I've been thinking of getting a smartphone myself for exactly those reasons
as well as a few others. The first computers would fill a room, then came
the desktop, next the laptop. The smartphone is the next logical step, a
computer in your pocket. They are ideal for internet radio. What gets lost
however is the enjoyment in building your own shortwave radio, learning the
circuitry of tube radios and translating that into transistor circuits and
then building your own. With each new stage learned and then built, the
additional stations that can be heard. I sometimes think I'd like to figure
out how to build an internet radio from scratch and then do it!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Cuff" <[email protected]>
To: "ODXA" <[email protected]>; "Internet radio discussion"
<[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 3:36 PM
Subject: [Internetradio] somewhat OT: Smartphones outselling
personalcomputers
I've mentioned before that, in many ways, smartphones represent useful
Internet radio ("iRadio") devices: They're portable, which means
they're battery operated (duh!) and they use WiFi and other protocols
for Internet connectivity.
The high technology market research firm IDC is out with a report that
indicates smartphones outsold PCs in the fourth quarter of 2010.
That's nearly double what sold in the fourth quarter of 2009.
I wager that many folks that find a PC an inconvenient platform for
Internet radio listening probably have a more favorable opinion of
smartphones as listening platforms. Of course, it still doesn't match
the radio experience, but for many folks (specifically those under age
40), they spend a lot more time with their smartphones than with
radios.
Smartphones obviously don't have robust audio, but one can easily add
headphones or hook them into a home audio system.
One has to believe that one of the reasons international broadcasters
are eager to jump on the webcasting bandwagon is the increasing
popularity of these devices.
Nearly 101 million smartphones were sold globally, the research says.
Sadly, I doubt shortwave radios were anywhere near that level, which
is why broadcasters looking at "First World" audiences continue to cut
back on services.
Lest you think this is strictly a phenomenon for the developed world,
consider that portions of Kenya (for instance) already have 3G
cellular service, and additional providers are rolling out 3G networks
in Kenya this year.
Link to the article:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/idc-says-100-9m-smartphones-sold-in-fourth-quarter-pcs-outsold/
Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA
_______________________________________________
Internetradio mailing list
[email protected]
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/internetradio
To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the
URL shown above.
_______________________________________________
Internetradio mailing list
[email protected]
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/internetradio
To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to
[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL
shown above.
