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The $2.99 Public Radio App puts three of your favorite stations just one tap away.

iPhones may not have FM tuners built in, but they can do a damn fine impression of a radio. In fact, where public radio is concerned, an iPhone is even better than the real thing.

Apps like NPR News and Public Radio Player 2.0, for example, let you tune into live streams from hundreds of stations and listen to your favorite shows on-demand.

Now comes Public Radio App, which raises the bar even higher with features like pause/rewind, a show-schedule timeline for the current stream(s), and an alarm clock that lets you wake up to your favorite station.

However, unlike the aforementioned apps, Public Radio App is not free. Rather, it'll set you back $2.99. Is it worth it?

Definitely. The app can find local public-radio stations via GPS or look them up via a nationwide directory. Any station you find, you can stream in real-time. And any show you want to hear, from Car Talk to This American Life, you can play on-demand.

You can also pause, rewind, and fast-forward the content, DVR-style, whether it's real-time or on-demand. That's a pretty major addition, as the other apps let you pause only the on-demand programs, not the live stuff.

It would be fantastic if you could store, say, an entire Fresh Air segment for later listening, like when you're on an airplane, but PRA doesn't go that far.

It does, however, offer lots of other nifty features. For example, the first three bookmarked stations appear on the player's main screen, allowing you to switch between streams with a single tap.

You also get a side-scrolling show schedule for each station so you can see what's coming up without leaving that screen. I particularly like the alarm-clock function, though it does require you to leave the app running (something to remember before going to sleep).

PRA even integrates with the Radio Bookmark service, allowing you to save and/or replay whatever you're listening to.

In my informal tests, PRA loaded a lot faster than the notoriously pokey Public Radio Player. That said, the latter offers most of the same core features--and it's free.

Still, $2.99 isn't going to break anybody's bank, and I'd go so far as to say Public Radio App is currently the best, well, public radio app to date. For serious fans, it's a must-have.

The Samsung UN46B7000--one of the newly entertained Samsung HDTVs.

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

Samsung announced on Wednesday that on-demand video services from Blockbuster and Amazon are coming to some of its home entertainment products.

Blockbuster OnDemand, which allows people to rent or purchase video content on a one-off basis, is now available on some of Samsung's high-definition TVs, Blu-ray players, and home theater systems.

According to Samsung, the service will be offered on its Series 650 and above LCD and plasma HDTVs, as well as its Series 7000 and above LED HDTVs. Blockbuster OnDemand will be available to owners of the Samsung BD-P1600, BD-P3600, and BD-P4600 Blu-ray players, as well as the company's HT-BD1250, HT-BD3252, HT-BD7200, and HT-BD8200 Blu-ray home theater systems. The company said that the service is available now through a firmware upgrade.

As part of the rollout, Blockbuster OnDemand content can be streamed across multiple Blockbuster-enabled devices in the home. According to the company, users who order a particular movie can start watching it on one Samsung product in their home and continue watching it on another supported Samsung device.

For its part, Blockbuster has had a busy week. On Tuesday, the company announced that its OnDemand service was finally made available on TiVo DVRs. Like the service on TiVo, Samsung equipment owners can expect to pay between $2.99 and $3.99 for movie rentals. Blockbuster charges between $7.99 and $19.99 for film purchases.

As part of the deal, Blockbuster will start selling Samsung Blu-ray players that feature the company's OnDemand service in "thousands of corporate-owned stores and participating franchise stores." Blockbuster also said on Tuesday that it will also start selling TiVo DVRs in its stores.

But Samsung didn't stop there. The company also announced on Wednesday that Amazon Video On Demand will be offered to owners of Samsung LCD and plasma HDTVs that are series 650 and above, and LED HDTVs that are series 7000 and above. To get the service, users will need to download the Amazon Video On Demand widget using their television's Internet@TV content service.

Samsung said that once the user downloads the Amazon Video On Demand widget, they will be able to access Amazon's more than 50,000 movies and television shows. Amazon's widget joins already-available widgets from Twitter, Yahoo, YouTube, and others, the company said.

A growing trend?
The fact that Samsung has added Blockbuster's and Amazon's video services to its HDTVs shouldn't come as a surprise; it's competing in a marketplace where integrated entertainment is becoming the norm.

Earlier this year, LG announced the launch of two broadband-equipped HDTVs--the 47-inch 47LH50 and the 50-inch 50PS80--that feature the company's NetCast Entertainment Access. That service gives users the ability to access Netflix's streaming library of movies and TV shows. Toshiba is also getting in on the trend.

Broadband-connected TiVo DVR subscribers have access to Blockbuster's long-awaited OnDemand rental service, TiVo announced on Tuesday.

The service is available to owners of TiVo Series2 and TiVo Series3 digital-video recorders (including the TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL).

According to the company, users will be able to stream films ranging from new releases to classics. Users will be charged $2.99 for classic hits and $3.99 for new releases. Blockbuster will be adding more films over the coming weeks, including "select HD titles."

As part of the agreement, Blockbuster will also begin selling TiVo DVRs in "thousands" of participating Blockbuster stores around the United States.

Blockbuster OnDemand's arrival on the TiVo (and TiVo's arrival in Blockbuster stores, for that matter) has been a long time coming. The partnership was first announced in March.

Whether Blockbuster will enjoy success on the TiVo is up for debate. The company's main competitor, Netflix, is already streaming films and television shows to TiVos for no additional fee beyond the company's unlimited-plan charges. Amazon Video On Demand is also available to TiVo users, and like Blockbuster, it, too, allows them to purchase individual videos, rather than pay a monthly subscription fee.

TiVo owners can also access content from YouTube, as well as films through Jaman and CinemaNow's Disney.

To access Blockbuster OnDemand, users will first need to create a Blockbuster account. Once complete, they can access Blockbuster OnDemand content from the TiVo's video-on-demand menu.

mSpot's new Mobile Movies service works in the iPhone's browser--no app required.

Sure, you can now download movies straight from iTunes to your iPhone, but those cost money and consume valuable storage space. Sometimes it's faster, cheaper, and more convenient to stream them, whether from your own PC, online storage, or even an on-demand service.

Here's a look at three such options for streaming the big screen to your small screen:

• Dropbox This just-released iPhone app (CNET's Harrison Hoffman has more) connects you to all the documents in your Dropbox account (including 2GB freebie accounts). So what does that have to do with movies? Simple: The app also lets you view mov, mp4, and m4v videos. Just add some from your PC to one of your Dropbox folders, then fire up the app. Presto: You're watching movies, and you don't have to leave your PC running to do it. Not bad for a solution that doesn't cost a penny.
• mSpot Mobile Movies This new service, which operates out of your browser, lets you rent movies for $4.99 apiece (less if you subscribe to a club membership). That's more than iTunes charges, but here you're getting an on-demand, download-free option--one that works over EDGE, 3G, and Wi-Fi. However, mSpot's selection is very small at the moment (about 350 movies in all), with marquee titles like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Mission: Impossible" among the few you'll recognize. But the company promises "thousands" by year's end, so this service is definitely one to watch.
• OrbLive Unlike Dropbox, which can play movies you've synced to an online account, OrbLive streams directly from your PC--which must be running in order for it to work. You also have to install and configure the Orb client for Windows, point it to the folder(s) containing your videos, and pony up $9.99 for the OrbLive app. On the plus side, it can stream a lot more than just videos: music, photos, and even live TV (if your PC has a tuner).

So, what do you think of these solutions? Obviously they're no good for watching movies on airplanes, but what about on trains? In a car? In a bar? With a cat or on a mat?

Of course, if you know of a better way to stream feature-length video to your iPhone, let's hear it!

(Credit: LG)

Add the LG BD390 to the growing list of products that will soon offer built-in Vudu support.

The flagship LG Blu-ray player will become the first disc player to include Vudu functionality via a free firmware upgrade due later this month. The upgrade will effectively offer the same basic functions as Vudu's standalone BX100 set-top box. That gives users access to Vudu's streaming library of movies, which can be purchased or rented on a per-title basis (there's no monthly fee). Vudu has set itself apart from other Internet-on-demand providers like Netflix, Amazon, Blockbuster, and Apple by stressing audio and video fidelity: it offers over 2,000 titles in 1080p high-def, many with full 5.1 surround soundtracks.

The Vudu upgrade makes the already excellent LG BD390 an even better deal. Currently, the player is CNET's top-rated standalone Wi-Fi Blu-ray player. Vudu will join Netflix, YouTube, and CinemaNow streaming services on the LG; the player can also stream many digital media files from PCs on a home network. The BD390 lists for $400, but it currently can be found online for less than $300.

Vudu recently announced the integration of its service on some LG and Mitsubishi televisions.

(Credit: Roku)

In its bid to put together a roster of compelling content, Roku has just acquired an ace.

Starting Tuesday, the set-top box--known to many as "the Netflix box"--will begin streaming Major League Baseball games. As with the current Netflix arrangement, you have to be a subscriber to the service, in this case MLB.com Premium, to access the content that normally would be available only on a PC or iPhone.

And while this is a boon to baseball fans, it's an even more important development for Roku. MLB.tv Premium is the first live content available on Roku's device, and by bringing that from the PC to the TV, the 50-person Saratoga, Calif., company is beginning to differentiate itself from similar consumer electronics products.

Roku currently has access to the Netflix Watch Instantly queue, as well as Amazon Video on Demand, which allows for rental and purchase of movies. More recently, Roku added content from Blip.TV and MediaFly, two content aggregators, for videos and podcasts.

MLB.tv will work the same way. It will be accessed via a new pane that can be reached via the small remote. Once a customer's account is synced, any live, out-of-market (as in, not your home team) game across the league can be seen, with the choice of both the home and away team's local broadcast feed. Games up to one week old are available in the archive, and previews appear of each team's scheduled games up to a week in advance. ... Read more

Four seasons of "Lost" are already available.

(Credit: Netflix/screenshot by John P. Falcone)

Several of ABC's top shows will soon be available to watch via Netflix's "Watch Instantly" online streaming service. The first four seasons of "Lost" are already available, and they'll be joined in September by "Desperate Housewives" (seasons four and five), "Grey's Anatomy" (season five), and "Legend of the Seeker" (seasons one and two). The deal builds on an earlier agreement to make Disney Channel content available on Netflix (ABC is a division of Disney.)

While most of these programs are already available for viewing online on ABC's Web site, the Netflix deal allows them to be watched on TV screens via a large and growing number of Netflix-compatible home video devices, including many Blu-ray players and home theater systems, some Internet-enabled TVs, the Xbox 360, and the $99 Roku Digital Media Player. The ABC content joins programs from rival networks, including Fox, NBC, and CBS, that have long been available on Netflix. (Disclosure: CNET is a division of CBS Interactive.) The online video streaming--available at no extra charge for Netflix subscribers on the $9 per month or higher rental tier--currently offers approximately 12,000 movies and TV shows.

As far as I'm concerned, this seems like another feather in the cap for Netflix. These sort of serialized dramas are perfect fodder for sequential online viewing. (The final season of "Lost" starts early in 2010, and Netflix subscribers who want to catch up--or start from scratch--can do so at no extra charge.) What's interesting to me is that ABC's making this move, which could potentially lower demand for sales of the same episodes on DVD and iTunes. One wonders how Disney board member Steve Jobs feels about it.

What do you think: Are you excited to see these ABC shows hitting Netflix, or does it just highlight some favorite shows of yours that still remain unavailable?

(Credit: Vudu)

Vudu's Internet video-on-demand service will be coming to select LG TVs in August. The service will effectively embed the functionality of the Vudu BX100 set-top box into the televisions, obviating the need for connecting an external box to access the Vudu's lineup of movies and TV shows, hundreds of which are available in HD video and 5.1 Dolby surround sound.

Vudu had previously announced a deal with Entone earlier this year, but the LG deal offers a more mainstream and widely available avenue for the company as it shifts from a standalone hardware maker to a video service provider. Vizio, for instance, had previously listed Vudu as one of several media providers for the "Vizio Internet Apps" that are slated for its upcoming VF552XVT model, but it has yet to provide additional details.

The Vudu feature will appear on LG's "Netcast" TVs, which currently includes the LH50 LCDs and the PS80 plasmas. It will join the already strong interactive features on those sets, which include Netflix, YouTube, and Yahoo Widgets (read David Katzmaier's review of the LG 47LH50 for details).

Vudu claims that the embedded version of its video client will offer the same features and performance as the BX100 set-top box. That unit's HDX 1080p video is the best Internet video we've seen to date, but it requires pre-caching on the BX100's built-in hard drive on all but the highest bandwidth broadband connections. We'll be curious to see if Vudu and LG can deliver a similar experience without the ample storage space.

The LG/Vudu deal is merely the latest example of TVs and consumer electronics offering increasingly sophisticated Internet media options. In recent weeks, Sony has announced that it's bringing Netflix to some TVs, while rival Samsung will be adding Blockbuster. Roku's $100 is expanding beyond its current Netflix and Amazon offerings to deliver Mediafly and Blip.tv content, with the promise of even more coming later this year. Netflix and YouTube streaming, meanwhile, is available on an increasingly wide array of TVs and Blu-ray players as well.

Listen to your favorite public radio shows on your schedule.

Is today my birthday? No? Because I just got one helluva gift: Public Radio Player 2.0, the latest version of the killer radio-streaming app, which now lets you listen to your favorite shows on-demand.

Missed last week's "This American Life"? No problem. The app has the latest episode. Want to catch up on "Talk of the Nation Science Friday?" You'll find several weeks' worth of back catalog. Same goes for "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me," "Fresh Air," "Marketplace," and countless other radio gems.

Granted, you can get a lot of the same content in podcast form, but those downloads require precious space on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Here you just tap and listen.

As before, Public Radio Player also lets you stream live broadcasts from public radio stations around the country, and it easily zeroes in on local stations if that's what you prefer.

One particularly nice touch is that each station listing shows what's currently playing, be it "Morning Edition," classical music, or whatever.

The Public Radio Player app lets you search for shows and/or content.

You can use the search function to look up station call letters, show names, and even subject matter--and searches span both live and on-demand content. There's also a favorites list so you can easily return to specific shows and stations later on.

The new version seems a bit slower to load than its predecessor, but that's my only complaint. The addition of on-demand content cements Public Radio Player's status as one of my all-time favorite apps. I freakin' love this thing.