Review: Pocket Tunes: Audio player with iTunes Sync

Pocket Tunes V4.1 by Normsoft.

With the growing popularity of Windows Mobile devices, and as the size and cost of storage cards improves, many Windows Mobile owners are using their devices as portable music players.

The limitations of the built-in Windows Media Player soon become evident to the enthusiastic listener, which has prompted the development of a number of dedicated audio playback applications.

Normsoft have now entered the market with a Windows Mobile version of their established Palm based audio player called Pocket Tunes. The new version adds some useful features to its portfolio. Thanks are due to Dave Jones of Normsoft who provided the review software. Read on to find out if this is enough to raise Pocket Tunes above the competition!


Product Information

Software Developer: Normsoft

Product Microsite: Pocket Tunes Product Page

Price: $37.95. 15 day Trial Version available (limitations apply)

Devices used: HTC X7500 and HTC P3600 with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional



Compatibility and Features

Pocket Tunes is not a new program in itself, as the range has previously been available for the Palm platform, but Version 4.1 now adds Windows Mobile compatibility. This includes Windows Mobile 5 PocketPC and Smartphone, and Windows Mobile 6 Professional, Standard and Classic, at both QVGA and VGA screen resolutions.

A new addition in Version 4.1 is the ability to synchronise iTunes playlists to the Windows Mobile device using a stand-alone PC based application, in addition to the more usual synchronising capability included in Windows Media Player. Thus Pocket Tunes can sync MP3, aac and aacPlus files from iTunes, as well as MP3 and WMA files from WMP10 onwards.

One thing it won't do, which may disappoint some users, is to sync protected iTunes files, though it can sync protected Windows Media files. The inability to sync iTunes content is imposed by the licensing terms of Apple Inc, which insists on its content being used only on compatible hardware; no Windows Mobile device has yet been deemed compatible.

There are a number of programs available which will convert iTunes files to a non-protected format, allowing them to be integrated into iTunes playlists, but that is beyond the scope of this review.

Another welcome feature of Pocket Tunes 4.1 is the inclusion of Internet Radio playback. There is a comprehensive library of stations included, and the user has the ability to add compatible stations. Be aware that streaming radio content requires a large amount of data, so is best used over a WLAN connection, unless you have a sufficient data bundle for GSM/3G connection.


Installation

The installation files can be purchased or downloaded directly from Normsoft's website. There is a 15 day trial version available, though due to Microsoft licensing terms, this does not include WMA playback. For this reason, Normsoft also offer a 15 day money back guarantee if you buy the full version. Once a license is purchased, all upgrades within the major release version are free of charge. The license key will remain valid for any compatible device, and does not require resubmitting after a ROM upgrade. Pocket Tunes can be installed using a Cabinet file (ptunes.cab), or via a Windows installer from the PC. If the iTunes sync process is required, the Windows based installer must be used. This first looks for the presence of iTunes on the PC, then installs the synchronising engine, before going on to install the Mobile program. The cab file is 850KB in size, and after installation the Pocket Tunes program takes up 1.5MB of memory, not including any additional skin or library files. Currently, users of VGA devices need to download and configure the single available VGA skin manually due to some glitches in the installation process- this is under investigation and hopefully will be resolved shortly. The VGA skin file is 560KB in size, and can be saved to any location on the device. The full Windows installation file is 5.2MB though the installed folder is only 1MB in size. Normsoft have a growing number of skins available to download direct from their website, though only for QVGA at present. Hopefully the WM version will quickly catch up to the established Palm version, for which there are a huge number. For those skilled enough in skin development, Normsoft have a freely downloadable Skin Developer package for either Palm, or Windows Mobile devices. User defined skins may be submitted for inclusion in the Pocket Tunes Skin Library.

Using Pocket Tunes

Library initialisation
As normal with Windows Mobile programs, the icon for running Pocket Tunes is found in the Start/Programs folder. On opening it for the first time, the Library Update process runs, searching out all compatible music files and playlists, and compiling them into the normal MP3 categories of All Content, Artist, Album, Genre, Playlists and Internet Radio. There is an Options selection to exclude internal memory from the library, if all your relevant content is on an expansion card.

Appearance

Once an appropriate selection is made, the main screen opens. Pocket Tunes is unusual in that it takes over the whole screen, including the taskbar, adding its own items for battery charge and time, but no phone signal or other notification information. An incoming phone call does pause playback, and pops up the usual WM Incoming Call bubble. Normsoft have intentionally tried to make the screen interface as simple, but informative, as possible. The main feature is a large central display (Comment Area) which can either show the current item list, or album information, selectable from the General Preferences menu. It would have been a welcome addition to be able to switch between the two view types by either a tap on the screen or a small button, rather than needing four screen taps to achieve. The song list can be tapped to play any song. There is a scroll bar to the right for lists of more than one screenful.

In the upper part of the screen is the Track Title/Artist/Album information with a small image of the Album art at the top right if available. Tapping the Album Art picture opens a full screen image of the picture; below this is the current item progress bar which can be tapped to select any point, or dragged back and forth. Below the Comment Area is a volume slider which works the same way as the position slider, and Repeat and Shuffle selection icons. At the very bottom are a central group of Play/Pause and Next/Previous icons, with large icons either side for content selection- that on the Left for local library content, and that on the right for Internet Radio selection.

Sound Quality
Regardless of features, the primary function of any music playing program is to provide a good quality sound. Having used a number of Windows Mobile music programs over the years, my impression is that Pocket Tunes is up there with the best of them. Obviously dependent on the quality of the source material and compression level used, I have found the sound to be clear, uncoloured and playable at a decent volume without distortion or clipping. My normal listening is done using a set of Bose Earbuds which are moderate to good in terms of potential sound quality; the quality of reproduction will obviously suffer if using the headphones normally supplied with mobile devices.

There are a number of options for tweaking the sound: in General Options is a checkbox to allow an overall volume boost. This ranges from Off right up to 15dB (32X boost); the lower figures are good for boosting the sound in noisy environments, or playing a low gain track or album. Anything more than 9dB is likely to result in a lot of clipping distortion unless the track is recorded at a very low level.

In the Tools menu is a Graphic Equaliser. This has two options- a simple Bass Boost which seems to add about 1.5dB to the lowest frequencies, or a full five band equaliser with 100Hz, 300Hz, 1KHz, 4KHz and 12KHz centres. This has eight presets, each of which can be renamed. The effect range of each slider is well judged, allowing a subtle modification of the playback profile to be achieved.

Pocket Tunes supports the use of Bluetooth Stereo headphones via the A2DP profile and also supports AVRCP for those functions supported by the headphone such as Play/Pause/Next/Previous and Volume Up/Down. An incoming phone call pauses the playback allowing the headphone to receive the call. Once the call is complete, it is necessary to press the Play button to resume playback. Quality of sound via Bluetooth will depend very much on the device and headphones used; even with a high powered device, there may be occasional short dropouts which is a limitation of the WM platform rather than the program itself. It is also possible to set a Crossfade time from 'gapless' right up to 10 seconds of crossfade.

Navigation

As mentioned above, most functions are available via touchscreen manipulation, or by use of the device hardware buttons. All these functions are replicated in the Menu/Actions display, which includes some additional items only available via the menu. Pocket Tunes includes a number of keyboard mappings for different devices, with defined key shortcuts for those with hardware keyboards. Hardware button navigation works in two modes. In Pause/Stop mode, the direction keys move the cursor around the various screen elements, and pressing the action button activates whichever control has focus. Once a track is playing, the Left/Right keys move between tracks, the Up/Down keys adjust volume and the Action key toggles Play/Pause. Also, while the program is playing, a press of the power button turns the screen off or back on again to conserve battery power.

The additional functions available via the Actions menu are: Go To: opens a screen showing the current track name, total track time and current position, with boxes below for Hours, Minutes and Seconds. Entering any figure into any of these boxes and pressing OK will take you to the location selected, which can be very useful for long podcasts or audiobooks. Show Album Art: Opens a screen showing the Album cover if available. If not available the option is greyed out. Add Bookmark: Manually adds a bookmark to the bookmarks list.

Playlists and Track Selection

Pocket Tunes combines the selection of tracks, and playlists into an integrated set of screens. When the program is first started, or after any new content is added, the Library is updated. The initial library Update took about 20 seconds to index my twenty albums, but subsequent indexes are very much quicker. Content is categorised into the usual Artist/Album/Genre lists with additional menu items for Playlists, All Content and Internet Radio (see later). It is not currently possible to make selections based on a folder tree, though this is being considered for a future edition.

To make selections, tap the bottom left icon on the main screen, or tap the top title bar to open the main menu, then select 'Choose Songs'. This will open the selection screen at the last used category; to go back to a higher level menu, tap the arrow icon at the top left of the header, which shows the currently selected item.

Once you are at a level that lists actual tracks, you can tap any of them to select or deselect them then press 'Play Selection', or select 'Play All' from the left Soft Key if no individual tracks are selected. This will populate the Song List on the main screen with the selection, and commence playing. You can also tap the Right soft key in the selection screen, to add All, or your Selection to Now Playing, which will append your selection to the current list. The 'All Content' top level menu lists all available tracks in alphabetical order, from where a selection can be made, or all tracks played. You can't select multiple artists, or multiple albums to play without creating playlists. You can select multiple playlists to play back in sequence.

Playlist Management

Playlists are managed using the Menu/Tools/Manage Playlists option. This opens a screen listing all current playlists. Each can be selected to play immediately, or by using the Right soft key, can be edited for title and content, deleted, or moved between device memory, or the storage card.

This menu also includes a 'New' item to create a new playlist. Once named, tap 'Add Songs' on the Left soft key; this will open the choice list at the last opened album; once again, the whole content, or selections can be listed. Repeat the 'Add Songs' operation to add more content and build up the playlist. The Right soft key has options to Save the playlist, Remove songs, Delete the whole list, or move songs up/down using the D-pad. Tapping the normal OK button also saves the playlist.

Using iTunes Playlists

Pocket Tunes includes a PC program which allows iTunes playlists to be copied to the mobile device. If this facility is required, the Windows Desktop installer of Pocket Tunes must be used, as it installs the iTunes Sync client prior to installing the mobile program. The installer checks for the presence of iTunes on the PC, and aborts straight to the mobile installer if iTunes is absent.

If you have playlists setup within iTunes that you wish to play on your Windows Mobile device, then running 'Pocket Tunes Sync for iTunes' will allow the automation of the process. As mentioned above, this does not include syncing protected content as Apple Computer do not license protected iTunes files for use on WM devices. Any protected files within playlists will be skipped. On opening Pocket Tunes Sync for iTunes, first iTunes is started, then a dialogue box opens listing all current playlists on the PC in the Left frame. These have checkboxes, which are filled with the most recent selections. There are also options for automatic opening and closing of the sync program when a device connects and disconnects. Once the desired playlists are selected, a click of the Synchronise Now button sends the content to the device. This is effectively a one way copy process, rather than a true synchronisation, in that playlists which are unchecked in the list are not removed from the device. This may be seen as a positive or negative depending on your usage, but it does avoid accidental deletion of content. Additionally, tracks deleted from iTunes playlists on the PC are not deleted from the device when next synchronised. One current drawback is that the iTunes Sync program can only 'see' one storage device; in my HTC X7500 which has a mini SD card slot, and an 8GB MicroDrive, it can't sync to the MicroDrive. As my SD card is filled with my Satellite Navigation program, it renders the sync process unusable for me. Normsoft are aware of this and are working on a solution. I'm not sure how it will handle some of the latest devices which have a large internal memory, with or without external storage.

Bookmarks
Pocket Tunes includes a comprehensive Bookmark feature. This is most useful when listening to podcasts or audio books, but can be applied to any audio file. Bookmarks can be selected to save automatically, every time a track is paused, or can be saved manually via the Actions/Add Bookmark menu. Bookmark names can be set to be assigned automatically, in which case the bookmark is named as the track name and position.

To access a saved bookmark, tap Tools/Bookmarks and tap the desired bookmark. This screen also allows bookmark manipulation- each bookmark can be deleted or renamed. In the Preferences/Advanced menu is a check box to enable 'Start Playing on Startup' which resumes playback at the last played track/track position when Pocket Tunes is next opened.

Internet Radio

Pocket Tunes includes the facility to play internet radio stations. On first opening the Radio function, by tapping the large icon at the right of the main screen, or selecting Menu/Tools/Internet Radio, Pocket Tunes will connect to its server to download a list of popular radio stations organised into various categories. The program is compatible with any Shoutcast based internet radio station, which can be located at Treobits or Shoutcast. Pointing your mobile browser at these sites and selecting a station to play will open the station in Pocket Tunes and also save the station to the Internet Radio list as 'unfiled' from where it can be copied to an existing, or new playlist as desired. Many stations are available in varying bitrates according to the desired connection type (WiFi, 3G or GPRS)

After the first run, opening an internet radio stream is simply a matter of tapping the Internet Radio button, Menu/Tools/Internet Radio, or the Playlist main button, which has the Internet Radio lists at the bottom of the screen. These playlists can be manipulated in the same way as local music playlists, and playlists can contain a mixture of local and streaming content if desired.

The quality of playback, and the availability of some content can be variable. In general the sound is acceptable- certainly on a par with FM broadcast radio via a handheld device, and in many cases better. I've not tried it for any length of time over a phone signal, but a small GPRS based playback sounded OK; playback via WiFi was much more consistent, as might be expected.

Pros and Cons

Sound quality	Fiddly installation on VGA devices
Offers more features than the competition	Costs more than the competition
Ability to sync iTunes playlists	iTunes Sync can only 'see' one storage device
Ease of use	Sync is one way only- deleted podcasts on mobile device aren't removed from iTunes
Simple user license	Tracks deleted from PC iTunes playlists are not deleted from the device.
Excellent Internet Radio implementation
Developer actively encourages Skin development

Conclusion

Pocket Tunes joins a growing number of audio playback programs for mobile devices, and as its price point is 25% higher than most competitors it needs to offer something above the norm. In my opinion, the ease of use, the inclusion of Internet Radio and the ability to sync with iTunes makes the additional cost worthwhile. Even without those additions, the quality of playback and facilities for sound shaping render Pocket Tunes a worthy entry to the market.

Normsoft are actively developing the product, and have a few tweaks in the pipeline; having been in the Palm market for some time gives them a useful body of experience with respect to the needs of the product itself and its users.

The user must be aware that streaming content over the internet, especially at 3G speeds, could result in a large data volume being consumed. For a number of operators this could lead to large data bills, so before using this facility make sure that you are connected via WiFi, or have an adequate data bundle.