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Archive for the ‘Consumer Electronics’ Category

Apple (NASDAQ:SIRI) Lands Patent for Steering Wheel Control

Posted 17 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was granted a patent Tuesday for a steering wheel remote control for a smartphone or iPod-like device.

It’s based on Apple’s old “click wheel” found on the original iPods. But this time it gets a new touch-sensitive design and a system for mounting on the steering wheel, reports Patently Apple.

The patent is for a wireless device that works with a transmitter.

The “click wheel” is mounted on “clamping feet” (pictured below) that attach to the steering wheel, and the clamping feet can rotate depending on the orientation of where the device is mounted. The face of the click wheel also rotates to suit the orientation on the steering wheel. Read More

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Tags: AAPL, Amy Gilroy, Apple, click wheel, control, design, designers, device, filed, iPod, iPods, NASDAQ, NASDAQ:AAPL, pantent, patent, remote control, steering wheel, steering wheel control, steering wheel remote control, system, transmitter, wireless, wireless device

Martin Cooper, The Inventor of the Cell Phone, Discusses Wireless Spectrum and Data Capacity Issues Tonight at 8:00PM ET on Playground Radio

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Posted 15 May 2012 — by Demian Russian
Category Consumer Electronics, Media, Radio Industry, Technology

By Demian Russian

Martin Cooper, Inventor of the Cell Phone

Martin Cooper, the inventor of the cell phone, will be the special guest on this evening’s Playground Radio program (Tuesday, May 15th at 8:00PM ET) for an exclusive interview to discuss wireless spectrum and data capacity issues.

Martin Cooper is Chairman and Co-Founder of DYNA, LLC. Cooper is also Co-Founder of ArrayComm, LLC, based in San Jose, CA and GreatCall, Inc, the innovator of the Jitterbug cell phone and service. Cooper has been involved in and contributed to virtually every major innovation in personal wireless communications in his over 50-year career. He conceived the first portable cellular phone in 1973 and is widely recognized as an innovator in spectrum management. For 29 years, he led a number of major businesses at Motorola, including high-capacity paging, trunked mobile radio, cellular radio telephone, quartz crystals and oscillators, liquid crystal displays, piezo-electric components, Motorola A.M. Stereo technology, and various mobile and portable two-way radio product lines. Read More

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Tags: ArrayComm, ArrayComm LLC, awards, capacity, cell phone, Cellular Business Systems, Cellular Business Systems Inc., data, data capacity, Demian Russian, DYNA, DYNA LLC, FCC, Federal Communications Commission, GreatCall, GreatCall Inc, Inc., interview, inventor, Jeff Pierce, Jitterbug, LLC, Martin Cooper, Mikhail Gorbachev, NASDAQ, NASDAQ: SIRI, NASDAQ:SIRI, Playground Radio, President of the United States, radio, Satellite Radio, SIRI, Sirius, Sirius Radio, Sirius XM, Sirius XM Radio, SiriusXM, Spectrum, U.S. Department of Commerce Spectrum Advisory Committee, wireless, wireless spectrum, XM, XM Radio

MirrorLink Standard to Determine Best Apps for the Car

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Posted 15 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Music Industry, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

Not every app works well on the dashboard at 50mph. So the Car Connectivity Consortium (which developed the MirrorLink standard for mirroring your smartphone onto the car radio) is creating a standard for certifying which apps are acceptable for MirrorLink, it confirmed.

The certification process should be finalized in October. Read More

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Tags: Alfred Tom, Alpine, Amy Gilroy, App, approved, approved apps, apps, apps approved, car, car connectivity, Car Connectivity Consortium, car radio, certification, certification process, consortium, dashboard, Europe, Galaxy S III, Internet, Internet Radio, MirrorLink, MirrorLink approved apps, MirrorLink car radios, MirrorLink phone, MirrorLink radios, MirrorLink standard, most popular apps, NYSE, NYSE:SNE, NYSE:TM, Phone, radio, radios, restricted, safe, safe apps, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S III, smartphone, SNE, Sony, Standard, texting, texting app, TM, Toyota, U.S., unrestricted, voice command

New Samsung Galaxy S III Smartphone Breaks Into the Dashboard with MirrorLink: Video

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Posted 14 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

The new Samsung Galaxy S III won headlines last week for its many intelligent features plus a dazzling screen even larger than that of the hot selling Galaxy S II.

You can see some of the phone’s cool features below.

For the car market, the device breaks ground as the first MirrorLink ready phone in the U.S. to the best of our knowledge. It now looks like MirrorLink will get an official stateside launch this summer, when the Galaxy S III is due for U.S. release and when the first two MirrorLink car radios will launch in the aftermarket—the XAV-701HD ($700) and XAV-601BT ($550)—from Sony (NYSE:SNE). Both are both AV receivers with full control over Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android, Nokia (NYSE:NOK) and Windows Phone (Microsoft, NASDAQ:MSFT) smartphones. Apps appear as mirrored onto the car radio and users may control them from the radio. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone apps will also appear mirrored on the radio. Read More

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Tags: 4G, AAPL, aftermarket, Aha Radio, Amy Gilroy, Analyst, Android, Android 4.0, App, Apple, apps, Cadillac Cue, car, car audio, car market, car radio, car radio screen, CEoutlook, CES, competitor, defacto, defacto standard, display, Egil Juliussen, eye movement, facial recognition, features, Galaxy, Galaxy phone, Galaxy phones, Galaxy S III, Galaxy S3, GOOG, Google, HAR, Harman, Harman International, HTML5, IHS iSuppli, industry, iPhone, launch, Microsoft, mirror image, mirrored, MirrorLink, MirrorLink car radio, MirrorLink car radios, MirrorLink ready, mobile, mobile phone, mobile phone industry, MSFT, NASDAQ, NASDAQ:AAPL, NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:MSFT, new, Nokia, NYSE, NYSE:HAR, NYSE:SNE, OE, OEM, Phone, Phone maker, Pioneer, platform, processor, radio, release, S III, sales, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy S3, screen, ship, SIRI, smart phone, smartphone, smartphones, SNE, Sony, Sony 601, Sony XAV-601BT, Sony XAV-701HD, Standard, Taka Noguchi, TYO:6773, U.S., voice control, Windows, Windows Phone, XAV-601BT, XAV-701HD, Zypr

Internet Radio in the Car from HTC: Video

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Posted 13 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

Phone maker HTC Corporation (TPE:2498) released a new video showing its Car StereoClip in action. An HTC Bluetooth USB accessory automatically flips the HTC phone into car mode where it may access 60,000 Internet radio stations around the globe. The interface permits easy touch and swipe control. And if you type in a favorite song title, the phone will seek through stations around the globe to find one that’s playing it now. Read More

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Tags: accessory, Bluetooth, Bluetooth USB accessory, car, Car Mode, Car Stereo Clip, Car StereoClip, corporation, globe, HTC, HTC Bluetooth, HTC Corporation, HTC phone, interface, Internet, Internet Radio, Internet radio stations, mode, Phone, Phone maker, radio, stations, StereoClip, TPE:2498, USB

The New Clarion Next GATE: Video

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Posted 11 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

The short video below puts Clarion’s Next GATE—a relatively unique product for the aftermarket—through its paces.

The 7-inch “tablet” is basically a dummy unit with no standalone functions until it’s connected to an Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 4 or 4S. The Next GATE takes the apps on your phone and converts them to an easy to read user interface on the 7-inch screen. Read More

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Tags: AAPL, aftermarket, Amy Gilroy, App, Apple, Apple iPhone, apps, car radio, Clarion, Clarion Next GATE, Clarion’s Next GATE, device, functions, Infogation, Inrix traffic, interface, iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, microphone, NASDAQ, NASDAQ:AAPL, Next GATE, NYSE, NYSE:P, P, Pandora, Phone, product, screen, SIRI, tablet, TuneIn, Vlingo

Clarion Launches Next GATE

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Posted 10 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Media, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

Clarion (Clarion Co.,Ltd., TYO:6796) introduced Monday a windshield mounted tablet-like device that can control apps on your Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone. Read More

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Tags: AAPL, aftermarket, aftermarket navigation, Amazon, Amy Gilroy, App, Apple, apps, apps app, Bluetooth, calling, car maintenance, Clarion, CLARION CO., Clarion Corp. of America, Clarion Corporation, Clarion Corporation of America, Clarion Next GATE, cloud, Cloud connection, Cloud service, Co., connection, controller, Crutchfield, device, email, features, functions, handsfree, handsfree calling, Infogation, INRIX, Inrix traffic, Internet, Internet Radio, iPhone, iPhone controller, Ltd., NASDAQ, NASDAQ:AAPL, navigation, Next GATE, NYSE, NYSE:P, P, Pandora, Paul Lachner, personalized radio, Phone, President, price, products, Retail, retail price, retailers, screen, security, service, smartphone, social media, speech to text, speech to text app, stations, suggested retail price, tablet, telematics, telematics functions, Traffic, TuneIn, turn-by-turn navigation, TYO:6796, update, updates, Vlingo, WVGA

CEA Responds to NTSB on Safe Driving

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Posted 09 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) told a Federal safety board that it disagrees with the board’s recommendation that technology for the car should disable portable devices within reach of the driver to prevent driver distraction.

In a letter Tuesday, the CEA told the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), there is no real world evidence to support a blanket ban of use of portable devices by drivers. Instead, the CEA supports banning texting while driving and it supports laws restricting mobile phone use for novice drivers.

The CEA said, “the private sector has aggressively responded to market demand with innovative products and applications that increase driver safety. Current and future technologies could never see the light of day under the NTSB’s broad recommendations, which would inhibit the very innovation that promises safer roadways.” Read More

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Tags: accidents, Amy Gilroy, ban, banning, banning texting, CEA, Consumer Electronics Association, CTIA, CTIA Wireless Association, data, distraction, distraction-related accidents, driver distraction, driver safety, drivers, driving, emergency use, evidence, federal, Federal safety board, laws, letter, mobile, mobile phone, National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, organization, Phone, policies, portable devices, portable electronics devices, recommendation, recommendations, response, safe, safe driving, safe driving policies, Safety, safety board, study, technologies, technology, texting, The Consumer Electronics Association, transportation, vehicle, Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Wireless Association

First Car Audio NFC Device?

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Posted 07 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

A new gadget plugs into your car stereo and lets you stream music over Near Field Communications (NFC)– a wireless service similar to Bluetooth that is more secure, but has shorter range.

The matchbox-sized Blackberry (Research in Motion, NASDAQ:RIMM) device plugs into the car radio’s auxiliary jack. It works with any phone or tablet with NFC, not just Blackberry phones. And you just tap your phone against the device to pair it. Your phone becomes a remote control over the music to change tracks, volume, or pause.

Don’t have an NFC phone? The $50 device called the BlackBerry Music Gateway, also offers Bluetooth audio streaming if you pair your phone or tablet. And it works with a home stereo too. Read More

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Tags: aftermarket, Aha, Amy Gilroy, App, audio, audio streaming, Blackberry, Blackberry device, BlackBerry Gateway, BlackBerry Music Gateway, Blackberry phones, Bluetooth, car, car audio, car security, car stereo, cloud, cloud connected, concept, concept vehicle, connected, connection, device, Directed, email, Facebook, gadget, Gateway, Harman, home stereo, Kenwood, mobile, mobile technologies, music, Music Gateway, NASDAQ, NASDAQ:RIMM, Near Field Communications, Near Field Communications technology, NFC, NFC device, NFC phone, OEM, Phone, phones, pre-order, radio, radio app, range, remote control, Research In Motion, Rick Noetzli, RIMM, secure, secure connection, service, stream, streaming, tablet, technologies, technology, Twitter, vehicle, wireless, wireless service

Harman International (NYSE:HAR) Brands Coming to More Cars

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Posted 04 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics

By Amy Gilroy

Harman International (NYSE:HAR) said it continues to gain market share in OEM car audio and infotainment. And its Harman Kardon and JBL names will be more widely available in new car high end audio systems.

Harman also said it is benefiting from its deals with luxury car makers.

“The luxury car segment we serve has been highly resilient and has outpaced the overall automotive market, and we continue to gain market share,” said CEO Dinesh C. Paliwal.

For branded audio systems, the Harman Kardon name will appear in BMW X3, 5, 6 and 7 series luxury vehicles in a new deal with the automaker. Harman also extended its premium audio relationship with Daimler (PINK:DDAIF) for Harman Kardon branded systems on Mercedes M, GLK, A, B, SLK, and SL class vehicles. Read More

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Tags: Amy Gilroy, audio, audio systems, automaker, automotive, automotive market, BMW, brand, branded, branded system, brands, car audio, car makers, cars, CEO, Chinese, company, Daimler, DDAIF, deal, deals, Dinesh C. Paliwal, F12, Ferrari, Ferrari F12, Geneva Motor Show, HAR, Harman, Harman International, Harman Kardon, Income, Indian, infotainment, international, JBL, luxury, luxury car makers, luxury car segment, luxury vehicles, market, market share, Mercedes, Mercedes Benz, MINI, MINI Roadster R59, net income, net sales, NYSE, NYSE:HAR, OEM, OEM audio, OEM infotainment, Peugeot, Peugeot 208, PINK, PINK:DDAIF, premium audio, sales, system, vehicles

Pioneer Study Finds High In-Car App Use

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Posted 03 May 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

Almost 80 percent of smartphone owners use apps in the car, according to a recent study by Harris Interactive on behalf of Pioneer (TYO:6773).

The top 3 most used apps are maps and navigation (56 percent), music (31 percent) and social networking (24 percent).

Pioneer also announced Wednesday that its Android kit for the AppRadio2 is now available. The $119 cable kit lets the AppRadio2 work with 15 models of Android phones, in addition to working with the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone. Read More

Tags: AAPL, album art, Amy Gilroy, Android, Android kit, Android Phones, App, AppRadio, AppRadio 2, AppRadio2, apps, cable kit, car, control, dock, Harris Interactive, in-car, in-car app, in-dash, Internet Radio, iPhone, NASDAQ, NASDAQ:AAPL, navigation, phones, Pioneer, smartphone, social networking, song information, study

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) Unleashes New Satellite Radio 2.0 Features On Android Devices

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Posted 30 Apr 2012 — by Demian Russian
Category Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Media, Programming News, Radio Industry, Sirius XM (SIRI) News, Technology

By Demian Russian

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) has released a free update to its SiriusXM Internet Radio App for Android smartphones and tablets, offering its subscribers more control over how they listen to SiriusXM’s programming on mobile devices.

This updated and enhanced SiriusXM Internet Radio App for Android, the top smartphone platform in the U.S., now gives current and future subscribers access to more programming, including more live sports play-by-play, and more control over when and where they listen to their favorite SiriusXM channels and programs. We are pleased to bring these new and exciting features to our subscribers, and we will continue to evolve our SiriusXM Internet Radio offerings this year by adding greater functionality on smartphones, mobile devices and online.

– Jim Meyer, President, Operations and Sales, SiriusXM

The SiriusXM Internet Radio App update for Android smartphones and tablets includes the following new features: Read More