Found new way to pick up Air America

[Dr Ron]

I live in an area without a local Air America station but wanted a portable way to listen without lugging my notebook with me from room to room. I checked into satellite but people were telling me recepiton was quite variable, and I didn't want to pay the monthly subscription.

I just found one partial solution--it is possible to pick up Air America (as well as lots of other stations) on a Palm TX which is pocket sized, has a small speaker, and earphone jacks. Just like listening on a pocket radio (as long as I'm where there is WiFi.

If anyone else is interested, I posted the specifics at Liberal Values earlier today:

http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=410

[itsrobert]

1. That's new?

Streaming Air America through a portable wi-fi device. That's been around for awhile.

[FoxNewsSucks]

2. Not everyone's a complete techno-geek....

I don't even think the Palm I have would do that.

When I'm at home, I just stick a baby monitor in front of the computer speaker and use that in different rooms, or the garage. It has pretty good range. $12.95 at Target.

[ClassWarrior]

8. Or you can get a small FM transmitter for about $20 bucks and plug...

...it into your headphone jack. Most electronics stores have 'em.

NGU.

[Dr Ron]

10. Still limits to being around home computer

Like the WiFi headphones someone else uses, this is of use for extending the range aound home, but I was looking for a way to get Air America outside of home. While limited to places with WiFi, at least there are some places with free WiFi where this works.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

12. Great!

I never thought of that. The reception on my local AAR is total crap - I can't pick up anything but static, so I stream.

Thanks for the tip!

[Dr Ron]

5. New for Palm

It is relatively new for the Palm and I also suspect there are Palm users who don't realize there Palm can pick this up.

If I had realized the TX could do this I might have upgraded even earlier.

[Dr Ron]

9. Apparently it is new to some

I just checked the stat counter. About 30 people have followed the link, so apparently the specifics of this is something they didn't know.

[alfredo]

3. iTunes carries it. That could mean you can get it on

your cell phone.

[Dr Ron]

6. That sounds like a way to really kill off minutes

It would have the advantage of not being limited to places with WiFi, but I'm already close to maxing out minutes each month. (I don't want to change the contract for more minutes right now because I want to change cell phone companies and they extend the contract term when the minutes is increased).

[alfredo]

14. I'm lucky to use 200 minutes except during campaign

season.

[Dr Ron]

15. You obviously aren't sharing minutes with a teenage daughter

Until she got old enough to get a cell phone I always had lots of extra minutes every month.

[alfredo]

16. I don't have that problem. I do have some friends who want to

talk for hours.

[texanwitch]

4. I have Wi-Fi headphones

The headphones have a 300 ft reach, covers the house, yard and the whole block.

[Dr Ron]

7. Sounds useful

That wouldn't help when at other places besides home, but a 300 foot range from my home computer would be of some value. I'll have to look into such headphones.

[texanwitch]

13. I found the headphones on the internet for a decent price.

:hi:

[pnorman]

11. Thanks for that Shoutcast tip!

I have a Palm OS PDA (Sony TH-55) that has WiFi. But more to the point, I can get on the web with my new Smartphone (Treo 700p). I'll give it a try later on. BTW: I'm listening to AA right now by XM sat. radio, but that's besides the point.

pnorman