BBC iPlayer goes mobile

The BBC has announced that the iPlayer will now support more mobile devices, letting you download and watch programmes on the Nokia N96 and other handsets.

Any portable media player (PMP) that supports Windows Media Protected playback is able to have downloaded content from iPlayer transferred onto it.

The device doesn't have to be internet-capable, as there is now a button that lets you download programmes for media players, which you'll find under the Download To Computer button.

You simply download the programme onto your computer and then 'sideload' it onto the mobile device.

"We've worked hard to make the process as easy as possible - there's no software to install; you just download the file and copy it to your media player," said Anthony Rose of the BBC.

The iPlayer website has a full list of devices that it has tested and that work with the service, though it said it was prepared to test other devices and add them to the list if they work.

If you own a Nokia N96, the BBC said it was working on a way of letting you download programmes directly to the device rather than sideloading.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/where_to_get_iplayer