In a nutshell:

Internet radio on your mobile phone. For a price - this bit of pricey kit reminds you why Nokia’s own FREE software is so well respected!

Judgement time…

La Vella Mobile Radio is a headscratcher. It does nothing more than Spodtronic or Nokia Internet Radio, but costs over £10.

What’s more, the application’s interface is clunky and slow compared to Nokia’s own-brand software.

On testing it with a variety of connections, we also struggled to guarantee a reliable performance on anything but Wi-Fi. The software also frequently forgets which access point it’s using, and stops the action to ask you again.

In short, it’s expensive to keep, forgetful, and looks a little ragged ‘round the edges. Surely, this is the Alzheimer’s of digital radio?

There are a couple of saving graces though. La Vella includes a built-in MP3 player, so there’s no need to switch apps if you’re after a spot of your own music. However, that feature hardly warrants the price tag, and we managed to crash the application more than once, simply by tapping a volume key.

Our advice? Avoid La Vella. It’s a waste of time and money. You’re much better off with Spodtronic or Nokia Internet Radio. They’re free, and infinitely more powerful.