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ESPN Radio app gets a refresh, now properly outfitted for the iPad

ESPN Radio app gets a refresh, now properly outfitted for the iPad


ESPN Radio app gets a refresh, now properly outfitted for the iPad

If you're needing to keep Mike & Mike an arm's length away at all times, ESPN has refreshed its Radio app to help with just that. Now optimized to the iPad in addition to the iPhone and iPod touch, the software allows you to sort your listening habits by sports, teams and athletes that you follow. The free version offers access to podcasts, the 20-minute SportCenter cycle, and offline listening for on-demand content. Currently, the premium version of the app is free as well -- touting custom stations / playlists, live audio pause / rewind, myESPN personalization, alerts / push notifications and a few m ore gems to keep you well informed on the latest Red Sox debacle. After a "limited time," though, you'll have to shell out $ 4.99 for the premium app and its 35 ESPN radio stations. What about Android and WP7 devices, you ask? The folks in Bristol claim that apps for those platforms will arrive later this summer.

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Now optimized for iPad and includes "build your sports station" personalization feature
Launch on Android and Windows 7 smartphones later this summer

ESPN Radio today unveils its single, most definitive ESPN Radio App optimized for iPhone, iPod touch and – for the first time – iPad. The app, sponsored by Lowe's, creates a seamless, personalized sports listening experience both live and on demand and includes a new feature that allows fans to build their own sports stations. Additionally, fans now have the option to rewind live audio streams, including ESPN Deportes Radio. Versions for Android and Windo ws 7 smartphones are slated to launch later this summer.

"This latest version of the ESPN Radio App builds on our promise to deliver the best sports audio content across any device," said Marc Horine, Vice President, ESPN Digital and Print Media. "With this update, fans now have complete control over their listening experience as the app provides the functionality to customize specifically by sports, teams and athletes they care most about."

The app is free to download and includes:
- Podcasts: Popular shows that include The BS Report with Bill Simmons, Pardon The Interruption, Around The Horn and Fantasy Focus;
- SportsCenter: The latest updates every 20 minutes;
- Offline Listening: The ability for fans to download on-demand audio content to listen offline.

Beginning today, fans can download the premium version of the app at no cost for a limited time. After that, for a one-time fee of $ 4.99, fans can access the fu ll experience of the app, complete with the new personalization features and enhancements. These include:
- Custom Station or Playlist: Users can search tens of thousands of audio clips by a specific topic and create a station or playlist of their favorite shows, teams, players and sports;
- Live Audio Functionality: Pause and rewind up to an hour of live audio;
- myESPN Personalization: Customized audio automatically pulled into the app based on favorites;
- Top Searches: Shows popular searches and trends for easy one-click access to top audio;
- Recommendation Engine: Related audio content suggestions;
- Alerts and Push Notifications: For MLB broadcasts, breaking news and more.

Additionally, the premium app will continue to give millions of ESPN Radio listeners access to live, crystal clear radio streams from over 35 ESPN Radio stations, fan favorite shows like Mike & Mike in the Morning, The Herd with Colin Co wherd, Waddle & Silvy (Chicago), The Michael Kay Show (New York) and more, select play-by-play broadcasts, live scores and text messaging. Additional features include integrated news content from ESPN's five local sites in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Dallas, and social media integrations via Facebook and Twitter.

ESPN Radio launched its first app in September 2009 and has since been one of the top paid sports apps in the marketplace. Additionally, it was named Best Radio App by Radio Ink Magazine at the Digital Convergence Awards in May 2011. The ESPN Radio App is available from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

The ESPN Radio app is the latest product from ESPN's digital audio portfolio. In March, ESPNRadio.com logged its best month ever since it first launched 11 years ago. The site generated nearly 1.51 million page views from users listening between 30-60 minutes of digital audio through t he ESPN Audio NOW Player, a 511 percent increase compared to the same month last year (source: Adobe/Omniture). It also generated more than 3.22 million unique visitors (up 10.75 percent) and nearly 27 million total page views (up 35.8 percent). Additionally, ESPN Podcasts recorded its own best month ever in March, logging 49 million downloads, up 73 percent compared to the same month last year.

Engadget

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