Associated Press Not Impressed By MyFi

prostoalex writes "Michael Regan from the Associated Press started reviewing MyFi, a portable satellite radio receiver, by treating it as a competitor to iPod, but then admitted the two devices are quite different. For $350 and a $10-a-month subscription the buyer gets access to XM satellite radio stations and ability to record the stream to 128 MB of built-in flash. There's no way to transfer the recorded content to the computer or vice versa. The review recommends waiting for lower price and better features."

Comments

Re:SIRIUS IS WAAAY BETTER

[roche]

Sirius play more "hits" while XM has more of a diverse playlist.

I prefer XM myself.

I have one

[Texodore]

Random notes:

Everyone keeps saying the iPOD holds more music, has better battery life. I don't seem them competing. Maybe it's just me. The limitations of satellite radio mean you have to have an antenna and specialized hardware that sucks the juice down. But you get a 2,000,000 song library.

You can record and playback, and it has an alarm. It also comes with a home and car kit. Note that buying a SkyFi2, home, and car kit will almost cost as much as the MyFi.

I have the MyFi so I can listen while I'm walking my dog. Yes, I like XM that much to want to listen to it over MP3s or something like that. One thing your MP3 collection can't do is turn you on to new music. I wouldn't have known about many new bands (or old bands for that matter) without XM. I don't know if I would know who Muse, The Faint, or Franz Ferdinand were, and I wouldn't have found out how much I like Echo and the Bunnymen and stuff like that.

I don't think it needs more storage space. The idea is to listen to radio, which is mostly live. I think the recorded feature is for programs you can't pick up when you aren't available (a timer feature will record something for you) and if you can't pick up a signal. It's basically 5 hours of music programming.

Did I mention the talk radio and the ACC/Big 10/Pac-10 games?

I like not having to cue up playlists, pick what I want to listen to, listen to new music, etc. XM seems to want to play their deeper library more than Sirius, one reason I like their service more.

I've had it for 2 days and like it. I need to play with the wearable antenna some more before I say I love it. The signal is spotty outside at times while walking around. I have no problems in my car or at the office. Speaking as someone who is upgrading from the original Sony Xm radio, this is also a huge upgrade.

Finally, to the editors, stop knocking XM an satellite radio. Half the satellite radio stories seem to denounce it somehow. The AP review doesn't really say anything bad about it. Some of you that knock satellite radio need to try it before worshiping your iPOD again.

Re:Recommendation??

[MBCook]

Both would be nice. But the thing is still a great deal. For the $350, you get the device, a car kit, a home kit, earphones, etc. If you take the little Delphi XM radio I have now ($99), buy the car kit ($99), the home kit ($99), the boombox so you can listen anywhere ($99), you're already over the price (those numbers may be a tad high, like $10 each).

So for the same or less, this little thing is smaller, portable, AND CAN TIMESHIFT.

As an XM radio reciever goes, this is THE DEVICE unless you only want to ever listen in your car (which, by the way, would change).

It's not cheap, but it's a good deal relative to other solutions. Plus you can use it anywhere like a walkman and it could tape Art Bell or This American Life or any other show for you to listen to later.

I'd LOVE one. I'd suggest that they offer it stand alone (no home/car kits) to lower the price, but I think we all know that would only save maybe $50 bucks because the little device is by FAR the most expensive part.

Disagree

[Anonymous Coward]

Had Sirius, now with XM. Why? Because (a) Sirius is stuck on endless self-promotion. Why do they keep advertising their own service on their own channels? Christ, you have to already be a subscriber to listen. (b) They have a less variety of music channels than XM - compare the lists of music offerings between the two and you'll see what I mean. (c) Sirius would rather spend its money on stupid jocks than decent music - yes now we get all those NFL games. Great. In the meantime good luck finding a good punk station, ska station, whatever-your-taste-is station.

What does Sirius have going for it? NPR. But in the music genre, they are far behind XM in my opinion.

Re:Maybe useful for Flyover-country

[geoffspear]

Actually, Clear Channel owns exactly 7 of the 35 radio channels in the Orlando market. But feel free to make up "facts" to fit your argument.

Re:Maybe useful for Flyover-country

[Desert Raven]

Um, OK.

I live in one of the largest metro areas (Phoenix) and only know of one such station. Some truly awesome individual who owns a few small stations took one that was failing and turned it into his own private station.

No commercials, no DJs, just non-stop music from his own (huge) playlist, randomly chosen by an automated system. He's got a serious following, even though it's a low-power station. Funny thing is, he could care less.

But even so, it's an anomaly. He's rich enough to run it at a loss just because he wants a station he likes. And, he's got the license to run it, because he was wealthy enough to buy it, license and all in the first place. Not too many folks out there with that kind of money, influence, skills and devotion.

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