Primarily I need the tuner to listen to NPR (I am not even a baby boomer). I suppose the tuner doesn’t need to be incorporated in the iPod, but there’s a market for tuners either as an attached product or other. The technology has been around for a long time. What does it take?

Just yesterday, I bought the Philips SA3115, 1 GB Flash Player, with a quite big color display, MP3, WMA, Movie capapilities, FM Tuner, Voice Recorder, all with a nice navigation menu (does look a bit like on the iPod). The device can be mounted as a regular USB drive, no compulsory use of iTunes needed. All that for EUR 69,00.

I will now sell my iPod Video 80 GB on eBay, maybe I will buy again, when Apple comes out with multitouch widescreen iPods.

We’ve swallowed features that were more costly than an FM tuner; the colour screen that drained more battery than the monochrome one, the video playback in this tiny screen, games…

I would appreciate everything that doesn’t add up to the price, and allows me to have less things dangling from my iPod. If that included a cork opener (and it didn’t harm my iPod’s design, of course!), would be more than ok with it.

I’d buy a iPod in a minute, if besides the outdated FM radio, it included a VHF-UHF scanner with international and marine shortwave bands, long wave band, X and K radar detector and laser detector. It must also include a anachronistic corkscrew, can opener, and bottle opener too. And an absolute must, also include a folding shovel [...]

pigstare, my friend, you absolutely nailed it. Especially considering scott Larmer’s comment.

First, there are tons of things the iPod could do. When they introduced the iPod video, my first reaction was, “It would be really cool if I could watch TV shows on it! So it should pick up VHF/UHF/Digital broadcasts! That would be awesome!”

But would I use that capability? Rarely. There’s not a whole lot on TV that I watch and what I do watch, I tend to TiVO.

The iPod is not the be-all and end-all. It’s a very good music player. I like my nano. I use it on my bike (when on bike paths) and I’m planning to get a car kit so it will work with my car stereo (alas, my car is too old for a manufacturer kit). But that doesn’t mean I’m going to throw out my car’s AM/FM radio, though it might mean getting rid of my CD changer. I need to investigate this further.

So I tend to agree with others that if you want a small wearable AM/FM receiver, there are plenty on the market. I actually own a small wearable AM/FM radio. I don’t use it much but it holds it’s place in my drawer for “emergencies,” right next to the flashlights. But I’d rather keep the smaller nano and shuffle about the music and not increase their size, weight, and such with things that I will rarely use.

“57% of AVID radio listeners AGREE: We Don’t Want FM on our iPod!”

I listen almost exclusively to my iPod, and listen to podcasts of nationally syndicated radio shows (Randi Rhodes on Air America and the Tech Tuesday show on NPR). There are only two shortcomings to like without terrestrial radio: not being able to get traffic/weather in real time, and not being able to call in to talk radio shows as they broadcast. Neither of those shortcomings is enough to get me to turn the radio back on, and it sure as hell isn’t a shortcoming in the iPod. The fact that I and others like me can cut the cord from radio will hasten the demise of it and Big Music, and I say it can’t happen fast enough.

Since I would feel silly by responding “none” (there’s always room for improvement in anything) I’d have probably said FM Tuner too! Not that I really want one, or that the lack of one would keep me from upgrading, but simply because Apple has answered the other four complaints already! Overall, this is simply a poorly worded question looking for a skewed response.

However, I do agree that I don’t really want a standard FM tuner in an iPod. I would prefer to have an HD radio tuner in my iPod. At least with HD Radio, the quality of the music is more like what I would expect.

Sure, radio has commercials and most stations play crap. However, there are a few cities in the US where they have a decent playlist and it’s not all that bad listening to the radio.

What would really be nice would be to have an XM/Sirius satellite radio tuner in an iPod. However, that would make the iPod bigger.

I still want a way of discovering new music. There are very few alternatives out there that offer a decent way to do that. Since it sounds like Mr. Jobs isn’t going to allow subscriptions in the iTunes Store, I really need a way to discover new music without wasting too much money. Radio is at least an alternative.

I want satellite radio on my iPod, but without the ugly headphones antenna (Sirius Silluetto). That would be perfect… music, sports, talk, whatever. Then when I plug in my iPod into my car, I will have sat radio/iPod all in one!

Thanks but NO thanks, leave my iPod radio free, thats why I bought it for I can listen to MY OWN music, podcast, videos, photos.

An FM tuner would be completely useless to me. It’s not a selling feature and I don’t understand why so many people want one.

I half wonder if the people surveyed are confused and think that’s the FM transmitter feature they’re asking for instead of receiving radio signals.

The only place this would be nice is working out in the gym. The televisions have an FM broadcaster attached allowing you to listen in if you wish. Not sure this really warrants compromising my ipod’s design however. A small FM receiver to stick in my gym bag wouldn’t break the bank.

Steve is probably right.

if you don’t want it, don’t use it. nobody is forcing you. i know i skip out on using the crap i don’t care about - like uploading contacts or having a pocket constitution or bartender drink guide.

The iPod is about choosing what you want to listen to, and avoiding that which you do not want to hear (annoying DJs, annoying ads, annoying static from bad reception). Radio is a tired old medium built around what advertisers want.

I get my fill of radio listening to the news in my car. Aside from that, I have no need for terrestrial radio, and I’m not alone in that sentiment.

I bought the FM remote, works great….I keep it in the event there’s urgent news I need to grab on Public Radio!

I’m sick of the crap the record companies have been force feeding us for years. Forget them and their DRM.

The KCRW, and KEXP podcast are the best way to find great music.

Don’t forget about Pandora. The days of the Shock jock are over. Die top 40 die!! It’s the best thing that could happen to music.

Terrible statistic

Seen as these stats will be from people who actually listen to the radio surely.

I only listen to one radio show, and you know what thats downloaded off a torrent site in .mp3 format with the terrible music and adverts edited out of it.’