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The announcement of iPhone 2.0 dragged the Internet to a screeching halt on Monday, and now that things are starting to sort of get back on track, all the exciting features of the Phone To Save Us All are being unveiled. You know those terrible local radio stations you’ve been ignoring in your car or in your home? Now, you’ll be able to listen to them while rapidly draining the battery on your iPhone!
CBS Radio and AOL, who partnered on a online streaming radio player earlier this week, have announced that a modified version of the player will be available for the new iPhone. Now, whenever you want to hear “Lollipop” and you can’t be bothered to load it into iTunes, just turn on your phone.
Here is how someone will be able to listen to the radio next month: Buy an Apple iPhone and download the new AOL Radio application. It will connect to AOL’s servers by way of the cellular network. The phone’s GPS system will monitor signals from satellites orbiting 12,000 miles in space in order to determine your location. This will automatically determine your location and tune to the digital stream from the nearest CBS station.
What is most disturbing about this announcement is that it appears the GPS function will restrict you to only tuning in local stations. In my case, that would be Jamz 101.5, as well as a country station and a “‘Brown Eyed Girl’ every hour on the hour” oldies station. I’ve spent a fair amount of time and money trying to avoid those stations, so adding them to my phone isn’t entirely appealing. Also, it would seem that the streams would have audio commercials added in from the start (and the possibility of graphic ads later on), which makes me wonder who wouldn’t just stick to the music they’ve loaded themselves. I suppose there’s some value to having the AOL stations for when you’ve become disgusted with your own choices, but when traffic, weather, and news are easily available via other iPhone functions, I can live without my local Jamz.
AOL Turns the iPhone into an Expensive Radio [NY Times]
I wish Idolator had been around when the phonograph was invented. “Thomas Edison has come up with a machine that reproduces sound, so now you can hear Stephen Foster’s shitty new song anytime you want. When the music business is created, someone’s going to lose their job over this.”
@Chris N.: I’m happy about the iPhone in general, and despite already purchasing one six months ago, I might get a new one, but are you actually psyched about CBS Radio on your phone? It’s hard for me to imagine how anyone could be, but possibly you’re the exception.
@Chris N.: ha ha. i do think the combination of battery depletion and commercials is sort of annoying.
It’s awesome that they have to use GPS and satellites 12,000 miles in space to find your local stations instead of just using, you know, an FM tuner. AOL and CBS combine their creative geniuses and the best available new technology to duplicate your old Walkman’s functionality.
@SomeSound-MostlyFury: Completely agree. What WOULD be cool, on the other hand, is if these satellites/GPS/whatever would let you tune into stations from OTHER local markets. I live in NYC and, to put it nicely, we don’t have much in the way of a current rock or alternative station (the ones we do, still like to mix in classic rock every 3 songs which, while fine, already oversaturates the market). I think it’d be cool to be in NYC and listen to KROQ, WFNX, Indie 103, KNDD The End, Live 105, etc.
It would be nice to have local radio in case of, oh, I don’t know, a tornado or something.
@Chris N.: I’m pretty sure someone would text message me about such a thing.
OMG TRNDO!