The Migration from FM to Digital

Over the past few weeks, many of our favourite radio deejays have left their home radio stations to pursue other opportunities. Paul Rotherham left 94.7 for WorldTunes, Darren Scott left Jacaranda to start Ballz, and Bailey Schneider left 94.7 for 2oceansvibe, to name a few.

I have a Media Centre PC in our lounge, running XMBC on top of Ubuntu Desktop. A couple weeks ago, I installed the TuneIn add-on for XBMC on my media centre. It allows me to listen to loads of online and traditional radio stations over the Internet, and it works beautifully.

The thing is, we listen to the radio in our car, and I listen to the radio all day while at work. I tried installing the TuneIn app on my Android phone. It also works great, but for two problems:

1. It's really expensive to audio stream over GPRS in South Africa, and
2. It really chews my cellphone's battery.

We're not allowed to audio stream at work, so unless I pay the exorbitant data charges, there's no listening to my favourite deejays there, either.

I did loads of Googling today, and it amazes me that no-one has yet to come up with a dedicated online radio listening device. I would think if anyone would invent such a device, it would be someone like TuneIn! Come on, guys, come to the party! Then of course it's up to the cellphone providers (MTN, I'm looking at you!) to come up with flat rated data plans for audio streaming. It can't be that difficult.

When I can have a dedicated device in my car (replacing my car radio), and a dedicated device on my desk at work (to replace my traditional radio), the migration from FM to Digital will truly be complete!