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View Full Version : Built in FM radio Poll


OskiO
03-07-2005, 05:11 AM
I don't understand why Pocket PC's don't have FM radio reception. What do you think about integrating it into a Pocket PC?

Janak Parekh
03-07-2005, 05:41 AM
Actually, I've become a much happier person after giving up radio. Maybe it's just that radio in the NY metro area, apart from public radio and classical music, is really quite bad. ;) (And I listen to many genres of music; it's just that I can't take the DJs, lack of variety, and/or endless ads...)

I keep a small radio in my bag just for emergencies so I can tune into AM news (and it came in handy during the blackout in August, 2003), but I literally use it maybe twice or three times a year.

--janak

jimski
03-07-2005, 09:45 AM
Agreed. Aside from news, local NYC area radio (AM or FM) is not much to listen to. And all those ads. Bet I have not listened to more than 2-3 hours of FM radio in the past 5 years, and that includes the little snippets of blaring FM I get in between pressing the snooze button on the clock radio when traveling.

When WNEW-FM was a "real" radio station, I had no need for a tape or CD player in the car. All I needed was this one station. My how things have changed.

dean_shan
03-07-2005, 10:24 AM
I wouldn't mind having FM built into my PPC but it's not a selling point for me.

Darius Wey
03-07-2005, 11:07 AM
You don't really have an intermediate option in that poll, which is where I'd sit. It would be a nice feature, but not something that would completely affect my decision on which Pocket PC I would purchase in the future.

If there's no tuner, you turn to the alternatives: e.g. listening to online broadcasts over a wireless connection.

wocket
03-07-2005, 01:49 PM
Thankfully BBC radio is free from advertising so you get some really great content on the different channels. I'm listening right now streaming radio to my pc in work. I can also stream radio to my pocketpc over WiFi in work as well. :D

OskiO
03-07-2005, 02:24 PM
You don't really have an intermediate option in that poll, which is where I'd sit. It would be a nice feature, but not something that would completely affect my decision on which Pocket PC I would purchase in the future.

If there's no tuner, you turn to the alternatives: e.g. listening to online broadcasts over a wireless connection.

Darius,
I thought about that option but didn't want to give people a chance to sit on the fence. It wouldn't be a must have feature for me, but if all were equal I would end up going with the FM version.

As far as I am concerned I really would like to listen to some good talk radio or sports. I really can't see that adding FM capabilities would really add to the size of a unit or the cost by too much. You can buy a cheap FM receiver for $10. How hard would it be for the R&D departments to just incorperate it?

C

GSmith
03-07-2005, 02:35 PM
You can get an FM radio that goes into the SD slot. I'm a big NPR fan as well, and I can't stand the lack of variety available on my local FM dial.

If you want to join the Podcasting Generation ;-), you can download podcasts directly to your device using FeederReader. If you haven't tried listening to podcasts, I think you should give it a try. Of course, using FeederReader! ;-)

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - The Pocket PC RSS, podcatcher, videocatcher
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

Wiggster
03-07-2005, 08:58 PM
I'd rather buy a digitally-tuned AM/FM radio the size of a lipstick... whatever the container a lipstick comes in is called. You can pick 'em up for $15 or elss at any Megamart, and the size can't be beat. Unless you don't mind looking like a dork wearing the headphones with the radio built in :wink:

I just think that the PDA doesn't need a $15 gadget crammed into it that has very little reason to be there.

Darius Wey
03-08-2005, 09:31 AM
You can get an FM radio that goes into the SD slot.

iBiz (http://www.ibizcorp.com/) have a few on offer. CF ones too.