If your smartphone came with stereo earbuds with a built-in mic for hands-free talking, you're ready to get started. If not, you need to pick up a set that's compatible with your specific handset. Some phones work with mini-USB headsets and others use only a 2.5mm jack, even if they also have the mini-USB port (like my Motorola Q). I've seen all sorts of confusion about this in various Internet forums, so try to get specific model recommendations for your particular handset before buying one. Once you're armed with the right earbuds, or a stereo Bluetooth headset, you're good to go.

Pocket Radio supports MP3 and OGG-format streaming radio stations, and comes with a long list spanning multiple genres. There are nine large preset buttons on the home page, and you can enter stations manually by keying in the URL, title, and bit rate. The program can also import from M3U or PLS files, though you have to download them to your PC and transfer them over to your handset first.

Though Resco Pocket Radio's main interface is easy to navigate, its method of browsing stations is convoluted. All of the stations are buried four levels down, under Tools -> Open -> Select Genre -> [Station Name]. And cursor navigation feels clumsy. I never quite became used to it during the review period. In addition, the station names don't always clue you in as to what to expect. A one-line description appears at the bottom of the screen, but it's not always helpful. Some of the stations are in the wrong genre categories.

Once you select a station and start listening, be careful not to accidentally bump the Forward or Back buttons. If you do, you'll jump to one of your presets and lose track of what station you had selected. The only way to return is to go hunting in the menus all over again. If you find a station you really like, set it as a preset so you can find it again later.

Pocket Radio's sound quality depended on the chosen station. Stations play at anywhere from a middling 64 Kbps to a sweet-sounding 192 Kbps; these numbers are indicated in the browse lists, so you know what you're in for when you choose a station. On most stations, the overall sound was full, with good bass response. I heard noticeable swirling effects in the treble on some stations, a clear trademark of low-bit-rate audio. That's good enough for walking around outside and casual listening, and roughly similar to the quality that Mercora M offers.

When a call comes in, Pocket Radio lowers the volume almost to zero, but it still plays very low in the background as the phone rings. When I answered a call, the music then cut out completely. Music resumed about five seconds after I completed the call, and I was able to use my phone's usual hang-up button.

Interestingly, Pocket Radio is not just a player, but a stereo recorder as well. With practice, you can record quickly. Just press Action, then Down on your smartphone's control pad, and then Select to choose "Record/Stop." The program will immediately start recording. When you're finished, Pocket Radio prompts you for a filename and location; you can also configure defaults in the Set-tings menu. Unfortunately, the Smartphone version of Pocket Radio lacks the Pocket PC program's built-in scheduler; you can start recording only when you're at the handset.

I recorded a snippet of audio that contained acoustic guitar, vocals, and eventually, some drums and bass guitar. Then I transferred it back to my PC and listened to the recorded result with no problems. Pocket Radio captures the file at whatever format the station streams at, such as 96-Kbps stereo MP3. This sounds inflexible at first but works out fine in practice, since MP3 tracks are compatible with almost everything.

As with Mercora M, I found myself leaving my iPod home and relying purely on Resco Pocket Radio when out and about. It's also a less expensive proposition than Mercora M. With any of these apps, keep in mind that your phone will go silent whenever there's not enough cellular signal, such as when you're underground. If you spend time in tunnels, a portable MP3 player may make more sense. Resco even thought of this problem: Pocket Radio includes configurable look-ahead buffer settings of 5 to 20 seconds, which is nice, though it's not going to help on the New York subway. For most other occasions, check Pocket Radio out; you may be pleasantly surprised.