The Canadian government’s communications technology lab has released a new Android application: FM TwoO (pronounced: two “O,” as in Web 2.0). FM TwoO accesses’ the embedded FM receiver in the Samsung Galaxy S class series.
“FM TwoO can be tuned to any station manually or by seeking through usual FM frequency bands,” the Communications Research Centre of Canada’s announcement says. The standard data in the FM-RDS [Radio Data System] protocol shows up on the main screen of the app when the radio goes into playing mode.
Plus the CRCC has thrown out a whole new Android library so developers can built their own apps for the Galaxy Series.
The library can be used to create new applications that make use of the FM-RDS features or to add this capability to an existing application. In the first released version, the library provides live access to PI, PS and Radio Text content. The CRC hopes to make this technology available to all mobile phone platforms.
The National Association of Broadcasters Radio Tech Check newsletter adds the following commentary on this release.
The popular Samsung Galaxy S class of Android smart phones is an example of a cell phone device which includes, but does not make use of, an “FM chip” that would allow for FM radio reception. An impressive list of features for these phones does not include FM radio, however the FM chip is there, unutilized.
What I’d be interested in knowing is why Samsung popped this capability into the device but never used it. Anyway, thanks to the CRCC for making the Samsung series more useful to FM radio lovers.
