Debuting in the BlackBerry Beta Zone, users in the US on 2/3 got the opportunity to test out an upcoming app, “BlackBerry Radio,” and provide feedback to perfect it. This app will put multiple mobile radio services at users’ fingertips with no set-up and no cost for the beta user beyond their standard data plan costs.
BlackBerry Radio is not a traditional radio app, but works with multiple radio apps to make the process of finding and listening to radio on a BlackBerry quicker, easier and more integrated by presenting a sampling of services from some of their most popular partners.
With BlackBerry Radio, users can access popular digital radio services from one place. For example they can choose from preset genre-based radio channels provided by popular radio services. BlackBerry Radio features a combo of Internet radio (including Slacker and Pandora) and terrestrial radio (including iHeartRadio, Corus, and others). Music discovery from within BlackBerry Radio is also simple, as you can choose from a variety of genres like Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz and more, with just one click.
BlackBerry Radio also allows premium (often commercial-free) radio apps to be downloaded at any time from within as well example.
While listening to music streams from participating radio partners, users in the US will have quick access to the recently launched Amazon MP3 storefront to purchase songs currently playing. Users can also access BlackBerry Radio at any time from within the music menu on their BlackBerry smartphone.
For now, this app is only available to beta testers in the US.
RBR-TVBR observation: A great idea—bundle numerous apps and radio services into one app and organize it all by genre. Needless to say, Blackberry needs more original apps like this to better compete with iPhone, which is quite ahead of the app pack.
