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OOPS! MICROSOFT NEW MOBILE PRODUCT TO INCLUDE FM - WITHOUT HD

S

Savage

Microsoft seems a little conflicted these days about HD Radio. After tallying New Zune HD worldwide sales of 146 units by actual count :D they've announced a new iPhone-killer, the Windows Phone 7, which will merge video, Zune music and web functions - including analog FM Radio.

But no HD! :D

See? SOME people CAN BE TAUGHT !!
 
Note that they are "refurbished." That means for some reason or other, customers returned these radios. Maybe they didn't work, or maybe they just didn't like them. In any case, there is some degree of customer dissatisfaction associated with these radios. Overstock.com is quite up front about this: https://help.overstock.com/cgi-bin/overstock.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=31&p_li=

To be fair, that happens with lots of products, but given the past track record of many HD radios, it does make you wonder.
 
Play Freebird said:
I say the best thing to do with these leftover Insignias is to paint them in a rainbow of colors (like the old Radio Shack "Flavoradios") and use them as decorations, intended to be seen but not heard.

Who else remembers the FlavoRadio (a metaphor for low fidelity)?

http://www.antiqueradio.com/Mar08_MacArthur_Flavoradio.html
Click to expand...

I owned one of those babies! I didn't intentionally buy it; it was in a 'grab bag' of stuff. My local ARS used to bag up stuff they wanted to get rid of, in plain paper bags, and sell it for a couple of bucks.

Perhaps the Flavoradio was a precursor of IBOC AM? ;)
 
The overstock.com offering illustrates: the Insignia portable in all likelihood is showing precisely the same level and nature of consumer experience with previous HD Radio receivers. IOW: despite modest initial sales, it's headed for oblivion after less than a year on the market.

The Insignia, along with its cheap-o progeny "Mighty Red," joins the Radio Shack Accurian, the Radiosophy, various COBY radios, the BA Receptor HD, the Visteon Jump, the Jensen iPod docker HD, et al....shuffling off to the elephant's graveyard of commercially (and in some cases technically) failed and failing HD receivers.

Arguably the only HD receiver with any level of consumer acceptance is the Sony XDR-HD, and even that excellent product is being sold at a steep discount - usually a harbinger of imminent discontinuance by its manufacturer. Anecdotally the Sony seems to be primarily being bought for use as an analog receiver.

Save those Insignias and Mighty Reds (Mightys Red??) After all, who imagined that after 25 years, FlavoRadios would be collector items?
 
While we're at it:

I was distressed to see - about Christmastime 08 - the prestigious Hammacher Schlemmer on-line and mailorder company offer "high definition HD Radio" in the form of the "ghetto-SONY" COBY cube unit. The HS description included the usual hyperbole about "FM having CD-quality, AM having FM quality," etc., etc., for IIRC about $100.

Guess what? It's gone.

On www.hammacher.com there is no sign of the "high definition radio" any more.

HS customers demand good quality and value. Anybody want to speculate on the return rate for the COBY? Like maybe approaching 100 percent??
 
That makes sense - everything I've ever bought with Coby on the front of it stank on ice. I'm surprised Hammacher Schlemmer even considered it.
 
Savage said:
Microsoft seems a little conflicted these days about HD Radio. After tallying New Zune HD worldwide sales of 146 units by actual count :D they've announced a new iPhone-killer, the Windows Phone 7, which will merge video, Zune music and web functions - including analog FM Radio.

But no HD! :D

See? SOME people CAN BE TAUGHT !!
Click to expand...

I was doing a little online research about the HD Zune, primarily trying to find customer feedback on it. As expected such feedback is scarce given the Zune's low sales figures. But what I did find does not speak well of HD Radio on a Zune.

According to CNet the Zune has a battery life of about 33 hours when just playing MP3 files. However, on a couple of Zune forums, users claim that battery life plummets to about 4 hours when playing HD Radio. Other complaints are heat build up and slow lock time when receiving HD stations, as long as 30 seconds in some cases.

Rumor is that Microsoft is readying a Zune phone. Given the problems reported so far it's questionable if HD Radio will make it to such a phone.

c5
 
Since MS' latest mobile product, the Windows Phone 7 includes FM radio but analog-only, it's hard to see why a Zune phone would include IBOC.
 
If HD adds more value and they can sell the phone for more $$$$$$
If not then the added licensing reduces profits.

Looks like MS made their choice.
 
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