Not HD radio. Or satellite.
As predicted by me and others, the hottest new thing in table radios is…
Choice.
Choice of alternatives to radio, that is. And that primarily means the increasingly ubiquitous iPod docks and (drumroll please) Internet radio:
A tabletop home radio isn’t complete these days without an iPod dock, memory card slots, Wi-Fi access to Internet radio stations and services, or satellite radio reception, a growing number of suppliers believe.
So explain to me again how XM and Sirius merging will diminish choice when choice is exploding all around us?
Now I know these radios are premium items. And I know that table radios are a drop in the bucket of the radio industry. And I know that just possessing Internet radio capability says nothing about its ease of use, which really is critical.
But still, the trend is rising.
When it comes to technology, whether it’s HD or satellite or even trusty old terrestrial radio, it’s important to distinguish the Betamax from the VHS or – more currently – the HD-DVD from the Blu-Ray.
Fortunes and careers will be made by choosing the right horse to ride.
What horses are in your starting gate?