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If you were to invent your ideal radio, what would you include to make it the best radio ever? Would you want a radio that received stations from around the world, static free? Would you like to listen wherever you go? Would you be able to pause, rewind and fast forward?
Good news! TuneIn is a radio service that can do all this and more.
TuneIn Features
TuneIn Radio is an online radio service that broadcasts over 50,000 radio stations from around the world. You can listen to AM, FM and HD stations, podcasts, radio shows and police scanners. Search by location, language, genre, or call letters. Listen to live streaming radio or past episodes of shows.
Listen to classical music, public radio, jazz, college, Christian, contemporary, jazz and classic rock stations, whatever suits your mood. You can even listen to NASA Space Missions.
TuneIn also allows you to search for artists and songs so you can see if any one of the 50,000 stations is playing your favorite tune.
You can listen on your computer at tunein.com, on your Roku, or from your smartphone from the TuneIn Radio app. TuneIn apps are available for the iPad and smartphones including iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and Palm devices.
There is no limit to the number of hours you can listen to TuneIn and the service is free. You can save your favorites, like buttons on your car radio. With TuneIn you can pause live radio for up to thirty minutes, fast forward and rewind, as if you were watching live tv on your dvr.
TuneIn can also operate like a clock radio. You can set TuneIn to wake you in the morning with your favorite station or to help you fall asleep at night with its sleep timer feature.
TuneIn Pro
All of the features listed above are free, but if you’re willing to spend a whopping $0.99, you can upgrade to the TuneIn Pro app on your Android, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and BlackBerry devices. With TuneIn Pro, you can record broadcasts for later listening. You can even schedule recordings ahead of time to make sure you don’t miss your favorite show.
Ways to Use TuneIn
If you get static listening to your favorite radio station, use TuneIn for clear reception.
If your child is studying a foreign language in school, check out international radio stations to help her learn to speak the language and refine her accent.
If you’re out of town and want to hear your favorite radio program from home, search for stations based on location.
If you’re out of town on game day and want to hear local announcers call the plays check out TuneIn Radio for local Philadelphia stations. Try ESPN Sports Talk 1050 for sports programming and live games.
If you recently moved away from an area and are missing your old hometown, listen to a local radio station for a virtual trip back. The announcers may seem like old friends, so enjoy listening to them, even if you’re far away. I use TuneIn to listen to my favorite radio show from London, James O’Brien on LBC, 97.3. I can also listen to 34 different BBC stations on TuneIn.
Have fun exploring TuneIn. Radio stations change frequently, so if your favorite isn’t available today, check again later. Or explore and discover another radio station that may become your new favorite!
Mind Your Data
Warning: If you’re listening on your smartphone and away from Wi-Fi, be very careful about your data limits. Listening to live streaming radio away from Wi-Fi can eat up your data allowance faster than a Sumo wrestler at a casino buffet. If you have TuneIn Pro, record your radio programs over Wi-Fi for playback later so you don’t have to use any data to listen.
You can monitor how much data you have used listening to TuneIn under Settings => Cellular.
Bottom Line
If you want to listen to static-free radio from around the world, with the ability to pause, rewind and fast forward, check out TuneIn Radio for free. If you want to be able to record shows to listen to later, check out the TuneIn Pro app for $0.99.
Sounds interesting, now i need to check it out and see if any of the Indian channels are already available on this one. Thanks for sharing and filling up our boring work schedule with lively music of our choice. Hope I dont get fired now 🙂
Hi Praveen, Yes, many Indian radio stations are included in TuneIn Radio. Here is a link to stations from Bangalore
http://tunein.com/radio/Bengaluru-r100835/
Don’t get fired, now, Praveen! 😉
I like this and I have found a use for it! I think I’ll advise my Chinese students to try this and listen to the local radio stations. I wonder how it knew my local stations? My IP is Manchester! I’m listening to Beacon radio at Wolverhampton telling me all the traffic hot spots. the motorway junction near me and the Burnt tree Island where they have just sent a few million on new traffic lights to ‘ease congestion’. I knew that wouldn’t work! It’s a few decades since I listened to this radio station; they’re playing the same song! 🙂
Hi Mike, I’m glad you found a lot of radio stations you like in your area. (You’re right, new traffic lights never ease congestion!).
So funny that the radio station is still playing the same song as decades ago. I’m thinking they went from Today’s Hits to Golden Oldies! 🙂
Carolyn,
Some years ago I had visited a similar site (maybe the same one) and it was comparatively limited as I was looking for European stations. But now this has a good selection and it is clear. I’m listening to France Classic now. It has France Culture, etc etc.
Hi Lee, I’m so pleased you found French stations you are enjoying. Make sure to save them as Favorites so you can tune in easily next time you visit TuneIn! 🙂
I totally love TuneIn… yeah I had to work hard as a daily labourer in Oakland dockyard to earn whooping 99¢ to buy the app! I record, listen whenever, its just awesome. And there are plenty to choose from. (Only catch: if you are on 3G, remember, it sucks up a lot of data for streaming audio, so may not be good for those on limited data plan).
My only simple feature request: to be able to either ‘sync’ the recorded audio files to iTunes, or be able to send by email, or have a dropbox integration where it can upload the files.
If you are in touch with the developers, please do let them know. Thanks!
Hi iRewardChart, I agree, transferring the saved files would be very handy, but unfortunately that isn’t an option. I imagine that copyright issues would abound, but you have a truly great idea. I have written the developer and will let you know if I hear something. 🙂
Just installed it, I think that this app just replaced AOL radio and Pandora for me. Thanks so much for this post Carolyn!
Carolyn, aloha. Not only are you a Wonder of Tech, you are a Wonder of Everything. TuneIn looks to be an amazing resource as well as a fun one. Guaranteed many people will be delighted when I introduce them to this.
Out of curiosity, how do you keep having so many new things to share with us? Do you spend the day reading and looking for things? Are that many new things introduced every day?
How do you do what you do? You’re amazing. An absolute wonder. Until later, my friend. Aloha. Janet
Hi Janet, Thanks! I do read a lot about tech during the day. Yes, there is new tech everyday, but I mix the new with the not so new. What’s important is whether tech is great. TuneIn Radio isn’t new, but I wanted people to know about it because it’s such a fantastic service.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying tech, Janet! Hope you have a great weekend. 🙂
Carolyn, aloha. Just left you a comment on the Philadelphia Inquirer as well. Looks like your weather is cooling off a bit.
Off to post this info on facebook. Until later, aloha. Janet
Thanks for sharing this article, Janet. We are seeing snow here now. I’m thinking you’re not seeing the same picture from your window! 😉
Hi again Carolyn,
It seem like a cool radio site, but when I tune into a radio station it just has a button for stop or to play, can u tell me how to rewind or pause a radio station??
Hi Faran, the pause, rewind and fast forward capabilities are for the mobile apps. I don’t know why those features aren’t available on the website, but they should be!
It has a very matured mobile apps. Installed one for my android.
Good post carolyn..
Hi SSrijan, I’m glad you liked the post. Enjoy your TuneIn Radio app!
Very cool! I really like this Radio Service, Carolyn! It will definitely become a fave to use during my writing sessions. It also introduces you to some very cool stations that you normally wouldn’t have heard of as well. Thanks for sharing this, Carolyn! Awesome share! 🙂
Hi Deeone, Glad you like TuneIn Radio! You’re right, it’s a great way to discover new stations you like. You can check out podcasts and radio shows too.
Hope you’re having a great weekend, Deeone! 🙂
Wow Carolyn,
What a great find! Woman, you are definitely the Queen of Tech! You have so earned that title. I’m really loving you right now. As if I didn’t already! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I have bookmarked this site and will be spending the $0.99 to put it on my iPod so that if I want to tune into some stations or even podcast while out and about, I can. I love this!
Thank you so much for this cool info and congrats on still writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer. They definitely have a winner on their hands with you.
Have a great weekend.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, I’m glad you’re getting the pro version of TuneIn Radio for your iPod. You can record what you want to listen to when you’re out and about without Wi-Fi. Very handy!
Thanks for crowning me Queen of Tech! I will certainly work tirelessly to deserve that crown. 😀
Wow, this is the first time I’ve heard of TuneIn and it sounds amazing. I only listen to podcasts at the moment, but that’s mostly because I listen to radio (on my iPhone) while walking and I don’t use 3G for that. I like to target the shows I listen to and not the radio station. There are some really good shows in Norway too, and they’re all free. But with TuneIn I’ll get access to a lot more. I’m just thinking about how easy it is to find targeted shows and not radio stations only?
Hi Jens, The search features are different on the website vs. iPhone vs. iPad. You can try the different methods of searching to see which one works best for you. The iPad and website are easier to search on than the iPhone, so you may use those to find the shows you like and then listen to them on your iPhone.
Wow, this sounds pretty dang cool; I will definitely check it out…..
You are so smart…………:)
Thanks, Bill. You’re right, TuneIn is pretty dang cool! 😀
That’s neat.
I used to listen to some local channels online, but haven’t in awhile – I usually don’t listen to music unless i am home alone, which is RARE..lol.
I’ll bookmark the site for future reference though. Does WMGK come in on it? So many of my favorite stations have switched around, but found that one and like it 😉
Alarms and all that wouldn’t help me as I need to get away from the computer to sleep – otherwise I am so addicted to my computer, it’s bad..lol.
Linda
I see they are on there – I should have looked first before I posted.
I see WCVH – in Flemington is not streaming – my kid is taking that next semester at high school – too bad it is not 🙁
Most of my other favorite Philly/NJ channels are on there – very cool.
Linda
Hi Linda, I’m glad TuneIn has your favorite radio stations. Check again later to see if WCVH is added to their line up. Stations change frequently on this service. You may also discover new stations you enjoy! 🙂
I get Static… as if listening to over the air station . Why?
Thanks
James
Hi James, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I am sorry you are having difficulties with TuneIn Radio. Do you hear the static on all of the stations? Are you listening with a smartphone app or on your computer?
I didn’t find any other reports of people having this issue, but you can contact Support for TuneIn Radio here: TuneIn Radio.