Polk will release the i-Sonic ES2 iPod dock first which will feature the Tag button, followed by the JBl iHD this holiday season. There are plans for Tag buttons to be placed in cars and more iPod docks in 2008.

Apple, Polk Audio and iBiquity Digital announced today that consumers who hear a song on an HD Radio station and want to preview, buy and download it will soon be able to do that with just the touch of a button (see press release below).

The new 'iTunes Tagging' feature will allow consumers to not only download songs they have known for years, but also sample and download new songs from new artists. It is the perfect link with the broad reach of radio, which continues to be the place where most consumers are introduced to new music and new artists.

Here's how it works: iTunes Tagging enables consumers using HD Radio receivers that have been equipped with a special 'Tag' button, to tag songs that they hear on the FM dial. Information about these tagged songs is then stored by the receiver and transferred to the individual's iPod. When the iPod is connected to a computer, the new iTunes software automatically presents the songs in a Tagged playlist so that the consumer can preview, buy and download them.

The announcement was made earlier today at the CEDIA Expo in Denver in conjunction with Polk Audio's launch of the first iTunes tagging-enabled HD Radio receiver, the I-Sonic™ Entertainment System 2. The JBL iHD will also include the Tag button. Both products will go on sale during the holiday shopping season, and it is anticipated that several additional products that include the Tag button for both the home and the car will follow in early 2008.

There are more than 1,400 AM and FM stations broadcasting with HD Radio technology across the country, with more upgrading to digital every day. For more information, please visit www.hdradio.com.

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iTunes Tagging for HD Radio Broadcasting Announced

New, free HD Radio™ application enhances consumer music discovery and broadens local radio broadcaster ability to capitalize on digital commerce space

Columbia, Maryland, September 6, 2007 - Responding to the desire of millions of people who discover music via their favorite local radio broadcasts, Apple, iBiquity Digital, and major radio broadcasting groups unveiled today the result of an industry-wide initiative to create a new, free service called "iTunes Tagging."

iTunes Tagging is designed to make music discovery, purchase and listening even more fun and simple for all. iTunes Tagging enables consumers using HD Radio receivers that have been equipped with a special Tag button, to "tag" songs that they hear on the FM dial for subsequent purchase via iTunes.

"iTunes tagging takes music discovery on the radio to the next level," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of iPod Product Marketing. "When a song plays on your HD Radio that you like, a simple push of a button will tag it and later give you the chance to preview, purchase, and enjoy it with iTunes and your iPod."

ob Struble, CEO of iBiquity Digital, the developer of HD Radio technology, said, "Research consistently shows that radio is the predominant source of music discovery. Now, with iTunes Tagging, HD Radio technology provides a cool new way to capture the songs listeners discover, buy them on iTunes and then enjoy them. We are especially pleased that so many broadcasters came together so quickly for the initial launch." Several major broadcasters will implement iTunes Tagging, initially across hundreds of stations. Additional stations and broadcast groups are expected to join soon, with a formal announcement of participating groups planned for later this year at the NAB Radio convention, September 26 - 28.

Struble continued, "We are delighted that JBL and Polk will have the first available products that enable iTunes Tagging. The new Polk I-Sonic® Entertainment System 2 and the JBL iHD will both include the Tag button. These products will go on sale during the holiday shopping season and we anticipate several additional products that include the Tag button for both the home and the car to follow in early 2008."

Peter Ferrara, CEO of the HD Digital Radio Alliance, the coalition of radio broadcasters formed to promote HD Radio technology commented on the broadcasters' promotional plan for iTunes Tagging, saying, "The HD Digital Radio Alliance is tremendously excited about this great new HD Radio feature and will broadly promote iTunes Tagging. We plan a multi-million dollar advertising campaign focusing on the JBL and Polk products, as well as participating retailers."

Mark Mays, CEO of Clear Channel Communications, Inc. commented, "Clear Channel Radio remains committed to being the leader in HD Digital Radio content on both primary and multicast channels, and our embrace of iTunes Tagging is just the latest step in that leadership. We believe that HD Digital Radio innovations such as this will continue to open up additional and new services for consumers and revenue opportunities for broadcasters."

So as a result, the DVD Forum might sue LG for falsely using the HD DVD logo and for falsely saying that their hybrid player plays HD DVDs when in fact it doesn't play them the way they were intended to be played. Microsoft was also a bit miffed at LG for...

not giving them a heads up before announcing the BH100. So it looks like LG's baby won't see the light of day, which is a damn shame. Both sides have valid points—we just hope they manage to work something out because all this does is make me wanna stick with my old school DVDs even more. – Louis Ramirez

LG Hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD Player Cannot Be Sold As Is [BetaNews]

Yes kiddies, that's right. More silliness in the war of the next-generation DVD format. Until recently, HP was a tried and true Blu-ray supporter, giving the Sony-based format a little extra zing from the computer side of things. But, all good things must come to an end and now, HP is playing both sides of the fence, announcing that it will also embrace HD-DVD (joining Microsoft and Intel). Et tu HP? One reason given for this turnabout is Sony's inability to support iHD technology (which allows for more interactive features and which appeals greatly to PC companies). Oh, well. Just one more nail in the coffin for those of us who have to decide which format to buy in the next few years. Thanks again guys, this is really helpful.

Sony's next generation Blu-ray DVD format hits a pothole [anandtech]