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SiriusXM app is getting Pandora channels later this year
SiriusXM's $3.5 billion acquisition of Pandora is set to close on Friday, and the satellite radio company is already laying out details on how it plans to make the most of its newest toy. In an earnings call with investors held Wednesday, Sirius CEO James Meyer said the company plans to launch Pandora channels within the SiriusXM app.
Ford MyKey adds radio censorship to further control teen driving habits
Daddy doesn't have to take the T-Bird away, he can just take all the fun out of driving it. That is, if the T-Bird is actually a Taurus. Ford's MyKey system has been engendering teen resentment since the release of the 2010 Focus, allowing parents to limit max speeds and cap radio volume, but parental control doesn't stop there -- the 2011 MyKey can selectively block radio stations. Starting next year, parents will have the option to block 16 Sirius radio channels from the car's dial, among them Howard Stern, Playboy, and Hip-Hop Nation. Optional radio censorship isn't the only new feature for MyKey, which allows owners to program a key to fit their specific level of paranoia -- the new version allows parents to set top speeds between 65 and 80mph, instead of the previous fixed cap of 80mph. Other controls carrying over from the original system include a chime that sounds at 10mph intervals, starting at 45mph, and an advanced notice when fuel levels are low. The new features will come standard issue on the 2011 Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer, and will eventually reach across both the Ford and Lincoln brands.
Sirius XM iPhone app coming this week, says customer support
Just in case a new iPhone model and OS 3.0 weren't enough goodies for this week, Sirius XM support team members are sending emails out announcing the company's long-awaited iPhone / iPod touch app will finally seeing the light of day and will launch this Thursday, June 18th. We just got off the phone with a customer service rep who confirmed the letters are legit, so unless there's some communication breakdown on the corporate ladder, looks like it's really, finally coming. It'll be available as a free download from the App Store, but those who subscribe to the gratis Basic Online Service will have to upgrade to the $2.99 monthly premium plan to have it on the go. We're a bit light on other details -- we can't imagine it being as full-featured as the standalone receivers -- but it's a good bet we'll have all our questions answered before the week is out.
Report: Sirius XM preparing to file for bankruptcy
Sirius XM is preparing to file for bankruptcy and could do so within days, the New York Times reports. According to the article, the move might be a calculated act to pressure Dish Network and EchoStar owner Charles Ergen into making an offer for acquisition. The Wall Street Journal says he offered to purchase the merged satellite radio group late last year and was then brushed off. Despite previous rejections, he's recently reaffirmed his desire try again. If it wasn't before, the honeymoon is now officially over.Read - New York TimesRead - Wall Street Journal
Launch of Sirius XM iPhone app 'StarPlayr' coming soon?
Subscribers to Sirius XM satellite radio have reasons to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day next week: it appears that an iPhone app called "StarPlayr" will be coming soon.There's a thread in the SternFanNetwork forums about receiving Sirius XM on the iPhone, and forum member JJRousseau, who is apparently an employee of developer NiceMac, LLC, pointed everyone to the StarPlayr website. StarPlayr currently makes a Mac player and is hard at work on the iPhone app. JJRousseau noted in the forum that "[t]he iPhone is our first priority, but it has taken longer than expected getting licensing worked out for the iPhone Client. As soon as the business side of iPhone version is worked out, you'll be able to purchase StarPlayr for iPhone at the App Store."The feature set sounds impressive, with Sirius and/or XM content streams, album art, iTunes WiFi purchase links, lyrics, and favorites lists. No release date or pricing has been set for the app at this time.Thanks to Rymon for the tip![via iPhoneSavior]
Sprint dropping Sirius streaming music?
When Sprint added some popular Sirius satellite radio channels to its streaming data customer packages years ago, it seemed like a great solution for those that like low-fidelity satellite radio through those (at the time) 1xRTT handsets. When Sprint's EV-DO handsets started shipping, Sirius was right there as usual but sounded the same (read: not that good). Those music channels did suffice in a pinch, but the value was just not there. Well, Sprint must have finally realized this, as a recent billing insert to customers states that Sirius streams will be going away in favor of 10 new genre-themes music channels, though no date was given on when the change / transition will take place. Could those eye-squinting Sprint Movies be on the chopping block next?
