MP3 files come across as slightly muffled through the supplied earbuds. The LCD offers no artist names or other song information, just the track number and the elapsed time. The Radio YourWay's digital-music capabilities are pretty basic. The compression magnifies any static or hiss in the source signal, so the record function works best with a cleanly received station. The upside is that you can record an hour on a mere 7.2MB of memory. Radio recordings are saved as RVF files with a sampling rate of 16kHz to 20kHz, too low for audio in any codec. It's better suited to talk-radio and sports programs. Although you can record your favorite songs off the radio, the device's recording quality simply isn't good enough for music. But it's more appropriate for voice transmission-music coming through the single speaker calls to mind old transistor radios. The built-in speaker allows you to listen without headphones to MP3 or WMA files, as well as live or canned AM/FM broadcasts. However, you can save space by recompressing a WAV file to MP3 or another format with a program such as dBpowerAmp Music Converter. Our 1.78MB RVF file became a 28.6MB expanded WAV file. Conversion to WAV, of course, drastically increases file size. Afterward, you can use an audio editor to eliminate commercials, make best-of compilations, and hunt for samples to place in audio projects (as long as you clear the rights). After you upload recordings to your computer, the application can convert the RVF files to WAV format at the click of a button. Three folders for music, voice, and data in the Recorder menu keep everything well organized.
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The TM Explorer software is simple enough to use for transferring files between the player's internal and external memory. Radio recordings are treated as voice files and saved in RVF, which uses a much lower compression rate than music file formats (more on this in the Performance section). But you can schedule an FM recording for one block of time, and an AM recording for another. Unlike with a VCR, however, you can't listen to one station while recording from another. The device's timer is akin to your VCR's-frustrating at first but relatively simple once you get the hang of it. What really separates the Radio YourWay from the pack is its ability to digitally record directly from its AM/FM tuner, either on the fly or with the timer. If you use rechargeable batteries, you'll need a separate charger the AC adapter is for powering the unit only when you want to listen to broadcasts through the PoGo's built-in speaker. The device is powered by two alkaline AAA batteries and connects to your computer via the supplied USB cable. The monochrome LCD, which displays big, block, digitized characters, looks like something from an early-eighties handheld video game, but at least it's large, and some users might find its retro appearance appealing. With only 32MB of memory onboard, the Radio YourWay is clearly not designed to compete with standard MP3 players, although it does have an expansion slot so that you can add more memory with SD or MMC media. On the downside, the unit feels a bit flimsy, as if the buttons weren't built to withstand long-term use. But if you want to erase multiple files simultaneously, you have to do it from your computer through the bundled TM Explorer software (see the Features section). Most of the functions, such as file deletion and EQ, are handled by a single button.
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A small speaker on the back provides pocket-radio-style listening you'll need to attach the included antenna wire to use the speaker instead of headphones, which normally act as antennae for portable devices with radio tuners. The unit sports a utilitarian layout, with the Play/Pause button in the middle of a circle of navigation controls. At 2.8 ounces, its weight is about halfway between that of a flash player and an Apple iPod. Measuring 2.17 by 3.88 by 0.71 inches, the Radio YourWay is roughly the size of a cigarette pack, so while it can slip into a front shirt pocket, it will be a little bulky. The company likes to promote its Radio YourWay recorder as a TiVo for radio, and it's the truth-although the unit plays MP3 and WMA files, its major selling point is its ability to digitally record AM and FM broadcasts. PoGo Products is betting that lots of people hate missing their favorite radio shows, just as the millions who program their VCRs can't go without their favorite television series.