NPR News iPhone application FAQ

What is the NPR News application?
How do I download the NPR News application?
What devices will it work on?
What features does it have?
Can I use the application to share stories with friends?
What is the Listen Live feature?
Do I have to be registered with NPR to get the NPR News application?
Does the application have underwriting in it?
What is the playlist? How do I use it?
How many items can I store in my playlist at one time? And how long will they stay there?
If I'm interrupted, can I resume listening to a story where I left off?
How do I add a program stream to my 'favorites'?
I love public radio podcasts. Are they in the application?
Can I read/listen to content offline or in Airplane Mode?
Can I listen to the app while using another application?
What should I do if I cannot access any type of audio – a single story, a live stream, etc. – via the application?
What personalization options are there?
Can I use the NPR iPhone app while traveling in other countries?
How often do you plan to issue updates on the application?
Where do I send questions/feedback?
How do I remove the iPhone app from my iPhone?
What is the difference between the NPR News iPhone application and the NPR Mobile website?
How can I visit the full NPR.org Web site on my iPhone?

What is the NPR News application?

NPR News gives you access to the best NPR and NPR member station text stories and audio, allowing you to create story playlists, read while listening, and easily bookmark your favorite stations. It works on either the cellular network or Wi-Fi, and downloads text and images for use when your phone is offline.  We have designed it to take advantage of the best features of the iPhone and iPod touch.

How do I download the NPR News application?

There are two ways to download the application, which we are offering as a free download.  (Your AT&T rate plan will determine what charges you may incur to consume content via the application.)

(1) On your iPhone or iPod touch, click the icon for the Apple App Store.  Hit the search tab in the bottom navigation and type in “NPR News.”   Click on the search result for the “NPR News” application; once that page loads, you’ll be presented with a button that says “free.”  Clicking the “free” button will reveal an “install” button. (You’ll be prompted to enter your iTunes store password.)

(2) Go to the home screen of the iTunes application on your computer and click the “App Store” link in the navigation in the top of the left column.  Type “NPR News” into the search box in the upper right hand side of iTunes.   Find the “NPR News” iPhone application in the results and click it.  You will see the NPR logo and an application description along with a button to “Get App.”  Click this button to download the application to iTunes.  When you next sync your iPhone or iPod touch, the application will be transferred to your mobile device.   

What devices will it work on?

We currently support 3GS and later models of the iPhone and Third Generation or later iPod Touch devices running iOS 4 or iOS 5.

What features does it have?

Features on the NPR News iPhone application include the following:

• Full-text and full-audio NPR News stories
• A ‘My Playlist’ feature to program your listening experience
• NPR News on the hour (audio)
• Stories from NPR’s most popular programs - including Morning Edition and All Things Considered – also easily searchable by topic
• Access to hundreds of NPR member station radio, HD and on-demand streams
• Text and images available for offline viewing
• Backgrounding capability, enabling you to enjoy NPR programming while performing other actions on your device
• In-app subscription to favorite NPR and public radio podcasts
• Live streaming audio of special NPR coverage

Can I use the application to share stories with friends?

Yes. At the top of the page, you will find an option to share an article via Email, Facebook, or Twitter.

What is the 'Listen Live' feature?

The Listen Live feature is intended only for instances of breaking news and special live coverage from NPR. This feature should not be confused with a 24-Hour program stream. To listen "live" to regularly scheduled programming, listeners should access the program stream offered by their favorite local station.

Do I have to be registered with NPR to get the NPR News application?

No.  Registration is not required to use the application. However, you must have an iTunes account to download the free application.

Does the application have underwriting in it?

Because NPR is a non-profit, non-commercial organization, NPR programming and tools never contain advertising.  NPR does recognize the support of sponsors and underwriters with short messages before audio programming as well as graphical banners placed at various points in the application.

What is the playlist? How do I use it?

The playlist allows you to select and order stories with audio, then listen right away or save them for later. 

Browse to any story that has audio, and you’ll see several buttons.  One says, 'Add to playlist'; another says, 'Listen now'; and finally there is an option to share stories. Press the 'Add to playlist' button and that story will be saved to your playlist for later listening.

You can easily access your playlist to play, reorder, or delete stories by pressing the “Playlist” tab in the persistent navigation at the bottom of the application. From your playlist, click on any story to begin listening. The player will automatically progress to the next story in your list after the first story you selected has finished.

Reordering and deleting stories works the same way as other lists on iPhone default applications. To reorder stories hit the 'Edit' button in the upper left; drag stories up or down in the list by putting your finger tip on the gray square on the right side of the story item and sliding your finger to the desired location in the list.  Press “Done” when you are finished.

To delete a single story from your playlist, click on 'Edit' and touch the small red icon to the left of the story. The ‘Delete’ button will appear. To remove all stories from your playlist, click 'Edit' and select 'Clear your playlist.'

How many items can I store in my playlist at one time? And how long will they stay there?

You can store as many items in your playlist as you like.

If I'm interrupted, can I resume listening to a story where I left off?

Yes. If, for example, you receive a phone call while listening to a story, or even if you just need to close the app before you have finished listening, you will be asked if you would like to resume listening where you left off when you relaunch the app.

How do I add a program stream to my 'favorites'?

First, find a local station's program stream by selecting from the list of states, or by using the 'Locate' feature. Next, launch that station's program stream. Finally, click the star icon that appears on the screen. That station's program stream will now appear as a "favorite" under the 'Stations' tab icon.

I love public radio podcasts; Are they in the application?

Yes.  But unlike the normal podcasting experience, public radio podcasts are available in the NPR News application on demand whenever you want them.  Synching is not necessary; so we’re not calling them “podcasts.”  You do, however, have the option of also subscribing to podcasts via the application.

Can I read/listen to content offline or in Airplane Mode?

You can read but not listen to Top Stories when your iPhone is offline, however new stories will not update until you are able to connect again.  When connected, the NPR News application will download text and images for news stories from all the main news topics such as politics, business, and health and science.

Can I listen to the app while using another application?

Yes. "Backgrounding” is available, but only for certain devices. The background audio feature will only work for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 or for iPhone 3GS and 3rd generation iPod Touch devices (32 GB or 64 GB) that have been upgraded to the iOS 4.

What should I do if I cannot access any type of audio – a single story, a live stream, etc. – via the application?

First check that you have a good network connection, remembering that Wi-Fi will generally be stronger than 3G, which in turn will be better than Edge.  You can also wait several minutes, then try the audio selection again.  If you are still unable to listen, contact us. We will do our best to respond, but there could be multiple reasons why a specific selection is not available at any given moment; some of these factors are beyond NPR’s control.

What personalization options are there?

You can search for and save, to a “favorites” list, the NPR station(s) whose live streams and on-demand streams you access most. You can find stations by location (GPS) or zip code via the 'Stations' tab in the persistent navigation.

In addition, you can create a personalized playlist of stories that you’d like to listen to.

Can I use the NPR iPhone app while traveling in other countries?

Yes. However, international roaming and data rates may apply, depending on the terms of your plan.

How often do you plan to issue updates on the application?

We will constantly work to improve the NPR News application and plan to include new features as soon as we can.  We will also release updates whenever it’s necessary to correct any technical problems.  But there is no fixed timetable for application updates.

Where do I send questions/feedback about the NPR News app?

Contact Us

How do I remove the iPhone app from my iPhone?

Simply touch the application icon on the iPhone desktop and hold it until all the application icons vibrate.  You will then see a small “x” in the upper left hand corner of the NPR News icon.  Press it to delete the application. (You will be prompted to confirm the action.)

What is the difference between the NPR News iPhone application and the NPR Mobile website?

In general, mobile applications are computer programs that you download to your phone and that run on its native operating system.  In contrast, mobile web sites (including NPR Mobile) are just like regular websites, except that they have been optimized for use on mobile devices (small screens, no mouse, and limited keyboards in many cases).  You use a browser – like Safari on the iPhone – to view and interact with mobile websites.

Because it runs directly on the iPhone’s operating system, the NPR News application offers specific features – the playlist, caching of content for viewing when offline, GPS-based location – that would be difficult if not impossible on a mobile website.

How can I visit the full NPR.org Web site on my iPhone?

Open the Safari browser on your iPhone and type in the address for NPR: www.npr.org.  This will take you to the iPhone-optimized version of the NPR Mobile Web site, where you will be presented with a link at the top of the page to 'View Full NPR Website.'   Please note that some parts of the full NPR.org Web site, including the audio player, require Flash, which the iPhone version of Safari does not currently support.

 Related Items

NPR Mobile FAQ
NPR News iPad application FAQ
NPR News Android application FAQ