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Visual Radio Coming to India

morpheus83 writes "India continues to march towards becoming an IT and economic super power. The Indian capital of New-Delhi will become the the third city in the world to have a commercial Visual Radio service after Singapore and Helsinki (Finland). The technology developed by Nokia allows audiences to interact with the radio programs. The audio is received via a regular analog FM radio whereas graphics and text are streamed over a data connection. It will be available to Hutch and Airtel subscribers who have compatible Nokia handsets."

118 comments

  1. uh... by brickballs · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Visual Radio"

    Don't they normaly call that TV?

    --
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    1. Re:uh... by Coneasfast · · Score: 4, Informative

      No. It's not. It's radio that allows you to get additional info about the song. I agree it's not the most advanced piece of technology, but you can't just simplify it as being 'TV'.

      It's also interactive, while TV is just streaming.

      Hint, hint: RTFA :)

      --
      Marge, get me your address book, 4 beers, and my conversation hat.
    2. Re:uh... by yiantsbro · · Score: 1

      "but you can't just simplify it as being 'TV'"

      Alright, how about "WebTV" then?

    3. Re:uh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Visual radio is why India is well on its way to becoming the next superpower. People think its just TV, but its much much more.

    4. Re:uh... by thisnow1 · · Score: 1

      "Visual Radio":Television as "Horseless Carriage":Automobile

  2. wow by joe+155 · · Score: 5, Funny

    visual radio, I wonder what it would be like to have pictures along with audio... I can hardly imagine such a thing!

    --
    *''I can't believe it's not a hyperlink.''
    1. Re:wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      What's the deal with so many stories focussing on India off-late? Has /. outsourced their editors to India...ahh now I know why all these typo mistakes and dupes on /.

    2. Re:wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Racist. Grow up!

  3. Visual radio? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think I've heard of this... It's called television or something.

  4. Visual Radio??? by steveo777 · · Score: 1, Informative
    How is this not television? I read TFA and there's really no information. So as far as I can tell, it's just radio that lets you watch their commercials? Can someone clarify if this isn't just radio plus advertisements you can see? Is there a /.er that has or has seen this?

    Otherwise it's just MTV without the 'V'.

    --
    This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
    1. Re:Visual Radio??? by justshawnf · · Score: 3, Informative

      FTA: "Visual radio offers the perfect way out by allowing users to download the song if they like it and also get additional information about the album / movie on the screen." Sounds similar to the display system that satellite radio already has. Show me the song and artist on the display while it's playing. This system is for your cell phone and allows more options.

    2. Re:Visual Radio??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It could be worse, it could be MTV without the M.

    3. Re:Visual Radio??? by errxn · · Score: 1

      It's not television, it's a little better. Use the handy formula below as a guide:

      Television + Marketing Drivel = "Visual Radio"

      Hope that clears it up for you.

      --
      In Soviet Russia, Chuck Norris will still kick your ass.
    4. Re:Visual Radio??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's been no M in MTV for 10 years at least.

    5. Re:Visual Radio??? by LouisZepher · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Television + Marketing Drivel

      So, in other words, it is television? Or is the marketing drivel on television somehow different from the marketing drivel on radio?

    6. Re:Visual Radio??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's also a bad sign that TFA has three paragraphs of text and three advertisements -- not a good ratio.

    7. Re:Visual Radio??? by errxn · · Score: 1

      Yes, but in this case, I meant marketing drivel about the television, rather than on the television.

      --
      In Soviet Russia, Chuck Norris will still kick your ass.
    8. Re:Visual Radio??? by kimvette · · Score: 1

      Well they used to show videos (and lampoon them on Beavis and Butthead) about half the time from 1991 until 1996 or so, then they expanded their "reality" TV show lineup and dropped videos for the other half of their schedule, suggesting that folks who wanted videos check out either their sister station VH1, or their new fledgling station MTV-2 (M2?), which was to be all videos, all the time. The sad thing is, with the onset of widespread digital cable and digital satellite and MTV2 being accessible to all, they've been trashing that channel with yet more idiotic "reality" shows as well. It was "the real world's" becoming (somewhat of) a hit in the early '90s which prompted MTV to shift their format. Why they kept the name MTV is beyond me.

      Then Canada's MuchMusic followed suit. When Digital Cable came into town, I was SO happy because they offered MuchMusic. I LOVED that channel - it was just like MTV of the early '80s, pretty much all music, all the time, and then they went the way of MTV around late 2000, early 2001 and I quit watching and started downloading music videos instead - there is no other way to see videos any more (unless you just want to see hair bands late at night on MTV2. I saw hair bands in the 80s, and they were just as boring then as they are now, or they're showing "bling bling" gangsta rappers, or Titney Spears. Thanks, but no thanks.

      The time is ripe for a new music station. Show me some progressive rock, or just a hard-hitting rock band with GOOD musicians. Not manufactured bubble-gum please-everyone all-songs-sound-the-same crap. Real musicians with GREAT guitarists, GREAT vocalists (no filtering/processing on the vocals required!), and GREAT drummers and keyboardists. There are plenty of small time bands playing clubs and bars in Boston, New York, LA, you name it. Give those bands some airtime. You just might discover the next U2, the next Pink Floyd, the next REM, the next Garth Brooks, the next Led Zeppelin, or the next Elton John. There are all kinds of GREAT acts out there with varied sounds, strong local followings that are unsigned, are unattractive to big labels because they want their handful of 20x platinum teenybopper singles and merchandising rather than a slew of good steady-selling bands whose following grows over time. Some of the true independent labels should get together and start a new independent music station. Remain independent as far as labels go, but pool resources together and build a network which can help to launch you into the big leagues and compete on an even keel with the likes of Capitol, etc.-- some of these bands could probably fill stadiums and produce huge hits were they given the chance to gain some exposure, even though their sound may not be quite what the big labels want, or won't cooperate with the likes of Capitol and let themselves get porked over by a lousy contract.

      --
      The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
  5. it's been done in Canada it's called by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the Naked News

    Whatta buncha dorks running /. on a Sat morn!

  6. Okay.... by dud83 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Is this a sort of misplaced 1st of April thing? Or is it just the silliest most moronic slashdot story ever? As the above poster said, the story link is a whole lot of nonsence as well...
    Has the /. editors been replaced by retarded sperm-whales or something? :O

  7. Explanation by friedo · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, no, no! You fellas have got it all wrong! It's just like radio, but with pictures!

    1. Re:Explanation by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 1

      Thank you. In a perfect world, your post would get +5 Informative :D

      --
      No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  8. huh? by minus_273 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "India continues to march towards becoming an IT and economic super power. The Indian capital of New-Delhi will become the the third city in the world to have a commercial Visual Radio service after Singapore and Helsinki "

    Somehow i dont think the creation of visual radio (i thought it was called TV) will lead you to become a super power.

    Since the article has ZERO inso on what visual radio is here is a nokia link. To summarize, think proprietary TV with minimal interactivity from the creators of Ngage. You tune into a station and see a "web page" where you get more info and can provide feed back.

    Sounds like real superpower material to me.

    --
    The war with islam is a war on the beast
    The war on terror is a war for peace
    1. Re:huh? by MightyYar · · Score: 1
      "Somehow i dont think the creation of visual radio (i thought it was called TV) will lead you to become a super power."

      I was just thinking that... Japan is the gadget superpower of the world and they don't have this. California is an IT superpower, and they don't have this. The US, Japan, Germany, Great Britain - those are actual economic superpowers, and they don't have this. How is this in any way connected with being an IT or economic superpower? It's a stupid proprietary way to sell stuff.

      --
      W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
    2. Re:huh? by ichigo+2.0 · · Score: 1

      Somehow i dont think the creation of visual radio (i thought it was called TV) will lead you to become a super power.

      What?! Are you telling me that Finland won't become a superpower with this?!

    3. Re:huh? by Saedrael · · Score: 1

      1. Get "Visual Radio"
      2. ...
      3. Superpower!!!

    4. Re:huh? by Threni · · Score: 1

      > Since the article has ZERO inso on what visual radio is here is a nokia link. To summarize, think
      > proprietary TV with minimal interactivity from the creators of Ngage. You tune into a station and
      > see a "web page" where you get more info and can provide feed back.

      It's odd. I can get that with my Nokia phone. I don't get it. It's like they've gone "we've given them radio - how are we going to get any money out of them from that? Ah - charge them to find out which track they're listening to". Great business plan. And from India now? In the UK the backlash against offshoring has picked up speed, with some companies discovering that dealing with foreigners with terrible English skills is "annoying" and "irritating" and likely to lead to people chosing a competitor.

    5. Re:huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Economic super power? India has a per capita GDP of $728 - around that of sub-Saharan Africa.
      It is 127th on the UN Human Development Index - 70-odd places below Cuba and Mexico. Just
      1.3 million (out of a population of 1100 million and a working population of 400 million)
      have benefitted from the IT industry growth there. It will take until 2106 for India to
      have a lifestyle that matches a developed country. There are around 400 million who still
      live below the poverty line - that's $1 a day. Economic super power? I think not.

    6. Re:huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Capita statistics is not a way to judge super power. Power is collective sum. Soviet Union at it's time was a super power, no doubt. But I doubt it's per capita GDP was anything mentionable.

    7. Re:huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "...companies discovering that dealing with foreigners with terrible English skills is "annoying" and "irritating" and likely to lead to people chosing a competitor..." You moron, you don't even know that "chosing" is not a word. No wonder, people across the world are kicking your white trash ass in your own mother tongue! If you are so much against off shoring, target your chagrin to tottering old-white CEOs of American companies who earn millions by screwing you over, not to the guys who are smarter than you could ever be.

    8. Re:huh? by minus_273 · · Score: 1

      you are totally right. people need to understand that the people do not have to be well off to be a super power. look at how well the USSR is doing!

      --
      The war with islam is a war on the beast
      The war on terror is a war for peace
    9. Re:huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > No wonder, people across

      What's the comma for?

      > off shoring

      That's one word, or hyphenated.

      > tottering old-white CEOs of American companies

      What's my interest in CEOs of foreign countries?

      > not to the guys who are smarter than you could ever be.

      If the guys the OP is talking about are so smart they wouldn't be working for next to fuck-all in call centres, now would they?

  9. How long until India develops by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Horseless carriages?

  10. ewwww by phreakv6 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    i am an indian.. i wouldnt succumb for hutch's marketing tactics.. i would listen radio because its free.. why would i want a visual radio and spend Rs. 6 per interaction??... already there are a tons of services on hutch that i dont use like wallpaper/ringtone/callertune/music download etc etc etc.. its not a technological marvel either since it hasnt invented something out of the ordinary.. for people who dont understand how crappy this is.. a single local call to another hutch fone costs something like Rs 0.3 for me.. why would i spend about Rs 6 for some crap? its for the teeny boppers and its stupid that its on /.
    slownewsday or blech ?

    --
    fifteen jugglers, five believers
    1. Re:ewwww by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      0mfg 1nd1ans pwned my j0rb u == t3h sux0r!! lololol!!1

    2. Re:ewwww by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and are you like still in highschool ?
      --
      phreak

    3. Re:ewwww by Sohil · · Score: 1

      Hutch is awesome (I loved it when I was in India). If you hate it so much then switch to providers such as BSNL, Reliance or Airtel. Or even better Idea. Stop ranting here about Hutch.

      --
      http://sohilsblog.blogspot.com
    4. Re:ewwww by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      0mgwtfbbq r u ind33n u als0 r t3h sux lmao!!!1

    5. Re:ewwww by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      looked at ur profile.. ur 14 ??? eeeks.. go away kiddo..

    6. Re:ewwww by nikkipolya · · Score: 1

      You seem to fall into the category of what I call *sane Indians*. If all Hutch/Airtel customers were as sane as you are, why the hell do you still receive those pesky SMS messages every day, all day? Thats because there are 'n' *in-sane* people for every 'm' sane people. Thats what gets spam to your inBox as well. And thats what Nokia/Hutch/Airtell are betting on too! And thats what outfits like Shopperstop, Pantaloons, Cookie Cart, Grammas F*rt, Cheeszy Bums et. al. are betting on too, by pushing their crap for money!

      Can someone figure out what n/m is like here in India? I suspect its > 1 and fast growing.

  11. Also comming to india... by mrkitty · · Score: 2, Funny

    Horse carriages driven by motors!

    --
    Believe me, if I started murdering people, there would be none of you left.
    1. Re:Also comming to india... by mrkitty · · Score: 1

      Spell check as well! This is what happens when you post witty comments to slashdot without your glasses on!

      --
      Believe me, if I started murdering people, there would be none of you left.
    2. Re:Also comming to india... by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) · · Score: 1

      Is that 'comming' as in "I'm coming to get you" or "I'm cumming all over her"?

      --
      Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
  12. This already exists.. minus graphics by jjthegreat · · Score: 2, Informative

    I forget the exact name of the protocol, but for years now, radio stations in my area have encoded a short message in the audiostream. It shows up on the receiver as a short message of a sort either advertising the station name and/or the current song that is playing. Quite handy at times.

    1. Re:This already exists.. minus graphics by displaced80 · · Score: 2, Informative

      That's RDS.

      It's been around here (the UK) for about 15 years if not more.

      It also provides services such as searching for stations based on genre, and automatic switch-over to channels when they broadcast travel news (road updates, etc). When the news about the travel finishes, the radio switches back to your previous station or (if you were listening to one) a CD -- all on standard FM. This is great for car radios, all of which have featured RDS for what seems like forever.

      I wonder if DAB Digital Radio has similar abilities?

      --
      What's the frequency, Kenneth?
    2. Re:This already exists.. minus graphics by westlake · · Score: 2, Informative
      I wonder if DAB Digital Radio has similar abilities?

      It does: Digital Audio Broadcasting

  13. Another driving distraction by demental · · Score: 2, Funny

    So while im talking on my wireless phone, watching the directors cut of "silence of the Lambs" on a tiny LCD, scarfing down a burger and a large soda, i can now look over and see a picture of a random slutty popstar? Guess i got no time left for stop signs and crosswalks.

    1. Re:Another driving distraction by nikkipolya · · Score: 1

      Oh! Don't bother! We don't have any stop signs and crosswalks here in india. its basically chaos and you are part of it.

  14. where is /. heading ? by phreakv6 · · Score: 1

    radio mirchi is bringing the technology to the country ?
    i've had enough of this dumb radio station. they have a set of 100 crappy remixes that hog all their airtime..
    and now as if it isnt enough proof that they are a crappy commercial radio station, they try to make us buy their crappy remixes as well? i think these channels have a wrong presumption that indians have too much money and they dont know how to spend. post anything about india and you would get enough page impressions eh ?? why dint this come up when finland did it before india ?
    P.S : i am an indian and i am pissed off about /. posts about india

    --
    fifteen jugglers, five believers
    1. Re:where is /. heading ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      P.S : i am an indian

      The politically correct term is "native american."

    2. Re:where is /. heading ? by nikkipolya · · Score: 1

      "why dint this come up when finland did it before india ? "

      Simple. Thats because Finland and Singapoo are not IT super powers!

  15. Sounds like G4's Trek 2.0 by davidwr · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This sounds like cable-tv-station G4's "Trek 2.0" with the main feed over traditional media and the enhanced content over alternative delivery.

    Some radio-talk-show hosts have been doing something like this for years:
    They have additional content, blogs, instant-messaging, incoming faxes, pager alerts, and other features that happen in sync with their talk show. "Today we are talking about the President's actions in Iraq. One of our viewers send me this video, we put it up on our web site. In 15 minutes I'll pick the best comments and air them right here. Remember, you can watch the antics in our broadcast booth live at http://www.narcissistictalkshowhosts.com/webcam/."

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  16. Visual Radio = dead consept by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting


    I live in Helsinki. Visual Radio has been available here about one year.

    There is only one radio channel that provides the service and not many Nokia cells that supports it.

    And yes, just like N-Gage, nobody actually use it. Even Nokia has started to move towards podcasting.

    1. Re:Visual Radio = dead consept by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 1

      I live in Helsinki. Visual Radio has been available here about one year.

      Well, based upon the story submitter's logic, that must make Finland an economic and IT superpower.

      How's that working out for you guys?

    2. Re:Visual Radio = dead consept by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

      Finland is already economic and IT superpower. Guess where Nokia based in? ;)

      It is a good idea to check https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/inde x.html before mocking countries. There is no wonder why CIA, among all the secret agencies on planet spares their time and bandwidth for such a project ;) Tax payers money you know.

    3. Re:Visual Radio = dead consept by asb · · Score: 1

      Finland is already economic and IT superpower.

      No, you are wrong! Finland is slightly smaller than Montana.

      In other words, mostly harmless.

      --
      Antti S. Brax - Old school - http://www.iki.fi/asb/
  17. Nice copy and paste job by Gothmolly · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The submission is simply the first paragraph of the article. Is Slashdot now just an RSS aggregator?

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
    1. Re:Nice copy and paste job by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When almost all of slashdot's editors are busy fighting a war then yes the site becomes little more than a rss aggregator :)

    2. Re:Nice copy and paste job by Jesus_666 · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, an RSS aggregator just collects feeds. Slashdot also repeats them, making it an RSS aggravator. ;)

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  18. I'd buy it... by docotron · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...if it allows me to electrocute the DJ every time they make a witty remark.

  19. mishu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When visiting Napa, you should also take a wine-tasting tour and hit up some of the popular wineries like Robert Mondavi, who is credited with putting Napa on the map thanks to his technical improvements in wine making as well as his marketing skills

  20. Superpower checklist by xmpcray · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Nucelear weapons - check
    2. Launch satellites - check
    3. ICBM - check
    4. Supercomputers - check
    5. Visual Radio - check! ...and we are done...!

    --

    --
    I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer.
  21. You know, by The+Cydonian · · Score: 1

    I'm Indian and all that, but can we drop those gratitious references to marches and being an "IT super power" or whatever shit? Propaganda has its uses, but only for totalitarian societies, not a free-thinking, or argumentative society that I always thought my country was.

    1. Re:You know, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is even worse is that every English newspaper in India is competing to eulogise India's progress. Each second article is something about how India is 'shining' or how India is deemed to be the next superpower etc. And the basis of these articles - generally a small mention in one of the major US newspapers.

    2. Re:You know, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just wait until you get a "Department of Homeland Security," then you will know true freedom.

  22. some more googling by subzero_ice · · Score: 1

    a better article for the same story http://www.mobilepundit.com/2006/07/15/radio-mirch i-to-launch-visual-radio-in-india/ and a little bit of googling for lazy fellow ./ers http://www.visualradio.com/

  23. A similar service for talk radio. by Chatmag · · Score: 1

    I just came across a similar service a few days ago that has some promise. Talkshoe.com combines a radio talk show with voice, podcasts, and Internet participation.

    --
    Pete Carr Owner Chatmag.com
    1. Re:A similar service for talk radio. by nick1000 · · Score: 1

      Talking shoes, talking radios and now visual radios.

      what is this world coming to?


      What will be seeing next?
      Torture using memory cards???

  24. Nothing to see here, move along by fpedraza · · Score: 1

    The concept of Visual Radio is already invented and fairly popular, it's called television.

  25. Not only does the article suck... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ....we also have to suffer the indignity of a large slab of google ads slap bang in the middle of the screen as soon as the page opens, and realise that the "writeup" itself (using the phrase loosely here) is almost the same size as the block of ads above it.

    Worst. Submission. Ever.

  26. Sorry, but India emulates Technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I work with a India back office, and they never do the work right.. we over here in the US have to always fix the code they say works. It actually makes my job harder than if I were to do the job by my self.. and these people in India seem to have masters degrees making $3 an hour. Im not trying to sound like a troll, but the quality of their work SUCKS.

    1. Re:Sorry, but India emulates Technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Some Indians in Bangalore say not all people in the west aren't good either. Hey! Dont generalise all Indians because of your one experience - the Cisco, Juniper, Intel, Motorola, Microsoft etc etc are not fools.

    2. Re:Sorry, but India emulates Technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      then why does ALL tech support based in india SUCKS.. and ends up pissing off the customer.. Foamy the squirrel is no fool. and I have had MANY different runins with INDIA..

      companies that use INDIA for tech support

      D-Link
      AOL
      CISCO
      SonicWall .....

      the list goes on

      and not ONE American can understand them and every time I talk to them I get into an argument cuz they refuse to help me!!!!

    3. Re:Sorry, but India emulates Technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why? Because we Indians dont like you. When we get moronic americans like you on phone, we just say stuff to piss you off. Looks like we are getting good at it :-)

      Anyways, you guys in the US think that the 'Internets' is a series of tubes... well, what can I say? Just LMAO!

    4. Re:Sorry, but India emulates Technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Americans dont speak proper English - its broken English with slangs, most words get swalloed mid way. An Indian or a Chinese when speaking to American agents is expected to, rightly so, speak the way he or she undertands. Its a globalised world, wake up and adapt.

  27. TV HAS MOVING PICTURES, THIS DOESN'T by sanman2 · · Score: 1

    This is more like text and maybe some still pics. It will be transmitted over radio-style or cellphone-style handsets. So you're listening to your pocket radio type of device, and it'll display some text and still-pics too.

  28. Lame... by Gorimek · · Score: 2, Funny

    I don't think this will be much of a hit.

    If they could produce pictureless television, it would be a very different matter. But that will probably just remain a dream for many years.

  29. economic superpower powered by visual radio! by pittbull · · Score: 1

    Somehow I fail to see how visual radio is going to help 30% of India's population living below poverty line and millions suffering from AIDS and malnutrition. India is no doubt doing well on IT outsourcing and in the long term may well become a economic power; but for now lets outsource the non-sensical chest thumping over radio technology to banglore.

    1. Re:economic superpower powered by visual radio! by ujjalpathak · · Score: 1

      ZOMG below poverty line. If anything good happens in India, we have some chest beaters in waiting to trash that out with their signature line " omg poverty omg this omg that" Whiners. Blah.

  30. TV != Visual Radio by 8086 · · Score: 1

    I'm right in the epicenter of the whole radio revolution in India. My town just got FM radio that broadcasts the latest music for 'FREE!!'. Everyone's going crazy over FM radio sets because this is a cheap and excellent form of entertainment here. Hell, I don't touch iTunes when I have access to an FM player because they always play good music. Since there's a general lack of genres in Indian music, this works fine because good music is mostly good, and bad music and mostly bad. It's just like the iPod revolution in America - except people are carrying red, flourescent, yellow, green, white, and blue earphones because FM radios come in all colours. To have visual data to go along with the audio will attract cellphone users in India where almost everyone carries a cellphone. Many would not mind paying a small fee for it, especially in this booming economy. Indians are buying Honda Accords for 36000 dollars and paying 4.50 dollars per gallon for gas, and the land rates are skyrocketing.

    1. Re:TV != Visual Radio by Frankie70 · · Score: 2, Insightful


      I'm right in the epicenter of the whole radio revolution in India. My town just got FM radio that broadcasts the latest music for 'FREE!!'.


      Welcome to the 1960's.

    2. Re:TV != Visual Radio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You speak in terms of gallons and gas?
      If you weren't aping Americans, that would be litres and petrol. You're a disgrace. Go to America where you belong ;)

  31. India keeps squandering money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    India keeps squandering money while the vast majority of the Indian population is allowed to remain in abject misery and ignorance. Way to go, Indian government!

    1. Re:India keeps squandering money by nikkipolya · · Score: 1

      It freaks the hell out of me when they have a title that reads "Gizmo xxxx introduced in India ... India IT and economic super power".

      Will someone explain how the hell having Visual radio service (provided by a Finnish Company and not an Indian one) has anything to do with India becoming an **IT Super Power**?

      I think thats just because Indians are trigget happy with their cell phones and big entertainment buffs. They are probably the biggest chatter boxes on the planet as well (a fact well recognized by MSN and Yahoo!). Most of my *sane* friends here in India spend anything like 10-15% of their monthly income for cell phone bills (Don't ask me about the insane). And the Finnish company recognizes this and is introducing this service here in India. They are just trying to make a few bucks here.

      By the way what has Indian govt got to do with this???!!!

      Of course if the Indian Govt had a hand in this, the service would be "delayed" indefinitely (the indefinitely is normally not told. It is meant to be figured out). And our honorable elected representatives ("the government") would pocket the money.

    2. Re:India keeps squandering money by Marcus+Green · · Score: 1

      The USA keeps squandering money when its infant mortality rate is higher than Cuba (or insert irrelevent comparison to your taste)

    3. Re:India keeps squandering money by dangermouses · · Score: 1

      pinko.

  32. someone has to say it ... by 0WaitState · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wi nøt trei a høliday in India this yer?

        See the løveli lakes

        The wonderful visual radiø

    --

    Remain calm! All is well!
    1. Re:someone has to say it ... by spiderbitendeath · · Score: 1

      The Majestic Møøse

      --
      Sometimes when I'm working on projects things disappear, I suspect gremlins.
  33. just a guess , but... by zogger · · Score: 2

    ..maybe it is because India all by itself is a significant chunk of the entire world population? That they are more or less bypassing an entire generation of old technology and going into wireless everything rather than trying to duplicate a wired infrastructure that would cost quad zillions in today's money? That news and interesting stuff comes from there? That a lot of US and other western nation corporations are developing a presence there? Maybe we shouldn't ignore that? Maybe a lot of Slashdotters are there because of Indias push into high tech, and others are interested?

    Just guesses...

    1. Re:just a guess , but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's the curry and garlic in their diet. It's nothing inherent to being Indian or having a little more skin pigment than aryan racist pricks. I'm sure you don't smell too good after eating an onion pizza with lots of garlic then guzzling down a couple of sixpacks.

      Asshole.

    2. Re:just a guess , but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Chinese people think Westerners stink because of all the lactose products we eat. They complain we smell like sour milk.

  34. Belongs on thedailywtf.com by Randolpho · · Score: 1

    A convoluted setup like that sounds like a feature on The Daily WTF.

    --
    "Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised."
    -Marilyn Manson
    1. Re:Belongs on thedailywtf.com by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      http://

  35. ...and Helsinki (Finland). by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As opposed to one of the other Helsinkis?

  36. The world up side down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Visual Radio killed the TV star

  37. This is about try #4 for this concept by Animats · · Score: 2, Informative

    This is about try #4 for this concept. In the 1980s, there was "Silent Radio", which drove LED signs with text messages. These used to show up in bars and restaurants, so you could watch the news and sports scores scroll by. Then there was sending song info on FM subcarriers of broadcast stations, which many car radios understand. XM satellite radio has a fancier system for doing the same thing, as does the on-band-in-channel digital broadcast system.

    The main feature of this new system seems to be ads. Yawn.

  38. Coming Next ... by 4Dmonkey · · Score: 1

    Audible TV... Now thats real superpower stuff, I don't think any country except india will be able to invent it.

    --
    God created man in his own image, but somehow he evolved into a hairless monkey.
  39. Re:What is a rickshaw? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't you mean..."People carriages driven by motors!"? There's no horses in India.

  40. Indian capitalism: by OriginalArlen · · Score: 2, Informative
    Capitalism, with Indian characteristics.

    There was a very interesting piece on BBC Radio's "From Our Own Correspondent", by a journalist who lived in Beijing for four years, then found himself in Delhi for six months. At the end of the six months he's on a flight back to Beijing. The flight leaves at 3am, the ticket agent tells him "Yes, it really is 3am - the airport's too small, so many flights leave at night." Sure enough he arrives to find Delhi airport a heaving mass of people, with that implies in Indian cities. After takeoff he fell into conversation with the Indian passenger sitting next to him. "Have you been to Beijing before?" "Yes, I lived there for four years." "Great! So tell me, what can I expect?" "I think you can expect to be surprised."

    Sure enough, they arrive at the brand new, huge, ultramodern airport (OK, it may have been Shanghai...) and his Indian travelling companion's jaw hits the tarmac. No heaving crowds... no beggars,... picks up a car straightfowardly and soon finds himself on the zooming along 8 lane motorway back to town...

    It should still be up on bbc.co.uk/FOOC, let's look for a link.,.. Well wouldn't you know it, the full text is here and will expose my summary above as hopelessly inaccurate, but do check it out anyway, it's great :)

    --

    Everything I needed to know about life, I learnt from Blake's Seven
    1. Re:Indian capitalism: by thePowerOfGrayskull · · Score: 1

      There was a very interesting piece on BBC Radio's "From Our Own Correspondent", by a journalist who lived in Beijing for four years, then found himself in Delhi for six months

      Found himself in Delhi, you say? Was he Shanghaied?

      Sorry. Couldn't resist.

    2. Re:Indian capitalism: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hiding poverty communist style... I could care less about the showcare communism puts up while their country is cracking underneath.

      If China is so cool how come Chinese form the largest set of immigrants in the world who prefer to leave their own country and Tibetians flock to India as refugees?

    3. Re:Indian capitalism: by morpheus83 · · Score: 1

      In short China is not like Shanghai.

  41. Plumbing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe they should start with indoor plumbing.

    You know, so that the "untouchables" don't have to shit on the street and stuff.

  42. U.S. must be a third world country. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is outrageous! India gets this "visible radio" before we do????!!!! We need to improve the way math is tought in this country! We need engineers and better health care!

    1. Re:U.S. must be a third world country. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And also teach how to spell "taught".

    2. Re:U.S. must be a third world country. by chawly · · Score: 1

      Could start with better mental health care for this seems lacking. It is good to teach math in schools - but spelling might be taught too.

      --
      How many beans make five, anyhow ? ... Charles Walmsley
  43. Good idea, but the name could be better. by NalosLayor · · Score: 1

    'Visual Radio' just isn't catchy, what we need is a hybrid word...perhaps if we use a buzzworld, like the prefix 'tele' from the newfangled telephone...so it's 'tele-visual entertainment'...hmm...kinda long though... I know! We can replace visual with vision! Tele-vision! I predict with this catchy new name, the technology will really go places. I perhaps, within ten years, every home in the first world will have one of these 'tele-vision's!

    1. Re:Good idea, but the name could be better. by chawly · · Score: 1

      My thought exactly !

      --
      How many beans make five, anyhow ? ... Charles Walmsley
  44. Obligatory Rocky Horror Quote by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

    "What the fuck's a 'Radio Picture'?!"
    "TV for Helen Keller!"

  45. This Article is Junk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Visual Radio? Talk about putting a spin on old technology. This is just a poor man's substitute for DAB radio which is 100% digital.

    Thmbs down, /. Yopu are promoting spin

  46. Quoth Alfred Hitchcock by lildogie · · Score: 1

    "Radio is simply television with a tube burned out."

  47. How's this different from Digital Radio Mondiale? by sdpinpdx · · Score: 2, Interesting

    See http://www.drm.org/ There's a GNU Radio module for it. Apparently there are no DRM stations in the US, but since it's already digital the bitstream (or stored segments of it) for some sources may be online.

    TFA is very light on data, so it's hard to say what exactly "interactive" means? Does it just send URLs, or is it a real two-way medium? The Nokia logo on the device is a hint this may just be a layer over a cellular network.

    DRM can send data or audio. The data might be video, a transcript of the story, or any other "text". That means it could include URLs, and meet some definitions of "interactive" (using the ISP of your choice).

  48. Woosh! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think that you missed the humour in the original post....

  49. Its Awesome to have visual radio by yoga84 · · Score: 1

    After a long time we have Visual Radio in our country. I should thank all the hearts who have been keen to implement this in India. All the 3G mobile citizens of india get benefited. yoga

  50. Visual radio ?? by ajay_walia · · Score: 1

    Radio I belive is for Listening should be enjoyed that way . These services are Invented by Companies to bring out money from the Pockets of Cunsumers . And above all what Radio has nothing to do with being a Super power ( What a thought ?) . People out there who hail this Country as a force to reckon with dont realise that this Country is still a Struggle . Struggle for Basics in the Life . Try to Buy a House , try to get Safe Drinking water , Power , Affordable Education, Job everything is a Struggle out here . Wonder which Country they are referring to when they say that we are a Power ?

    --
    AJ