be the first to admit that I had a little trouble wrapping my brain around this one, but I think I've got it now. Sure the appeal of closed-captioned radio for the hearing impaired is clear, but what wasn't immediately apparent was why, precisely, one would want a standalone box for such information if you could potentially get it just as easily through, say, the station's website. This first iteration (which is very much still in the proof-of-concept phase) is intended for emergency relief organizations like FEMA and NPR and its partners are currently testing it out in the Gulf states. The box uses a tablet as a display, getting emergency information through the radio spectrum, so you can use it when the power is out and your WiFi isn't working -- assuming you've still got juice in your tablet, which powers the box. At present, those emergency alerts are the only thing that are currently closed captioned, though NPR is aggressively looking at captioning most or all of its programming, so you could theoretically get the text narration through the box or through the public radio network's site. Future iterations of the receiver will also be a fair bit smaller, perhaps eventually being built into radios with displays, so hearing-impaired public radio fans can still get their Terry Gross fix. Nicole Lee contributed to this report.
Peripheral Vision 009: Jesse Thorn on using the internet to create something meaningful
"The fact that I'm an independent media businessman is because no one was interested in co-opting me," Jesse Thorn laughs. It's plenty easy to make light of with a decade's distance and a sunny office overlooking MacArthur Park and the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles. Maximum Fun's Westlake headquarters is reasonably quiet when we arrive, a half-dozen or so employees plugging away on the podcasting network's day-to-day operations, and prepping for its first-ever Atlantic Comedy and Music Cruise. In the past ten years, the Bullseye host has turned a humble college radio program into a bustling podcasting empire. "We started podcasting [Bullseye's predecessor] The Sound of Young America at the end of 2004," says the NPR host. "I thought if I could get 100 or 200 people to listen to this, it would be worth the extra 90 minutes for me to make it into a podcast." Thorn's secret to success is simple enough: do what you love. And doesn't hurt if you can't possibly do anything else. "It's about is creating something that means enough to you that you're willing to undergo some hardship to sustain it and to create something that means enough to your audience that they're willing to support it - even if it's in surprising ways," explains Thorn. "Even if it's backing a Kickstarter or buying a ticket to a cruise, rather than buying a newspaper. If you can bring those things together, this is a new world. When I got out of college, I didn't get an interview. It was horrible. I ended up working as my dad's secretary, and I'm a terrible secretary - and my dad is a terrible boss. Even if he wasn't my dad, he'd be a terrible boss." Subscribe to Peripheral Vision on iTunes
Peripheral Vision 008: Seth Lind on why radio won't die
"The death of radio has been foretold pretty much since its invention," Seth Lind explains. "Especially since the invention of television. Why would you listen to radio since the invention of television? One of the main answers to that is you can do other things while you're listening to radio. You can't watch the Colbert Report while driving." It's a question This American Life's director of operations gets more times than he cares to mention -- when will the internet finally put the last nail in radio's coffin? After all, Lind is the digital gatekeeper of one of public radio's most beloved shows, helping Ira Glass and co. explore new distribution platforms. Internet streaming has played a large role in the show's success in recent years -- as has the podcast, a perennial list topper over on iTunes. "Currently two-thirds listen on the radio and one-third listen elsewhere via the internet, whether that's podcast or streaming," says Lind. "Radio is pretty flat, but digital is growing, so I wouldn't be surprised if, in a couple of years, it's even. But I've honestly been surprised at how durable radio has been." This American Life's latest platform launches this week, an attempt to keep up with new listening habits that are emerging online, a sort of marriage of the always-on delivery method of radio, with the flexibility of digital. "Our 2013 This American Life product is a 24 hour stream of episodes," says Lind. "It basically will be a digital radio station that will play This American Life around the clock. What the 24 hour stream will do is take advantage of platforms like radio streaming apps like TuneIn and I Heart Radio -- and possibly the new iTunes Radio. It will find listeners who just want to turn on a channel and have the content come to them. This way you can pull up the app or go to a player and there will always be an episode playing. You won't be able to chose what it is. It will just be a story faucet."
Laura Bush: iPad drawing app inspired GWB's painting hobby
Today, the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is being dedicated on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. David Greene of NPR talked to former first lady Laura Bush about the library as well as her husband, former President George W. Bush, and his new iPad-inspired hobby. About three minutes into the conversation, Mrs. Bush talks about her husband's new pastime, drawing. His hobby was kicked off when he downloaded an app and started sketching on his iPad. He communicated with Mrs. Bush and their daughter Jenna by sending them self-drawn images of things at home while they were traveling. You can listen to the Morning Edition clip on NPR's website.
NPR's Planet Money goes behind the scenes with The Magazine
Jacob Goldstein of NPR's Planet Money took a look at the economics behind The Magazine, the iPad-only publication created by Marco Arment of Instapaper and edited by Jeopardy champion and Macworld/TidBITS contributor Glenn Fleishman. The Magazine launched late last year with essays from well-known, technology-focused writers such as Jason Snell, Lex Friedman and Harry Marks. The Magazine is published every two weeks and costs US$1.99 for a monthly subscription. Unlike most online ventures that struggle to get off the ground, The Magazine already has 25,000 subscribers and is pulling in a healthy profit. You can read more about the financials of The Magazine and the reasons why Arment started the venture on Planet Money's website.
Public Radio Player app redesigned in latest update
Some of my favorite radio programs are from National Public Radio here in the States, including Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Car Talk and A Prairie Home Companion. Fortunately, most of those shows are now available in podcast form, so that's primarily how I listen to them. And of course NPR stations broadcast terrestrially around the country, so if you want to listen to them the old-fashioned way, you can do that. But occasionally I need even more NPR. Sometimes I want to listen to classic stations in Boston or Chicago, or I just can't be bothered to scan around the dial and find my show. For those instances, the Public Radio Player app comes in very handy. It's just been updated with a brand-new design, and it allows you to tune in to more than 500 different NPR stations from around the US, wherever you happen to be. You can now also download your favorite shows (including some of those mentioned above), view news headlines from NPR, even follow stations on Twitter or donate directly to your favorite stations from within the app itself. It's a very impressive update to a really comprehensive app, and of course it's completely free. NPR consistently presents some of the best radio programming out there, and the new version of this app provides another great way to listen in.
Flipboard for Android gains audio, lets us tune into SoundCloud from our Samsung
Flipboard on iOS has had audio for some time, giving users the chance to go all high-brow as they listen to NPR while browsing the news on their iPad. It's Android's turn to adopt that cultured stance: an update to Flipboard on its newer platform includes the full, listen-in-the-background Audio category channel selection, whether it's thoughtful public radio snippets or spotlights on podcasts and artists. SoundCloud mavens get the biggest fill, both through a direct link to their account as well as a list of specialized channels. Anyone who can already use Flipboard for Android just needs to hit Google Play to add the new audio dimension; Kindle Fire and Nook owners should see a fully tailored experience in a matter of days.
Stitcher adds Smart Station to its redesigned iOS and Android apps, makes finding Radiolab even easier
Stitcher has redesigned its streaming radio app for iOS and Android, fitting it with a raft of new features to make finding new content easy. Smart Station offers personalized recommendations to let you hop between shows you'll enjoy, while album art will now display on your lock screen as you enjoy the latest Fresh Air. The company has also included a sleep timer to help you nod off and sharing has been redesigned to let you fling shows at your friends over Twitter. Both versions are available right now on each platform's respective app store, ready for the next time you need to be informed about the topics of the day.
Foxconn won't sue This American Life, Daisey
Late last week, radio show This American Life retracted an episode published in January that showcased Mike Daisey's performance of The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs (our review). The show was removed when TAL discovered inaccuracies in Daisey's account, one of which suggested Daisey himself met with workers who were poisoned by n-hexane. A report from Reuters confirms Foxconn will not sue This American Life or Daisey, even though these bogus claims were hurtful to the company. Foxconn spokesperson Simon Hsing told Reuters, "Our corporate image has been totally ruined. The point is whatever media that cited the programme should not have reported it without confirming (with us)." He added, "We have no plans to take legal action... We hope nothing similar will happen again."
Whoopsie Daisey: This American Life episode on Foxconn's iPad factories 'partially fabricated,' retracted
Last month, we reviewed Mike Daisey's "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs", a monologue in which the storyteller opines on his trip to China and his time with workers in a Foxconn iPad plant. Daisey's story was the basis of an episode of PRI's "This American Life," and now the show has retracted that episode when additional fact-checking revealed that a number of Daisey's claims were fabricated. This American Life host Ira Glass was understandably upset, saying that "Daisey lied to me and to This American Life producer Brian Reed during the fact checking we did on the story, before it was broadcast. That doesn't excuse the fact that we never should've put this on the air. In the end, this was our mistake." You can read the show's full transcript here. Daisey isn't as quite as repentant, claiming that his work was "not journalism" and therefore "operates under a different set of rules and expectations" from a journalistic endeavor like This American Life. This American Life noted two of the worst fabrications in Daisey's monologue -- first, where he claimed to have met a group of Foxconn employees who were poisoned by n-hexane in Shenzhen, China. Apple's factory audits have uncovered a similar occurrence, but it happened over a thousand miles away in Suzhou. The second, and much more egregious, fabrication was about one of the most dramatic sections of Daisey's work. In this section, Daisey talks about meeting a factory worker whose hand was mangled on an iPad production line, and showing the worker a finished product that he had allegedly never seen. The interpreter who accompanied Daisey told a fact checker that she never witnessed anything like that encounter. You can read Daisey's response to the retraction of the show here.
'This American Life' issues retraction episode over Foxconn report
This American Life is airing a new episode today titled "Retraction." The title and show are a direct response to the January 6th edition of the popular public radio program titled "Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory," an adaptation of a one-man show that helped put Cupertino's involvement with Foxconn back in the public spotlight. "Regrettably," the show's producers write in the description of this week's episode, "we have discovered that one of our most popular episodes was partially fabricated." The hour-long show has been dedicated to clearing up some of the misconceptions, including an interview with Mike Daisey to discover "why he misled This American Life during the fact-checking process." For his part, Daisey responded on his personal blog, explaining, "What I do is not journalism." Daisey adds: My show is a theatrical piece whose goal is to create a human connection between our gorgeous devices and the brutal circumstances from which they emerge. It uses a combination of fact, memoir, and dramatic license to tell its story, and I believe it does so with integrity.An MP3 file of the episode will be made available for download on Sunday.
Daily iPad App: NPR Music is a treat for music fans
Everyone knows about NPR's quality podcasts, or at least they should. All Things Considered, Car Talk and Whose Line is it Anyway routinely top the charts on iTunes. But I'm also a fan of NPR's music. They do a great series of podcasts called All Songs Considered, and they often release great live performances, available as free downloads in iTunes. Now, NPR Music has released its own iPad app, and as you can see above, it's very snazzy. Most of the content in the app is simply what's available on the NPR Music website, but it's all been redesigned for a touch interface. And while you can play new music straight through the website, playing it in a browser isn't always as easy as through an iOS device. The iPad version also has a very excellent playlist and a live radio, so there are tons of great ways to listen to awesome new music, all completely free. There's a lot of other stuff in here too -- articles, reviews and other videos. But honestly, the music is enough: the app offers a great, curated experience of hours and hours of great free content and tunes. NPR's Music app is one of the best gifts I've gotten all year (paid for, of course, by our tax dollars). If you're a fan of new music, especially indie or alternative, definitely give it a download.
NPR Music iPad app puts Tiny Desk Concerts a few swipes away
Feel like peeping a live performance from The Decemberists during your coffee shop work session? You can do just that via the new NPR Music app for your iPad. Once you download the free software onto your Apple slate, you're a few screen taps away from live performances, advance album listens and live streaming radio content. The app also enables offline listening through its visual playlist feature. If you're a fan of The Shins, an exclusive in-app concert streams live on March 7th. Itching to snag the app for your tablet? Hit the iTunes source link below.
Hands-on with new NPR and SYNC Destinations via AppLink
Sadly Ford wouldn't let us rest our rumps in the sexy Evos concept, but we did get a chance to shout some commands at its updated SYNC system and play with a few of the new apps. A rep was kind enough to give us a quick demo of the updated SYNC Destinations app, as well as the newly compatible NPR and IHeartRadio apps for the iPhone. Then we were allowed to climb in the driver's seat of the mid-life crisis red 2013 Mustang GT. Last time we played with AppLink it was on a simple, monochrome screen, had just three apps available and things didn't go smoothly. In the year since, the lineup has grown significantly and now it's on a big, color touchscreen. But, more importantly, it worked pretty much flawlessly (only stumbling briefly over the word "Nevada"). In particular we really enjoyed the ability to pull up any NPR station we wanted -- we were getting a little home sick for WNYC. Head after the break to see it in action.
'This American Life' tackles patent trolls, lives to broadcast about it
The financial crisis, DIY cryogenics, the love songs of Phil Collins -- This American Life has taken on a lot in its 15-plus years on public radio. This week the Ira Glass-helmed show tackles a matter close to our hearts: the patent wars. The show has devoted the entirety of episode 441 to the seedy world of patent trolling. The TAL team focuses in on the practices of Intellectual Ventures, a name that should ring some bells and rattle some bank accounts around these parts. Check out the link to episode below -- and why not subscribe to the podcast while you're there? You can thank us later. [Thanks, Brandon]
TUAW's Daily iPad app: NPR 2.0
NPR has rolled out a rather hefty update to its venerable and well-liked iPad app. As before, the app is kind of a digital magazine that mirrors the content mix on NPR, with world and U.S. news, the arts and music features. The iPad app is more fully featured than the NPR app for the iPhone, which contains mainly news. NPR does have a separate music app for the iPhone. You can listen to any NPR station live, and also access dozens of NPR programs like Car Talk, All Things Considered and Fresh Air on demand. Programs play in the background, so you can exit the app and use your iPad while still listening to the content of your choice. The app has an AirPlay icon, but it was dimmed. I'm not sure what is going on there. My other AirPlay-enabled apps worked fine, and I can find no settings on the NPR app that will turn the feature on. In terms of the user interface, I think the improvements are positive. Getting access to the hourly newscast is just one click away, and listening to local stations and NPR programs is just two clicks. The app can access your location, if you allow it, and display the closest NPR stations to where you are. The programming list has been cleaned up and programs can now be sorted by topic and title. The ability to make playlists has been retained. Audio playback now has a 30-second rewind feature, and NPR says the app is more stable. I didn't see any issues in about an hour of use. I've always liked the NPR app on both the iPhone and iPad. This update has cleaned up the user interface quite a bit, and added some new features that are worthwhile. Other than the malfunctioning AirPlay button, NPR for iPad is a good, free upgrade for news and arts junkies. %Gallery-127943%
Malcom Gladwell discusses Steve Jobs with NPR
If you missed Malcolm Gladwell's article, Creation Myth: Xerox PARC, Apple, and the Truth about Innovation, in the May 16 issue of The New Yorker, then you should tune into a recent episode of NPR's All Things Considered. In this seven-minute interview, Gladwell talks about Steve Jobs and his now legendary visit to Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center in the late 70s. As the story goes, Jobs visited the research center and saw a demonstration of Xerox's $300 three-button computer mouse. Inspired by what he saw, Jobs brought the concept to industrial designer Dean Hovey. Hovey improved upon the concept and developed a single-button mouse that cost a mere $15 to build. This mouse became the center point of a new graphical user interface similar to one demoed at Xerox. This hardware and software eventually evolved into the now iconic Macintosh. Unlike many who accuse Jobs of stealing the idea from Xerox, Gladwell distinguishes between invention and innovation. Xerox may have been the inventor, but Apple was the innovator and ran with the concept.
PBS launches free iOS app for watching full-length video
PBS has just announced its own app for iPhone and iPod touch, and from the looks of it, it's a doozy (if you're super into PBS, that is). That's right, the free PBS app will allow you to watch full-length PBS productions on your device -- including its popular news programs like FRONTLINE and the PBS Newshour. You won't be able to watch everything that PBS offers just yet, but the app also has a built-in calendar which should be super useful if you happen to structure your entire life around PBS programming like we know some of our avid readers do. PBS developed the app with help from Bottle Rocket Apps, and adds this to its other apps currently available, the Antiques Roadshow game app and the PBS for iPad app. This one's available right this second in iTunes and it's free. Full press release is after the break. [Thanks, Jake]
Grace Digital adds color displays on new Solo Touch, Bravado X, and Mondo WiFi radios
Can't say we had the best of times with Grace Digital's Allegro, but the dawning of a new year means the dawning of a new effort. Three efforts, in this case. Poised for an official unveiling next week at CES, the outfit's new trio of internet radios have all been upgraded with color displays. Up first is the Solo Touch, a $249.99 device with an expansive 4.3-inch touchpanel, bundled remote, Ethernet connection, RCA outputs and a headphone jack. Stepping down a notch, there's the Bravado X ($179.99), which offers a 2.7-inch color display, RCA in / out and a USB connector. Finally, the $169.99 Mondo packs a 3.5-inch color display, a full-on alarm clock (with snooze!) and a USB port of its own. The whole lot can be controlled via a free iPhone app, and they're each capable of tuning into iheartradio, Pandora, Sirius XM, WeatherBug, CBS Radio, MP3Tunes and more. Now, off to Vegas to see if those user interface quirks have been cleared up...