BlazeRadio is the student-run, commercial-free Internet-only radio station for the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It runs 24 hours a day with two streams: popular and classical.
The station added a new way to listen in January: through your iPhone or iPod Touch with the free BlazeRadio app.
QueCentric, a Birmingham technology consulting firm, built the app.
Birmingham-based iPhone developers Josh Grenon and Brian Cauble served as our guest reviewers.
What was your overall experience?
Josh: Good.
Brian: The overall experience was good. This was also a very simple app that allowed you to listen to the two radio stations at UAB and get news about BlazeRadio.
Do you get the sense that this is a custom app, or a “skinned” app for various sister outlets?
Josh: This is definitely a custom app.
Brian: It felt like a custom app.
As a radio consumer, what did you like? What would you add?
Josh: I like that the music plays quickly and easily. I would add more UAB specific information about BlazeRadio such as names of the DJs.
Brian: I’m not sure there is much to add. The app serves the purpose of the station.
As an app developer, what did you like? How would you improve it?
Josh: I like the simple interface. I’d put a feature into the app to enabling sharing of the radio on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. I would also add a way for users to e-mail feedback to the radio station.
Brian: I liked that the streaming was good. It wasn’t choppy at all. You could improve it by offering a better music selection and maybe a sports-only station.
Since it’s a free app, would you pay money for it? How much? Why or why not?
Josh: I would not pay money for this application because it is not feature complete.
Brian: I would not pay for this app.
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Our other iPhone app reviews: the CBS 42 app and the Fox 6 app.
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Josh Grenon (@joshgrenon) is a .Net developer by day and an iPhone developer by night. He started developing iPhone applications — such as Bham iCamp — in early 2009. Josh is also executive producer of Inspirageek, a casual yet informative video blog for geeks, and founder of user group Birmingham Mobile Tech.
Brian Cauble (@briancauble) is the co-owner of Appsolute Genius, an iPhone application development company in Birmingham. His other interests include promoting local entrepreneurship through Birmingham Entrepreneur, participating in social media and a huge attachment to college football.
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