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Nokia's Visual Radio headed for United States

19 April 2005 17:18 by James "Dela" Delahunty

Nokia's Visual Radio has been available in many countries around the world including Finland, the UK, Singapore, Thailand and Germany and will soon be available in the United States. The service merges traditional FM radio with mobile phone interactivity that is based on the content of the broadcast. The announcement was made with Nokia's technology partner, Hewlett-Packard. The partners re determining which of Infinity's 185 radio stations will be the first in the country to offer the service.

According to Reidar Wasenius, the service will be available in the United States within six months. "It adds another dimension to FM radio," said David Goodman, Infinity president, marketing. "I love the idea of everyone walking around with a portable radio that happens to make phone calls and show great pictures." While listening to FM radio on their handsets, customers will also receive graphics and information based on the broadcast.

"It makes us very happy to offer Visual Radio on this continent, since this is such a major market in the world and it is the home of commercial radio," Wasenius said. "It proves the credibility of the concept." The kind of data that listeners will receive includes artist and track information, opportunities to buy concert tickets, radio station promotions, ringtones offers etc.

"We've been looking at what others are doing elsewhere in the world that would amplify what our audience is listening to," Goodman said. "The analogy would be that Visual Radio is to radio what 'Pop-Up Video' was to VH1. The things you can integrate are really limitless, and I'm looking forward to the creative things our program directors come up with."

Source:
Reuters

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