Midomi review

Max Tatton-Brown

We review Midomi, the premium method of identifying music with your iPhone

Published on Sep 4, 2009

No matter how crowded it gets, there are some applications that we will never delete from the iPhone even though if we only use them once in a blue moon.

An example of this almost since launch day has been Shazam, a free way to identify songs just by holding your handset toward a source of music.

Released around the same time, Midomi appeared on the scene claiming to offer the same functionality as well as the option to hum or sing the song yourself and have it identified. Unfortunately, it just couldn't compete with Shazam's implementation, identifying songs more slowly and less successfully.

But like a phoenix from the flames, Midomi is reborn in 2.0 form with overhauls all round but most controversially the addition of a not insignificant pricetag. Have the makers added enough to the package to convert Shazam diehards to paid-up customers?

The app opens speedily with an interface dominated by one huge orange button, to be tapped once you've run into an unfamiliar tune. A quick tap reveals a smoothly animated circle with the top segment devoted to a volume indicator.

The first change from Shazam here is that you can tap again to perform the analysis with data recorded so far, useful if you've just caught the end of a track, it has suddenly been drowned out or if you're just in a hurry. The result is delivered clearly and with all the links to iTunes, YouYube and the like that you'd expect.

But importantly, you can tap on a small button next to the title and it will playback it's own reference clip of the song so that you can confirm its accuracy. This is without a doubt superior to having to trawl back to YouTube and its ever decreasing quantity of official music videos. One massive point for Midomi here.

It still won't get the song in challenging environments but Midomi is definitely the better and more powerful option- once you have it, you will bid Shazam a respectful farewell. But is it three pounds more powerful? If you've a heavy user or find yourself getting frustrated with the ad-supported but free alternative then it might just be.