Portable MP3 players have very much grown in popularity and a study released at the end of June showed that ownership of them has doubled in the last three years.

The BBC has announced plans to release a device that will make it possible to turn an MP3 player into a digital radio. Currently very much still on the drawing board, details of the device are a little thin, and there is no timetable for when the add-on radio might appear. The device would not be limited to playing the BBC digital radio stations, and would have a wide coverage.

A BBC spokesman said the broadcaster was carrying out feasibility studies to see how easy it would be to make and market the clip-on gadget. The study was also looking at the design of the product and what it would do.