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It might not sound like the biggest deal in the world, but the take up of DAB Digital Radio radio grew by 229% last year according to figures released by the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB).
Research company Gfk, who compiled the data on behalf of DRDB, have revealed that 509,000 DAB Digital Radios have now sold in the UK and furthermore sales have maintained their pre-Christmas levels.
And because of this, car manufacturers are now taking the first steps to include DAB digital radios as standard in their cars. The Vauxhall Astra, Daewoo's Lacetti and many MG and Rover cars, along with the Lotus Elise 111R and several TVR models are now including digital radios. Which ain't a bad start.
But what does this mean? Well, apart from the clear rise in sales (even tho the radio's still cost £80+) it shows the demand is there for higher quality radio and that the days of X-fm fading as Londoners hit the motorway and with more alternative stations embracing the digital age it means we're no longer going to be limited to a handful of crap local stations and Radio 1 or 2.
DiScuss: Do you have a digital radio yet? What do you think of BBC 6music? Do you listen to the radio using the web or your digital TV? Where do you envisage this technology evolving to? Downloading tracks you like on your digital radio built into your digital player, on your video-phone, at a cost per year/month? Personalized digital radio programmed to play tracks you like and tracks you might?
