Posted on 01/10/2006 2:35:09 PM PST by Panerai
We half expected new iPods (an LCD-laden Shuffle, a 6GB Nano--you know the drill), but literally minutes after Steve Jobs opened to a frenetic Apple crowd, we knew that new iPods had to wait. Still, the announcement of the $49 iPod Radio Remote had me an ounce excited, given that the FM radio is the most requested extra feature for iPod users (fan boys included).
The iPod Radio Remote connects to the dock connector and works with both the Nano and the iPod. With it and the latest 1.1 iPod software, you can tune into any channel between and inclusive of 87.5 and 107.9 using the iPod's Click Wheel and color LCD. In addition to FM tuning, the accessory works as a convenient remote control (Creative did this a while ago with its Zen Touch) for most audio, video, and photo functions, though you can't jump between playlists. It also ships with a pair of earbuds that have a shorter cord so that you won't have to deal with additional cabling. We love the fact that you can now select Radio from the main menu as well as preset stations and access them via the remote. The old-school radio graphics are fresh, and if you're zeroed in a a station that supports RDS (Radio Data System; available in countries such as France), you can get station and track info. If you're in Japan, you can operate in that country's 76MHz-to-90MHz frequencies.
Your iPod's battery life will be affected since the remote draws power from the main unit. Still, it's an excellent option for those in need of an extra source of media. Griffin's $50 iFM has been around for a bit but despite its usefulness for older iPods, we much prefer seeing the frequency display on the iPod screen itself. We'll report on signal strength, battery drain, and overall performance of the new radio enhancements and hardware as soon as we get our hands on the remote. In ancillary news, new Chrysler Jeeps will be iPod-ready in 2006, the first such American cars to integrate the iconic player.
ipod radio ping
i love my nano....it's a way of life. i love my video ipod...it's the future...all the announcements look great, including vodcasting and podcasting included in apple software.
Won't do. The cat's favryt wireless nowadays is on medium frequencies!
 Just kidding. |
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It's a good addition, but when is someone going to come up with a good blue tooth headphone. And, hey, will Apple ever get around to gapless playback? Ever play Dark Side of the Moon on your iPod? "Click" right in the middle of the track change.
Is it really worth spending the money on an ipod? I was thinking about purchasing some kind of mp3 player so I can listen to Glenn Beck's podcasts (they took him off the air in Houston). I was thinking about getting XM radio, but then I thought I could listen to the podcasts instead.
I don't really have a clue what to buy.
I got my iPod to GET AWAY from having to listen to FM radio with all its commercials, yakking DJs and the same old songs over and over again.
Apple in its usual manner established a high price point on these MP3 devices that should be selling in the $$ teens range not in the hundreds. And so, the competiion charges a few dollars less but still fairly close to Apple's ridiculous prices. Let's wait for the cheap Chinese knockoffs, likely made as many knockoffs are, by the same factories that produce the branded things and from the same materials.
The iPod is head and shoulders above anything out there. They've released a broad enough range of models to cover a lot of different price point. If your needs are limited, you can get the $99 shuffle -- limited controls on the iPod itself, but you can line up the tracks on a playlist on the computer and play them back on the go.
Would it really kill Apple -- and a lot of companies that make iPod add-ons and radios -- to include AM? I often want to listen to news or a ball game, and those are rarely on FM around here. An FM-only tuner doesn't add much for me.
An FM tuner adds nothing for me. I wanna AM tuner so I can listen to Laura Ingraham while I go for my evening runs. (Pouts)
If you subscribe to Laura 365, you can download the podcast to your iPod and listen whenever you want.
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