April 20 - 12:10pm EDT   The ATSC group and its partners are using the launch of the NAB broadcasting expo today to outline the early launch plans for ATSC Mobile DTV, the first free over-the-air TV standard meant for portable devices in the US. Washington, DC will be the first city to get coverage and will be supported by 5 stations owned by CBS, Fox, Ion, NBC and PBS when service starts sometime in the late summer. About 39 percent of the US will be covered by the end of 2009 and should include major cities like Chicago, New York, San Francisco and several others. [full story]

December 19 - 1:30pm EST   Kenwood on Friday introduced its I-K50 in-car head unit with support for Apple's iPod players and the iPhone 3G via its front-mounted USB port. The I-K50's CD drive will play back MP3, WMA and AAC-encoded files, while the USB port will allow users to plug in USB flash memory keys loaded with the same supported types of audio formats. Plugging in iPods, including the classic, nano or touch, will allow users to control them via the head unit's controls instead of the music player's own controls, making it easier for drivers to focus on the road. Users can search the music collections stored on their iPods, iPhones or USB keys alphabetically via the head unit. [full story]

November 25 - 4:55pm EST   Kenwood on Tuesday announced it will soon release its CR-iP500 all-in-one radio with an integrated iPod dock. It has a slot-loading CD drive that will support MP3 and WMA files recorded onto CD-Rs and CD-RWs. Digital files on flash memory drives can be played thanks to a USB 2.0 connection, while an iPod cradle lets users control their Apple music devices via the CR-iP500's own controls. The FM tuner can save 30 station presets and there is a clock radio with alarm functionality. [full story]

October 29 - 5:00pm EDT   Kenwood on Tuesday announced the introduction of its new mini audio system, the Prodino, or CORE-A55. The 20W system does not have an optical drive or an FM tuner, relying on a wide range of external connections for its source files. Digital audio files stored on an SDHC, miniSDHC or microSDHC memory cards up to 32GB in capacity, where applicable, can be played back thanks to the Prodino's front-mounted SD card slot, while the back panel has a USB connection for linking to personal music players, USB flash drives and Windows PCs. [full story]

September 17 - 7:00pm EDT   Car audio electronics manufacturer Kenwood recently introduced two new replacement car CD receivers with the DPX303 and DPX503. Either is rated to deliver 50W over four channels and will play MP3, WMA and AAC encoded CDs and feature an auxiliary audio jack on their front panels. The higher-spec DPX503 adds a USB port to the faceplate that will allow users to plug in their 5th generation iPods and control them via the receiver. [full story]

September 12 - 4:15pm EDT   Kenwood on Friday announced it will soon launch two portable media players as part of its MG-E Media Keg series with either 2GB or 4GB of internal memory. Either will sport a microSDHC card slot, allowing that memory to be expanded by another 12GB. Both feature a 1.5-inch six-line OEL display and better audio quality than older Kenwood DAPs thanks to a new and improved DAC. Supported file formats include MP3, WMA, WAV and AAC, with content transferred from computers via a USB 2.0 connection. [full story]

May 12 - 12:55pm EDT   Japanese electronics giants JVC and Kenwood have announced plans to merge, Reuters reports. The two companies will come together under a holding company on October 1st, in what they say is an attempt to fight price competition, as well as increasing costs in development. Even together the companies' sales for the financial year ending March 31st would only have been 823.7 billion yen ($8 billion), less than a tenth of those for Panasonic owner Matsushita, which made approximately 9 trillion yen (over $87 billion). [full story]

February 18 - 12:05pm EST   Sound specialist Kenwood has developed a new iPod audio dock with an unusual shape. The speakers for the AS-IP300 are built into a special "wing," separate from the main body; though this is mostly an aesthetic choice, the spread of the satellites aids in the delivery of simulated 3D sound. Two channels are present, powered by a 1.9W amplifier. A remote controls major playback functions, and the dock should fit all full-sized iPods from the fourth generation onwards, as well as Minis and third-generation Nanos. Non-Apple players are supported through an auxiliary stereo input. [full story]

December 11 - 12:00pm EST   AV giant Kenwood has announced as itself as the next backer of DTV, a new North American standard for mobile digital television. While similar standards have existed for a few years elsewhere, in the form of Japan's 1Seg or the global DMB, North America has lagged behind. Kenwood in particular has built prototype DTV receivers based on MPH, a platform developed by LG, Harris, and LG's research group, Zenith. The technology will be demonstrated at next month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. [full story]

December 7 - 9:10am EST   Kenwood on Friday trotted out the CLK, its new tabletop stereo for space-conscious listeners. The entire cabinet is seven inches deep and fits its CD player into the slim body by using a vertically mounted, slot-load reader instead of the trays that often dictate thicker designs. Though it can play regular CDs and MP3/WMA discs, the system is geared towards digital media players and includes a USB port that not only offers both audio but also direct control: with optional cables, the CLK can charge and play most recent iPods (including the iPod classic and 3G nano) as well as pause or skip tracks using the stereo's own controls. Any media player with USB mass storage ... [full story]