We first got our hands on Nokia Mix Radio at Nokia World 2011. Nokia had just shown off the Nokia Lumia 800 and the Nokia Lumia 710, and were keen to show off what else the company had up its sleeves. Even back then the service impressed. Listening to music was easy. On the Nokia Lumia 710 it looked, as well as sounded, great. Eager to talk more about the service once more, Nokia invited us around for a little chat.
With Nokia Mix Radio “we are really back in the game”, Niels Munksgaard, Director, Portfolio & Product Marketing of Nokia Entertainment told NokNok. Why so confident? Munksgaard and the rest of the Nokia Entertainment believe that streaming music is the way forward. Streaming radio stations is the preferred way many love to listen to their music. And that’s what Nokia Mix Radio offers, he says. “It works out of the box. It’s simple. It’s free”
Nokia Lumia customers won’t need to sign up, or pay any fees. Users choose playlists from genres including hip-hop, dance, rock, and sub-genres of each. Another option lets music fans type in the name of an artist or two and have a playlist created merging the two tastes. Each playlist can be activated offline giving up to 14 hours of music.
Phone networks are cutting back on unlimited data plans, so offline functionality is essential we are told. To make a playlist offline, simply hold down for a few seconds. That playlist will then start to download to the device in a just a couple minutes, or less. Munksgaard told us how pleased Nokia is of this “good user experience.”
And it’s all about discovering new music. Nokia promises that playlists will be regularly updated – keeping the music supply fresh. Speaking of musical discovery, Nokia also revealed how proud it is of its Gig Finder feature.
A scrolling menu displays who is playing, where they’re playing and a ticket office number to call to go and see them. A link to seating plans lets users select exactly where to sit or stand in a layout that strips out all the unnecessary to deliver a cleaner user experience, we are told.
“It’s all about making things easier.” We’d certainly agree on that. At Nokia World 2011 we found diving into the service and listening to tunes instantly a breeze. And with new music being added to playlists all the time, the future for Nokia Mix Radio looks bright.
[via noknok.com]
