ABC Radio has just launched a new App, designed for both iPhones and Androids

ABC Radio has just launched a new App, designed for both iPhones and Androids, which puts all the ABC’s main analog and digital stations into the hands of Australia’s 2 million smart phone users.

The free App offers track or program information; automatic bookmarking of the most recently listened to stations; weekly online schedules; and the option to share what you’re listening to on Facebook, Twitter or via email. Android users also have an alarm feature, allowing users to wake up with ABC Radio.

The ABC Radio App gives listeners easy access to 19 radio stations from the national broadcaster and also the pop up stations, like ABC London Olympics, that come and go.

It allows listeners to hear all their favourite stations anywhere, anytime, plus over the coming weeks they will be able to listen to all the action live from the London 2012 Olympic Games on the special events station ABC London 2012. Like any smart phone app, the user pays for the data charges of streaming the audio via 3G or WiFi.

The ABC Radio App is available from the App Store for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - and for Android phones from the Google Play Store.

iPhone

The iPhone version of the ABC Radio App is designed for devices running iOS 4.0 and above. The app streams HLS over AAC+ at 64kbps, which uses about 29MB/hour. Written in objective C, the fully native app is built for speed. 

Android

The Android App is designed for devices running Android 2.1 and above and has been optimised for viewing on 480x800, 720x1280, 240x320, 800x1280 screens. It uses a Shoutcast mp3 stream at 96kbs, which uses about 44 MB/hour.

When radioinfo downloaded and tested the iPhone version of the App today it opened and played quickly, with little buffering. Song playing and album art info continued to feed, even when the audio was off. When accessing schedule and other information, the audio continued to stream without a hitch.

The ABC Radio App is optimised to deliver fast and easy access to the following stations:

(Source :  Radioinfo.com.au)