We are so spoiled nowadays.  Not only do satellite radios display the name and artist of a song playing, but most modern car radios also have that basic functionality.  One morning a relatively new song began playing nonstop in my head out of the blue and I had no idea who sang it or what the name of the song was.  I knew I’d have to listen to certain stations on XM knowing that I’d for sure find it faster there than on terrestrial radio.  

Sure enough, within two days I got into my car, turned on the satellite radio and sure enough – BAM – there’s the damn song that’s been boring into the inner recesses of my head!!!  So at the stoplight I used my Blackberry to email myself the name of the artist and song.  That evening I download it on iTunes, synched it up with my iPod and a Happy James was I.

Try doing THAT in the 1980’s.  I used to think back then it was way cool simply to have a digital display of the radio frequency instead of the bar/stick/whatever that kind of showed you what frequency you were on.  Now I’m not only able to choose between 200+ radio stations broadcasting in North America but I’m also able to pause something I’m listening to just like my DVR at home in case someone calls in the middle of a good interview or the middle of a sick guitar solo.

To paraphrase Tracy Morgan in ’30 Rock’; “I want to take technology out behind the elementary school and impregnate it.”