Well, it’s not built in, but it’s a step in the right direction…iBiquity has made its first foray into the mobile market and its third in the portable market (the first were Best Buy’s Insignia NS-HD01 and Microsoft’s Zune HD): The Gigaware Navigation Control HD Radio Receiver accessory and the HD Radio app. The combination enables iPhone and iPod touch devices to tune into HD Radio broadcasts for the first time.
Adding HD Radio Technology to the iPhone and iPod touch (compatible with models updated with 3.0 software) is a two-step process:
▪ Step 1: Buy the Gigaware HD Radio accessory, designed for and sold exclusively at RadioShack for an MSRP of $79.99.
▪ Step 2: Download the free app by clicking on the Apple App Store icon on the actual device or though the iTunes’ App Store link (under the Music category) in the top left column.
The app software features an intuitive, user-friendly interface; a manual tune wheel or auto-seek option; and the ability to connect with friends through e-mail, Twitter and Facebook. Users can also preview content currently airing and directly select a main station or multicast channel stream, in addition bookmarking their favorite stations and multicast channels. An iTunes Tagging button on the Gigaware navigation accessory also allows users to tag songs for future review and purchase via iTunes.
