TuneIn Offers Streaming Online Radio (Including World Radio) in Vehicles, Serving Up Alternative to Pandora or SiriusXM

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Pandora is practically a household name when it comes to streaming, personalized online radio, but upstart TuneIn offers a unique variation on the internet radio theme: actual radio. It's fully integrated in BMW and Mini models equipped with BMW's Connected vehicle application, enabling the manipulation of compatible smartphone apps through the car's controls. TuneIn allows users to compile the live, online-streaming broadcasts of radio stations as part of a searchable live-streaming website and app. While not as personalized as Pandora, which allows users to "create" their own radio stations around a single song or genre, TuneIn users can save stations as presets—and it delivers world radio, too. You can search by names of sports teams, artists or on-air personalities; station call letters; specific songs or genres; or be given suggestions in the form of "BMW Top stations," which gives options based upon what other BMW drivers are listening to.

We were given a brief demonstration of TuneIn in a BMW, and found the menus simple and straightforward. Drivers simply download the BMW Connected and TuneIn Radio apps to their mobile device, pair that device with the car, then access TuneIn via the BMW Connected menu tab on the dashboard’s iDrive screen—the radio is then streamed directly to your device. Once the TuneIn app is selected under the "Web Radio" menu tab on the BMW Connected home screen, drivers can search for and listen to more than 50,000 AM, FM, HD, and internet-only radio stations and podcasts. Somewhat redundantly, the app can use your mobile device's GPS to find your current location and display local radio stations; the feature's saving grace is that it displays all stations in an easily scanned list along with what song or program the station is currently playing.

Although the iPhone/iPad/iTouch app is currently the only TuneIn app integrated with BMW and Mini Connected, the TuneIn app for non-Apple devices can be utilized in cars with an auxiliary audio input if you're willing to control it using your mobile device instead of your car's controls. We were told that integration with Ford's App Link and other automakers' app-compatible infotainment systems is in the works. Our only issue with TuneIn wasn't so much an issue with the app itself—which was about as straightforward to manipulate as an app can be—but rather the overwhelming amount of choices available if you attempt to use it while driving. We suggest you explore the multitude of radio options and set your presets before hitting the road, or let a passenger take a world radio tour while you focus on driving. There are two versions of the TuneIn app: one is free and includes most of the critical functionality, while a $0.99 version adds recording and playback of live radio.

Alexander Stoklosa 21 Jun, 2011

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Source: http://blog.caranddriver.com/tunein-offers-streaming-online-radio-including-world-radio-in-vehicles-serving-up-alternative-to-pandora-or-siriusxm/
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