exploremusic

Here’s the Deal with Smart & KIA

Here’s what I’ve discovered today.

If you’ve ever seen me when I do my public speaking thing, you’ll know that I’ve been harping on and on about the massive changes in media consumption we’re going to see once all our cars become permanently connected to the Internet.  Some manufacturers (like Audi) are already on board, but only for their premium models.

That’s why this is a big deal.  Smart and KIA—two value brands—have announced plans to get involved.  Smart will soon have an iPhone app that will make your iPhone seem completely integrated into your car when you stick it in a special dock that you’ll be able to buy for $300. 

KIA’s system is called UVO and will be ready for the 2011 Sorento.  It can’t stream Internet radio yet, but it will pull in RSS feeds and your Facebook newsfeed. Like the Ford Sync, it’s powered by Microsoft software.  I’ll tell you again:  the car is the next big frontier in wireless entertainment.

Here’s the Deal with The Beastie Boys

This isn’t good.  The Beastie Boys much-delayed Hot Sauce Committee album has been taken off the release schedule—and no one is saying why.  This is the album that was supposed to come out last September but was held back because Adam Yauch was diagnosed with cancer.

He went through chemo and is apparently healthy again, so there was a possibility that the CD would be out this summer or fall—but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.  Maybe it’s because the Beasties feel they’ve missed their window of opportunity when it comes to 2010 releases.  Or maybe Adam isn’t ready to tour yet, health-wise—in which case there’s no point in putting out the record yet. 

The hiatus continues.

Here’s the Deal with Shinobi Ninja

I like what a Brooklyn band called Shinobi Ninja is doing.  They created an iPhone app that’s a game and a new EP.  Once you download it, you choose which member of the band you want to be and then fight your way to a gig using guitars and drumsticks as your weapons.

Where it gets really cool are the rewards you can earn for playing the game.  The higher the level you attain, the more you get:  free music videos and more free music, right to the phone.  The full story here.

Here’s the Deal with Banning Vuvuzelas

The vuvuzela plague has begun to spread beyond South Africa.  At least one UK festival has banned anyone from bringing along a vuvuzela.  Organizers of T in the Park in Scotland sent an email to ticket holders that read “[W]e have.got to respect the artists and the thousands of fans who want to hear their music without being disturbed by such noises as vuvuzelas in the crowd.”  No vendors will be able to sell the horns, either.

I never thought of this, but this could be a real problem.  Now that people know what vuvuzelas are, idiots are going to use them everywhere.  It wasn’t much of a problem at Glastonbury, but you can see this eventually being a real issue.

ExploreMusic Playlist: The songs featured on the radio show today were:

“Revoltion” by Terrible Things
“The Spirit of Radio” by Lucky Uke
“Five Trees” by Chapel Club
“Sick Bubblegum” by Rob Zombie