Apple iPod Radio Remote adds FM to iPods
By Marc Perton 
posted January 10th 2006 2:22PM
posted January 10th 2006 2:22PM
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.
WOOOOHOOOO lets hear it for a waste of money. I have an ipod filled with 27 some odd gigs of my favorite music why in the world would I want to listen to the radio and have to listen to stuff i dont like??????????
#8 I agree, nothing ticks me off more with Apple, than the discarding of the customers that have bought their past products. I have a 3rd and 4th generation iPod and come on they can't support that? Or any firmware updates what so ever? I am officially an iPod/Apple hater now. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 3 or more times, "Do I look stupid to you?"
Give me a remote with an LCD screen that offers FULL control of the main unit, and I will gladly pay $50 for it (without the worthless FM radio option).
Wow that cable is long.... I guess its for those who want to be across the room from their iPod yet don't want to invest in wireless?
God forbid Apple ever bloat up the size of the iPod to include a feature I'd never use. The FM remote is a great idea. The small amount of FM listeners can have their radio, while the rest of use can keep our slim iPods.
Hey, I got an Apple Store gift card for Christmas. Guess what I'll buy with it?
Holy shit, I just realised this is a RECEIVER and not a BROADCASTER. I was thinking this was for broadcasting music onto other FM stations. AWESOME!
To #19: if you don't need radio because you have podcasts, what happens if you want to listen some important news, lets say, for example, one particular day of September of 2001? Go to your home and download the MP3?
Maybe FM is full of commercials and stupid DJ's in USA, but do you know something? There're other countries with other kind of radio.
Most of you seem to have overseen the fact that the unit doubles as a wired remote. I want to buy this, and I have ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION OF USING IT TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO.
One reason that I was VERY hesitant about buying a Nano or a 5G iPod was because the remote socket next to the headphone port from the 3G, 4G, and Mini was ommitted.
Maybe it's because I'm used to portable music players from Japan, but I cannot imagine using a portable music device without a inline wired remote clipped to my jacket or collar with the player safely tucked away in a backpack or carrying case.
The remotes aren't for everyone. Most people laugh when I say that many people in Japan and South Korea use remotes on their music players, then proceed to ask who would be so lazy that they can't just take the iPod/MD player/CD player out of their pocket or bag and push the FF button... If you're on a crowded train or on a bicycle, pushing a button on a remote clipped to your collar or backpack strap is convenient beyond words.
I'm guessing that this device will sell like hotcakes in Japan, and I'm sure that nobody will even care that there's an FM tuner built in. Now people here are bitching about the cost. You all should see how much they charge for wired remotes for MD/CD players at Audiocubes and Minidisco...
Granted, those are imported AND have LCD displays, those things aren't cheap to begin with by any means.
I'd only use this thing for emergencies like if I was in a hurricane. Do serious music lovers listen to fm radio anyway? XM or Sirius yes, FM no.
Urm, if the remote is anything like their 4G ones, bad times ahead (I've had 2 brand new apple remotes basically stop working on me within about two months or so of usage -- lame).
Oh, and the price is just ridiculous. Cut it and dice it however you want, $50 is just too much money for this marginal of an addition in functionality. But this IS Apple -- they've perfected the art of marketing less functionality for more money *coughipodshufflecough*.
Though I do agree on the usefulness of wired remotes, in general. Pretty much every portable player I've had since high school had one. It's very convenient.
Just got my FM radio today - I was a little skeptical originally, but was missing having a radio with my nano, and so shelled out the $44 (educ. discount).
I got to say I am convinced it was worth it - it is a great addition, with fantastic sound quality and reception (even in the interference-filled section of downtown NYC where I live). I also love that it is such a small device and so easily integrated with the ipod itself. The radio presets are easy to use and well-done (the old-fashioned dial is cute) and the RDS functionality is great. Really a wonderful addition, even at the price. I'm even happier now with my ipod...