November 12 2008 / by christinep
Category: Technology Year: 2008 Rating: 4 Hot
The Mp3 format has defined the digital age. No more are the days of people carrying their Sony Walkman listening to the ubiquitous morning show or crazy afternoon DJs during those long commutes. Pretty much the only time people listen to radio now is when they are stuck in their car. Today people have their earphones plugged into their iPod, drifting around and ignoring the world around them.
What if those people you see aren’t listening to an iPod?
The person pulls out the pocket-size device and starts to fiddle around with the buttons. You catch a glimpse of it and wonder: “Some crazy company still makes radio gadgets?” Apparently, yes there are.
The C.Crane Witness AM/FM Mp3 player is a 2 GB memory AM-FM tuner. Sure it seems like a gift that your grandmother would love, but it’s nice to see that the radio format isn’t being forgotten. If anything, I would think that the iPod would gain an even larger audience if Apple offered an AM-FM turner to the already popular device. Some Mp3 players such as the Creative Zen have an FM function but didn’t bother to add an AM function as well (sad for those wanting traffic updates or sports). Fortunately, C.Crane and PoGo have integrated both AM-FM functions into their low-capacity mp3 players.
The evolution spanning between the radio and the iPod has been quite a journey. There’s the revolutionary milestones like the cassette tape all the way to the forgotten footnotes like the mini disc. Today, the iPod has quite literally taken over the world. And while some people may see the radio as a dying medium, the future is actually anything but. The abundance of internet radio stations, satellite radio and the arrival of HD radio show the growth radio has been going through since the beginning of its life. With on-the-go radio devices still on the market, it’s not a too far-fetched idea to see radio making a comeback.
via engadget picture via ccrane.com