 RAIN 10/8: Leading Net radio brands' apps ready to go for coming Microsoft mobile platform ·Oct 8, 10:01 AM BILLBOARD SPOTS WINDOWS PHONE 7 APPS FROM SLACKER, iHEARTRADIOWebcasters are getting a jump-start on the newest mobile platform, Windows Phone 7. Billboard, during a lunch meeting preview of the new OS, spotted apps from Slacker and Clear Channel’s iHeartRadio. Both will reportedly be available when Windows Phone 7 arrives — probably in late October or early November.
Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft’s refresh of the aging Windows Mobile platform. The OS is seen by many observers as the company’s last best hope to stay afloat in the highly competitive mobile market — now dominated by Google and Apple. Like Android, iOS, webOS and other major mobile platforms, Windows Phone 7 will have an app store ready for webcasters to jump into. Pandora will reportedly come built-in to the new operating system (RAIN coverage here), and it appears that the OS could come with a native Internet radio streaming application as well (coverage here). Other pre-release app announcements include Spotify and lyrics app MusiXMatch. A recent survey of developers found that 18% would be interested in developing apps for Windows Phone 7 in 12 months time — about on par with the amount of interest in building BlackBerry apps. Billboard found Windows Phone 7 to be “very slick,” with a “highly graphical user interface, and a navigation that seems easy-to-use.” Find Billboard‘s coverage here, and for more on Windows Phone 7, check out Engadget’s news hub here. KATZ ADDS CUMULUS, TRIBUNE AND PULSE 87 NEW YORKKatz Media Group’s Katz 360 Sales online division has added Cumulus Media, Tribune/WGN, and Pulse87NewYork.com to their network. That network includes Clear Channel, CBS Radio, Pandora, AccuRadio, and others. Said Katz 360 EVP/Publishers Scott Taylor, “We are seeing exceptional revenue and audience growth as we expand our ability to reach a critical mass of listeners where they life, work, and play.” Radio Ink has more coverage here.
MUSIC ANALYSIS START-UP ECHO NEST RAISES $7mThe Echo Nest, a Pandora-like database of music information, has raised $7 million in a funding round led by Matrix Partners. The company has developed a way to analyze music attributes, like Pandora’s Music Genome Project, only without the need for human involvement. Where Pandora employees reportedly spend 20 minutes analyzing a song, The Echo Nest says its programming can do it in 3 seconds.
Unlike Pandora — which uses its Genome Project to fuel its radio service — The Echo Nest offers its data to developers. Music services like MOG, ThumbPlay, Play.me and a host of other applications use The Echo Nest’s data. If services like Pandora are the new gold diggers, said Matrix’s Antonio Rodriguez, then EchoNest is “the commissary that will sell the picks and shovels.” VentureBeat.com has more on the story here. share: del.icio.us.  Reddit  Digg  Yahoo  Wink  Windows  Google  Newsvine 
CommentCommenting is closed for this article.  Other stories RAIN has upgraded (and moved)! RAIN 9/13: RAIN Summit Chicago takes place today! RAIN 9/12: First Summit in RAIN's hometown takes place tomorrow RAIN 9/9: Summer holidays, "doldrums" impact July Webcast Metrics, but audience up over last year RAIN 9/8: Clear Channel launches new customizable iHeartRadio beta; RAIN goes hands-on RAIN 9/7: Meet more speakers you'll hear at RAIN Summit Chicago in less than a week RAIN 9/6: Clear Channel taps The Echo Nest to take on Pandora RAIN 9/2: RAIN reviews Spotify's radio-like product Artist Radio RAIN 9/1: UK online radio aggregator Radioplayer campaigns b'dcasters to create "all radio" ratings RAIN 8/31: Execs from Merlin, Triton Digital, jacAPPS and more to appear at RAIN Summit Chicago |
