For starters, these apps need an active internet connection to work. And let’s face it, people don’t always have an unlimited data plan to be always connected to the internet and worse, getting the best signal to establish a stable connection is really hard to come by especially in less urbanized areas. Fortunately, third party accessories such as Griffin’s iFM have made it possible for iOS device users to get FM radio to their gadgets with the use of a simple add-on. But is it worth it? Here’s a quick rundown of what it has to offer.
The Box. The iFM comes in a very small and simple trapezoidal box. There is a paper sleeve on top of the actual box of the device. The front portion of the sleeve features the image of the iFM unit connected to a headset and to an iphone 3GS. The back portion has small cut-outs that show parts of the iFM as well as some instructions written in different languages.
Once you remove the sleeve, you will see an orange box where with a plastic window so that the unit is clearly seen even if the box is still not open. Once you open the box, you will be greeted by the iFM unit itself, a Griffin logo sticker and of course a set of manuals and paper works.
The Hardware. The Griffin iFM is a very discreet piece of an accessory. There are no buttons, LCD screens, switches or knobs on the device as all controls are done using the iphone’s or ipod’s touch based UI. The only thing that can be seen on the FM receiver is the company’s logo and a few standard electrical markings and certifications.
There is a socket for your standard 3.5mm headphones and of course the other end of the device is the 32-pin connector that plugs in to your idevice.
The Software. Seeing that the iFM doesn’t have any physical controls to change radio stations or to perform other related functions, it is mandatory that users download and install an application from the Apple App store which is meant to be used solely with the iFM.
The good thing about it is that’s its free for download on the Apple App store. The bad thing is that the iFM needs the application to be installed for the device to work. Otherwise, the app will not work and will display an error message saying that you need to connect the FM receiver so that you can activate the FM radio.
Once you have successfully connected the FM receiver and opened the app, it will ask you to select a region among US, Europe or Japan. Once you have successfully selected your area, you will be directed to the main interface of the app.
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| Setup Menu |
The app’s main features 3 sections. The top section shows the current station that’s playing on your device, the mid-section displays is where you will find the company’s branding and the app logo which doubles as a shortcut to the radio tuning knob. The lower portion will show you a scrollable list of your favorite radio stations. And just below that is where the volume control is located and the small settings icon is found.
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| Favorites List |
Usage and Function. Griffin’s iFM is relatively easy to use. An iphone beginner will be able to master the controls in less than 10 minutes even without reading the online documentation provided in the app store or the reading the instruction manual that came with the device.
After connecting the unit to your idevice and opening the app, users just need to touch the iFM icon and start turning the knob to select the radio station that they want. Favorites are added by first tuning in to the station and then tapping the Favorite button to add the station to your favorites. There will be a blue circle to indicate that the user has successfully added an entry to the popular list.
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| Tuning Wheel |
Frequency tuning can also be done via the two buttons at the upper right and left side of the tuning knob. Once the user has completely added all the stations that he wants to his favorite list, tapping the “Done” button on the lower right portion of the tuning knob will redirect him to the main UI where the lower section of the screen will show the scrollable list of favorite stations.
The settings button on the lower right hand of the main UI will provide a list of extra options users can customize, such as enabling the app to run in the background or changing previous settings such as the region.
Final Words. The FM radio receiver from Griffin is indeed one of the best solutions for iPhone and iPod users to get FM radio on their devices. However, it’s far from being perfect. After a few weeks of using the device I noticed that the 32-pin connector can sometimes loosen and therefore disable the app accidentally, which poses a difficult situation for users who put their phones or iPods in their pocket.
I also noticed that the app exhibits different behaviors when used on different iOS versions. For example, I noticed that the app won’t work in the background on OS versions earlier than iOS 5. Lastly, when compared to devices with native FM receivers, I noticed that the iFM catches radio signals weaker than other devices with built in FM radio.
To sum it all up, if you’re really not so desperate on getting FM radio to your iPhone or your iPod, then the Griffin iFM radio receiver may not be that good for you. The iFM is also not pocket friendly since its connections to your idevice is not that secure and it’s kind of weird and bulky looking accessory. However, if you don’t have another device with a built in FM receiver and your iPhone or iPod is the only device that you use to listen to music, then the iFM will be perfect for you. You just have to search thoroughly for this device because Griffin products retailers are pretty rare in the Philippines.
