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A good-looking streaming-audio app hampered by usability issues (pictures)

Radical.FM wants to be your new streaming-audio app, but at this point, it's going to need some more work before I'd recommend using it instead of popular apps like Pandora or Slacker Radio.

Jason Parker
Jason Parker has been at CNET for nearly 15 years. He is the senior editor in charge of iOS software and has become an expert reviewer of the software that runs on each new Apple device. He now spends most of his time covering Apple iOS releases and third-party apps.
Jason Parker
CoverView.png
1 of 5 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Gridlike cover layout

While you listen, Radical.FM shows you the album covers for the songs playing.
MainMenuStations.png
2 of 5 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Slide-out main menu

Touching the button in the upper left of the cover view opens the main menu, where you can access stations and custom genres (playlists) you have created.
ListGenres.png
3 of 5 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Browse premade genres

When you just want to listen to a stream of music: create a new station and pick from several genres that you can mix together and fine-tune while listening.
SongPageVoteBlock.png
4 of 5 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Like or block songs and artists

Touching the album cover for the current song lets you "like" it to hear similar songs, or you can block a song or artist from playing in your stream. You also can fine-tune your station, add another genre, or request a song to be played at some time in the future.
SearchResults.png
5 of 5 Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Search for music

When making a custom genre, you can search for songs by band or song name. Scrolling through the list is slow and choppy at this early stage of the app's lifespan.

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