HD Radio made a list that its proponents wish it hadn’t.
The digital radio technology is 12th on a list of “tech flops” compiled by David Carnoy, CNET’s executive editor.
CNET, ironically, is now owned by CBS, a company with a significant history and investment in HD Radio.
“HD Radio was supposed to be the next great thing in ‘free’ radio, offering clear, digital ‘CD quality sound’ and more listening choices,” he wrote in an item posted last Friday. “But it’s been slowed by the manufacturing costs of both the HD Radio chips and the radios themselves — as well as poor marketing.”
But he also noted that prices for receivers have come down, “giving hope to backers and fans that the technology will find more success next decade.” A flop, he adds, is “simply something that was really hyped but didn’t live up to its promise or expectations.”
Time magazine got lots of attention recently for a similar list, which included Sirius XM and the Microsoft Zune.
