XM Radio Online launching in October
By Dan Wu 
posted Sep 16th 2004 8:21AM
posted Sep 16th 2004 8:21AM
XM Radio, after
scrapping their XM PC Receiver because of piracy
concerns, is launching their an online service next month. They're gonna charge $7.99 a month for unlimited listening
(we assume one PC at a time), but if you already subscribe to XM they'll give you a discounted rate of $3.99 per.
Buying a Dell computer next month will get you a free trial subscription to XM Radio Online. Getting satellite radio
over the Internet does sorta eliminate one of its main appeals (that, um, you get it by satellite), but we definitely
dig the whole commercial-free radio thing.
SIRIUS already lets its subscribers listen to commercial free radio for no charge. http://www.sirius.com
You can also get a trial 3-day pass to test the service out.
The downside is that the basic subscription to SIRIUS is $3 more a month than XM.
I just switched from XM to Sirius when I saw their Blaupunkt receiver. I like how I can listen to sirius online at the office (yup, no extra charge). If you have Dish, Sirius is also available. Another reason I switched was because of Sirius' channel 22 -- 1st Wave. :)
At some point in the near future, XM won't need satellites to deliver their radio programming. They'll be able to broadcast over terrestrial wireless broadband. (WiMAX, EvDO, EDGE, etc.) This is a step toward that. Once those technologies mature, XM over Internet will be in cars and stand-alone stereos, along with Sirius, Napster and Rhapsody.
Eventually, you'll be able to buy a song as soon as you hear it on the radio. Just push that little red "BUY" button on the in-dash receiver...
Depending on what Satelite radio service Howard goes to, that will be the one I subscribe. Dosnt matter. I need Satelite Lesbians now. Thank you.
I've been listening to XM on my PC for months. I just plug the audio out port on my Roady to the Audio In port on my sound card. Works great. It's not as easy as it will presumably be with their Internet-based system but it doesn't cost more either.
I really don't see WiFi widely universal anytime in the near future. What would have been if they could make an XM Radio Reciever for the iPod (or Palm/Pocket PCs)... THEN I might get it.
I gotta say go Sirius, free online and can't beat channel 64, Chill. (Oh yeah and much better programing over all)
Why would anyone pay $7.99/month for commercial-free XM Internet radio, when they can get just that and more on existing Internet radio offerings?
LAUNCHcast Plus - As low as $2.50/month, includes customized radio and other options XM doesn't have
MusicMatch - as low as $2.95/month
etc.
I only have one thing to say - www.accuradio.com - it's free, with tons of customizable channels.
To the comment about Howard Stern, O&A will be broadcasting on XM radio next month.
On another note, the XM PC receivers are going for 300 bucks on ebay -- 6x what they were selling for before they pulled them.
Hasn't anyone at XM heard of SHOUTCAST?