Slacker.com Makes Internet Radio Mobile

San Diego-based Slacker.com has debuted its own satellite-based radio service, which combines Internet radio, portable music and satellite distribution.

Currently the service is only in the testing stage, but when it is fully functioning could provide over 10,000 stations to users.

And by using the Slacker DJ function, the service also makes it possible for listeners to devise their own stations based on the kind of music they like.

Slacker co-founder and chief executive Dennis Mudd, said: "The only problem is that until now, personalized radio has been stuck on the PC.

"Slacker solves that problem."

Though Slacker is ad-based and therefore free of charge, the company is set to launch a premium service costing $7.50 per month, which will be ad-free and provide more flexibility to users.

In addition, the company is also to release the Slacker Personal Radio Player, which will be Wi-Fi enabled and able to play the user's personal playlists.

“Slacker has a taken a unique approach to the radio business,” states Mark Weibel EVP of Marketing for Broadband National whose website broadbandnational.com is considered the industry leader for users shopping for broadband and related digital products and services. “It’s much like an MP3 player but instead of play lists of songs Slacker.com offers customized radio stations.”

For information on broadband and other digital products and services visit www.broadbandnational.com

iTunes Most Recognizable

Apple's popular music downloading site iTunes was the most recognizable music brand among teenagers in the US in 2006, according to a new survey.

A full 66 percent of people aged 12 and over were aware of iTunes last year, according to the Tempo Digital Music Brandscape study from Ipso Insight. This number is up from the 57 per cent who knew about the site in 2005. Matt Kleinschmit, author of the Tempo study, said: "While iTunes' awareness gains in 2006 have been salient, many industry watchers had anticipated them."

Social networking site MySpace also had a good year in 2006, with recognition rising from 16 percent in 2005 to 54 percent last year. Napster was not so fortunate however, with its recognition declining from 79 percent in 2005 to 68 percent in 2006. The Tempo study surveyed 1,501 downloaders over the age of 12 from August 21st to 30th.

"Music continues to be a driving force behind the Internet," states Mark Weibel the EVP of Marketing for Broadband National who operates the leading comparative shopping website for broadband and other digital related products and services. "Due to the expansion of broadband Internet users can quickly download and start to enjoy music and videos."

For more information on broadband and downloadable music visit www.broadbandnational.com

U.S. Hispanics Avoiding Internet

Hispanics in the U.S. are falling behind other cultural groups on using the Internet because their English skills are lacking, according to a recent report.

A full 56 percent of Hispanics in the U.S. use the Internet, but this figure is well below that of other groups, the report from the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Internet Project found. By contrast, 60 percent of black people in the US reported being on the Internet and 71 percent of white people said they regularly used it.

Susannah Fox, one of the co-authors of the report, said: "For many people living in the U.S., the Internet is the go-to source for information and for staying in touch with friends and family. "We find that significant portions of the population are cut off from online resources." The study also found that while 32 per cent of adults who only speak Spanish use the Internet, 76 percent of those who are bi-lingual use it regularly.

"This is precisely why we created our Spanish language website 'comprabroadband.com," states Mark Weibel, EVP of Marketing for Broadband National whose website broadbandnational.com is considered the industry leader for users shopping for broadband and related digital products and services. "There's a void that we're filling," states Vinny Olmstead CEO of Broadband National. "Our providers haven't been moving fast enough to address the market pressures so we saw and opportunity for us."

For information on broadband and other digital products and services visit www.broadbandnational.com or www.comprabroadband.com

AT&T Announced $750 Million Global Investment

Communications provider AT&T is to invest more than $750 million this year in delivering global IP services and solutions to businesses across the world.

The extra money will help the company to extend its global IP network and capabilities, allowing it to provide more services to business customers in the US and elsewhere. It will also allow for the extended deployment of key access technologies, such as DSL, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and satellite, to help companies connect to AT&T's global IP network.

"In a global environment where IP network and convergence trends continue to transform companies and whole industries, we're well-positioned to meet our customers' needs," said Dick Anderson, AT&T group president for global business services. The company will focus its investment on key markets in fast growing economies in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America, as well as developed markets in Europe and Canada.

AT&T offers, among other things, IP-based business communications services, high-speed wireless Internet access and voice services.

For more information on AT&T broadband and other digital products and services visit www.broadbandnational.com

Corporate Acquisitions Transforming The IPTV Marketplace

A recent spate of corporate acquisitions is changing the burgeoning Internet protocol television (IPTV) market, recent research has suggested.

The number of independent IPTV providers is rapidly decreasing, which is creating a wide market gap, according to a report from New York-based ABI Research. Recently Swedish communications giant Ericsson acquired the broadband provider Redband Networks and Motorola announced in December that it was to acquire Tut Systems.

ABI Research principal analyst Michael Arden said: "Those first IP video equipment providers were small startups creating cutting-edge technologies that the larger vendors weren't nimble enough to do themselves. "Lately, as IPTV technology becomes more important - not only for telco TV but also for cable and satellite - the big companies need those technologies."

The larger corporations are now acquiring the smaller companies, which were the first on the market, Mr. Arden added. Recently it was found that the US is not among the top ten countries with the most IPTV subscriptions, reports Telephony Online. With 896,000 IPTV subscribers, France tops the list of countries with the most IPTV subscriptions, a new report from the marketing researcher Dittberner has found.

"There's a natural cycle of consolidation in every industry and the IPTV arena is no different", states Mark Weibel, EVP of Marketing for Broadband National, the industries leading comparative shopping website. "I wouldn't be surprised if this same thing doesn't happen in other high growth broadband products and services, VoIP being one of them"

For more information on IPTV and other digital products and services visit
www.broadbandnational.com