App doesn’t work properly
I keep getting the error message “There was a problem during loading.” I have uninstalled and reinstalled the app a few times. Disappointing.
Not an improvement
Menu is much more cumbersome to navigate, programming menu shows less, and less useful, information than the old app. Altogether this is a clumsy app and definitely not an improvement.
Reversing away from success
The old version was easier to use....
Disappointed
I’m very disappointed with this app trying to find plays and stories is difficult. When you are listening it is very difficult to playback as the ap just doesn’t let you do it unless my iPad goes into sleep mode, so I have to close the lid, relift it and then adjust. Sure, if you just want to listen to a station it’s there in front of you, but anything outside this is a fail.
Also you have a section called Electric (something) but it’s just a mess and different stories are mixed in with Book of the Week. There is absolutely no delineation between each book/story. You are left just to scroll through a pile of different titles and work out how many episodes they each have (and this is never actually listed) so in some cases you don’t even know if the book has ended or not, you just have to keep on looking in case another episode appears. Also informing the listers when the next episode will be available, something that used to be the norm, has just simply vanished. The typographic style is woefully inadequate, you really do have to clearly list titles, episode and how many episodes there are. Take Home Front, this is a huge production that should be broken down into manageable sections and then numbered accordingly. Yes it is good to include the date of say ‘16th Oct 1917’ but this needs to be in subtitles. Apps should make things easier not a load of hard work. Regards Tighe
Also you have a section called Electric (something) but it’s just a mess and different stories are mixed in with Book of the Week. There is absolutely no delineation between each book/story. You are left just to scroll through a pile of different titles and work out how many episodes they each have (and this is never actually listed) so in some cases you don’t even know if the book has ended or not, you just have to keep on looking in case another episode appears. Also informing the listers when the next episode will be available, something that used to be the norm, has just simply vanished. The typographic style is woefully inadequate, you really do have to clearly list titles, episode and how many episodes there are. Take Home Front, this is a huge production that should be broken down into manageable sections and then numbered accordingly. Yes it is good to include the date of say ‘16th Oct 1917’ but this needs to be in subtitles. Apps should make things easier not a load of hard work. Regards Tighe
Show less
More than I asked for
IPayer was easier to use the layout is complex and not user friendly
Good app with one feature request
When you know that is user is an international user, please do not show them programs that are not available to international users. This just becomes frustrating.
Sounds
I very much appreciate Sounds as I love the radio, and being able to catch up with or listen again to programmes, like Saturday Review, Start the Week, Medical and Science programmes, Analysis, The Briefing Room, The Moral Maze, Hard Talk and the Why Factor plus others on the World Service. I also like the podcast versions with extras at the end.
What I don’t like as an older person with somewhat impaired eyesight is not being able to escape from a page I am on to go back to the main schedules. For example the icons at the bottom of the favourites page which I sometimes accidentally find myself on, are tiny and I don’t know what they are for. Tapping them takes me somewhere else I don’t want to be and don’t know how to get back from. i often can’t see, or can’t find, an arrow to taken me away from the page and back to what I want. This is on a full size modern iPad which normally I can see without difficulty even with my visual problems.
So that is why I have given a four rather than a five star review. Great service but often frustrating for older people with less than perfect eyesight..
What I don’t like as an older person with somewhat impaired eyesight is not being able to escape from a page I am on to go back to the main schedules. For example the icons at the bottom of the favourites page which I sometimes accidentally find myself on, are tiny and I don’t know what they are for. Tapping them takes me somewhere else I don’t want to be and don’t know how to get back from. i often can’t see, or can’t find, an arrow to taken me away from the page and back to what I want. This is on a full size modern iPad which normally I can see without difficulty even with my visual problems.
So that is why I have given a four rather than a five star review. Great service but often frustrating for older people with less than perfect eyesight..
Show less
The old app was so much better
My wife and I were both big users of the old app and reluctantly have been trying to learn how to navigate the new one .... it's not exactly easy!! We have both said how much easier the old app was and I have been tempted to write a review before but what has driven me to write this now is that it won't see any of my Airplay devices (yes app developer all my other apps can see and play on them perfectly!).
I know I will get a polite response from the app developer saying 'have you tried this?' but that would be missing the point. Reading through the reviews I am not alone in thinking that this app is difficult to navigate, unreliable and just not as good as the old one. I really do think it is about time you all sat down as a team, admitted to yourselves it really isn't very good and moved on trying to address the swathe of criticism from myself and other users.
I know I will get a polite response from the app developer saying 'have you tried this?' but that would be missing the point. Reading through the reviews I am not alone in thinking that this app is difficult to navigate, unreliable and just not as good as the old one. I really do think it is about time you all sat down as a team, admitted to yourselves it really isn't very good and moved on trying to address the swathe of criticism from myself and other users.
Show less
Response from developer
Thank you for your review. We are always keen to hear how users are finding navigating the app. We understand your concerns and we'll be sure to raise them with our team. In the meantime, you can reach our technical support team directly and they'll be happy to investigate why the app isn't picking up your devices when using Airplay. You can reach our team here: https://bbc.in/2Oe11EM
Clunky
Listening to a programme on my radio, I read the programme description on the Sounds app on my phone. When said programme finished I picked up my phone to read the description of the next programme, so clicking back a page takes you back to the schedule but not where you were but to midnight. So a lot of scrolling on that page or click back again to the channel list and scroll through to the wanted channel which will be showing next programme. Wow
Tonight I tried to find the podcast ‘No such thing as a fish.’ I went to podcasts and there was a short list of podcasts, not the one I wanted. So I tried to use ‘search’ and a 5 minute interview about the podcast on 4xtra appeared but not the podcast. So I went to help and it asked me if I would complete a survey ‘Yes’ I answer. It takes me to a page with a short message and then nothing I gave up. Went to ‘Tune in radio’ put in a search and the podcast came up immediately.
Why can’t Sounds do that.
I quite like the app but it needs more testing and more thought about making it useable.
It’s clunky.
Tonight I tried to find the podcast ‘No such thing as a fish.’ I went to podcasts and there was a short list of podcasts, not the one I wanted. So I tried to use ‘search’ and a 5 minute interview about the podcast on 4xtra appeared but not the podcast. So I went to help and it asked me if I would complete a survey ‘Yes’ I answer. It takes me to a page with a short message and then nothing I gave up. Went to ‘Tune in radio’ put in a search and the podcast came up immediately.
Why can’t Sounds do that.
I quite like the app but it needs more testing and more thought about making it useable.
It’s clunky.
Show less
Response from developer
Thank you for your review. We appreciate that when listening to a live stream you would like programme description pages to follow what is being streamed live at the time. We also appreciate that you would like the schedule pages to keep their place when entering in and out of programme pages. We'll be sure to share your feedback on this with our team. No Such Thing as a Fish is not a podcast produced by BBC Sounds, which is why it wasn't appearing for you.
Really poor design
I’ve given this app some time to bed in and still find it infuriating. The design is based upon podcast use rather than a radio station which is its foundation. Therefore to listen as you would to a radio and use it to catch up on programmes you’ve missed or see new content coming up is designed as a secondary poor relative in the structure of the app. You have to hit about 6 buttons to get to where you were last time you listened on catchup to get back to the schedule to see other possible programmes. Moving from radio 4 to 5 is about 20 moves as you have to find small buttons for schedules and then wade through numerous screens to get where you could once get to in 2 clicks. The developer needs to try an navigate using one hand with a child on his hip and attempt to go from radio 4 morning news (preferably when the god bothering bit is on, to add a bit of urgency and irritation to the nix) to radio 5 ((preferably during nick Campbell inane dog rambles) to 4 extra look for comedy ie hancock and then back to radio 4 again . Once they get that in an intuitive easy system with minimum moves and large easy to find buttons which ensures the app doesn’t hang downloading erroneous content it will be an improvement. Ps I get my podcasts on the podcast app not through sounds as it’s a cleaner less complicated system and I don’t want my radio app cluttered up with more annoying cul-de-sacs of nonsense.
Show less
Response from developer
Thanks for your review. Navigating between different live stations is done quickly via the “dial” at the top of the Listen page. Moving between schedules can be achieved via the All Stations page, and you can access the schedule for the station you are listening to by tapping the logo on the full player page. Your catchup listening can be seen in the Continue Listening section, and more episodes from a programme can be found via episode detail pages. Hope this is helpful!
