Developer: NormSoft, Inc.
Price: $4.99 Download on the App Store
NormSoft’s Pocket Tunes Radio is a slick app that puts hundreds of Internet radio stations on your iPhone and iPod touch. Pocket Tunes Radio comes with an extensive list of pre-loaded stations — organized by every music genre you can think of. You also can search the Web using the app’s built-in Web browser and add your own stations.
The fidelity is excellent over Wi-Fi and EDGE considering it’s compressed. Pocket Tunes Radio supports aacPlus v2, a digital audio standard purposely designed for streaming audio. The fidelity is about the same as MP3, to give you some perspective.
Other features include the ability to set up favorites, edit your list of stations and search for stations already on your list. If you hear something you like and decide to buy it, one button tap will take you to the iTunes Store, where Pocket Tunes Radio will find the song so you can download it. You can’t listen to Internet radio and download music from iTunes at the same time, however. That’s typical. By the way, you can listen to music and schmooze the Web at the same time using BFA’s built-in browser.
The only thing missing is a decent set of earphones.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:50 am
No where is the lack of trial versions more painful than in the radio apps. Lots to choose from, all $$$. I went with Rogue Amoeba’s Radioshift Touch, largely because I use their desktop client to grab audio streams off the ‘net. But regardless, I probably use my radio app at least half the time I’m on my Touch, so a radio app is definitely on the “must have” list.
January 1st, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Pocket Tunes was great on the Palm. I was considering purchasing it for the iPhone but don’t like the price – http://is.gd/enFl
March 8th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Michael, look into “Skull Candy” earbuds. Fantastic precision workmanship and high quality sound. I love mine.
March 8th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Thanks Jack for tip. I bought a pair of Moda earbuds w while back and the plug busted although they weren’t used all that much. I’ll give the Skull Candy a try. I don’t know about the sound but they do look clean..