FM Boston Radio

The Internet has evolved and made many changes in our culture including personal MySpace pages, individual blogs, the way we trade information as well as the way the public finds and listens to music.

One of the upcoming and most popular formats is Internet Radio. Let’s discuss an Internet station, www.ilike2rock.net, who promotes, plays and exclusively features independent artists and their music.

Internet radio stations have been online for more than three years and offer listeners an alternative to “subscription radio” and commercial radio because of the eclectic music formats and unique opportunities for independent bands. The music is being brought to the forefront with stations like www.ilike2rock.net.

I spoke with DJ Tom of ilike2rock.net about the radio station and why it is important, not only the bands and individual artists they promote, but to the public as well.

”First and foremost, it is all about the music,” explained DJ Tom. “We offer a chance for the independent artists to submit their music free to us and to do that, they just go to our site and submit the music through a resource called “Music Submit” (we have an exclusive agreement with them). “Music Submit” allows bands and artists to submit band bios’, media kits and of course, the music, and this service in turn helps the bands by promoting them on ezines, other Internet radio stations, blogs and music related web sites.”

And www.ilike2rock.com adds even more to the table. I asked DJ Tom to elaborate.

”This gives the independent band or artist a unique opportunity to be heard with free exposure on our home page to reach their target audience and a chance for the band to attain new fans. We will also showcase bands in our “Talent Showcase,” keeping the band active on our play list. We also use the artists own promotional material (blogs, YouTube, My Space) and link up with them within our web site structure and we even create ring tones for them.”

There is a free program on the site to download called “Destiny Music Player” so you can tune in to the station and other Internet radio stations. It is similar to many of the music players for computers and is very easy to use and navigate.

Tired of the same format from your local radio station? Tune in ilike2rock and you can add more than 150 (and counting) independent bands and artists to your music play list. I spoke to DJ Tom about some of the bands they play and promote.

”This is what is the most exciting to me, we play the independent bands that submit to us (and Music Submit), from all kinds of musical genres and it is a free format, for both the listener and the bands. I am very excited for all our bands and artists. Some of the bands we promote are Hypnogaja, which supplied background music for the hit television on FX called “Dirt,” Black Frog, who have played at the Sturgis Bike Rally and Hide From Cleo, one of Michigan’s hottest bands and we promote all the bands equally.”

I was very impressed with DJ Tom and I too am excited to find new bands to listen to on the Internet. After all, it is always about the music.

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The short answer is that the sound quality that the alarm clock CD can supply is far superior to that of the alarm clock radio.

If there is one thing that I prefer about my alarm clock CD over my old alarm clock radio it is simply the sound quality.

My old clock radio was great and I had good choice as to how I could use it but the quality of sound left much to be desired. The sound repetition was very trebly if you know what I mean. Like the sound you would make banging an empty tin can.

Yes these gadgets will wake you up in the morning. But not with the full bass and full rounded tones of a good quality alarm clock CD. I am sure you would feel a lot better hearing the rich base sounds of your favorite piece of music over the scratchy hollow sound of the clock radio.

There is really no credible choice between the two for me. The bonus difference between the two is that you can select a particular piece of music with the CD player but you can’t do that with the radio.

So technically what makes the difference? They both function as radios, they both function as clocks. Well as I said earlier it’s the quality of the sound. You see in my opinion in clock radios the signal comes through very small speakers whereas the technology incorporated in systems that play CD’s have much more up to date Bose style technology.

It’s this technology that is good enough to be described as being of decent quality stereo sound.

We have just discussed a little bit about the technicalities but really in making a decision you need to balance desirable features against purchase cost.

I mean what do you really want? Do you just want to be woken up in the morning-then get an alarm?

There are many mechanical and electrical ones and they’ll both do the job for you. Do you want to be woken up in the morning to the news or the radio station of your choice that happens to sound a bit tinny? Well get a clock radio alarm.

The clocks and the alarms are reliable but the radio is at best average. Or do you want to be woken up in style with the rich sounds of Mozart or Beethoven that are well balanced between bass and treble. Then get yourself a good quality alarm clock CD.

When purchasing an alarm clock CD player you need to balance features against cost.

Good luck and good hunting!

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The popularity and the increasing demand for two way radios has not only increased their visibility in the market, but has also encouraged engineers to add features that make it more user friendly. Today, these radios are available in smart and light weigh models and are equipped with a quite a number of additional features. The buyer has the advantage to pick up transmitters that have the best combination of features that are most suited to his requirements.

The unique features that are available in two way radios are:

Call Alerts: This feature allows user to choose their incoming call alert from a variety of tones and styles that are incorporated in the radio instrument itself. The tones may include a number of ringing melodies, and the user can choose from ringing styles like vibrating alert, vibrating and ringing, and only ringing, among many others.
Privacy Codes: This is an extremely unique feature of two way radios that enables users to use the option of privacy codes. Using this feature, the user can block out other unwanted communicators who have tuned in to the same channel and frequency as him. He can choose who he wants to talk to and have a quiet and peaceful conversation, by barring others who have tuned into the same channel. This feature allows the user to have a one to one conversation whenever he wants.
Eavesdrop Reducer: This feature is available in high priced two way radios. It scrambles transmission by using the voice inversion technology. It is basically used for people who use FRS (Family Radio Service) radios and are tuned into the same channel and frequency. This system prevents other people, using FRS, from eavesdropping on your conversations when you are speaking to your partners. Together with privacy codes, the eavesdrop reducer provides complete privacy to conversations on two way radios.

Two way radios have many more exciting and innovative features that have not only made them more user friendly, but has also enhanced the quality of conversations that people can have using this device.

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Two way radios are useful in a lot of situations and hence they are very popular. By virtue of their ubiquitous usefulness, this device has got its access in so many household in UK. Otherwise known as walkie talkies, this type of radio is an excellent way to stay in touch while hunting or camping. This device is also used by those who are taking separate cars on a road trip.

Even, two way radios can be of paramount help when you take your family to an amusement park or to a mall! They are also successfully used in business organisations. These radios can be used in places where employees are often on the move, yet they need to stay in touch with others. The best thing about these radios is that there are no per-minute charges like phones.

It is because of their cost-effective nature, two way radios are considered as a handy alternative to mobile phones in various situations. Moreover, they prove to be a precious possession in certain places where the network of mobile phones does not reach. This happens mostly in cases of hunting. Chasing a prey when someone goes deep inside a forest, he runs out of the coverage area of his mobile phone.

Under such circumstances, the service of two way monitors seems to be priceless. To meet the need of rising demand of these radios, various manufacturers are producing them in bulks. However, the ones that receive kudos from consumers and expert reviewers alike are made by Motorola. Users and reviewers are impressed by the reception, range and features of the radios made by this company.

With 14 channels, 500 Mw of full power, voice-activation (VOX) capability, and synthesized voice verification, two way radios from Motorola are among the choicest few. They include a “push to talk” button that’s easy for kids to use. The most expensive of these baby monitors include a compass, clock, stopwatch, thermometer and barometer.

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Alternatively being called as walkie-talkies and even dispatch radios, two way radios are hand held mobile communication devices, which evolved out of the radio transmitters and receivers used by naval and army units in the early 20th century. As the world moved ahead in style and things progressed in every areas, the bulky radio equipments gave way to small and effective portable communication devices.

Coming out of the closet, these communication devices have gone through some pretty commendable research and development processes. Two way radios can be classified into various categories based on their abilities and the features they contain. But, mostly these wireless communication devices differ on the basis of their radio signal channels.

American telecommunications legend Motorola has attained phenomenal success in the field of two way radios courtesy of a wide variety of these hand held devices. Some of the radios even had push to talk buttons to get connected right away. With their efficiency and accessibility, these devices can actually sound as better options than mobile phones in some instances.

Two way radios of the present times have improvised much on their abilities as more and more manufacturers have applied their technology to capitalise on the rising popularity of these devices. The obsolete two way radios worked on the ordinary simplex mode, which simply allowed transmission of signals by a station as the frequency was used by all the users. This moved on to the full duplex mode, which allowed transmission and reception at the same time.

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Jet Set Radio Future was a sequel to the Dreamcast game Jet Grind Radio. It was available in February 2002. The game transpires in Tokyo, and it was about an esoteric artifact that was pilfered. Gamers are in control of a character that wears roller skates and his struggle against the Rokkaku and Gouji. I have to admit the plot was more convoluted that Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Ninja Gaiden combined, but people should not be playing Jet Set Radio Future for the storyline. The gameplay in Jet Set Radio Future boils down to using graffiti. You can also perform various tricks while airborne that are stylish; furthermore, executing a grind on a railing was as rudimentary as shooting fish in a barrel. Getting careless will result in being chastised by the cops, so players should be aware of these things. There are a variety of graffiti sizes that can be utilized that range from infinitesimal to enormous. Jet Set Radio Future had visuals that introduced something known as cel-shading. This was a technique that is seen in video games like X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse. It was done intentionally in all of those games to give a more cartoon-like appearance. Cel-shading is an acquired taste. Some people love it; some people detest it; some people do not feel one way or the other towards it. This is not always the case. There are games where cel-shading works poorly with the tone of the game. Fortunately, Jet Set Radio Future was one of those game that perfectly takes full advantage of the cel-shading method. Personally, I interpreted the cel-shaded graphics to be unique and original in Jet Set Radio Future. The little things like the birds and airplanes flying though the air made Jet Set Radio Future ahead if its time; moreover, the reactions of civilians as you approach them was realistic. Other effects gamers might notice are the sparks that appear when grinding and the blurry streak effects that signify an increase in velocity. There is also some diversity with the pedestrians on the street. From the drunk to the somewhat scantily clad women, the game does have its fair share of characters that have personality to them. The real selling point of the game has to be the audio. Jet Set Radio Future had a soundtrack that was more than merely grandiose. There were over twenty songs that will make your head bop up and down throughout the duration of the game. The game had an up-tempo, rap, techno, and pop music that will please anyone. Jet Set Radio Future has a fairly limited multiplayer mode. Since the game was made during the early stages of the Xbox, it does not have any Xbox Live content. In other words, there was no downloadable content and no interacting with other players via Xbox Live. Luckily, there was a four player multiplayer that is playable on a four player split-screen. There was a racing mode, collect the flag mode, graffiti mode, and a tag mode. You try to come in first place in the racing mode. Collecting more flags than your opponent is what you will be doing in the collecting flags mode. The graffiti mode (which was my personal favorite) is about tagging more walls, and the tag mode is about tagging your opponent before they do. There were some glitches in the game that were few and far between. Two conspicuous flaws that come to my mind with Jet Set Radio Future were the camera and frame rate. There were times when the camera was more disorienting than helpful. The frame rate does not come to a screeching halt, but it does mildly decrease. Overall, the game is a solid pick up and play type of game that will appease most gamers.

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Imagine …

You’re lying on your favorite sun lounger in your garden.

There isn’t a cloud in the sky.

You can feel the sun’s rays on your skin and there is a gentle breeze blowing through your hair.

There is a wooden table to your right. On the table is a tall glass. Inside the glass is your favorite ice-cool drink.

Next to the glass is a radio. From the radio you can hear your favorite music, old time radio shows, audiobooks, or whatever it is that tickles your fancy. When whatever you are listening to finishes another one of your favorites will start without you ever having to move a muscle.

Life is good!

Okay, you can stop imagining now and get back down to reality. The reason I asked you to imagine that particular scenario is that I wanted you to feel just how wonderful it is to have a little device called an FM transmitter. Some of you reading this will know what I’m talking about, but for those who don’t let me explain.

An FM transmitter is a rather clever gadget that allows you to transmit sound directly from your computer to any radio in your house. It’s completely wireless and works just like a normal radio station, but on a much smaller scale.

Here’s what happens. It’s really easy.

Step 1 – You plug the device into your sound card.

Step 2 – You select a frequency on the device that you want to broadcast at. For example you might select 92.5 FM.

Step 3 – You pick a radio show you’d like to listen to and start it playing on your computer.

Step 4 – You go to any FM radio in your house and tune it in to 92.5 FM.

Step 5 – You sit down and enjoy

The radio needs to be within a certain range, which will vary between 50 feet and 300 feet depending on the strength of the FM transmitter you are using and the number of walls and other obstructions the signal need to pass through to get to you.

The wonderful thing about FM transmitters is it allows you to listen to all the MP3 files you have stored on your computer or one of the online music services, whilst at the same time giving you the freedom to move around your house.

Luckily, the price of FM transmitters has dropped over the past few years and you should be able to pick up a decent FM transmitter that will work throughout a typical house for less than $100.

When purchasing an FM transmitter there are several things you need to consider before you make your decision to buy. Most important of all is the distance the signal covers. If you live in a tiny apartment there’s no need to spend the extra money on a powerful unit that will transmit 1000 feet, unless of course you want the whole neighborhood to be able to tune in to your broadcast. On the other hand, don’t buy one that will only transmit 10 feet if you want to listen at the bottom of the garden which is 150 feet from your computer.

A second thing to look out for is a digital display. Some units have no digital display telling you what frequency you are tuned into and require you to turn a screw on the back to adjust the frequency. This procedure can take quite some time as it requires a bit of trial and error. The end result is exactly the same, but with a digital display it is easy to set the FM transmitter to a specific frequency by reading the numbers on the display and then set the radio to exactly the same frequency.

Finally, some units require batteries whereas others run from the mains power supply. If the unit you buy runs off batteries make sure that it has an auto-off facility that will allow you to set a period after which the unit will automatically turn itself off. If you don’t have this you’ll find yourself wasting a lot of batteries.

FM transmitters are ideal for transmitting around your house, but the same technology can also provide an ideal way of listening to your MP3 player in your car without having to invest in an in-car MP3 unit. Just plug a battery powered FM transmitter into your MP3 player and then tune your car stereo into the same frequency.

So, now you know just how easy it is to set-up your very own micro radio station for your very own listening pleasure. It doesn’t matter whether you are a music fan, an old time radio aficionado, or an audiobook lover, this is one little gadget that can really add to the overall enjoyment.

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When you look for promotional items to solve your branding requirements there are several options that are available to your organisation. There are innumerable products that can be easily customized by imprinting your company name, logo, message, simple catch phrase, or slogan, and website URL. They can be pens, mugs, mouse mats, umbrellas or anything lese. All these products can give you varied results as far as branding is concerned. Promotional radios are great option if you are looking forward to branding. They are the perfect giveaway when it comes to all brand awareness related needs.

Promotional radios make for an item that is innovative and catchy. Its innovative nature helps you to remind your target audience of the products and services offered by your organisation. Promotional items like promotional pens, mugs, and caps have become so common that they fail to get anyone to actually sit and take notice of the brand name that is imprinted on them promotional radios on the other hand are an item that will easily get the attention of your target audience and thereby get your brand all the much wanted attention. There is no way a promotional radio can pass away without getting you noticed. But on the other hand something like a promotional pen can easily get away without getting you noticed.

Apart fro being an innovative promotional item that gets it all the attention promotional radios are also a cost effective way of getting your brand name noticed. Well for those who think that promotional radios will not fit into their budget its time that they think again. You need not spill thousands of pounds to get your brand name noticed. Within a few pounds you will get a promotional radio that will very well put your brand name across. What better way to fulfill your branding needs than with an item that is effective in doing the job and at the same time takes car of your pocket too?

Clickpromogifts is the ultimate destination to hop on to if you are looking for promotional radios. An attractive range of promotional radios with a price that you won’t want to miss for sure is what you can expect at clickpromogifts. We are a leading online supplier of promotional items and ensure that our clients get nothing but the very best. We house simple promotional radios and others too that come with integrated features like an alarm clock or watch. You can also find promotional radios with both AM and FM facility at clickpromogifts. To take a look, simply browse through our online catalogue at www.clickpromogifts.com and witnessed the vast world of promotional items and gifts.

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Advertising, a one-way communication with the purpose of informing potential customers about products and services and how to obtain them, is probably an essential function of any company to push their products in the market. Every major medium, with the examples of newspapers, television, radio, movies, magazines, video games etc. is already being used for the purpose of advertising.

All advertising mediums, however, are not as successful, or rather efficient for the purpose. In other words, choosing a proper and effective advertising media is an important basic preliminary. A medium, which is experiencing a trend of consumers shifting away from it, would be a bad advertising medium to choose in the long run. Rather, the medium, which is en vogue and experiencing a gradual or rapid trend shift towards it, would be more effective for advertising as it has the opportunity of a greater reach.

Newspapers, television, movies and magazines have been some of the stable advertising media for a long time. Radio, as we had in earlier days, is rapidly losing popularity. It must be said that the stable media mentioned previously is also suffering from trend shift but not as much as the radio. And it’s all because of a newer media that has recently taken the advertising media world by storm. It’s none other than the World Wide Web. Yes, internet, as we love to call it, is growing popular with every passing moment and newer technologies, easier access to centralized data and variety of cross demographic interests are attracting more and more people into the web.

This essentially makes internet a widely sought after advertising media of the new generation entrepreneurs. One of the latest wonders of the internet as an advertising media is the inception of internet talk radio. Advertising on the internet talk radio is similar to advertising on the old-age radio, except that its more powerful. A recent arbitration report states that over fifty percent of internet users consume streaming media and in the last three years, the number of Americans using internet radio has almost quadrupled. Moreover, Americans now seem to spend less time with television and print due to their time spent on the internet. Almost fifty six percent of the internet radio users have rated the media as new and fresh. All these definitely make internet radio the talk of the next generation advertising medium.

These factors help the advertisers with more precise targeting opportunities and get exact numbers of impressions delivered. Advertising on internet radio is multi-faceted. There are scopes to combine audio ads with synchronized banners and buttons to maximize visibility and retain attention. It is also more actionable as the listeners pay attention and the business site is just a click away. All these functionalities, together as a package, cannot be found in any other advertising media.

Catering to the tech-savvy, educated, affluent professionals from 20s to 50s with large disposable income who are comfortable spending online, the internet radio is fast becoming a very powerful advertising media.

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Radio interviews offer a power strategy for launching your new book or sharing your message as with radio interviews you can share your message with millions effortlessly. Here are some must know tips for making your radio interviews pay off BIG for you!

1. Radio Producers Love Controversial Topics and Hot Topics In The News. Producers and radio show hosts are always on the lookout for guests who can discuss the hottest and most current news of the day topics.

2. Follow The News Stories That Fall Within Your Area Of Expertise And Create Your Talking Points For Each Story. Do this even if you are not booked on the topic (yet) as you will be developing a strong skill set of being able to apply your education, credentials, experience and wisdom to the socially relevant issues of the day.

3. Create A List Of Intriguing Questions To Offer To Your Producer Or Host. Develop questions that are hard hitting and benefit loaded for your listening audience. Producers and hosts want to ask you questions that will intrigue their audience and captures their attention.

4. Avoid Questions Such As “Why Did You Write Your Book?” However, be ready to answer that question with a strong, powerful, benefit packed 20 to 25 second answer. If you are a great guest with high energy, enthusiasm and outstanding information, the host will be more than happy to give you a chance to mention your website or how listeners can find out more info. Be ready with a several points of developed content.

5. Responsibly Promote Your Book During The Interview. Radio producers and hosts love to interview authors and experts who are responsible in the promotion of their book while on the show. Remember, you are a guest on the show and primarily booked to entertain, inform and converse with the audience and the host (keep in mind you are not booked for an infomercial).

6. Avoid Phrases Such As “In My Book”. It is better to use the name of your book as if it were a living entity, this way you can be promotional but in a way that makes sense to the conversation you are having. Invest in media training specifically for radio interviews so you can become a top notch, professional guest and make the most of the outstanding ability of radio to reach millions with your message.

7. Have Lots Of News Topics: Create a list of topics you can discuss along with talking points on each topic. A talking point is your commentary on the issue at hand and what you would contribute to the discussion.

8. Apply Your Knowledge: Always respond to any question using your point of view as defined by your education, experience and credentials. Your opinions are welcome especially when you have top notch credentials and a strong platform.

9. Never Wing It: Always prepare for your interview and have note cards, special reports, news stories etc. Remember, radio interviews generally take place over the phone so you can have lots of prepared material ready for reference in front of you.

10. Website Strategy: Be sure your website has lots of content such as a bio, special reports, tip sheets, table of contents of your book, a summary of your book and a list of discussion topics and related questions for each topic. This information will help the producer as well as the host get ready for your interview. It’s always better to support the producer and host with sufficient information so they have a guideline for the interview. Otherwise, they could go in a new direction and you might not be prepared appropriately.

11. Energy Is Critical In Delivering A Radio Interview. Practice speaking with energy, excitement and passion in your voice as your voice, along with your content, play a critical role in the success of your interview. Energy can also be thought of as urgency. Urgency, in that, you feel compelled to share your information with others in that you can help them. Listeners will sense your passion and listen. Hence, a great interview!

12. Be Personable With The Host & With Callers. Use good relationship building skills to create a rapport with the host such as using his or her name when you speak to them on the air or if they ask you a question that you feel is especially good you can say “great question” or even better, you can say “great question, Joe” and go on to your answer.

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