FlyCast 2.0 Internet radio streaming is now available for the Blackberry platform, with an iPhone app to follow later this quarter. While the software features a variety of performance improvements and new capabilities, the notable enhancement is the ability to cache content:
With FlyCast 2.0, users can quickly store their favorite stations to their mobile devices when connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network, then disconnect from the network and listen to the stations at their leisure. Cached content is maintained in the context of the station and can be kept for a maximum of 30 days or three plays, whichever occurs first.
Unlike Slacker‘s Blackberry app which requires a USB connection to archive music or WunderRadio which lacks caching capabilities, FlyCast will grab five hours of content over-the-air (or 20 over WiFi) for later playback on the plane or subway. I’m not sure what, if any, licensing deals could be in place to allow this across the board. So let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth and ask that question. Traditional radio streaming remains free, whereas the caching capabilities require a one time payment (after free 7 day trial) of $9.95 (5hrs) or $19.95 (20hrs) good for the life of the device.
