Rob Pegoraro - Fast Forward: Web Radio Hits the Road - washingtonpost.com

For people at a desk, Web radio has long offered a terrific upgrade over the playlist-choked monotony of most FM stations. But a few things had to happen before people could order up Web radio to go.

First, wireless carriers had to offer data services fast enough for a digital stream of music -- then relax the absurd restrictions they first imposed on this access, which in some cases explicitly banned Web radio. Then phone developers had to make it easy for users to tune in, either through browsers on phones or programs provided through such simple software catalogues as Apple's App Store.

Rob Pegoraro - Fast Forward: Web Radio Hits the Road - washingtonpost.com