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pfs1Aug 16, 2010
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theaceoffireAug 16, 2010
In other news, all cars *MUST* contain an Ice Cabinet, a steam engine, and a phonograph.
//Just in case.
scuba7183Aug 17, 2010
f**k I want an Ice Cabinet
StrutThatAssAug 17, 2010
The young texting generation won't know what any of these objects are. You should use a more modern analogy, like mandatory telephone in every Droid and iPhone, now that would be ludicrous.
Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
srs2000Aug 17, 2010
phonograph... kids are just gonna think you misspelled pornography.
catvllvsAug 17, 2010
Oh yeah, Dame Melba breathing heavy.
atarioAug 17, 2010
In my day, we didn't even have pornographs!
rossisdeadAug 17, 2010
Lassie was deathly afraid of that ice box!
tiakAug 17, 2010
Digg, you're slacking if I'm the first to get to it.
f**k the RIAA!
screwy1138Aug 17, 2010
Never more appropriate. Had to log in to digg it.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
You guys don't get it do you? The reason why they want to have radio in every cellphone, is that almost everyone these days have a cell, so in case of a national emergency, or a disaster, you will be able to hear news, or get directions on what to do. This is great news. FM / AM must be an all cellphones / smartphones.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
But that's not what this is about, and the RIAA has nothing to do with that.
kamakazitpAug 17, 2010
If Apple or RIM or any other portable device maker thought they would make money by putting an FM tuner in the device, they would...
But noone gives a s**t, so they don't.
celotilAug 17, 2010
My N95 has an FM radio. You need to have either the handsfree wired headset or an ordinary wired headset plugged in to use it though - the headset acts as an antenna which you can listen through, or you can listen via the stereo "loud" speakers; yes, the N95 has a left and right speaker built into the body of the phone.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
daedoneAug 17, 2010
Bold 9000 does too. Makes for awesome handsfree conference calls. Widely regarded as the best sounding Blackberry.
tiakAug 17, 2010
You make your conference calls over a FM radio?
obesesnakeAug 17, 2010
FM = Fail Model
w1cked1Aug 17, 2010
Reading the title... RIAA:RAdio... now to translate.... SONY:rADIO. Because Sony IS the RIAA (How is your playstation working?).
This usurps the whole idea of free market competition, does it not? What if Competitor A has a crappier product simply for having a radio incorporated while competitor B has a better product because they do not? Wether it's interference, overheating, or just battery life? You just forced a crappier product out of B and eleminated the competition.
Hmmmm.... maybe they also own a patent, totally mundane of course, like displaying radio station informatin on a cell phone LCD.. that they could sue any competitor over. That would really make the lobbying worth it.
Does SONY have such a phone?
OOOOK look.... the Erickson. FM radio.... wooohoo. They're already compliant with the new laws they lobby for, isn't that nice.
Do they have such patents? Already involved in litigation??
6,389,301
http://www.google.com/patents?id=fsoLAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/03/31/patent-firm-acquires-sony-and-nokia-patents-to-sue-htc-and-rim/
FFFFFf**k you Sony.
thufirrhawatAug 17, 2010
I'm surprised people are digging you down, you bring up some very valid points.
Even if you eliminate your free market / competition aspect this will probably drive up the costs of the product they are selling which in turn will drive up the cost to the consumer to give them something they don't want.
Can I lobby the government to mandate that the radio stations in my area stop playing crappy music? How about they break up the f**king clear channel monopoly while they're at it as well?
shroomtimeAug 16, 2010
What is this "FM radio" you speak of?
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
In case of a serious emergency, a national disaster, when GSM network is down, the only way to get information on what to do, where to get help, etc will be via good old radio. I welcome FM /AM receivers in every cellphone, I think it's great news.
byikesAug 17, 2010
You make the first rational argument in favor of this wacko idea. The emergency broadcast network is well defined and can be picked up with a very narrow antenna with out picking all AM/FM which I'm sure those seeking this change would actually oppose. It would be much harder to take down the cell network than a single radio tower or the one/two hills that all the radio stations put their towers on. Radio is dead, it will zombie along with local color but the good old days are gone.
linageeAug 17, 2010
When the GSM network is down.... repair it.
diggdugg35Aug 17, 2010
I am so sure this is the exact reason why they want to impose this. Yeah right.
They are at the assumption that if every device has an fm receiver more people will listen to the radio, therefor demanding more for radio play of songs from stations. I
I have a couple devices that have fm tuners in them but I have not listened to the radio in over a decade. I have better things to do with my time than listen to some narcissistic dj talk about himself endless for hours a day. I also enjoy music with no commercial breaks.
xenuxenutsAug 17, 2010
I have to admit, that's a decent argument for having radios built in.
noamchimpskyAug 17, 2010
He's right, when Skynet launches, we'll wish we had radio transceivers to coordinate the resistance!
elranzerAug 17, 2010
When GSM is down... CDMA will still be running fine.
adhomineeAug 17, 2010
@xenuxenuts
Your comment sounds really strange if the reader accidentally reads flashlight as fleshlight.
mxm111Aug 17, 2010
I am sure that one can have some kind of broadcast on GSM/CDMA/3G without requiring extra receiver in the phone, so that it is always available, even if network is "overloaded".
schmichAug 17, 2010
Would need to make sure you walk around with headphones as without an antennae you're screwed.
schmichAug 17, 2010
Actually I would rather have a walkie-talkie feature to be mandatory. Radio's are easily to get hold of and radio is only a one-way communication. In an emergency you might want to be able to talk to your friends...heck I would use it now, the amount of times I had to call a friend who is just a few meters away is a lot. Of course carriers hate that as they wouldn't get any money.
arcookeAug 17, 2010
Radios are hardly dead...
Myself and almost everyone I know use the radio in their cars daily. I say almost because I have one friend who has switched over almost exclusively to Pandora over AUX.
I usually prefer radio. I like the randomness. I like listening to morning talk radio on the way to work. I like when a DJ comes on every now and then to break up the music. There's a lot I don't like too, like overplayed songs, commercials.. but the pros outweigh the cons, and the cons are easily solved by pushing another preset button.
I'm in no way defending the RIAA here, but your claim that radio is dead is stupid and glaringly ignorant.
darkreddragonAug 17, 2010
THANK YOU
ofnatureAug 17, 2010
I deliver pizzas and of the 14 other drivers, only one of us (he's 64) uses the radio.. EVERYONE else listens to podcasts, Pandora, or MP3's... For most of the world (except the elderly and probably poor) radio has been dead for years.
Why listen to the same tired PICKED FOR YOU content? Almost all talk shows have the same show on podcast and you can stop and rewind them.. Radio is for people that are not in the know or like corporations deciding what they are allowed to listen too and when they are allowed to listen to it.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
mxm111Aug 17, 2010
In nearest future and even today, you can have internet radio over 3G. I am sure that in 5 years half of the cars will be connected to internet, either directly or through the phone, and can play whatever music you want through internet.
On top of this, there is a satellite radio...
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
arcooke, I hear what you're saying but you're sort of undermining your own argument. When you have relatively little choice (car) you will listen to the radio. But when you have other options, you will choose something OTHER THAN radio even though many MP3 players have AM/FM capabilities. My parents' generation still listens to the radio, although my mom seems to have switched to audio books instead. But people of my generation (late 20s) and younger tend to prefer to pick their own poison, as it were, as ofnature already mentioned above. It doesn't help that almost all the new mainstream "music" (if that is the word) has been utter s**te for over a decade (imo).
turiousAug 17, 2010
The moment I had a phone that could hold thousands of songs or stream Pandora, I pretty much forgot all about the radio.
testiculeseAug 17, 2010
I have a 32gb USB drive plugged into my car stereo.
I haven't listened to the radio in 15 years. I loathe those commercials, and the s**tty music.
I sur ehope we can disable this radio 'feature' on these phones.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
newman8rAug 17, 2010
I like the radio for sports or news... mostly listen to AM nowadays but thats probably only a few times per month
wildAug 17, 2010
You're right. The radio still has a place in a car (although, I no longer have a car, so it is actually dead to me). I don't need or want it (and the commercials it brings) on my phone. I don;t like the randomness, because every time they surprise me with a song I like, I realize I have spent a half hour listening to a bunch of s**t I don't care for.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
sprucecabooseAug 17, 2010
At home, with access to the Internet, my hundreds of gigs of MP3s, my CD collection, etc, I still often times listen to the radio.
I don't always want to control exactly what I want to hear, and sometimes it is more enjoyable to listen to the radio than selecting a playlist or putting in a different CD.
Closed AccountAug 19, 2010
For me (an ancient 42 yo) commercial radio is almost completely out. However; I listen NPR, NPR, & more NPR. If not National Public Radio, then I am listening to podcasts delivered by stitcher.com (managing downloads became an asinine chore on iTunes & other progs). I do the iPod/PalmPre mp3age for my music, I have a PhD in playlistology and am my own favorite DJ. I even do the weather on the 5's. If I want to hear an auto masturbatory DJ, I can always turn Leo Laporte on...( -; love ya Leo). My wife is totally a commercial radio demographic. I have made it her signal to me to be alone. Riding in her car gets old fast. It's nice if you like Reo Speedwagon and Billy Joel and well you can guess the rest.
gellfexAug 17, 2010
My Sansa gets FM. It's great to listen to my local FM NPR station. I listen to mp3 podcasts and books all day then switch to "All Things Considered" and "Marketplace" on NPR, then go back to mp3s.
I've had all sorts of players with FM, Implementing the FM is so obviously cheap that one wonders at Apple's motivations for NOT including it. More itunes sales?
drewniverseAug 17, 2010
My brain is .... ugh... *pop*
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
f**k THE RIAA!
f**k THE EXCESSIVE FCC REGULATIONS ON RADIO!
Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
My Droid has an FM radio... times I've used it? zero
jake1337Aug 17, 2010
Not if you like listen to independent radio or NPR...
mcnerdAug 17, 2010
Not sure who you're responding to, but you can stream NPR online in a variety of ways. Same for most radio stations; actually if you're all about independent radio you should look into podcasts, which are a lot more "independent" by any standard.
aarond12Aug 17, 2010
The only time I've ever used the radio in my cell phone was when I was overseas, to hear local radio stations.
persiyanAug 17, 2010
If radios are dead, how are they able to pull out 100m a year just to give away, obviously someone is still listening. How did you get dugg up so much is beyond me... ?!
worldnickAug 22, 2010
I listen to radio every day. I always wondered why MP3 players didn't start out with FM radios and phones as well. It seems like a very simple addition that adds a lot of value (most of the hardware is already there).
I don't believe you should mandate the way people build their portable devices, but if these devices had radios I wouldn't mind it. In fact I believe they should have radios.
mizzyAug 16, 2010
People still listen to portable radio?
d3dmAug 17, 2010
Yer damn skippy we do, except it's AM, not that hippy fusion crap on the FM dial.
Gimme my sports broadcasts while I'm pushing the Honda around the lawn on the weekends and El Rushbo during the week and I might just buy one of them mp3 phone thingees.
Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
needcoffeeAug 17, 2010
Actually I do in the morning before and on my way to work. I enjoy the morning show locally. Though during the day it is a bit repetitive and tend to use my Touch for podcasts and such.
HD radio has also been nice, luckily i live in an area that offers some nice non-mainstream content on their HD channels.
Recommend that little Insignia portable HD player than Best Buy sells. Started at $50 but last I checked was $39 cause I was going to get it for a friend.
Not advertising just my view.
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
You'd think they did, from the number of people apparently bitching that iPhones don't have FM receivers.
diggdugg35Aug 17, 2010
I have personally never heard anyone bitch about a lack of radio in the iphone. More people than not in my office building has an iphone and I have never heard of such a complaint. Not at Macrumors forum, ilounge or macworld forums, all of which I read daily
johnnydiggmeAug 17, 2010
I use an app that streams the radio station I listen to daily. It's actually BETTER than having an FM Receiver in my phone, as I can stream the stations in areas I don't get the FM signal.
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
Well, you haven't been reading the surveys then:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/16443/iphone_android_survey
"Just under a third of U.S. smartphone shoppers said they wished the iPhone offered an FM radio tuner in addition to its Internet radio apps."
That's just one example. Search yourself if you want more.
GuyOnTheNetAug 17, 2010
I would think by definition, a radio would be infinitely portable. /trollface
bdbrAug 17, 2010
If there's an earthquake I will be. I'm pretty sure my cellphone won't be useful for much else.
(maybe I should check to see if the radio in my cellphone actually works)
sonicgardenAug 17, 2010
Do you people not drive f**king cars? Radio is an amazing medium.
diggdugg35Aug 17, 2010
when I'm in my Land Rover, I am 100% of the time listening to the music loaded on the hard drive or the cd changer, haven't listened to the radio in over a decade. My sis listen to the radio in the car cause she drives a 1989 Taurus that has no other option.
nipplashAug 17, 2010
Maybe 30 years ago it was. Now it's mostly commercials followed by an annoying DJ yapping over 3rd rate music. I will stick with my Ipod on shuffle mode.
sonicgardenAug 17, 2010
Listening to music from a f**king ipod in a car is just so .... stale... there's no room for surprise, you know exactly what you have, it just dances a number and gives it to you in random.
pantagesAug 17, 2010
pandora and grooveshark.
all you need.
tobeyAug 17, 2010
They have f**king cars now?
Closed AccountAug 18, 2010
If I'm in the car and forget to bring my mp3 player I just leave the radio off.
cfuseAug 17, 2010
I ran into a person that didn't use a computer the other day. It was like talking to a person from another (crappier) dimension. In biology they are called living fossils.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
Apparently if they're forced to buy one as part of a phone, yes.
atarioAug 17, 2010
In the sense that my vehicle is "portable", yes.
gruntboyxAug 17, 2010
Yes! its the best place for sports radio. Podcasting is still reserved for the arts and tech crowd. It hasnt caught on as main stream.
zoomigoAug 17, 2010
People still listen to FM?
kantenAug 17, 2010
I would love for it to die, but there is still vast stupidity in places.
I find it sad every time I walk into a fitness center and see a line of TVs with "to listen tune to ***.* FM." How many people are actually going into gyms with radios today?
mcnerdAug 17, 2010
If you want to listen to the TV at your gym, you can buy an FM radio for like $5. Sounds like a pretty reasonable deal to me.
scaredofthemanAug 16, 2010
Any politician who supports this bill is revealing themselves as mildly retarded when it comes to technology, a crook, or all of the above.
8347Aug 17, 2010
That's putting it mildly!
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
Yeah, pretty much crooks. Just like last time something like this happened, when Congress, the telcos, and the manufacturers all decided that every phone had to have GPS. The excuse was that it was necessary for 911 services to find you.
Look at all the cash that changed hands on that one. Everyone had to get new phones, and to do that they generally had to renew their contracts. All that was left was some nice payoffs to key congressional figures. Meanwhile, have you ever called 911 on your supposedly GPS-enabled cell phone? Yep, the first thing they ask is, "Where are you?"
You can bet that they're going to sell this crap with some kind of BS safety angle. Oh, in the event of an emergency... but then the thing won't work unless you have a contract and an active connection.
overdrivenAug 17, 2010
What the hell are you talking about? Tons of people have phones without GPS. I'm one of them. There are tons of phones CURRENTLY sold without GPS.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
nextAug 17, 2010
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E911#Wireless_Enhanced_911
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
"There are tons of phones CURRENTLY sold without GPS."
Do yourself a favor and read the article the other respondent linked to above. Instead of reacting with desbelief, why not look into it and then express your outrage toward the perpetrators, not the messenger?
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
Sorry, your phone has GPS, it doesn't have a maps or navigation program.
overdrivenAug 17, 2010
Actually, why don't YOU do yourself a favor and read the article? It clearly stated that not all carriers use GPS location. Some use radiolocation using triangulation with the towers. They are not required to have a GPS device embedded in the phone. They are only required to be able to provide the police with a phone's location within 6 minutes of the 911 call. How they figure that out is up to the carrier. And no...I can assure you that my phone does NOT have built in GPS.
displaylistAug 17, 2010
The accuracy requirements in the article are not achievable with cell-tower triangulation.
And the point is, regardless of what technology is employed, the telcos told customers many years ago that every phone had to have GPS because of E-911. They used that as an excuse to refuse to activate perfectly good phones, hoping that people would renew their contracts and buy new ones.
ammundsenAug 17, 2010
The real purpose of 'regulation' is getting the government to force people to buy your product or to make things cost prohibitive for competitors. So while this proposal might seem particularly stupid this is business as usual.
atarioAug 17, 2010
Aw, come on. Ted Stevens just died. Let the poor man rest in peace.
solkreAug 17, 2010
mildly? You are kind.
tk0680Aug 17, 2010
Well, that covers the republicans ..
/duck
czaffaAug 18, 2010
Although most congressional representatives who support this initiative will simply be pandering to their special interest groups, I think that there actually is some merit here: In the event of a power outage or natural disaster, cell phone towers are often overloaded and come offline. Radio stations, however, do not, and can provide vital information in these times. This would provide a medium to communicate such information to virtually the entire American public, wherever they may be, in times of crisis
3242130193Aug 16, 2010
"Rather than adapt to the digital marketplace, NAB and RIAA act like buggy-whip industries that refuse to innovate and seek to impose penalties on those that do."
This is such a great quote and perfectly epitomizes the strategy that the RIAA possesses. They totally fell asleep on the advent of the internet and are voraciously fighting it and the progress it brings because they couldn't get their foot in the door when it started. f**k them all for trying to bring us down because they fell behind. f**k them all.
atarioAug 17, 2010
The fact of the matter is, there's not a lot they could have done. Their business is entirely predicated on the difficulty of getting information (in this case, music) from producers to consumers. Taking away this difficulty is basically all the Internet does.
Record companies might have set up storefronts, bought into a common marketplace, done everything to make it all as easy and painless and un-evil as possible, and for a while inertia probably would have carried them. But in the end, artists and fans alike would sooner or later figure out that they don't need record companies anymore.
They realized this, human nature kicked in to kick and scream all the way down, and here we are.
andpoiAug 17, 2010
It's unethical to keep your business relevant with laws.
shinzenAug 17, 2010
I don't think they are very concerned with ethics at this juncture.
drahgon55Aug 17, 2010
Amen
wjappeAug 16, 2010
I think I should have the right to have only what I want in things I buy whether someone thinks it's a good idea or not. I don't like the idea of things forced down my throat.
h8f8kesAug 17, 2010
Like Healthcare?
jeemerrAug 17, 2010
why?
darkray16Aug 17, 2010
don't buy it, buy private healthcare then.
h8f8kesAug 17, 2010
@jeemerr: Think about it. Big business gets crap like this passed all the time by greedy congressmen. I can actually see a day when the government will require everyone to purchase a cellphone made by a favored company, that will have the apps another favored company want's you to purchase. It may be a few years off, but the nose of the camel is in the tent already.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
You won't be forced to buy healthcare insurance, you just won't get the tax break if you don't.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
You can't buy cars without seatbelts...
macparrotAug 16, 2010
Trying to remember the last time I listened to the radio that wasn't either sports or weather...nope, can't think back that far
PigskinDoctorsAug 16, 2010
For me I remember floppy disks were still being used
thesamolAug 17, 2010
The 5.25" or the 3.5"?
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
The 8".
http://geekadelphia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/floppy_2.jpg
jesst3rAug 17, 2010
Do you not drive anywhere ever? I seem to be a minority here, but I love listening to the radio. Maybe I just have good stations around here...
nextAug 17, 2010
You vehicle is likely lacking an AUX jack.
radar3dAug 17, 2010
And your keyboard is likely lacking an "R" button!
jesst3rAug 17, 2010
This is true. I also occasionally get tired of the music I've... ummm... purchased legally. It's nice to hear some random song that I haven't listened to in a forever long time.
Also, I love morning shows. Nothing starts a day off better like laughing my dick off all the way to work.
spinky342Aug 17, 2010
Ya if I listen to my music everyday on my way to work I get really tired of it. Radio is definitely still good for something, but not in a phone.
humptyzAug 17, 2010
I listened to the radio for the first time today in years. Granted I was stuck in traffic for close to 4 hours because a gasoline tanker crashed and exploded on the main interstate, but still.
johnnydiggmeAug 17, 2010
If you were listening to the radio, they may have reported that accident, and you could have taken a different route home to avoid it. HAHA! :)
diggdugg35Aug 17, 2010
I have gigabytes of catalogued, uninterrupted, high-quality music; why in the hell would I want to listen to the radio? Or to some wildly annoying radio personality that can't stop talking when all I want to to not hear him?
mrgerbekAug 16, 2010
I can see some wisdom in putting in an AM receiver. That way the devices will still be useful for receiving emergency broadcasts in the event of (insert disaster here).
limaboneAug 17, 2010
That actually makes a lot of sense.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
AM antennas are pretty clunky though.
spacem00seAug 17, 2010
There must be a technical reason for not putting them into devices.
But an AM radio would be far more useful on a phone or MP3 player. In addition to emergency broadcasts, there's talk radio, sports and local news that are dominant on the AM dial. FM dial is mostly garbage.
thatgeekAug 17, 2010
I would rather have an AM radio, I can at least listen to my baseball team if I cant get to the tv
newman8rAug 17, 2010
get the mlb app from the app store... pure awesomeness
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
They said the same thing about GPS. Comment above explaining how that didn't work out.
bdbrAug 17, 2010
Why would AM be better than FM? A lot of devices have FM only. If there was an emergency, I would probably be glad that my phone has a radio.
spacem00seAug 17, 2010
Because FM is mostly music, which is kinda void as most phones can play MP3s. With a strong playlist, who needs to listen to FM radio?
With AM, you have content you normally cant download like local sports, talk radio, 24 hour news, religious programing and alot of these stations are online, but are a pain in the ass to access via a mobile phone, unless it has its own app. Why have a dozen apps for a dozen stations when it should be just one app, a digital AM Tuner.
Otherwise, you spend 30$ for an AM Radio.
linageeAug 17, 2010
Because AM works at father distances than FM at the same transmitting power? (I still think this idea is stupid though.)
mithrasinvictusAug 17, 2010
They can send emergency texts to all mobile devices in an area. All current phones already support the technology.
mrgerbekAug 17, 2010
Ah, but have you ever used any of these services? I've used a couple and have been disappointed by how long it takes to get an update. And most of these uses were "trivial" things like snow closures or shooting on campus. If some disaster actually affects a city, SMS will likely be overburdened.
bonestampAug 17, 2010
I use an iPhone app called "Weather USA" and it's really quick at pushing NOAA alerts/warning in my area.
mithrasinvictusAug 17, 2010
I was referring to the option for authorities to send a text message to all phones connected to a group of cell towers in case of an emergency.
srs2000Aug 16, 2010
Mandatory..... Thats f**king ridiculous.
acidtonicAug 17, 2010
so what is the real need? I'm not a conspiracy theorist but think about a move like this out of the blue?
Most cell phones with FM radios also have a transmitter for listening in the car and whatnot. So by legislating this the phones would all probably have a transmitter which then gets interesting....
What good does an FM transmitter do for the government? If you have towers good enough to receive it, I guess you could have the phones "pulse" small FM waves that could be picked up somewhere.....
hmmmmmmComment is buried, click here to see the rest.
srs2000Aug 17, 2010
... All phones have a transmitter. The phone IS a transmitter. The feds currently can turn on the phones mic to listen in on what you are doing without the phone showing that anything is going on.
The only conspiracy with the FM radio BS is by corporations who want more money. Increase the numbers of radios sold = increase in advertising revenue.
diggdugg35Aug 17, 2010
take your meds
sprungAug 17, 2010
"What good does an FM transmitter do for the government?"
FM receiver... like what they used to call a "transistor radio".
acidtonicAug 17, 2010
/s for those not noticing the bait. I was simply hoping to find someone with a crazy explanation and links to black-background green-text "underground" sites.
Also @Sprung. Read the damn comment. I clearly differentiated between receiver and transmitter. FAIL.
bdbrAug 17, 2010
Unless it was for safety reasons. Its a lot easier to keep a radio tower working in an emergency than to keep a network of cell towers working.
But that's not what this is about, and the RIAA has nothing to do with that.
jake1337Aug 17, 2010
I would like to see radio functionality in SOME of my devices, but I want to have the manufactures decide if it should be included, not the f**king RIAA.
shadowman99Aug 16, 2010
Something tells me this won't be my dad's FM radio, but something that is streaming with a s**tload of DRM behind it. I imagine the RIAA are attempting to kill true radio broadcasting as it represents an analog hole for recording.
flotillaAug 17, 2010
So you think they're going to stream the music directly into your brain? The 'analog hole' is a term used for when the music is converted into a human-perceptible form, so it exists even when the music has DRM.
adml_shakeAug 17, 2010
More than likely you'll have the option to buy any song you hear as it's playing from whatever carrier you are on. For the low low price of 1.29 or something. BUT, it will only be playable on that device, you can not transfer it to a new phone if you upgrade or switch carriers, you won't be able to set it as a ring tone unless you pay the additional 30 cents, and you can't play it over the speaker at more than 60% of the volume because then other people could hear it and you didn't pay for them to be able to hear it.
nowherekido3Aug 17, 2010
@shake
i laughed at how absurd that was...then cried because i can see it happening
trainofthought6Aug 17, 2010
I'm f**king speechless...what reason would any politician have to support this? One that *doesn't* involve money going straight into his pocket?
gozrothAug 17, 2010
You also have to keep in mind that a lot of congressman are normal people. and by "normal" I mean totally clueless.
inactiveuserAug 17, 2010
Its the Plutocratic Republic of the United States of America
dvddesignAug 17, 2010
Politicians who believe that radio is still how the young kids get their "rap" music these days and that we all still buy records when we go to the record store every week.
woofers07Aug 17, 2010
Wait... so you're saying politicians support things for reasons other than money too?
wildAug 17, 2010
I know (smart) liberals won't, but I bet Republicans* do since this is benefiting big business. How they'll convince voters the government should force manufacturers to make products a certain way is going to be interesting. I wonder how they'll spin this?
*note I didn't say conservatives, since the GOP left them behind a long time ago, too
trainofthought6Aug 18, 2010
Nice try, but lobbying works on both sides of the line.
jeffnessAug 17, 2010
um no. support internet radio and axe the FM band in favor of more bandwidth room for wireless internet...
needcoffeeAug 17, 2010
Or utilize it in other ways, HD radio for example. While it is a bit silly naming convention (not high definition) it is a digital stream on sub-bands of a single frequency. Pretty cool stuff.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
Just as an interesting point, FM radio (typically) is typically broadcast between 88MHz and 108Mhz. The lowest radio frequency for CDMA/EV-DO is currently around 800Mhz (I believe Telstra (an Australian cell provider) operates their NextG network at 850Mhz to make use of older CDMA towers). GSM utilises 1800/1900Mhz, and 3G works at 1700-2100Mhz.Wireless routers push out signals at 2.4GHz.
The FM frequency isn't any good for the kind of wireless transmission we crave, and i doubt anyone will invest in technology that utilises it. Although, it does use less power to push radio waves far further than current wireless technology. So really, whether FM radio stays or goes will not affect wireless internet bandwidth.
justinjohnsonAug 17, 2010
I think what he means is, why don't we repurpose the FM spectrum for wireless broadband/cell service. The reason is there just isn't enough bandwidth for anything meaningful. FM is a small part of the band we use for TV broadcast. A 6MHz channel is enough to carry ~19Mbps, so in the 20 MHz range of FM, we could squeeze, at best, 3 channels, with some very narrow spacing. 3 channels just isn't very useful since that means you could only have 3 devices active at a time in about a 40-50 mile radius (guessing here on the range of FM, it's probably a little bit more).
Of course, you could make the channels narrower, but that would correspondingly reduce throughput.
Not to mention the size of the antenna you would need, and if the size were minimized, it would only work when you aimed it directly on-axis with the broadcast tower. Not very useful, IMO. Radio spectrum can't just be used willy-nilly, there is a reason that portable devices use higher frequencies, at the cost of additional power requirements.
You're right though, FM/TV use significantly less power to transmit much further, that's the nature of wireless broadcast.
henryutaAug 17, 2010
Yeah let's listen to the same songs I don't want to hear buffered by ever increasing amounts of advertising.
super6Aug 17, 2010
If pandora is frequently playing songs you don't want to hear you're doing it wrong
henryutaAug 17, 2010
Well, I was referring to FM radio stations that play the same 15 songs over and over.
davidtcAug 17, 2010
It would make more sense if every radio had to be able to make a phone call in case of emergencies.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
You can make a 911 call from ANY cell phone, whether or not it's active:
"In the U.S., FCC rules require every telephone that can access the network to be able to dial 9-1-1, regardless of any reason that normal service may have been disconnected.... the rules require carriers to connect 9-1-1 calls from any mobile phone, regardless of whether that phone is currently active. The same rules for inactive telephones apply in Canada.... The deactivated cell phone will still complete a 911 call (if it has battery power) but the 911 operator will see a specialized number indicating the cell phone has been deactivated. It is usually represented with an area code of (911)-xxx-xxxx. If the call is disconnected, the 911 operator will not be able to connect to the original caller."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9-1-1
tblaskoAug 17, 2010
He was actually referring to adding communication technology (common in phones) to radios. Basically switching it around and making the point that it is more sensible to add better technology, cellular communication, to an outdated product (radios) then adding older technology, FM Radios, to new products (phones).
krandenAug 17, 2010
Who the f**k listens to radio.
portnoyAug 17, 2010
I do! Well, I listen to NPR and Prairie Home Companion. Music on radio sucks donkeyballs however.
trainofthought6Aug 17, 2010
The only time I've listened to the radio in the past year was Galaxy News Radio....and goddamn do I wish my zune could pick up GNR
krandenAug 17, 2010
That's ok, there was no internet in Fallout, so radio was acceptable.
theskunkmonkeyAug 17, 2010
Radio Los Santos Boyeeee!
rethreadAug 17, 2010
http://nbnl.globalwhelming.com/2008/11/13/fallout-3-song-list-and-lyrics-retro-40s-songs-in-a-post-nuclear-age/
bonestampAug 17, 2010
FM radio, every morning when my alarm goes off and while I'm in the shower. Otherwise, it's satellite radio, mp3s, grooveshark, pandora and occasionally vinyl.
gruntboyxAug 17, 2010
People who like sports radio
krandenAug 17, 2010
I suppose there's no difference between listening to Nascar on the radio and watching it on the television.
THE CARS GO AROUND IN A CIRCLE YET AGAIN FOLKS HOLY s**t.
gruntboyxAug 18, 2010
@ Kranden
You bigoted son of a bitch. Its not just NASCAR. It is college football, baseball, Post and PreGame analysis. Better game coverage than the ken dolls on TV. A better network of advertisers than the internet, because you are targeted with offerings from local businesses and their services. As a result you find great people to do business with and end up supporting your local economy more. Beats Google's Ads by far.
I found an amazing deal on Tires through the advertising on Sports Radio. I also found a really awesome butcher that delivers amazing cuts of Prime meat for fraction of the price of the local grocer. My wife found a great baker that delivers the most amazing cakes for all occasions. These people are real people that have great customer service and offer a valued product. People I would never know about from a bland text description on the side of my screen.
nburgAug 17, 2010
I looked to see if this was an onion article....
Radio execs are f**king retarded. Just look at what they did to Howard stern. Like him or not, he brought tons of listeners, which = money and they s**t all over him when the government came down on him. Now look where his old employer, CBS radio, is?
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
Howard Stern Show on Sirius ftw. George Takei was announcing all last week. Oh my!
w1cked1Aug 17, 2010
http://www.theonion.com/video/new-google-phone-service-whispers-targeted-ads-dir,17470/
Close enough
factorof13Aug 17, 2010
I have a nice Shortwave radio that I enjoy listening to from time to time, but FM? No thanks. What a waste of time, money, and effort this would be.
grandpamunsterAug 17, 2010
Sirius/XM is all I need, never going back to the same 10 songs overplayed everyday FM. Baba Boey!
magzineAug 17, 2010
Same 20 songs played on Hits 1... right?
bustaballsAug 17, 2010
I listen to the Boneyard all day at work and I hear the same songs non stop.
dennycraineAug 17, 2010
underground garage ftw
yamenAug 17, 2010
Pandora / Slacker is all I need, never going back to the poor selection all the time XM. Baba Boey!
dlawlrenceAug 17, 2010
Lithium, Faction, Alt Nation, plus a really good FM station (103.9 KEXX) and I can always be surprised with something good.
smogerAug 17, 2010
man, lets not talk about sirius. you're now paying and aside from being commercial free(mostly) on music channels, their playlists still suck, not to mention they got around their promise to the government of not raising subscription rates by breaking their subscription features apart and charging more for the "extras" like online streaming.
i dumped them as soon as i picked up my first android phone 2 years ago and never looked back. pandora/slacker all the way.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
steapsAug 17, 2010
Hey, I'm one of the older YouTube commentators (10 AND A HALF!), and what the poop is radio?
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
3G and streaming audio are all I need, thank you.
Here's a tip to the radio execs : If you want me to listen to your FM station, then make it something I want to hear and then stream it from a website I can get to from my phone's browser.
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
Then you're not listening to their FM station, are you?
your vote = worthless
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
Yep, mod it down with all of your IDs. Doesn't change the truth.
rhendalAug 17, 2010
What doesn't change the truth? You pretty much just said that listening to a station online isn't listening to that station and you got buried for it. There are tons of radio stations that broadcast in both FM and on the radio, in case you weren't aware.
maxxellAug 17, 2010
What's the difference between broadcasting in FM and on the radio?
displaylistAug 17, 2010
No difference; FM IS radio. Internet radio, however, is NOT FM. That's why the guy's statement doesn't make any sense.
factsahoyAug 17, 2010
The guy specifically said, "If you want me to listen to your FM station." Then he goes on to say that he's going to listen to Internet radio.
Internet radio is NOT FM. That's why, when it comes to deciding whether to shell out money to operate a transmitter and maintain the necessary licenses, this guy's vote doesn't count.
How is that not clear? This is like someone saying, "If you want me to see your movie in a theater, stream it so I can watch at home."
m0og0oAug 17, 2010
Contrary to the opinions I see here, I think a non streaming alternate to the digital side is great. Why not an app that listens for a song you'd like on all the radio channels and records it when it hears it? What if on wifi-only devices you can now listen to different music on the go. Lots of people still listen to radio, I don't see the need to rush out and get rid of it so fast.
edjenkins234Aug 17, 2010
yeah that'd be a good idea, but its them making it mandatory by law that i think many are taking issue with, also the app you describe would be similar to me downloading any other song off the internet no?
yacksAug 17, 2010
If you think adding a fm radio to a cellphone is great.. then buy one with one... I don't need a fm radio on my phone.. I barely listen to the music I have on it as is...
172pilotAug 17, 2010
It's NOT about "getting rid of it so fast", it's about having it FORCED upon you...
How about if every car HAD to have a GPS tracking device... Dont need it? Too bad, it's going to add $1000 to your car.
What if every TV HAD to have a built-in DVR.... Already have TIVO? Too bad - It's gonna add $200.
Need a new cell phone? It's GONNA have an FM radio, and it's GOING to cost more, and it's GOING to be bigger to support the electronics and different antenna that FM needs, and it's going to use the battery faster, and the UI is going to be more complex because of it, but TOO BAD - you're GOING to have it, because the RIAA bribed your Congressman to vote to require it.
Just another reason to throw out the bums in November, and to do ANYTHING you can to take money out of the bribing crooks at the RIAA.
Maybe someday, we can make FREEDOM legal again.
-Steve
m0og0oAug 17, 2010
Everyone's argument is that its such an old technology, I think manufacturers could get away with adding them without a cost increase.
neutron7Aug 17, 2010
So you can hear the 10 songs by some autotune geniuses. the RIAA have payolad in to to rotation. and the same 10 advertisements over and over
rhendalAug 17, 2010
I know the lyrics to like 3 Nickelback songs because the radio in my car is broken. I can't change the station or the volume and I can't put in a CD. Eventually I just disconnected it and I ride in silence, but the damage is done.
eupatorusAug 17, 2010
Who cares? It just means more places to NOT listen to the radio.
skyyoAug 17, 2010
lmao. I had FM radio on a Sony Ericson phone and never used it.
bonestampAug 17, 2010
I care. I don't want to pay for technology I don't want. Both in cost and in device size.
smedrickAug 17, 2010
Go ahead...I have an FM receiver in three different portable devices I own (not to mention my car) and I have never used any of them.
h8f8kesAug 17, 2010
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have." - Gerald Ford
ageofmasteryAug 17, 2010
The article says anything about the government being receptive to this where?
h8f8kesAug 17, 2010
RIAA money says they will be. If not on this somethign very similar. Look at the crap big business has pushed through for thier benefit in the last two years.
shicken066Aug 17, 2010
The last two years? It's been going on a hell lot longer than that. Pretty much since the first rail roads were laid.
krazygamerheadAug 17, 2010
Putting FM Radio into a device that allows for microSDHD cards that can play music and have standard headphone jacks is a silly idea.
laser314Aug 17, 2010
My Sandisk sansa fuze has FM, I don't ever use that feature though, but it was Sandisk's option to install it, I HATE the idea of it being required by law to install it. If enough people wanted to listen to FM radio and demanded manufactures (with their purchases) to install FM boards, every device would already have them. By the fact many don't implies people don't want it and won't use them anyways.
sprucecabooseAug 17, 2010
I actually prefer one of the Chicago radio stations around me to Pandora. Better mix of music that I like. But to each their own I guess.
rugbyguideAug 17, 2010
I don't know why anyone is shocked by this. This is the same industry that has made their money by ripping off the artists that create their product, and then sue the customers who buy it.
canpantherAug 17, 2010
...because there's no such thing as too much Nickelback... /s
glimp7Aug 17, 2010
Once again, the old media conglomerate just not gettin' it...
zeeboAug 17, 2010
Having an fm radio in my phone, I have to say its really not that useful. The reception sucks, the selection of channels is minimal. If radio stations want more people to listen to them on devices like their phone for the future they need to embrace the new reality. If they're going to agree to pay the RIAA huge amounts of money, then they should get more for their cash and take a more long-term view. It can't be too much longer till they decide to do to AM & FM radio what they did to analog TV broadcasts.
Online streaming of stations with a standard format that all phones much support included under the deal.
Net Neutrality on the wireless carriers with radio station data.
Radio station data not counted towards data use for limited plans.
zeeboAug 17, 2010
I really wish digg allowed editing for a longer period of time, I know why they don't but it just always seems like I notice my typos after the edit option has expired.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
It's actually handy at the gym if they stream the TV audio with FM transmitters like mine does. You can pick the TV you want to listen to and tune to that frequency on the FM dial.
Which is not to say they should be required on cell phones by any means, but that is the one place I've found an FM receiver to be useful.
constitutionftwAug 17, 2010
HAHAHAHAHA... I love how congress thinks it has this power.
Don't forget you did this to yourself sheeple...
ageofmasteryAug 17, 2010
Did you read the article at all? Congress hasn't even gotten involved, the RIAA wants to ask Congress to do this... But it would seem reading is a bit beyond you
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
Typical Teabagger that thinks it's the government at fault and business should be allowed to do as they wish.
anakastAug 18, 2010
Actually if this actually occured both coorporations and big government would be to blame.
iignotusAug 17, 2010
WAKE UP SHEEPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
shalbAug 17, 2010
Lol. Congress has this power as people can't directly vote to create legislation. People vote representatives to do that. You can argue that because we put congressmen up there that we indirectly allowed such a thing to happen, but in the end, the decision falls upon the people we elected. We are not, in any way, the congressmen we seat through voting. USA is a Democratic Republic, not a true democracy. Our congressmen reflect similar interests, but they have their own goals and agendas outside of our control.
powderedtoastyAug 17, 2010
This is what a stupid person looks like.
spacem00seAug 17, 2010
Not quite the same thing. But the last time politicians forced an industry to invent and adopt something was the V-Chip, which rarely anyone uses. I dont know anyone who uses the FM tuner on their MP3 player or phone.
fifteenstepperAug 17, 2010
The retardedness of FM radio today is only a small part of why this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
alienmushroomAug 17, 2010
WTF! It's something between RIAA and radio stations. Why do the consumers have to be forced to buy into their crap?
linageeAug 17, 2010
$$$
overlord555Aug 17, 2010
They should give us all free satellite radio.
flanativeAug 17, 2010
But we have to save payola....
123bucklemyshoeAug 17, 2010
Hmm... let me think about this for a minute. Yes this could be a very very good thing as I start to think about it. For example think of what would happen if you forgot to put your favorite song on your Apple Ipod and you need to get into that certain mood maybe you have to go to a party and you don't want to look droopy. So all FM radio means is that you would be able to hear lots of different songs just like you can sometimes in your car and maybe, you'd hear the song that you forgot to bring. I can see this being useful in certain instances I hope that was easy to understand I'm extremely interested in science and programming so I try to make the technical terms easier for people who don't know that much about technology to understand.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
crickey23Aug 17, 2010
Welcome back, buckle! I was starting to wonder where you went.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
Buddy! man! I was worried about one of your programming experience to go wrong, and you disappearing for so long!
wils9745Aug 17, 2010
Make no mistake, this isn't about more music options, it's about more commercials. Antenna's aren't the problem as this only includes FM stations which allow for a simpler embedded antenna, unlike AM. It sounds a lot like another attempt by the radio industry to maintain relevancy in a world that's largely turned their backs on them through mp3 players and online streaming, such as Pandora. This compromise between with the RIAA gives them a wider audience to claim and inflate the shrinking value of advertising dollars.
scabnabbitAug 17, 2010
Yeah, my am/fm, cd, aux, usb player in the car provides choices too.
Out of those the one I've never used is the radio.
thesamolAug 17, 2010
I recently replaced the deck in my car, it's got all those features as well, I forgot to hook up the radio cable though.
I still haven't hooked it back up, I've never had the urge to listen to 3 songs punctuated by 30 minutes of advertisements.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
just shows how out of touch the RIAA is with this generation. they think people are gonna whip out their cell phones and listen to f**king terrestrial radio while walking down the railroad tracks to go look at a dead body with their friends like in Stand By Me. the 50's are over, RIAA no one listens to the radio anymore because of the commercials, the same songs played over and over again and the stupid ass talk radio shows. Here in Jacksonville we have a station called Rock 105 that is a classic rock format. In the morning, for about 4 hours is "Bubba The Love Sponge" radio show. In the afternoon starting at around 3 and lasting until 6 or 7 is "The Greaseman" talking nonsensical gibberish. THEN directly AFTER Greaseman is off, ANOTHER pointless radio talk show called The Cowhead Show comes on for another 2 or 3 hours. all in all you're lucky to even hear any f**king music on that station. The Greaseman just got the boot though, but since it's the afternoon rush hour spot, I'm sure they will fill the void quickly with more trite drivel.
riverstyxAug 17, 2010
Dugg for Greaseman ;) I can still make one of his sound effects.
swimmingpieAug 17, 2010
I recently spent a week in St. Augustine and attempted to listen to Rock 105. A part of me died every time I heard the Greaseman.
brandvegnAug 17, 2010
Is Quagmire modeled off that douche? I hated the Greaseman when I was 15. There is just so many sound effects and nonsense one can take, even at 15, before you want him to make some racist comment and get kicked off of the radio.
mikedothAug 17, 2010
I'd use it to listen to NPR while i'm on the bus or something. Since i'm abandoning my mp3 player that has it built in. Sadly I don't want to use up any of my bandwidth on my phone if at all possible.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
constitutionftwAug 17, 2010
"the RIAA wants to ask Congress to do this"...
THIS IS THE PROBLEM!
the RIAA shouldn't even be considering that as an avenue to accomplish this task. they should be working voluntarily with these companies to get this done. Not running to daddy to make them do something that even daddy is not expressly authorized to do!
I think an FM tuner in phones is a awesome idea but when government gets involved, certain people get rich and the consumer get screwed
blitz9200Aug 17, 2010
Everything but this:
"I think an FM tuner in phones is a awesome idea"
Too big and probably cost too much today.
pauldarrAug 17, 2010
FM Tuners can be made to be fairly small and in many cases some chips already on phones support them. My MP3 player has one. I use it to listen to the TV at the gym while working out.
I think FM tuners are cool but going to Congress to mandate them is an abuse of power.... but what else have we come to expect from the RIAA?
shozikuAug 17, 2010
well the iPhone is out of the question. If they're leaving out working antennas just to make it smaller then the FM radio won't have any room either. And if the RIAA has its way iFans will be holding it MUCH much different.
shozikuAug 17, 2010
FM radio represents the free availability of music. the RIAA knows this. they WANT people to obtain and record their free music then sue them later for recording it. They entrapped us years ago and they're not about to let it stop now.
morpheousmartyAug 17, 2010
I'm all in favor for this. This will cause an open source project that will record and tag songs right off the air with ease. The more play time a song gets, the less likely it is to be bought. It would be the perfect, final shot in the foot.
mithrasinvictusAug 17, 2010
After this all cellphones will be classified as radio receivers with recording capability and forced DRM requirements are the next step.
morpheousmartyAug 17, 2010
Dammit you're right. I was thinking that Android would be able to circumvent this issue, but given how rooting them is becoming dangerous I just don't know. Damn you RIAA!
freakincampersAug 17, 2010
Good thing I can jailbreak my cellphone, which was deemed legal.
canadianmacfanAug 17, 2010
Like there is anything on the radio that would be worth recording.
gardimusAug 17, 2010
Apple does not want their devices providing more content that isn't obtained through itunes.
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
They are pushing this for the wrong reasons. I can see FM used for weather and emergency broadcasts, and it would be nice to have it built into my phone, but the idea of "more music choices" is completely f**king absurd.
To those screaming "FM is dead!": In a disaster situation, your precious 3G and wireless,etc., will not work. FM will still be going.
gehringerAug 17, 2010
if its "for disasters" the make AM mandatory. it would be cheaper, and AM is used for warnings more anyway
of course, that won't happen because the RIAA doesn't use AM.
universaljointAug 17, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
Internet is not even in the same realm as FM radio. There are not real-time emergency broadcasts on the internet. You may be lucky enough to have a local station that streams to the web, but most places don't. In fact, if you live in a technologically backwards area, like I do, news stations don't even update their webpages in a timely manner. 3G is useless for these purposes.
mark5hsAug 17, 2010
For those disaster situations, you can store mp3s on your phone
reaper527Aug 17, 2010
in a disaster situation, i'm going to have more pressing concerns than listening to ac/dc
opiticaAug 17, 2010
Let them. Honestly, let these stations dump all their eggs in one basket, give our phones a radio tuner and let the stations continue to dump more money in panic when they realize we still won't use the radio.
bewareofthecowAug 17, 2010
...until they get congress to pass a law banning the mp3 audio format because it funds terrorism and piracy. Maybe then we'll wake up realize how good we had it with top 40 radio stations, newspapers and movie rental stores.
darkmatter911Aug 17, 2010
A previous phone had a built in FM receiver. I did not use the receiver one time that I owned the phone.
elderonAug 17, 2010
f**k them. I don't need more power using items in the phone. Besides, streaming it digitally will sound better anyways as long as you have bandwidth. They just want to force more s**tty commercials down our throats. I already hate my radio and just use mp3's and cd's. Nothing like a 45 min drive and you hear 1 song and commercials almost the whole way ><
Closed AccountAug 17, 2010
there is a strong possibility that this is the most stupid thing I have heard this year! why do we the consumer need to pay for an FM feature when we can get internet radio on a cell phone already?
Or did they not know that?
supadawgAug 17, 2010
I'm going to be honest, FM radio was a deciding factor in the selection of my last handset. That said, my desire for FM radio was more an extension of the insane canadian data prices than anything.
Mandatory is a bit strange however...
ethanleducAug 17, 2010
I thought it was pretty cool too when I picked up an MP3 player that supports FM radio [Cowon M3] but I've used it maybe 3 times.
I have gigabytes of catalogued, uninterrupted, high-quality music; why in the hell would I want to listen to the radio?
Worth Idea EVAR.
woollymittensAug 17, 2010
Has lobbying become so accepted that not even a token attempt is made to hide the corruption?
http://www.fixcongressfirst.com/