General Motors is launching one million “podcast radios” that make accessing podcasts as easy as touch screen presets on your radio, with no smartphone required.
The “podcast radio” capability will be offered on many of GM’s existing 4G radios and will include podcasts from People magazine, USA Today and Fox Sports, differentiating GM from the competition.
USA Today called the 1 million GM cars “rolling podcasts with speakers.”
Officially, GM announced last week it has partnered with 8 news and entertainment companies to deliver the service. These also include The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR ONE, The Wall Street Journal and Dash Radio. GM radios already offer The Weather Channel and Pandora apps.
The service will be available on 2017-2018 vehicles with the Shop icon in the Chevy MyLink infotainment system plus a 4G plan.
Drivers can choose to add all or some of the apps to their car radio.
“By being able to add software after you’ve purchased the car, we’re extending the (content) ecosystem that exists in the vehicles as opposed to what you bring into the car with your phone,” said John McFarland of GM, reported USA Today, which test drove the feature.
The podcasts are part of GM’s newly announced Marketplace features that will let drivers shop directly from their car radio.
Separately, Tesla announced that it will be revamping its navigation system. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted last week, “Major navigation overhaul coming in early 2018. Will be light-years ahead of current system, but we are testing it rigorously before rolling out,” reported TechCrunch.
Source: USA Today
I suggest that in the not too distant future the need to carry a cell phone everywhere will be reduced significantly. All of the “things” (stations), cars, refrigerators, stoves, TVs, office furniture, computers, bathrooms, restaurant tables, cash registers, wash machines, fueling centers, etc…, we use will be connected via 5G or whatever the mobile phone signal is called at the time and/or Wi-Fi. We will sign on at each station instantly and automatically (facial recognition, iris recognition, voice print, thumb print, RF ID implanted chip…etc). The need to “touch” a device to interact with it will be reduced due to AI incorporated with voice recognition. At these stations we will be able to call, surf the net, view our kids in their cribs or at their school, receive self specific communications, set the water temperature of our bidet, etc… Our groceries, gas, car wash, coffee, etc… will be charged through this CON-CON Mode (Constant Connection Mode).
We won’t have to carry stuff like phones, keys, credit cards or cash. We’ll just have to be sure we are “signed up”. Of course ultimately our “sign up” credentials will be issued at birth and the “sign up” activity will occur on the spot when have a desire to do anything that requires payment in exchange for goods and/or services at the place where these goods and services are available. Of course all of these places will be open 24/365 with little need of human presence save restocking the shelf and the occasional “clean up at isle 7” requirements.
While all of the technology exists to execute this CON-CON today, I perceive it will take a generation or two for us to get used to the idea. Fifteen years ago I said that about “self driving cars”. I think fifteen years however is only one half of a generation. I am kinda glad to be around to be witnessing the on-set of CON-CON. I am not so sure how I will like it when the alternative to use the “old way” is not available. I am absolutely sure our business and all business for that matter will have to do it.
Ray Windsor