Motorola iRadio To Mix Radio, Digital Music

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February 17, 2005 (10:03 AM EST)

Motorola iRadio To Mix Radio, Digital Music

By Fredric Paul ,

(SCOTTSDALE, AZ) - Talk about convergence. Motorola's iRadio service merges hundreds of channels of digital "radio" services with a user's own MP3 files on a home PC, puts the combination on a media-capable cell phone, and then uses Bluetooth to deliver the music to off-the-shelf car stereos or other music systems.
Unveiled at the DEMO conference here, iRadio isn't really a radio at all.
Here's how it works: You need a Bluetooth adapter for your car radio, a media-capable cell phone, and special software for your Bluetooth PC. Then, you subscribe to a music service from a wireless carrier or Internet Webcaster for $5 - $7 per month.
You then select what programming you want from your PC, and mix in your own audio files as desired. When you charge your phone, the system refreshes the selection of music stored on the phone.
Finally, the phone streams the content to your car stereo, or any other Bluetooth-equipped sound system. You can also play right from phone. Either way, the phone works as a remote control device with iPod-style functionality, including artist info and other bells and whistles.
The first trial of 150 consumers on both coasts is scheduled to start in the second quarter with a commercial launch planned for the end of the year.