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Motorola Unveils iRadio
sayanchak writes "Motorola is introducing iRadio in its 2nd edition of the ROKR cell phone. An article in Reuters says that iRadio will be a subscription music service that will go on sale this year. This will put Motorola in competition with other such services like XM Satellite Radio Holdings and Sirius Satellite Radio." From the article: "The iRadio service will cost about $7 (4 pounds) a month but the price may vary depending on which wireless phone service the subscriber uses, according to Motorola. U.S. service providers including Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless are planning mobile music download services for this year. Sprint Nextel has already launched music download and streaming services. Motorola did not reveal any service provider partnerships but said it hopes to sell the service in conjunction with wireless operators, which could sell subscribers a wireless download of a song that they discovered through iRadio."
One can only wonder how bad is the user interface for this thing going to be, given the Motorola track record of extremely unusable software.
Anything that is cammel case and starts with "i" I will buy
Can I choose to pay the 4 pounds a month instead of dollars? I did resolve to lose some weight and I figure at 4 pounds a month I can keep the service for at least a year until I am down to a reasonable weight.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
...that any company (other than Apple) that names their product iAnything should have 15% iDeducted from their iStock price for being iUncreative. It was catchy when Apple started doing it (if they were even the first), but now its kind of "their thing" and it just sounds, well, stupid when other companies do it.
Motorola is introducing iRadio in its 2nd edition of the ROKR cell phone. An article in Reuters says that iRadio will be a subscription music service that will go on sale this year.
I fail to see how this is superior to a Treo 650 with free shoutcast streaming audio.
I'm just curious to know if all this cellular music is now just sitting in the unwanting hands of Motorola, and Apple's just cheering on at the sidelines. Is this the case, or a smooth marketing move?
"To be is to do." -Socrates
"To do is to be." -Jean-Paul Sartre
"Do-be-do-be-do." -Frank Sinatra
*Washes food down with Coca-Cola*
*Sits in front of TV, wonders if Hypnotoad is on . . .*
The first thing I thought of when I read the title was "iRadio = idiot Radio". Of course I own an iBook. Oh well.
In Soviet America the banks rob you!
iPredict iOne of iThese iServices will iMerge with another within 1 iYear. iI don't iThink there's enough of a iMarket to iSupport all of iThese.
Really, is anyone else bothered that more and more media is going from free to subscription? Think about it, tv used to be free, now virtually evenyone has cable/satellite subscriptions. Radio used to be free, still is, but now everyone is jumping to satellite radio and their attached subscriptions. Taping shows on your vcr is still free, however now everyone and their dog runs Tivo, sending a monthly check to them for the priviledge. Personally when you're raising a family and making a budget I don't see how all of these subscriptions are neccessary. Of course we have to have our monthy cell phone bills...
fak3r.com
I think there is a lot of disconnect between what people want and what execs think people want.
It's either on the beat or off the beat, it's that easy.
I moderate therefore I rule!
--
On the heels of mostly failing to sell a phone with iTunes bolted on, they are now trying to jump into a market (subscription-based music downloads) where nobody is making money.
I've got a Motorola phone right now, and for the most part I'm miserable with it. Sure, it has a lot of spiffy features, but it kind of sucks as a phone. Not only is it of limited reliability, but they made all kinds of goofy interface decisions.
For example, I need to be "in a call" for about two seconds before I can turn on the speakerphone feature. It's impossible to answer it on the speaker, or place a call over it. Instead I must talk to the person with the phone to my ear for a couple seconds, say "hang on", press a button on the face of the phone just so, wait another half second, ask the person on the other end to say something to indicate that it worked, try pushing the button again if it didn't, rinse, repeat.
How stupid is that? The whole point of a speakerphone is to avoid fucking around with it. If I take a call when I'm on the road, it's actually safer to just keep listening through the earpiece.
A minor annoyance, yes... but one of many with this piece of crap.
The Japanese market went ga-ga for cameras, text-messaging, ring-tones, etc., but from what I've seen, most Americans want a phone that works easilly and reliably as a phone more than anything else. Someday, a phone maker will become clueful about this fact, and they will sell them like hotcakes. I know I'll be in line for one.
Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
Might make a nice ring tone.
The use of itunes was the one good thing about the previous piece of crap. I guess that replacing it with their own proprietary subscription service will at least hasten the complete demise of this thing.
I'm sure that users will be _thrilled_ with the notion of needing to pay for their music twice in order to listen to it on their phones and on anything else.
Ah, but remember Shakespeare - they want their pound of flesh, but nary a drop of blood!
The blood is for the cell phone provider (aka blood-sucking leeches) who disable all the fancy usb-upload/download features on your phone so you have to waste airtime with your pix, ringtones, etc., or get someone to unlock it.
I love my cell phone, but if they keep on trying to foist crap like that on me, its going to become VERY mobile - I'll toss the damn thing!
The only good thing in the last couple of years is the polyphonic ringtones. I must have snarfled a couple thousand of them off the web sites so we can play "Name That Tune" (hint - javascript bookmarklet to re-enable right click, view source, search for string that ends in mp3, script to wget it :-).
That has GOT to be one of the all-time scariest horror scenes in any movie. Doesn't matter who you are, what age you are, what sex you are - everyone reacts the same way! Given a choice, I think most people would take the radiation.
So the article mentions specifically that the iTunes software is NOT going to be included. Hrm. Did any of the bad press the first ROKR get revolve around the mobile iTunes software or the integration of a phone and iTunes? Not that -I- recall; if memory serves Moto was lambasted for a trivial 100 song limit, no expandability, and the inability to sync over Bluetooth.
So how to fix? Take away the one part that WAS GOOD, and that falls into line with what the GROSS majority of users are currently DOING: using iTunes, the iTunes store, and a move towards user-centric music collections.
Instead implement a crappy subscription service that every cell carrier CEO will gripe about because customers "expect" reception in their homes. (And what a dumb expectation, too...not like there's any precedent for it!)
Will the goofy thing at least still play AAC (.m4a) audio files?
What morons. Seriously. Moto is dead. Long live Moto. Nokia, bay-beee.
Scott
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
Or as it's called when translated from Corporate-Speak, "Hey Apple Please Buy This From Us As A Cheap And Easy Way To Get Satellite Radio On iPods".
The best internet radio out there is Yahoo lunchcast. I can rate songs and also prohibit them from ever being played again if i choose. Having Yahoo launchcast on my phone or my car would be great. I could use the phones interface to rate the songs. Then it would learn what i like and cater to my preferences. Of course someone probably has that patented.
http://www.stockmarketgarden.com/
Ought oh, they used an "i" in their product name. Apple must be charging up their iAttorneys as we speak.
will make me go blind faster than the kid next door watching scrabled dirty movies,
Watching the scrambled pr0n isn't what makes you go blind, didn't you mum teach you anything.
500 dollar reward for tip(s) leading to the arrest of the person(s) who stole my sig.
Note to Motorola's CEO:
Maybe publicly trashing your software partner's flagship product isn't the greatest idea. (Especially when Steve Jobs is involved.)
Just a thought.
Does it make you happy you're so strange?
The Japanese market went ga-ga for cameras, text-messaging, ring-tones, etc., but from what I've seen, most Americans want a phone that works easilly and reliably as a phone more than anything else. Someday, a phone maker will become clueful about this fact, and they will sell them like hotcakes. I know I'll be in line for one.
Actually, what most people want out of a cell phone, besides just working, is to make them look cool and chic. Small portable items that we carry with us become fashion statements about us. That's why ipods have to be skinned or placed in their special holders with your name on them for everyone to see. They're like clothing. They reflect on us. That's why nokia is coming out with their L'Amour collection. The real money is going to be in personalized stuff like engraving. I personally would like a cell phone series that had original artwork etched on the cases. Custom faceplates usually only cover part of the plastic surface. Look at the L'Amour collection to see what I'm talking about.
Well I already subscribe to music, thanks to yahoo. I subscribe to cable, internet, and cell phone as well.
For it is much easier, and i am not bothered by not being able to listen to songs from yahoo when my subscription expires, because i know what i signed up for and I get a blanket coverage to listen to everything they have to offer.
The reason i am not bothered by it is because most are not expensive services, esp music @ $12 and internet @ $30, with howmany ever people at your home that want to use it. However cell phones are expensive, and some cable does get out there. Not to mention only a few channels on tv were free, I cannot ever think of when my fav. channels, which include discovery, history, nick, g4, comedy central and cartoon network were ever free.
I guess all my round about blabering comes down to, I do not mind paying for something I want, and service model is great when the content keeps changing.
That's great. Now I can listen to all lesbian-punk-country all the time.
sig has been sent away for a few small repairs...
Pay per use is a great way to make money, but customers don't like it. Subscriptions paying for necessary utilities are tolerated, but entertainment subscriptions are a hard sell, unless they provide high value vs. the cost. Pop music does not qualify as a service people are willing to pay/minute for, rather than just carry around their CDs or their iPod.
... continue downloading..." = sucks.
I'd much rather pay a known cost upfront for something than "subscribe" to yet another ongoing cost. Does the rest of the world agree? Consider:
Subscriptions that work:
- Cable/Sat TV works because it offers things you simply can't get elsewhere; make those things available on DVD, and notice how people start collecting DVDs of the few shows they watch, and abandon 150 channels of nothing on. Users who want regional/sports/news content you can't get without a subscription may hang on to their cable.
- Magazines, Newspapers & other periodicals work because they offer a stream of new content you can't get elsewhere. These markets are being eaten alive by the availability of content on the open Internet however. MacWorld used to be a monthly book, now its a pretty skimpy magazine.
Subscriptions that failed miserably:
- Nobody's paying for Microsoft's WMA, now that there is iTunes and real audio CDs left (and not WMA-only CDs, as was the plan).
- Subscription software has been an extremely hard sell, despite Misrosoft's attempts at converting Windows and Office to subscription style licensing). Online games like WoW are selling subscriptions because they offer content and play otherwise unavailable elsewhere. That's why Blizzard guards its client so well. If you could plug into open "worlds" of entertainment, Blizard's game would die quickly.
- Pay per use subscriptions to Internet access were steamrolled by competition from fixed cost, all you can eat plans as soon as they became available.
So basically, I'd say that in order to sell a subscription with wide market appeal, you have to have exclusive, compelling content not generally available in any other form, and you have to actually get something, not just temporary access to it.
Pop music DOES NOT fit this model, and niche markets for audio content are not going to be made available for the cell phone market. Beyond the failure of the subscription model, who the heck is going to want to listen to radio on a cell phone? And who will want to continue to pay for it, particularly if they are billed even more for using it regularly?
And while service cutouts are a minor irritation when trying to have a conversation, dropouts and service unavailability are serious problems for people trying to listen to music live; waiting to download music using existing (SLOW) data services would be equally problematic. "Hey I want to listen to that song... look up... download....
I don't think the significance of the win of iTMS over WMA has been absorbed by the music industry, from the labels to the would be distributors (cell phone providers). People overwhelmingly want to buy things they "own," and not to pay for the privelage to listen for a period of time.
Apple's win with the iPod came from offering a product that allowed users unfettered use of the music they already had (you don't pay a per miniute fee for having your iPod on), an easy path to get new music at a "known cost," and additionally, access to online music via iTMS at fixed, "known" costs. You aren't penalized for listening to an iPod for a longer time (per minute fees), or over a period of time (per month fees). That encourages iPod use, and makes it more rewarding as you use it more.
WMA and pay-per-listen cell phone plans ding you the more you use them, discouraging regular use. Guess why they aren't catching on?
Motorola, after delivering a poor iPod bundled in an unimpressive phone, now thinks they can turn the system upside down and shake money from their (potential) userbase by charging them per use.
Let's see, the two main players in this industry aren't making any money. Let's start another venture of the same sort.
What the hell are the people at Motorola thinking?
Oh, let me guess. The stupid executives have convinced each other than the pay-for-radio scheme is mainly impeded by the lack of compatible hardware, and not the fact that people don't want to pay for crappy audio programs that they can improve upon themselves via their own playlists. So since motorola controls a platform/distribution medium, they might as well jump on the pay radio bandwagon because that's all that's holding people back? Yea right. Fools. I wonder.. does wearing a necktie all day choke the blood to peoples' brains?
Never mind. It doesn't matter. I guess it should come as no surprise. The bigger these corporations are, the more bone-headed their ideas seem to be, and the more unreceptive they are towards anything innovative or creative.
You'd think at this point, with Google's success, some of these other companies would have figured out that treating employees very well, paying them very well, and not outsourcing everything to third world countries, might, just might result in some innovative and marketable ideas... I guess it's going to make more time, and more King Kong movies before these companies get a clue.
What the fuck is with this "i" business? Is there some sort of research that shows it's a good trend or that people like it or something? What else would explain why bullshit products and services that AREN'T provided by Apple use this cheesy naming convention? There's iRiver (this sounds like something you'd use in a boat or on a river, but it's actually a portable media player), iPod (the origonal), iRadio, and a dozen that I'm sure I missed. Is there something I'm missing?
I'm sure I am not the only one that feels that this money would be better spent on building more cell phone towers to increase the coverage. Once you have that figured out, then you can work on building me something I think is NICE, but not CRITICAL to what one feels a mobile phone should do.
Or perhaps Motorola got rid of the lamest thing about the ROKR- the 100 song limit- by dropping Apple and iTunes.
Dropping the Apple imposed limits for the E2 allows the phone to carry 70 hours of music.
-works for MOT (but not in handsets)
Motorola, after delivering a poor iPod bundled in an unimpressive phone, now thinks they can turn the system upside down and shake money from their (potential) userbase by charging them per use... charges accrue whether you use it or not + they go up as you use it more.
Back it up a sec. Motorola couldn't give a rat's ass about whether you subscribe or not. Why did they make this feature? Because they know that the providers want it. If the providers like it, then they'll push Moto phones. And cell phone makers need providers to push their phones, because most phone purchases are cost-subsidized via provider's service contract.
What you need to remember is, the providers are greedy as shit. If they can charge you, they will. Cell phone makers get money from one source: phone purchase price. Providers do not share service fees or anything with them. If a cool phone feature will jeopardize a provider's ability to gouge you, phones won't have it. Conversely, if a phone feature gives a provider another thing to sell you, they'll piss their pants over it.
Do you think Moto wanted to gimp the Bluetooth on Verizon phones so you have to pay to transfer photos off them (which only benefits Verizon)? Do you think Moto wanted to limit the ROKR to 100 songs (which ensures ROKR can't compete with iPod)? Hell no. Use your brain.
Disclaimer: I work for Motorola, but I'm not involved with any of the above-mentioned products. (And I think ROKR was a dumb move also. The silver lining is that it shows providers and Apple that what they conceded wasn't enough for customers. Music phones will only get better now, though slowly.)
My stupid web site
How come Apple didn't secure some sort of copyright on using a lower case "i" on technology products? To a normal person these sound like they are made by Apple.
Let's see...
/\/\ has failed to line up ANY cellular launch parters. Without their support for streaming without using cell minutes, this is just a glorified MP3 player. Since the cell companies look at music as the golden cash cow, there is NO way they'd ALLOW /\/\ to do the same thing for free. They are still pissed about the Razr phone with iTunes. Mot has few friends, at least until they start paying bribes again. Get out the good checkbook boys! It's time to find more lobbyists!
My MP3 player lasts for about 12 hours on a good battery charge.
My phone has around three hours of talk time.
Assuming iRadio uses battery life at about the same rate as a regular call, I will be UNABLE to actually USE THE PHONE after three hours or so. But at least I got to listen to tunes! I don't really need to call anyone.*
Actually, this product has already failed.
Now that Iradio is out of the closet, maybe now Kenradio can shut the hell up about it. They've been pushing iradio for a solid six months as if it was the second coming of Jesus. And once unveilved, iradio turns out to be mostly nothing really. *yawn*
*Hypothetical. I have no friends TO call and never use more than 10% of my cell minutes.
Sig for hire.
I cannot even count the number of times that my motorola phone would bomb out. Also, how reliable is this going to be? If it uses cell service it sure as hell wont be as good as XM
What the hell are the people at Motorola thinking?
Motorola developed this feature because then providers will push their phones. Providers will cream their shorts at the thought of the new revenue stream, and then push Moto phones at a subsidized cost (or free!). Once the phone gets into your hand, Moto couldn't care if you pay for iRadio or not.
See my other post in this story.
You'd think at this point, with Google's success, some of these other companies would have figured out that treating employees very well, paying them very well, and not outsourcing everything to third world countries, might, just might result in some innovative and marketable ideas... I guess it's going to make more time, and more King Kong movies before these companies get a clue.
Wha...? I think your train of thought just jumped the tracks.
My stupid web site
I can't beleive people are fucking stupid enough to pay 7/month for a radio, when you can get one free and listen to the radio for free anytime, with much better coverage.
So all these stupid sheep start paying 7/month for radio, then next thing you know the real radio's go off the air and we're all stuck paying 7/month for what used to be free.
and don't think for a fucking minute once the free option goes away that there won't be just as many adds and commercials on your 7/month radio becuase there will be. (See TV for example), of course you could always pay 15/month for the add free version right?... untill everyone has the 15/month version then it gets some sort of shit you don't want..but for 25/month you can get direct streaming pick your own lineups!!...GAR
Do you think Motorola wanted that 100 song limit on the first ROKR? Hell no. Apple required it so the phone couldn't compete with iPod. Moto had to comply if they wanted iTunes.
If they drop iTunes, they can remove the 100-song limitation.
Disclaimer: I work for Motorola, but not on any products mentioned in this post or in the story. Nothing I say is based on insider info.
My stupid web site
After fucking up PPC so bad, Stevesy just wanted to give Moto one last chance because he's a nice guy. They asked him for iTunes on their phone and now they're bitter because the Steve doesn't want to ever talk to them again. Classic inferiority complex.
fO
fOad
fU
fUbar
fTw
fTn (or fTa or fTm I suppose)
fIgmo
Which also leads to the capitalized letter being the significant one:
aFu
tFu
snaFu
gtFo
milF
rtFm
pFm
bFd
bFg
?
The problem is - there are too many of these subscription services now.
You almost have to pay an intermediary to give you the chunks of all of them that you need. For example, I should be able to subscribe to satellite radio as another piece of my cable service. If you have a 'set-top' box that can limit your attention to one media stream at a time, I believe the providers will be able to divide up my $20-$30/month into chunks for the music service, the scheduled TV program service, and the TV program 'rental' service. At $1/day, there's enough revenue for everything except possibly marketing. Oh well.
Just because something is a new technology doesn't mean I'll pay for it in addition to all the other stuff I pay for now. The current media systems are much more flexible and long-lived than what the proposed replacements are.
I use NetFlix at 18.00/month. If there were a digital movie subscription that didn't impose restrictions on my ability to watch my movie anywhere that has a DVD player, for example, I'd do that. With a DVD, I can take the physical medium to any convenient viewing location. I can't do that with my laptop (yet)
Free experiences will always be valued - Open Source can give me a viable software experience that I can obtain for the cost of the media or the bandwidth to download it with. I don't have to pay an annual subscription or 'software maintenance' fee unless I see the value in it.
Companies do not seem to want unbundling of their services, it makes their life more complicated, since they have to treat each customer individually. Telephone companies, and their obsoleted-by-VOIP 'settlement' process for sharing revenue among the originating, terminating, and 'long-distance' telephone company, will be used as a model for this kind of sharing.
I predict SBC and others' attempts to charge Internet 'information providers' such as Google will fail. However, if it appears to take hold, a community-based 'serverless' search engine will take it's place.
Pressure for 'unmetered' access will be constant, now that people have had a taste.
why-would-i-listen-to-the-radio-on-my-phone
Why would I listen to the radio on my phone? Because I want to listen to a particular station and can't get it any other way.
I have done this a lot, since 1967 or so:
- The campus carrier current station had a bundle of leased lines available to feed the audio to students that had moved out of the dorms. They were leased by frat houses, individual student fans or groups of them, and station engineers that were no longer in dorms but neeced to monitor the station. (I lucked out and didn't have to pay for mine, since another ex-engineer was living next door and let me string a wire to tap his.)
- Sometimes a station I can't get with a program I want to hear has station moitor audio feeding "music on hold" - and I'll call in and be put on hold to hear the program.
- I've used the internet to listen to feeds from stations far away similarly. Sometimes a syndicated program is so politically incorrect that nobody in the area will carry it - but it's streaming on stations in other parts of the country. Sometimes I'm in a place (like inside an office building) where the signal won't reach. Why use a multi-grand desktop to listen? Because it's there, and alternatives aren't.
And of course I'll use my cellphone for this - in preference to a landline phone, leased line, or DSL bandwidth - if I'm moving, or if it's a toll call. (My cell plan has all-you-can-eat free nights and weekends.)
Why would I want to watch a video on my phone?
Why would I want to watch a movie or a video on my laptop? Because it's more convenient when on-the-go than watching it on my TV. Why would I want to do it on my (cell)phone? Because it's more convenient than my laptop - by an order of magnitude.
Why would I want to put a telephone application on my expensive desktop or laptop computer?
A) Because I have the expensive desktop or laptop computer for other reasons, whether I use it for a phone or not, and the online phone service is cheaper than a standalone phone subscription.
B) Because I can't get some functionality any other way - at least for a reasonable price.
(Example: Full-function PBX, with hundreds of extensions fed from a handfull of trunklines, and other "value added" features like follow-me, call forwarding, conference calling, three-way/consult calling, menu systems, etc. Rent it from the local Bell for a bundle, buy it and a service contract from another vendor for a smaller bundle, or install an open-source application and a cheap phone-interface card in a commodity desktop. Guess which I'd chose for my next startup in garage-shop phase...)
But all of this begs the underlying issue:
This is the start of the long-touted "convergence" - when all communication:
- two-way audio (voice phone calls and two-way radio)
- two-way audio/video (videoconferencing)
- N-way audio and audio/video (conference calls)
- Broadcast audio
- Broadcast audio/video
- Remote computer access.
- Computer/computer communication
and a bunch of others, both wired and wireless, converge into a single unified network. As this proceeds the terminals for humans (short of implants) are converging into just three major forms:
- A fixed-location device (the convergence of the desktop computer, settop network box, video/audio recorder, TV, and HIFI into a "media center").
- The laptop (a large-format portable).
- The handheld (a small-format portable).
One way to get to the full-function handheld is to add voice to a computer-only handheld/tablet (i.e. the Blackberry). The other is to add functionality to a cellphone. Adding entertainment broadcast (TV, Radio), narrowcast (XM-like subscriptions), and unicast (video/audio on-demand) functionality is a logical early step on the rount from the handheld "phone". It may be saleable as a "bundled unit" until replaced by so
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
Let's see Mobile Phone service monthly expense = $ 90.00 + 7.00 for downloading radio? Oh, Sirius SatRadio monthly too? Hmmm... I don't think even post GenX'rs are this math challenged to recognize usury rents when they see them.
iTunes has plenty of Brandwidth left to modulate its value-add to the music stream. Jobs can invent, who'd thunk?, iTDR digital radio streams in a heartbeat. Then there is the innovative concept of iTHF, Hi-Fi AAC which really delivers the sonic equivalent of CD.
MOT has very big chunk of their brand on the line here for very short stakes at the table of digital content delivery services. MOT is really just appeasing their existing client base of wireless carriers who push Motorola products.
Remember those Nokia phones that had an FM radio on it? And they were like $180 MSRP? ...Yeah. There's your radio.
I make websites and stuff. Buy one.
The ROKR is that phone. For me. And it is selling like hotcakes. 8 local Cingular (reseller) stores in my area were sold completely out 2 weeks before Christmas. I found one at the regional Cingular headquarters - their last one. Yeah I read the reviews first and they all said it sucked, but I wanted it anyway. I couldn't be happier. The speakers (surround sound) on this phone are incredible. Not only are they great for listening to tunes on my ride to work in my car, on my desk at work throughout the day, and on my nighstand before bed at night - but they make speakerphone via cell high quality reality. All phones I have tried in the past sucked as far as speakerphone features - choppy quality, crappy speakers, etc... but not the ROKR.
Case and points:
1) Driving down the road listening to tunes played through the ROKR speakerphone - with it sitting in my cup holder - sounds good enough for me. Its loud enough. Quality is fine. I don't listen to lots of bass thumping shit - but when I do - I just plug the headphone jack into the aux in on my car stereo system. Either way - driving down the road - listening to tunes - and a call comes in: It doesn't ring - the music just stops - a few seconds later (if I have not picked up the phone and pressed ignore) I here or say "hello" and yada yada whatever take the call. I can just start talking. Don't have to take my hands off the wheel. And its absolutely incredible audio quality. The other end always says (cause I keep asking...) that it sounds great and they couldn't tell I was on a cell phone. When they hang up - my music (or audio books etc...) pick right back up where it left off. No touching needed. Sure their are existing systems and kits and crap to make other cell phones work like this in cars - but I drive a piece of shit 72 impala with a tape deck - for me to be able to it in my hooptie without spending an extra dime kicks ass.
2) Changing my spark plugs this weekend on 72 Impala. Oil from my elbows to my toes. Phone sitting on the radiator - playing some bluegrass through the built in surround sound speakers - pauses - I here "hello?" while I'm fighting with a socket wrench trying to get that last freaking plug out. I just start talking - its a girl form church who got my number from a friend and wants to go out this weeknd. Yeah. Cool. And I keep working on my car while I'm talking to her. Don't have to stop - drop the wrench - pickup (and grease up) a cell phone - etc... And when she says bye and hangs up - I'm back in my bluegrass groove without having to ever stop what I was physically doing at the time to touch the phone in any way. I thought that kicked ass.
3) At work - listening to some funky shit - coding away on something. My grandma calls my cell to ask me to drop her off some milk on the way home. I never have to take my hands off the keyboard, or my eyes off the debugger. Its a short call - but my point is I didn't have to interrupt what I was doing at the time to take it or to start my tunes back. Instead of annoyed - yep - I got the ooh-I'm-so-cool-this-phone-kicks-ass squemies.
I don't use the headphones that came with it with the built in mic. Can't stand shit in my ears. I don't walk around like that dude in that commercial grooving down the street when he takes that call and just starts taking into the mic built into the ROKR headphones. I thought it was so stupid when I saw it, it almost turned me of to getting a ROKR completely. They really missed the boat on advertising this phone correctly.
Yeah - its got its con's to. That just leaves room for future improvement. I don't like the 100 song limit - but so what. I get maybe one or two new albums a week from allofmp3.com -
I own a Sony K750 and my radio reception is free!? I don't see why ANYONE would want to pay for radio? Bizarre!
Zen tips: Pay attention. Don't take it personally. Believe nothing.
Anyone with an EDGE-enabled phone, and a desire to hear more than their local radio stations, probably knows this is potentially awesome.
Sure, shoutcast is great on my Nokia 6620, but HE-AAC (AAC+) hits a sweet spot at 48kbps... something many of the stations simply don't do, being MP3 and all. That means way better quality at lower bitrates... good for listeners and the providers.
Personally, I'd pay for this in a heartbeat... so long as it isn't as god damned repetitive as the playlists on ClearChannel or both of the satellite radio services.
iJust wonder, is it that I'm too old to understand the beauty of this, or are there others (younger) than me who think similarly?
iMean that, why would I buy a subscription to some radio, when even my mobile can receive all the freely available alternatives? (iAlso have a radio in my car that, believe it or not, can receive free radio broadcasts.) iCannot believe that the content of these pay-radios would be any different from any other commercial one, they're still formatted radios anyhow. - iOn the other hand, do understand the iPod, as with that you can listen to your own music with no interruptions.
iAlso don't understand the need to fill my head with tunes 24/7. iPersonally actually switch off the radio/CD/MP3/whatever-player in my car, and just enjoy the engine sounds when driving. iEven get a kick out of it!
iGuess it's just me, too old to understand the necessaty to buy content to my life.
If all else fails, pull the plug and get out...
The Life is out there...
Unless I can listen to "Station FM" (West Indian pirate station in London) This is useless to me! I wouldnt pay UKL0.02 for it.
Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
"Disclaimer: I work for Motorola, but I'm not involved with any of the above-mentioned products." I HATE Motorola. They don't give a flying $hit about their customers. I will NEVER knowingly use/buy anything associated with Motorola. I wish Motorola would hire Carly Fiorina as the next CEO. I hear she is available.
Yes sir, your rock solid analysis and eloquent criticism have convinced me that I work for a disreputable company. I shall march into my boss' office tomorrow and announce that I cannot further associate myself with such dastardly dobadders.
Seriously, I don't know what your bad experiences were, but it must've sucked. All I can tell you is, as a Moto software engineer for mobile phones, we do try to make products that don't suck. We try to make them good, even. I don't know what tech support person or product pissed you off so, but doesn't crap like that happen with all companies?
If you want to badmouth Moto (or any company), go ahead, I can't stop you. Just know that Moto is not the same as it was five years ago (or three, even). I'm surprised at how quickly the new CEO (Ed Zander, formerly of Sun) has made changes that look like they'll have a lasting impact on quality.
My stupid web site