Is Radioshift the next killer app?
Radioshift, a new application from Rogue Amoeba, might just be the next killer app for the Mac.
Rogue Amoeba , makers of Airfoil and Audio Hijack Pro have just released their latest application called Radioshift (US$32). It's billed as 'Radio on your schedule' and lets you listen to and record Internet and FM/AM radio from around the world.
Think of Radioshift as Tivo for radio. While lots of audio programs are now easily available via podcast there are still many that simply aren't. For instance, many podcasts are spoken word rather than music due to licensing restrictions. With Radioshift, you can capture any Internet or regular radio streams (as long as you have a Griffin Radio Shark ) to your computer and play them back as and when you like.
 The main Radioshift window |
Because Internet radio comes in various different formats you'll need to make sure you have all the right software installed before using Radioshift (Real Audio, Windows Media, Quicktime and MP3 streams). By default, all Macs have Quicktime and MP3 support however Radioshift makes installing the other two easy. Simply select 'Install Players' from the 'Radioshift' menu and Radioshift will download the software to the your desktop where you'll need to manually install it.
Radioshift's main window comprises three panes; Search, Popular and Favourites. To find a stream simply enter the name and choose from over 50,000 listings. You can also explore listings by 'Genres' or 'World'. The 'World' option displays a map where you select the city and then get a listing of local radio stations. Subscribing to a station is as easy as clicking the 'Subscribe' button.
 Selecting a radio station based on location is a great feature |
 Subscribing is easy... |
By default, Radioshift captures audio in 128kbps AAC however you can choose MP3, Apple Lossless or AIFF at varying bitrates and channels as well. Additionally, Radioshift will automatically wake (or Power-on) your Mac if you've scheduled a recording while your computer is off. Finally, once you've recorded a program you can send it to iTunes and take it away with you on your iPod next time you sync.
I'm betting that Radioshift will be a hit with Mac users. Internet radio is already huge. Being able to listen to it when and where you want might just make Radioshift the next killer app.