Apple iPod Radio Remote adds FM to iPods

We've been waiting just about forever for Apple to add an FM receiver to the iPod, and the company's competitors have had no trouble exploiting that lack; it's almost impossible to find a digital audio player from another company that doesn't have an FM tuner. Now Apple has thrown in the towel and added an FM receiver of their own to the iPod — sort of. The new iPod Radio Remote has a built-in FM receiver, something that's been available for some time on third-party products like Griffin's iFM. Of course, now that Apple's doing it themselves, the vendors can just throw in the towel. The iPod Radio Remote supports the nano and iPod with video, and is powered by the iPod. Stations can be saved as favorites, and the radio supports the Radio Data System for display of song or station information. Of course third-party vendors may still find an audience for their products given that Apple's offering only works with the most recent iPod models, and doesn't include a voice recorder or some of the other bells and whistles available on some aftermarket products.

[Justin @ Jan 10th 2006 2:27PM]

hooray for no mini support! >:{

[John hinds @ Jan 10th 2006 2:30PM]

Wow look how long those cables are.

Is it for giants.

[Vizion @ Jan 10th 2006 2:32PM]

Nothing like playing 50.00 more for something that comes standard on most other players.

[jg @ Jan 10th 2006 2:34PM]

i'm not a mac user so the mac users can you tell me if this mac world lived up to the hype around it. i thought the announcement was going to be something bigger then this, maybe i'm not giving this news (fm radio, new macbooks, and new imacs) the credit it deserves?

[J Kavanagh @ Jan 10th 2006 2:37PM]

Hmmm, my iRiver already had that functionality.

[Vizion @ Jan 10th 2006 2:37PM]

Nothing like paying* 50.00 more for something that comes standard in other players is what I meant to say above.

[Samuel Febres @ Jan 10th 2006 2:38PM]

I guess that's cool but I didn't buy an ipod to listen to the radio. That's just dumb. Get a Walkman or something if you wanna do that.

[matt @ Jan 10th 2006 2:38PM]

i hate the way apple discards all there customers apart from the ones buying the latest products.



whats wrong with some 4th gen support? people have managed to get videos running on (linux) so a simple radio app shouldnt be hard for apple

[roger @ Jan 10th 2006 2:39PM]

Anybody know why no digital audio player has AM radio? You know for baseball games.

[Dash @ Jan 10th 2006 2:40PM]

I know some people will disagree but I think it is good that it is external because I know not everyone will want it. I am sure it will be nice to have in the future models of the iPod. But now i hardly listen to my iPod as it is. In fact the most I ever use it is when I get tired of listening to the radio. What would I need a FM receiver for when I have music I like and enjoy when the radio plays the same old song 25 times a day and has commercials? Plus, what is the big deal of another over priced iPod accessory?

[Ricardo @ Jan 10th 2006 2:43PM]

ahahahahaha.....LOL where are the big fanboys that bragged..no...no...iPod doesnt need FM radio...uber fanboys....LOL...still missing radio and voice recording...suckers

[Mike @ Jan 10th 2006 2:43PM]

Pricey seeing that it's FM only. Why no AM tuner? There ARE folks like me who need to get their sports and talk radio.

[Lee Gibson @ Jan 10th 2006 2:45PM]

jg, when was the last time anything lived up to the hype around it?



Like the man said. "Don't believe the hype."

[D2unk M0nk @ Jan 10th 2006 2:46PM]

I'm considering buying it but is it really worth the 4$0 ???

[iCuz @ Jan 10th 2006 2:51PM]

The Griffin iFM(s) support the mini, as well as other iPods with either dock connector or remote connector.



FM sucks anyway.

Except maybe for NPR.



I'd rather have AM, so I could tune in a ballgame every now and then.

Better yet, a truly portable Sirius receiver.

[HILTER @ Jan 10th 2006 2:54PM]

The wires are long because they are the Antenna for the FM receiver.

[meshcount @ Jan 10th 2006 2:56PM]

Dangit, I need AM, not FM. The traffic and weather reports are on AM.

[Anthony Eden @ Jan 10th 2006 2:57PM]

Too bad they didn't go with XM instead. FM is so 20th century. :-)

[Jonathan Zuniga @ Jan 10th 2006 2:57PM]

i listen to AM....oh well.



http://groups.myspace.com/engadgetreaders (please join!)

[MrFloppy @ Jan 10th 2006 3:00PM]

For me FM is no needed when I have podcast.

And why can't they support ALL the iPods?



Am I a "sucker uber fanboy"? What's wrong with that?

[BigDavid @ Jan 10th 2006 3:02PM]

So....looks like the tuner seems to be built into the iPod video and Nano and this thing mearly "unlocks" it. Why else would it not work with the older iPods?

[Chris @ Jan 10th 2006 3:03PM]

Am I the only one that wishes someone would provide AM support? How hard can it be?

[Manish @ Jan 10th 2006 3:07PM]

They say it need iPod software 1.1 or later but the latest version available as of now is only 1.0.

[biscuitus @ Jan 10th 2006 3:08PM]

hmm...this might be perfect for me - at work I listen to ipod all day, except when I have to switch over to a radio to listen to NPR news updates, etc. With this, i could accomplish all that, and just keep my nano in my change pocket all day!

[nick @ Jan 10th 2006 3:08PM]

Whatever. The radio is for shit anyway. I'm glad it's optional. I had no interest anyway. The NPR shows I *do* listen to I can get as podcasts.

[jesse @ Jan 10th 2006 3:08PM]

going a little heavy on the towel-throwing talk, no?

[Dave @ Jan 10th 2006 3:09PM]

No 4G support? Lame...

[Mystech @ Jan 10th 2006 3:09PM]

What a piece of crap. An FM receiver? For the love of pete, the main reason I carry and iPod is to ESCAPE from FM radio. Where the heck is my video iPod microphone and recording functionality? You want to do something revolutionary, then add recording/publishing to iTunes along with the hardware for an iPod. Record in the field, then sync/dock/publish audioblog/podcast in one fell swoop. /rant off

[matt @ Jan 10th 2006 3:10PM]

it would also be good if these DAP's (DIGITAL audio players) would support the digital (DAB) form of radio instead of the ancient anolog frequencies

[QP @ Jan 10th 2006 3:11PM]

I'm not a huge music fan, so I have no use for an IPOD. What I would have a use for is a device that is basically a portable TIVO for radio...so you can play MP3's etc, but if you could also have it tune into an FM (or AM, actually AM is more important for me...there's like 4 different talk AM stations I listen to), and record that would be an awesome & handy device. Plus let me copy the hopefully open formatted sound files to my PC for bonus points!

[ipodman715 @ Jan 10th 2006 3:12PM]

On the bottom of the product page on the Apple store it says:



"Requires iPod software v1.1 or later."



w00t! Let's hope there's a new firmware coming soon!

[carson @ Jan 10th 2006 3:14PM]

Not sure what #9 is trying to say exactly because we've had fm and voice with many 3rd partyoptions but, I probably wont get this accessory. It seems over priced and I dont listen to FM anyway. Alot of people probably wont buy this, but its an option like everything else.

[Steve @ Jan 10th 2006 3:19PM]

"2. Wow look how long those cables are.



Is it for giants."





It doubles as a jump rope. Apple's always thinking...

[Nomad @ Jan 10th 2006 3:22PM]

WOW! What a lame azz addition! Most all other players have had FM tuners AND FM and voice recording built in for a long time already... and cheaper! #7, you're a fool, I'll sell you my 1989 Walkman for $20 (half off the Apple add-on price). Come on Apple fanboys, lets hear what an awesome add-on this is... another Apple $40 bandaid add-on that should be standard equipment!

[Simon @ Jan 10th 2006 3:23PM]

I only see a white offering! Where is the black one to match the black iPods?

[Eli @ Jan 10th 2006 3:25PM]

But...with an iPod I can pick what music to listen to. That's why I got an iPod instead of a radio. There's nothing on the radio but annoying DJs and commercials.

[BigDavid @ Jan 10th 2006 3:30PM]

INTEGRATED FM and AM would push me over the edge for a new iPod upgrade from me 4G. FM would be great for the gym since the TV brodcasts work with FM and AM would be good for sports talk and games.



Make it happen Apple.



$50 to just get FM though is retarded.

[Goodman @ Jan 10th 2006 3:38PM]

Having FM is nice for weekends (when there's not many ads), and for listening to Cartalk and NPR and stuff. I'd rather have it built in though.

[D W @ Jan 10th 2006 3:39PM]

This is just like the old remote+earbuds but now includes a radio for $10 extra. However the old remote used the connectors on the top of the iPod and this one doesn't because the new iPods don't have them anymore. This isn't a good thing because you could use the old remote AND charge the iPod at the same time...



So it's use as a remote in a car is now totally useless (as you'd have a FM radio anyway and your iPod is going to be stuck either playing or charging).



On the cost of stuff, did somebody hold you up at ransom in the mall and force you to walk into the Apple store? Nobody's twisting your arm to get it!



Personally I'm not trading in my 3rd or 4th gen iPod for this.

[Immaculate Misconception @ Jan 10th 2006 3:41PM]

Sooo gay. My old 20g iPod came with a wired remote. Fercrissakes Steve, WTF is it with the wires?



Besides, for $10 you can get a tiny FM radio if you really want to hear FM. This thing is crap.



I got excited when someone told me today they had a remote... I'm thinking a wireless one that drops in your pocket. THAT I would pay $50 for.

[Manatee @ Jan 10th 2006 3:45PM]

FM? Who wants that crap anymore?



Give me XM or give me death. Ok, don't everyone line up with your lethal weapons. ;-)

[Semi @ Jan 10th 2006 3:59PM]

i'm sure apple will come up with shorter cables for another 50

[Alex @ Jan 10th 2006 4:09PM]

This would have been awesome when Howard Stern was still on FM.

[hussein rawat @ Jan 10th 2006 4:19PM]

To be honest i am not impressed with what they have announced. I do appreciate that adding a radio is good, but Apple should have anticipated and acted on it a long time ago. Also, the thing i wish to know is that i hope that the wired remote allows you to detach the earbuds and add your own. I can't really tell by looking at the images. And before i forget, i was anticipating bluetooth capability for the ipod.

[Marc @ Jan 10th 2006 4:39PM]

Forget FM, I want AM. I want to be able to go to a ballgame and listen in on my iPod. Why is it that no one carries AM when most sports stations are on AM?

[Nomad @ Jan 10th 2006 4:51PM]

The reason nobody offers AM is the problems with electronic interference, plus the crappy reception which would result from compact antennas in the players. Try holding your hard drive based MP3 Player, flash player or most any other electronic device right up to your radio on the AM band, use some of the functions on said electronic device and notice the horrible interference you get over the AM signal.

[Jupex @ Jan 10th 2006 4:52PM]

Hmm.. neat accessory... am I the only one that thinks this is cool? I mean really ... The rds system is great like in a moving train or bus, because if imlemented correctly it allways searches for the stromgest signal. Also you could listen to mp3's and the unit automaticly swtiches to traffic announcements and news. Besides that I no more need to look for my iPod from my bag because I have the remote. I'll wait for the first reviews, but I'm sure I'm getting one.

[The ZeroCorpse @ Jan 10th 2006 5:49PM]

All you people who want radio in your music player (FM or AM):



Step 1: Go to the dollar store.



Step 2: Pick out one of the dozen-or-so cheapass micro radios.



Step 3: Pay the guy behind the counter his dollar.



Step 4: Listen.



Seriously, you're willing to pay a premium for a music player so you can listen to a technology that is almost 100 years old, being phased out slowly, and is filled with advertisements and obnoxious DJs? When you can buy a little radio in just about any dollar store for less than the cost of a cup of Starbucks coffe?



I bought an iPod to *avoid* radio. If I want to listen to NPR or something, I'll use the radio at home, or in my car, or I'll bring my tiny little portable radio instead of an iPod. However, I almost never prefer to listen to radio over my own playlists, because RADIO SUCKS.



You must be the same people who buy all those Blue Collar Comedy Tour products and purchase all your DVDs in fullscreen because you "don't like it when they cut off the picture with them thar black bars onna top'n bottom."



Seriously. Join us in the 21st century where radio's a dinosaur.

[wayne @ Jan 10th 2006 6:19PM]

YEAH!!! Now the overpriced Ipod costs even more!!!

WOOHOO!!

[Rob K @ Jan 10th 2006 6:22PM]

I like the Radio Data System feature...