Maybe I'm just seeing things, but the latest HD Radio "plug-and-play" offering - the JVC KT-HDP1 - looks strikingly similar to the Sirius Starmate line of satellite radios.

Here's the JVC KT-HDP1:

Now here's the Starmate 4:

But that's not really close enough to the JVC HD Radio... so let's look at the old-school Starmate Replay:

Ah yes, there's the resemblance. But HD Radio isn't competing with Satellite Radio, isn't that right? There's no reason why they would create a similar looking product. Not at all to create confusion at retail... would they? Nah, that's just paranoia.

Still, imitation is indeed the purest form of flattery, because this HD Radio plug-and-play looks far better than HD Radio's previous plug-and-play offering.

Just in case you're at the edge of your seat with credit card in hand, the JVC KT-HDP1 will MSRP for a mere $149.95, and that includes a built-in FM transmitter. That's right, you can go from "CD quality" digital HD Radio, right back to good ol' analog FM without skipping a beat. Ah, the beauty of innovation... err, imitation.

[via Engadget]
Thanks Todd!

I was reading an article in the Washington Times when this quote from iBiquity's CEO Bob Struble jumped out at me:

"Five years from now, you won't walk into a Best Buy and say, 'I want an HD Radio." You'll just say, 'I want a radio' — because that will be the standard."

Uhm, yeah. Here's a reality check for everyone in the industry, including satellite radio: people don't walk into a Best Buy and buy a radio. They don't. Radios come with your car. Radios just happen to be part of your alarm clock. Nobody walks into a store looking to buy a radio.

The "tabletop radio" segment, which consists mostly of alarm clocks, isn't something that people buy on a whim. College kids buy "tabletop radios" because they need to wake up after a night of hard partying (and guess what, a cellphone works just as well). They don't buy a radio because by-golly they need to have a radio. That AM/FM functionality is just there by default. Oh, and that alarm clock they're looking at now had better have an iPod charger included.

Now this might come as a surprise to everyone, because we all at one point in time decided to buy "a radio." But you didn't buy a satellite radio. You bought Howard Stern. Or Opie and Anthony. Or NASCAR. Or the MLB. Or the wide range of music that you can't get anywhere else. You bought the convenience of hearing this content wherever you are. The radio you purchased was only the vehicle - it provided the functions you needed to access that content you wanted.

So here's the newsflash to Bob Struble and all the other suits getting ready to yuck-it-up at the NAB Radio Show this week... in five years? No one is going to be saying "I want a radio" when they walk into Best Buy.

[Washington Times]

Polk Audio has confirmed the rumors that they are releasing an HD Radio with integrated iPod dock that allows users to "tag" and purchase songs played over HD.

The Polk Audio I-Sonic Entertainment System 2 (available in October for $499) uses Apple's iTunes Tagging technology combined with a second generation HD Radio tuner with full multicasting capabilities. No where in the press release is XM mentioned except for the fact that XM was available in the first generation I-Sonic, so I can only assume that XM support was dropped.

The iTunes Tag button (located on the front of the I-Sonic ES2 and on the remote control) allows consumers to tag songs broadcast over properly encoded HD Radio broadcasts. The I-Sonic ES2 will store the information about the tagged songs to memory and transfer the data when the iPod is docked. Once the iPod is connected to iTunes, you get the option to preview and download the tagged songs.

For industry/merger watchers, the news serves as further proof of the intense competition between Satellite Radio, HD Radio and Digital Audio Players (iPods). Especially since XM was dropped in favor of the iPod: cementing Satellite Radio as competition against iPods even on the supply-side.

But while terrestrial radio is popping champaign over this announcement, you have to wonder who exactly benefits most from this move: Apple or Radio? Tagging songs so you can pay for them later isn't exactly a value add in the eyes of the consumer. And unlike the Starbucks/iTunes partnership, where Starbucks has the reputation as a music discovery outlet - Radio has the reputation for playing repetitive "hits" playlists. The consumers gets little that they can't already get from iTunes.

The consumer's experience doesn't matter though. In their desperate attempt to remain relevant, Radio is willing to lie down with lions... not realizing that they're lunch.

According to Inside Radio, Polk Audio will announce the next generation of HD Radio tuners this afternoon that will establish a direct connection between HD Radio and the iPod. They're billing it as a "breakthrough for radio."

In what Inside Radio says is "an alliance with Apple," Polk Audio's new I-Sonic ES2 HD Radio will include an iPod docking station that features a "tagging button" - allowing users to buy songs they hear on HD Radio stations via iTunes.

The advancement requires HD stations to encode their signals and insiders say eight radio groups have committed to encoding.

TWICE has reported that Polk is unveiling the I-Sonic ES2 (Entertainment System 2) which they confirm includes an iPod dock. But there is no indication of the added iTunes tagging system. The I-Sonic ES2 with the integrated iPod dock is expected to be available for $499.

UPDATE: A source has confirmed this rumor to Orbitcast. More details shortly...