Radios In Cell Phones

[jterhar]

Discussing survey results is always a slippery slope. How does one explain contradictory results? The NAB announced the results of a pole that said, "76% of cellphone owners 'would consider paying a one-time fee of 30 cents to access local radio stations through a built-in radio chip.' ” It also claimed that 66% of adults would use the feature. Meanwhile, the CEA announced their poll results that said 70% would not listen to FM broadcasts on their cellphone. Mr. Shapiro, from CEA, said, "There is little consumer demand for radio-capable cell phones and consumers don’t want the government telling them what features their phones should have.” Well, either someone or both are lying or cherry picking the methodology or the results. What can we take from that? Obviously, the only results that matter are poles that have asked TheBigA his opinion...at least according to TheBigA.

Now, can we just do more voice tracking, head office transmitter readings and satellite program delivery and ignore this problem?

 

[TheBigA]

Obviously, the only results that matter are poles that have asked TheBigA his opinion...at least according to TheBigA.

Actually in point of fact neither group has asked me my opinion.

 

[Tom Wells]

Why not a mandate that every radio have a cellphone built into it?
Then I wouldn't NEED to have or carry a cellphone at all.

Push a button, enter your phone number and a code, then make your call and the network bills the
call to your number.

The LAST place I want a radio is in my cellphone.
There are so few places that headphone listening is viable, that I can't see the point in this.

Headphone wire for an antenna? That works so poorly that you can't move around much.
In my experience, the antenna must be adjusted for acceptable reception, then you can listen
as long as you don't move the radio or bump into the antenna.

I see this as just another attempt to make all radio look bad by stacking the deck, then using the poor result as some kind of
benchmark to discredit the usefulness of radio.

 

[TheBigA]

I see this as just another attempt to make all radio look bad by stacking the deck, then using the poor result as some kind of
benchmark to discredit the usefulness of radio.

Huh?

 

[bigtime]

After being caught in a power outage with no batteries in any radios, I'd have loved to have had a radio built into my fully charged cell phone in order to follow storm info.

 

[KeithE4]

After being caught in a power outage with no batteries in any radios, I'd have loved to have had a radio built into my fully charged cell phone in order to follow storm info.

But, as was said earlier, it would require a headphone-cord antenna in order to work, and then it would only be for FM. They're not very efficient except in strong-signal areas, and besides, how many people carry headphones or ear buds with them? Maybe some, to listen to music on their smartphone, but that's still a subset of all cellphone users.

It's just not practical. An FM tuner in the phone would give only limited reception in most areas, and AM reception is physically impossible in a device that size (how many loopstick antennas are 1/8" thick?).

 

[dfwrunner]

After being caught in a power outage with no batteries in any radios, I'd have loved to have had a radio built into my fully charged cell phone in order to follow storm info.

But, as was said earlier, it would require a headphone-cord antenna in order to work, and then it would only be for FM. They're not very efficient except in strong-signal areas, and besides, how many people carry headphones or ear buds with them? Maybe some, to listen to music on their smartphone, but that's still a subset of all cellphone users.

It's just not practical. An FM tuner in the phone would give only limited reception in most areas, and AM reception is physically impossible in a device that size (how many loopstick antennas are 1/8" thick?).

they used to make wire wound ferrite core antennas that were pretty thin, around 1/4", sure they could be thinner.

 

[KeithE4]

they used to make wire wound ferrite core antennas that were pretty thin, around 1/4", sure they could be thinner.

I dunno. My 50-year-old pocket AM radio is about the same height and width as my Motorola Droid phone, but is three times as thick. I'd be surprised if enough wire could be wound on a super-small diameter ferrite core to be effecitve on AM in a phone that size.

 

[RDO]

Today's cell phones are like yesterday's transistor radios.

In terms of usage and carrying them around, not the electronics.

 

[radiorob2.0]

Today's cell phones are like yesterday's transistor radios.

In terms of usage and carrying them around, not the electronics.

Bingo!

The mentality is mandating receiver placement will "save" radio when the problem revolves around content.

 

[dfwrunner]

they used to make wire wound ferrite core antennas that were pretty thin, around 1/4", sure they could be thinner.

I dunno. My 50-year-old pocket AM radio is about the same height and width as my Motorola Droid phone, but is three times as thick. I'd be surprised if enough wire could be wound on a super-small diameter ferrite core to be effecitve on AM in a phone that size.

I had one that the ferrite core was about 2 inches long by 1/8" thick. The wire is what made it thicker. It would be fine in any large metro.

 

[TheBigA]

The mentality is mandating receiver placement will "save" radio when the problem revolves around content.

I didn't buy my iPhone because of content. In fact, none of the gadgets I use every day were bought because of content. So the problem does NOT revolve around content. There is no content anyone can conceive of that will get me to throw away my cell phone and instead buy a radio.

In fact, as I look around my house, I can't remember the last time I bought a radio that didn't come with something else. Like a car.

 

[radiorob2.0]

The mentality is mandating receiver placement will "save" radio when the problem revolves around content.

I didn't buy my iPhone because of content. In fact, none of the gadgets I use every day were bought because of content. So the problem does NOT revolve around content. There is no content anyone can conceive of that will get me to throw away my cell phone and instead buy a radio.

In fact, as I look around my house, I can't remember the last time I bought a radio that didn't come with something else. Like a car.

So which one of those gadgets with a radio had a government mandated to include a radio? Also, you mean to tell me your purchased of an IPhone had noting to do with content? Really, you've never download one app? You've never used the device as a media player? You just make phone calls with that device.

It's always about content.

 

[TheBigA]

So which one of those gadgets with a radio had a government mandated to include a radio?

Look, if the cell manufacturers weren't do selfish, there wouldn't be a need for a mandate. But cell manufacturers want to get paid for space on their devices. So even if consumers wanted it, they couldn't get it. Companies today need to be forced to play nice with each other.

Really, you've never download one app? You've never used the device as a media player? You just make phone calls with that device.

That's exactly right. I've never downloaded an app, and I haven't downloaded the iTunes store either. Screw them. They want my credit card number in advance.

 

[mouseman]

Article published by this site [ there seems to be some who don't have all the information on this campaign in this thread]

Radio Rocks My Phone” – the NAB’s new campaign to create public pressure on consumer electronics manufacturers.
So Congress is being difficult, and the wireless companies and the manufacturers are recalcitrant? Try to get the public involved, then. That’s the new tack of the NAB with a series of spots (radio and print, English and Espanol) around the theme “Radio Rocks My Phone.” They’ll work angles such as “the role radio can play during emergency situations”, when a cellphone network might be overloaded or completely down. They’ll use the statistic from a research poll showing that 73% of cellphone owners said that having free local radio on their phone was important to them. NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith is in touch with Capitol Hill about the new campaign, and says it “will help listeners find radio-enabled mobile devices so they may receive up-to-the-minute emergency information even on the go.” Smith’s asking members of Congress not to support the “Creativity and Innovation Resolution” – the one introduced by California House members Darrell Issa and Anna Eshoo opposing an “FM chip mandate.”

 

[radiorob2.0]

Article published by this site [ there seems to be some who don't have all the information on this campaign in this thread]

Radio Rocks My Phone” – the NAB’s new campaign to create public pressure on consumer electronics manufacturers.
So Congress is being difficult, and the wireless companies and the manufacturers are recalcitrant? Try to get the public involved, then. That’s the new tack of the NAB with a series of spots (radio and print, English and Espanol) around the theme “Radio Rocks My Phone.” They’ll work angles such as “the role radio can play during emergency situations”*, when a cellphone network might be overloaded or completely down. They’ll use the statistic from a research poll showing that 73% of cellphone owners said that having free local radio on their phone was important to them. NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith is in touch with Capitol Hill about the new campaign, and says it “will help listeners find radio-enabled mobile devices so they may receive up-to-the-minute emergency information even on the go.” Smith’s asking members of Congress not to support the “Creativity and Innovation Resolution” – the one introduced by California House members Darrell Issa and Anna Eshoo opposing an “FM chip mandate.”

*...assuming someone is actually at the radio station providing emergency information. If not the whole S.O.L concept becomes reality.

"Radio Rocks My Phone"?!? Really? I see the NAB has been sniffing their own feces again. If the blacksmith lobby 100 years ago was as big as the NAB today they would have insisted on horseshoes for horseless carriages because you might have to resort to using the horseshoes in case of emergency.

I have to ask Big A, why do you have an iPhone if all you do is make phone calls? Those iPhones are expensive compared to the basic phone that they practically give you with a contract.

 

[TheBigA]

I have to ask Big A, why do you have an iPhone if all you do is make phone calls? Those iPhones are expensive compared to the basic phone that they practically give you with a contract.

I also use the internet & email functions. But once again that's combining devices, which is exactly what the FM tuner would be. They didn't need a mandate for internet because they bill us monthly for it. But the idea of something for free to them is repulsive. If they could charge someone for FM in phone, it would be included without a mandate.