It's Friday! Friday! Frrrrrrriday! Crack a beer and read some news bits... 

• XM channels changes are a-comin' - including some new sports channels and some rearranging [XM Channel Guide (PDF)]
• Radio World op-ed piece criticizes the merger. Favorite quote: "If satellite radio can’t exist in even a minimally competitive environment, perhaps it shouldn’t exist at all." (you'd like that wouldn't you?) [RW Online]
• Confirmed? Apple iPhone release date is supposedly June 11th - just in time for WWDC 2007 (though the source is a bit suspect) [Gizmodo]
  
• AutoNet - which turns your car into a WiFi hotspot using both 3G and 2.5G cellular networks - is launching with Avis on April 16th (newsflash for skeptics: in-car Internet radio is right around the corner) [AutoNet]
  
• Current crop of HD radios worse than analog models? (tee hee) [Engadget]

Thanks to everyone who sent in these news bits! 

Uh oh, somebody's got a case of the Mondays... well, here's some news bits:

• HD Radio gets an in-depth profile in the Grey Lady [New York Times] 
• EV-DO Rev B to debut this year at a breakneck speed of 9Mbps [Gizmodo] 
• The new Samsung Upstage music phone from Sprint. Double-sided, touch-sensitive, stereo Bluetooth, built-in speakers, and microSD expansion. [Engadget] 
• New Sony-Ericsson phones. One is the first 3G phone for the US, the other is a slider Walkman phone with a built-in FM radio [CrunchGear] 
• RIAA sues a 10-yr-old girl. Mom is disabled living on Social Security disability assistance. [Boing Boing]
  

Here's some fun news bits and pieces for this Manners Monday...

• A message from the RIAA: Suing you college students is "necessary" damnit! [Gizmodo]
• The faces behind the RIAA (phone numbers included) [The Consumerist]
• PRI/WNYC teaming up to compete with NPR's "Morning Edition" (set for early '08) [New York Times]
• FCC Chairman Kevin Martin makes some changes in his personal staff [Radio Ink] 
• HD Radio hits airwaves, but no one's listening (waaahhh) [San Diego Union-Tribune] 
• SmartWeb project uses P2P network to communicate road conditions to surrounding cars (next-gen NavTraffic?) [Engadget] 

News bits and bites for this semi-slow Thursday...

• Congress lambasting the FCC may be seen as a "subtle negative" for the XM-Sirius merger [Forbes] 
• Om Malik on the problems that Slacker will face (such as Apple, Napster, Urge, Real Networks, Creative, SanDisk, Microsoft, Pandora and Last.fm) [GigaOM] 
• The New Yorker gives an in-depth take on why the XM-Sirius merger should be approved [The New Yorker] 
• iTunes to everyone: sucks to be you [Ars Technica] 
• Google execs confirm Google Phone is one of many R&D projects in the works [Engadget] 
• XM's Kevin Straley (aka Stray-lo) gets promoted to Senior VP of news, talk, and sports programming [DCRTV] 
• AMTC signs Zizzo’s Coffee for SiriusBusiness music [SSG] 
• NPR is pissed! Leading the change to reverse Internet Radio royalty rate decision [Consumerist] 

Your input is appreciated! Send in news bits that you think are worthy and I'll send you a hug.

News bits, links and all-around malarkey for this Wednesday...

• FCC Chairman Kevin Martin appeared before a House subcommittee on telecommunications today. (Did anyone watch this? Holy snooze-fest. That's time from my life that I will never have back.) [FMQB]
  
• Video: Why an XM / Sirius Merger Doesn’t Even Matter (Warning: extreme cheese ahead... but he does have some good points) [Gizmo Cafe]
• Slacker's No Slouch - Forbes gives their take on the whole Slacker situation. [Forbes]
• UBS think iPhone touchscreen technology is a stepping stone "mega-platform" (i.e., will spread to iPods, iMacs, Tablet Notebooks). I think they're right. [AppleInsider]
• XM Satellite Radio Acura 2007 Twelve Hours Of Sebring Fact Sheet [Auto Racing Daily]
• "The most trusted news in radio" seems to think there's no new-media competition  [Hear 2.0]
• Opie and Anthony Traveling Virus 2007 kicks off at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas [FoundryMusic]

Here's some bits of related news for today...

• A profile of David Rehr, leader of the NAB, trying his darnedest to kill the XM-Sirius Merger. [Washington Post]
• Viacom sues Google/YouTube for $1 billion for "unauthorized use" of their programming. [FMQB]
• Clear Channel delays buyout vote on $19 billion deal. [Reuters]
• HD Radio having a big presence at SXSW with performances, listening stations and giveaways. [MediaBuyerPlanner]
• WorldSpace Q4 and Full-Year results will be released on March 27th [Press Release]
• Flying with XM WX Weather [Flying Magazine]