Radio on the iPod touch

On or about 10/20/07 5:45 AM, thus spake "Adam King" <akingraxon.com>:

> my
> wife wants to get the iPod touch as well but really wants the iPod radio
> remote so she can listen to NPR while walking in the afternoon

But this is what podcasting is for. :) I listen solely to NPR while running,
daily, and it's all done with podcasts. The reception quality is a heck of a
lot better than with any portable radio I've ever used (and I've used a lot
of them). m.

On 10/20/2007 5:45 AM, "Adam King" wrote:
> I'm very interested in getting a iPod touch now that next year will be
> filled with third party apps for it and the iPhone. My question is this, my
> wife wants to get the iPod touch as well but really wants the iPod radio
> remote so she can listen to NPR while walking in the afternoon. Apple says
> it's not supported, I assume because of the lack of click-wheel to tune the
> stations. I don't have a iPod or iPhone and was wondering if anyone knew
> if, in fact, the radio remote will connect and work with the iPhone/iPod
> touch.
>
> I went to our newly opened Apple Store the other day and was playing around
> and I must say, I'm very impressed, though I aught not be surprised by it.
> I suppose in my aw I failed to remember to ask them. I'll rely on this
> group's collective wisdom tin order to save some gas back to the store.

Unfortunately, the Apple Radio Remote doesn't work with the iPhone or iPod
touch -- either as a radio or as a remote.

At 5:45 AM -0700 10/20/07, Adam King wrote:
> I don't have a iPod or iPhone and was wondering if anyone knew
>if, in fact, the radio remote will connect and work with the iPhone/iPod
>touch.

It does NOT work.

--
=Alex Hoffman
Leadership, Policy & Politics
Teachers College, Columbia University

On Oct 20, 2007, at 7:45 AM, Adam King wrote:

> My question is this, my
> wife wants to get the iPod touch as well but really wants the iPod
> radio
> remote so she can listen to NPR while walking in the afternoon.
> Apple says
> it's not supported, I assume because of the lack of click-wheel to
> tune the
> stations. I don't have a iPod or iPhone and was wondering if
> anyone knew
> if, in fact, the radio remote will connect and work with the iPhone/
> iPod
> touch.
>

I own an iPod, iPhone, and a Radio Remote. I've tried the Radio
Remote on the iPhone and can confirm that it does not work. When you
plug it into the iPhone, you see a message box saying 'This accessory
is not supported by iPhone.'

On 20/10/07 8:45, Adam King wrote:
> I'm very interested in getting a iPod touch now that next year will be
> filled with third party apps for it and the iPhone. My question is this, my
> wife wants to get the iPod touch as well but really wants the iPod radio
> remote so she can listen to NPR while walking in the afternoon. Apple says
> it's not supported

<snip>

Perhaps it would/will work to listen to NPR streamed over the 'net, as
one can do in iTunes?

kazar

On 10/22/07 9:54 AM, "Matt Neuburg" wrote:
> But this is what podcasting is for. :) I listen solely to NPR while running,
> daily, and it's all done with podcasts. The reception quality is a heck of a
> lot better than with any portable radio I've ever used (and I've used a lot
> of them). m.

I know that podcasts are available, problem is that I am the "techie" in the
family and she won't be bothered to...
1) turn on the G4
2) launch itunes
3) connect ipod touch
4) wait for download and sync
5) disconnect and turn off G4
6) go walking.

I'd do it for her on my powerbook but I'd be at work. And besides the
weekly shows that we love it's stale to ask her to listen to yesterdays "All
Things Considered". Marital diplomacy may be needed to resolve my longing
for the ipod touch...

Adam

On 10/22/07 9:54 AM, "Matt Neuburg" wrote:

> But this is what podcasting is for. :) I listen solely to NPR while running,
> daily, and it's all done with podcasts. The reception quality is a heck of a
> lot better than with any portable radio I've ever used (and I've used a lot
> of them). m.

A follow up question to my reply to Matt, can the ipod touch download
podcasts directly? One of the main reasons I want it is to use WiFi in our
house for internet without having to boot a computer. If it can download
podcasts directly I think that's few enough steps for her to agree to.

Adam

On Oct 22, 2007, at 6:42 PM, Adam King wrote:

> A follow up question to my reply to Matt, can the ipod touch download
> podcasts directly?

No.


Kirk

On Oct 22, 2007, at 6:54 AM, Alan Forkosh wrote:

> On Oct 20, 2007, at 7:45 AM, Adam King wrote:
>
>> My question is this, my
>> wife wants to get the iPod touch as well but really wants the iPod
>> radio
>> remote so she can listen to NPR while walking in the afternoon.
>> Apple says
>> it's not supported, I assume because of the lack of click-wheel to
>> tune the
>> stations. I don't have a iPod or iPhone and was wondering if
>> anyone knew
>> if, in fact, the radio remote will connect and work with the iPhone/
>> iPod
>> touch.
>>
>
> I own an iPod, iPhone, and a Radio Remote. I've tried the Radio
> Remote on the iPhone and can confirm that it does not work. When you
> plug it into the iPhone, you see a message box saying 'This accessory
> is not supported by iPhone.'

While I believe that indeed the radio remote does not work, the
quoted warning doesn't always mean "doesn't work" according to things
I read. It means "not on the list of things that work".

    --John

On Oct 22, 2007, at 12:42 PM, Adam King wrote:

> On 10/22/07 9:54 AM, "Matt Neuburg" wrote:
>> But this is what podcasting is for. :) I listen solely to NPR
>> while running,
>> daily, and it's all done with podcasts. The reception quality is a
>> heck of a
>> lot better than with any portable radio I've ever used (and I've
>> used a lot
>> of them). m.
>
> I know that podcasts are available, problem is that I am the
> "techie" in the
> family and she won't be bothered to...
> 1) turn on the G4

Leave it on.

> 2) launch itunes

Leave it on plus have it as a login item in case the computer's off
for some reason.

> 3) connect ipod touch

Leave it connected, that can be the device's "home."

> 4) wait for download and sync

If you leave iTunes running, the download will be done. Syncing would
still be necessary to get the freshest stuff.

> 5) disconnect and turn off G4
> 6) go walking.

So I've cut the list in half and podcasting only accounts for one of
the steps.

1) Sync
2) Disconnect. If you don't have mount as volume enabled, can
physically disconnect without doing anything on the computer?
3) Go walking

If leaving the computer on makes baby Jesus cry, enable sleeping and
a reasonable wake up time.

> I'd do it for her on my powerbook but I'd be at work. And besides the
> weekly shows that we love it's stale to ask her to listen to
> yesterdays "All
> Things Considered".

Public radio podcasts are practically the only thing I listen to on
my iPod but I totally agree about daily news shows like "All Things
Considered," I'm not interested in them "late."

> Marital diplomacy may be needed to resolve my longing
> for the ipod touch...

I'm afraid the iPod touch isn't a good match for your wife walking
use case. I suggest getting a tiny FM radio for that use and work on
another angle for your Spousal Approval Factor.

>A follow up question to my reply to Matt, can the ipod touch download
>podcasts directly?

There is at least one third-party application for hacked iPhones (and
presumably iPods) which does download podcasts directly to the iPhone
(or iPod). The application is called MobileCast and can be installed
using Installer.app.

I think this is the application's site:
<http://web.mac.com/matthew.t.smith/Site/MobileCast/MobileCast.html>

On 10/23/07 8:47 AM, "Curtis Wilcox" wrote:
> I'm afraid the iPod touch isn't a good match for your wife walking
> use case. I suggest getting a tiny FM radio for that use and work on
> another angle for your Spousal Approval Factor.

I'd already investigated Apple's tech specs for the iPod touch so I assumed
everything that was confirmed here. My thanks to you all.

In response to Curtis, I agree, I found a $9.99 AM/FM "pocket radio" at
radioshack.com with free shipping to your local store (mine is about 1/2
mile away). 30 day money back guarantee so if it doesn't work well it's not
much hassle. And it's WAY cheaper than the (about) $49 buck ipod radio
remote.

As for the syncing suggestions, I had considered it previously but the G4 is
in my son's room and is used very infrequently (he's 5) so I was loathe to
hurt the baby Jesus like Curtis had mentioned. (although I'm not sure how
the baby Jesus is involved in extraneous energy consumption, perhaps Curtis
is just a really big fan of the movie "Talladega Nights" ) ;-)

And yes, even with this partial solution, I'll have to work on the SAF. :-(

Adam

On 10/23/2007 5:47 AM, "johnbaxterlistsmac.com" wrote:
>>> My question is this, my wife wants to get the iPod touch as well but really
>>> wants the iPod radio remote so she can listen to NPR while walking in the
>>> afternoon. Apple says it's not supported, I assume because of the lack of
>>> click-wheel to tune the stations. I don't have a iPod or iPhone and was
>>> wondering if anyone knew if, in fact, the radio remote will connect and work
>>> with the iPhone/ iPod touch.
>>>
>>
>> I own an iPod, iPhone, and a Radio Remote. I've tried the Radio
>> Remote on the iPhone and can confirm that it does not work. When you
>> plug it into the iPhone, you see a message box saying 'This accessory
>> is not supported by iPhone.'
>
> While I believe that indeed the radio remote does not work, the
> quoted warning doesn't always mean "doesn't work" according to things
> I read. It means "not on the list of things that work".

There are two error messages that can appear. One is the message you get
when plugging an iPhone into an accessory that may work but that may exhibit
interference issues; for example, dock-equipped speakers. This error reads,
"This accessory is not made two work with iPhone. Would you like to turn on
Airplane Mode to reduce audio interference? You will not be able to make or
receive calls." Most of these accessories will still work with the iPhone.

The second error message -- the one you get when you plug in Apple's Radio
Remote -- can appear on either an iPhone or an iPod touch, and reads, "This
accessory is not supported by [iPhone or iPod]." If you get this message,
the accessory won't work at all.

I know that it's not the same as live radio, but I've never made better use of my RadioShark by Griffin since my iPhone arrived.

I schedule my G4 to turn on at 4.30am (Energy Saver System Preferences). iTunes launches (Accounts System Preferences) and downloads all the podcasts (iTunes preferences).

I then sync my iPod when I wake up, and turn the G4 off. I then listen to my iPod on my speakers while preparing coffee. Sometimes I bring the speakers (Logitech mm50) to the bathroom while... using the bathroom. I even have a playlist of unheard podcasts, so the iPod just plays sequentially, and listened ones get removed the next day.

So syncing isn't a chore. Just a morning habit which I find worthwhile. Wifi syncing to my G4 would save a step. I think Wifi direct podcast downloading would probably be too fiddly for me, although I would probably use that feature too.