This summer, Sony and JBL are both slated to ship new iPod-compatible HD Radio devices, joining a growing list of other consumer electronics device makers that are starting to combine HD Radio with Apple's iTunes tagging.

NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - At the Holiday Gift Guide Show this week, HD Radio gave sneak peeks of Sony's upcoming XDR-S10HDiP and JBL's On Time 400IHD, while also displaying an already available iTunes tagging-enabled, self-contained HD Radio system from Polk.

List priced at $499 CORRECTION $179.95, Sony's forthcoming HD Radio is a tabletop model with a built-in iPod docking system, said Scott Cianciulli, an HD Radio spokesperson.

JBL's future device, priced at $299.95, is a loudspeaker dock with HD Radio, multicasting capability, an iPod dock, and a clock with a dual alarm.

During a demo for BetaNews, Cianciulli contended that HD Radio offers big advantages over both satellite radio and old-time analog radio.

"For one thing, unlike 'sat' radio, subscriptions to HD Radio are free," the spokesperson told BetaNews.

Also, in contrast to either sat or analog radio, HD Radio offers the capability for 'private' FM channels, which some FM stations are using for "tertiary channels" that cater to special interest markets such as country music, for instance, he said.

"And HD Radio is digital, giving you a lot more clarity than audio. This [clarity] is especially useful for people who listen to talk radio programs," BetaNews was told. Cianciulli also showed BetaNews how listeners can use iTunes tagging with HD Radio to select individual tunes they hear on AM or FM stations in real time, while the songs are being played by the DJ.

Information about the tune is then recorded by the HD Radio tuner. From there, it can be saved to an iPod, helping the user to easily find that track in the iTunes Store for purchase later.

Other iTunes tagging-enabled HD Radio systems on display at the show included the Polk I-Sonic Entertainment System 2; and three in-car audio systems from Alpine: the TUA-T550HD Radio Tuner; iDA-X100 Digital Media Receiver; and IVA-W505 2-DIN Mobile Media Station.

The Polk I-Sonic Entertainment System 2 is now available at Apple Stores at list pricing of $499, the HD Radio spokesperson said.

The three after-market in-car systems from Alpine are targeted at availability in June, at list pricing of $150 to $1,100, BetaNews was told.