Time for another blast from the past.  Many of the newer users may not even be aware that we have an alternate display mode called “Walking Mode.”  And if they don’t know that, they are probably wondering what the My Feeds station does.  Read below to learn all about it.

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With all the new features available in the newly released Aha Radio app, there are bound to be some that could use some additional explanation. So this will be the first in an on going series of posts dedicated to “getting to know” Aha Radio.

Hopefully by now you have found your way to the Manage Stations area (Hint: the triple hash button in the top-right corner).  One of the stations you can add is called “My Feeds.”

When you first add the station you’ll get a pop-up notice offering some details. To put it simply, you can hand-pick podcasts, as well as other Aha users, and have all of their content added to a single channel.  You will just have to pick some when you aren’t driving (or else you’ll end up with the blank station shown below).

Now let’s go about selecting content for the station.  Perhaps you want to have a single channel for all your NPR shows.  It’s easy to just touch on the little blue arrow on the side of any podcast or user shouts (while in ‘Walking Mode’) to reveal the additional options.

Adding the feed to your Feeds station is as easy as tapping the “Follow” button on the left (looks like a balloon with a “+” in it).

No need to bounce around to each NPR station, looking for the latest episodes.  Once you add them to your “My Feeds” station they will all appear in order of time/date posted.  You can just let them play.

Now whether you are in ‘Walking Mode’ (above left) or ‘Driving Mode’ (above right) you get a mix of all the content you want.  And don’t forget that you can even follow other users, so you’ll be sure to notice (and hear) when they leave any new shouts.

Thanks for checking out the new app!  Be sure to let us know what you think.

Ryan

Time for another throwback post with a tip that could be really useful for a lot of the newer Aha Radio users.

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Did you know that Aha Radio’s default setting is to automatically filter out anything that contains profane or explicit material?  That may be the default…but we also like to give users a choice, which is why I’m here today to tell you all about the preference called Allow Explicit Content.

First, you may be wondering what we are actually filtering.  Well…if someone drops an F-bomb during a bit on Stand-Up Comedy, uses “colorful” descriptors in a Driver Rant, or if a podcast simply carries the EXPLICIT label (like Adam Carolla or Nerdist), you won’t be able to hear that content in Aha.

In most of the stations the shouts in question will simply be held back.  You won’t even know they are missing (unless you are looking for one of your own that you know contained colorful language).  In the case of an EXPLICIT podcast, you’ll be able to add the preset but will also get a warning message the first time you attempt to play it.

To disable the filter all you have to do is enable the Allow Explicit Content preference.  We can go back and forth on whether it makes more sense to toggle the filter off, or turn explicit on (we certainly did) but if you are hoping to have explicit material available in Aha Radio, make sure it says ON.

That’s all there is to it.  Now you can listen to even more comedy, all podcasts, and any shouts that were potentially…colorful.

-Ryan

Aha Mobile Team

You’ve probably noticed that an awful lot of the recent blog posts have been talking about using Aha with an integrated car stereo (like the Pioneer AVIC models), but we also know that not everyone is going to have the option to upgrade stereos just to use Aha.  That’s why I’m dusting off a blog post from early last year that provides the down low scoop on how to hook up to just about any current stereo system.

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Now that you have all this great Aha Radio content playing on  your iPhone you probably want to know the best way to get it playing through your existing car stereo.  Depending on how old your car and/or car stereo is there can be a lot of things to consider.  Here are the most common options:

• Cassette adapter – these first became popular with portable CD players and got even bigger when the iPod took off.  It may seem that these are almost extinct, but odds are that if your car stereo has a tapedeck this is probably going to be the easiest and most affordable option.  If, like me, you hate the wire hanging out of your tape slot, move on to option two.

• FM Transmitter – once cars started shifting the default to CD (instead of cassette) the easiest option for most was a device that transmits your portable device audio through an unused FM frequency, and then you simply tune your car stereo to that same frequency.  Depending on the available frequencies in your area, and where your car antenna is located, the results can be mixed, but the look is often the cleanest option.  Some of them even charge your device in the process.

• Auxiliary Input (basic) – there are two types of AUX options, but I’ll start with the one that’s been around longer.  First available almost exclusively in after-market stereos, these options are now popping up more and more in factory stereos too.  Either with an adapter that plugs into the back of your head unit, or in many cases a simple headphone jack somewhere on the front of the stereo (or even on the dash), just plug a 3.5mm dual male stereo cable into your headphone jack and the AUX jack, and you are connected.  Audio quality is great, but you won’t be able to control the device with your stereo controls.

• Auxiliary Input (USB) – the latest and greatest of the bunch, but not without it’s pitfalls.  Your stereo has full iPod integration and connects to your iPhone via USB/iPod cable.  You’ll typically be able to manage the iPod function directly on your stereo and may even get details about what is playing.  If you are using an iPhone app that produces audio (like Aha Radio) the iPod function will automatically mute when needed.  You may still have your iPod details display on your stereo, but the audio will be all Aha Radio.  Depending on the car stereo you may or may not be able to make iPod choices directly on the device.

You should be able to combine a bluetooth headset with any of these options, but keep in mind that the bluetooth only works for the phone…not for recording or listing to Aha Radio content.

Ryan

One of the stations that seems to be getting an awful lot of attention these days is the Facebook station.  If you aren’t familiar with it, users who complete Facebook Connect can hear a text to speech conversion of status updates from your Facebook Newsfeed.

I’ve been getting some messages from users who have had trouble getting the content to play, and thought this might be a good opportunity to provide some info about how the station works and what to try if there are problems.

• Facebook only allows access to the last 24 hours worth of newsfeed content, so if you don’t have any during that time your station will be empty.
• Aha automatically excludes some types of app based updates because they don’t translate well to audio.  We are constantly tweaking which ones we screen/allow, so if you have feedback please share at feedback[at]ahamobile[dot]com.
• If you aren’t seeing any content, and neither of the above reasons is the culprit, there may be a problem with the Facebook Connect session.  You can reset it by following these steps:

1. Visit Manage Stations by tapping the triple hash icon in the top right corner of the screen
2. Remove Facebook from your Current stations tab
3. Add Facebook from Add more > Aha Stations
4. You should be prompted to complete Facebook Connect again upon adding

That’s all there is to it.  You should be ready to enjoy all sorts of facebook-y goodness with Aha.  And if for some reason you still don’t have content in your station, let me know and I’ll have someone look into it.

-Ryan

A handful of users have been experiencing unexpected crashes with our latest version of Aha Radio for iPhone (1.5.4).  The reports have been very rare, but we’ve been working frantically to nail down the cause of the crash (which happens during launch, when the location message appears).

Lo and behold, it turns out that it had nothing to do with any changes in our current release.  It seems that a change Apple made in iOS 4.3.1 (which coincidentally launched at about the same time) is causing some apps to abruptly crash.

I’m somewhat reluctant to so quickly introduce Apple to the underside of the bus, given their prompt responses and that they readily owned up to the bug, but it’s a relief to know that this wasn’t a problem with our code.

We missed getting this bug submitted in time for iOS 4.3.2, which most people have been updating to in the last week, but we are hopeful that it will be addressed in time for the next update.

In the meantime, there is an iPhone Settings change that has resolved the problem for people experiencing the crash:

SETTINGS > GENERAL > INTERNATIONAL > REGION FORMAT > switch to something other than US (perhaps Australia).

Then try running Aha Radio. It should work, and if so you can then go back to change your Region back to US.

Thanks to those who reported the issue!

Ryan

March Madness may already be underway, and many people have had almost an entire half-day to get their St. Paddy’s day fun on, but there could be a great many of you who are still stuck at work (and thus have not become totally inebriated).

That being said, those of you who have waited to partake in the fun are probably even more eager to get in the car and head on over to a place that specializes in NCAA coverage, beer, or both.

It’s a good thing you can setup a custom Hungry search within Aha Radio.  Just enter “Pub” and Aha Radio will automatically return results for any pubs in your area.  No need to stare at a map…just let Aha read the results to you.

And with all the people out there “consuming” St. Patrick’s day beverages, you probably know how important it is to keep your eyes on the road.

Which reminds me…once you reach your destination make sure you plan accordingly.  If you are going to “consume” but you don’t have a designated driver, be sure to look for parking that allows overnight!

Be safe, and enjoy!

-Ryan PATRICK Knight

Did you know that Aha Radio’s default setting is to automatically filter out anything that contains profane or explicit material?  That may be the default…but we also like to give users a choice, which is why I’m here today to tell you all about the preference called Allow Explicit Content.

First, you may be wondering what we are actually filtering.  Well…if someone drops an F-bomb during a bit on Stand-Up Comedy, uses “colorful” descriptors in a Driver Rant, or if a podcast simply carries the EXPLICIT label (like Adam Carolla or Nerdist), you won’t be able to hear that content in Aha.

In most of the stations the shouts in question will simply be held back.  You won’t even know they are missing (unless you are looking for one of your own that you know contained colorful language).  In the case of an EXPLICIT podcast, you’ll be able to add the preset but will also get a warning message the first time you attempt to play it.

To disable the filter all you have to do is enable the Allow Explicit Content preference.  We can go back and forth on whether it makes more sense to toggle the filter off, or turn explicit on (we certainly did) but if you are hoping to have explicit material available in Aha Radio, make sure it says ON.

That’s all there is to it.  Now you can listen to even more comedy, all podcasts, and any shouts that were potentially…colorful.

-Ryan

Aha Mobile Team

Unless you were living under a rock, there’s a good chance that you heard about the release of the much ballyhooed Apple iPad last Saturday.

The fancy new tablet-ish device from Apple is designed to run on the same OS as the iPhone, and as a result can run the vast majority of iPhone apps already in the iTunes App Store, including Aha Radio.

BUT…there is a catch.  For Aha Radio to work you need to be connected to a data network.  The first wave of iPads only contain WiFi capabilities, which means you shouldn’t expect to take your Aha Radio equipped iPad out and about, and still get access to your favorite podcasts/traffic updates/etc.  But whenever you are able to connect to a WiFi network, it’s GAME ON.

Some other notable bits.  The iPad has a built-in microphone, which works fine for recording shouts.  There is no phone in the device, so if you attempt to call one of your HUNGRY results, nothing will happen.  Lastly, the app has occasionally crashed while completing Facebook Connect steps for the Facebook station.  We’re looking into it, but your Facebook station should still work.

Enjoy!

-Ryan

Aha Mobile

Now that you have all this great Aha Radio content playing on  your iPhone you probably want to know the best way to get it playing through your existing car stereo.  Depending on how old your car and/or car stereo is there can be a lot of things to consider.  Here are the most common options:

• Cassette adapter – these first became popular with portable CD players and got even bigger when the iPod took off.  It may seem that these are almost extinct, but odds are that if your car stereo has a tapedeck this is probably going to be the easiest and most affordable option.  If, like me, you hate the wire hanging out of your tape slot, move on to option two.

• FM Transmitter – once cars started shifting the default to CD (instead of cassette) the easiest option for most was a device that transmits your portable device audio through an unused FM frequency, and then you simply tune your car stereo to that same frequency.  Depending on the available frequencies in your area, and where your car antenna is located, the results can be mixed, but the look is often the cleanest option.  Some of them even charge your device in the process.

• Auxiliary Input (basic) – there are two types of AUX options, but I’ll start with the one that’s been around longer.  First available almost exclusively in after-market stereos, these options are now popping up more and more in factory stereos too.  Either with an adapter that plugs into the back of your head unit, or in many cases a simple headphone jack somewhere on the front of the stereo (or even on the dash), just plug a 3.5mm dual male stereo cable into your headphone jack and the AUX jack, and you are connected.  Audio quality is great, but you won’t be able to control the device with your stereo controls.

• Auxiliary Input (USB) – the latest and greatest of the bunch, but not without it’s pitfalls.  Your stereo has full iPod integration and connects to your iPhone via USB/iPod cable.  You’ll typically be able to manage the iPod function directly on your stereo and may even get details about what is playing.  If you are using an iPhone app that produces audio (like Aha Radio) the iPod function will automatically mute when needed.  You may still have your iPod details display on your stereo, but the audio will be all Aha Radio.  Depending on the car stereo you may or may not be able to make iPod choices directly on the device.

You should be able to combine a bluetooth headset with any of these options, but keep in mind that the bluetooth only works for the phone…not for recording or listing to Aha Radio content.

Ryan

With all the new features available in the newly released Aha Radio app, there are bound to be some that could use some additional explanation. So this will be the first in an on going series of posts dedicated to “getting to know” Aha Radio.

Hopefully by now you have found your way to the Manage Stations area (Hint: the triple hash button in the top-right corner).  One of the stations you can add is called “My Feeds.”

When you first add the station you’ll get a pop-up notice offering some details. To put it simply, you can hand-pick podcasts, as well as other Aha users, and have all of their content added to a single channel.  You will just have to pick some when you aren’t driving (or else you’ll end up with the blank station shown below).

Now let’s go about selecting content for the station.  Perhaps you want to have a single channel for all your NPR shows.  It’s easy to just touch on the little blue arrow on the side of any podcast or user shouts (while in ‘Walking Mode’) to reveal the additional options.

Adding the feed to your Feeds station is as easy as tapping the “Follow” button on the left (looks like a balloon with a “+” in it).

No need to bounce around to each NPR station, looking for the latest episodes.  Once you add them to your “My Feeds” station they will all appear in order of time/date posted.  You can just let them play.

Now whether you are in ‘Walking Mode’ (above left) or ‘Driving Mode’ (above right) you get a mix of all the content you want.  And don’t forget that you can even follow other users, so you’ll be sure to notice (and hear) when they leave any new shouts.

Thanks for checking out the new app!  Be sure to let us know what you think.

Ryan
Aha Community Czar