A trade group in Europe sees a bright future in Internet radio appliances, providing device manufacturers and webcasters work together to ensure compliance with common standards. As a first step, the recently minted Internet Media Device Alliance has called a press conference on Sept. 6 at the IFA 2009 Consumer Electronics Exhibition in Berlin, where it will unveil a standards baseline designed to harmonize the burgeoning field of stand-alone Internet Radio devices.

IMDA's IFA Summit will follow the press conference, where the future of Internet connected media devices will be examined in a series of podium discussions.

Launched earlier this year, the IMDA is committed to developing and promoting open, interoperable standards and profiles for Internet media devices. IMDA steering committee member organizations include Awox, BBC, Deutsche Welle, the European Broadcasting Union, Frontier Silicon, Global Radio, Pure, Reciva, SWR and vTuner.