Will sattelite radio take off

[spotlightkid]

what do you think will be the fate for Xm and the like sattelite
radio.are you willing to pay for listening to over 100 stations
the price of between $10 and $13 a month.should there be on these sattelites stations for some top bands by themselves
like-beatles,rolling stones.i would like that-24 hours a day-beatles.

[Richard Feirstein]

The situation is in a state of flux. Within 18 months we should start to see our existing AM and FM stations add a digital audio component. All these are stereo while the music business is moving over to 5.1. Very interesting. Sure Dolby Pro Logic II will give a reasonable 5.1 simulation but.... Still, how long can pay per month digital radio last when free digital radio will be offered? I don't know. I do know that I will not pay $12.00 per month to hear something in the car that I do not have the right to listen to in my home unless I pay another $12.00 per month. Just does not seem like the right approach to me. Remember, this stuff from the sky is highly compressed and not aimed at the high end market and the pressue to add more programming will mean less quality, just like digital cable.

[Andy]

My dad owns a trucking company, and I know several truck drivers that would be willing to pay $10/12 a month for the convenience of listening to the same staion coast to coast. I think that XM has gotten off to a better start and might have a long term advantage.

[Sckott]

We're in a data-esque society now, and what I'm sure will happen, is these things will all be a part of one service:

Cell Phone
EMail/Wireless web
(intergrated into) Palm pilot
Portable digital sattelite music
Health, Dental and identification records
40 gigs worth of storage space ISO
Windows interface with means of Apple "Skins" if you so choose.
Infared beem and printer ports with 2 USB ports and headphone jack.
Older "paging" technologes can be used. ie:"Pick up the dog" from phone or the web.

You can plug it into a space in your car to use music, data
or PDA technologies to help you "not get lost" while you drive. All hands free via voice command!
Better connectivity to sattelite/Cell advantages there.
As much as 4-5 megs of information can be sent via cell
phone call in as little as 10 seconds.

And it's all for $699. I'm calling it the "MotherF***er."

Keep an eye on AT&T. ;) They'll have to call it something else.
They'll also drop cell phone charges to $4.99/mo, but the MFker would be something like $39.99 a month.

[Andy]

Ok

[Sckott]

Originally posted by Andy
My dad owns a trucking company, and I know several truck drivers that would be willing to pay $10/12 a month for the convenience of listening to the same staion coast to coast. I think that XM has gotten off to a better start and might have a long term advantage.

This is exactly what I've told people asking about XM. Truckers and people who need music, information and sports without losing signals every 4-10 hours is key for sane life in a truck. For any curiosity, XM would be a trucker's dream.

[Andy]

Truckers will also be the first people to dump the service if it doesn't perform. I hope XM didn't launch before it was totally ready. I-10 thru Texas can be one boring drive. 600 miles without a radio staion can make one feel very alone.

[Alan T]

Who gives a damn about some new corporate radio format that you have to buy that just going spew the same crap your getting now for free? Without innovative programming and local events where’s the advantage?

[Andy]

If it works the advantage is being able to listen to what ever you want anywhere in the country.

[Alan T]

You can almost do that today with the identical formats of most corporately run radio stations which are the majority of radio stations in America.

[Holy Zoo]

Well, thats defititely not true for me. I drive 45 miles to work (over the mountain between Santa Cruz and San Jose) and a grand total of 1 station is duplicated on both sides. Really annoying to be totally into an interview an have it completely drop when I crest the hill, with no counterpart station on the other side.

[Andy]

You are in Phoenix AZ? Is that correct? If it is jump on I-10 and head east out to San Antonio TX. How long until you lose your favorite Phoenix station? Once you get past El Paso you won’t get anything until you get close to San Antonio. Now if I was a jazz fan and liked to listen to jazz without packing around hundreds of cds a jazz station on satellite radio seems like a good alternative.

[Andy]

Even before that after Tuscon theres a whole lotta nothin' out there.

[Dave B]

While I personally don't listen to the radio much any more (I'm no longer in the target demographic) I think Satellite radio could become big. Especially if car and car stereo manufactures begin including it as an upgrade option. Unfortunately, I also think that as soon as it starts getting big, the advertisers will want in on the action (a nationwide market is too big to ignore) I predict that there'll become a two tiered system of basic channels for free (paid for by advertising) and non or low commercial premium channels for a fee.

[Patrick M]

Originally posted by Sckott
And it's all for $699. I'm calling it the "MotherF***er."

I don't doubt this is where things are heading. I see a usability meltdown here.

And you know what pisses me off? I probably *still* won't be able to get a job. Meanwhile, poorly designed, poorly thought-out, "looks great in the demo" multifunction crap will be foisted on the same public that can't find the 'any' key.:mad: :mad: :mad: