AT&T will soon be making available Samsung's newest lightweight mobile phone with music and multimedia capabilities - the Samsung SLM.
The Samsung SLM is also the first phone to sport Napster Mobile functionality and also includes AT&T Video Share, mobile banking, stereo Bluetooth technology, a 2.0-megapixel camera with video capture, external microSD slot and advanced messaging options.
If you'll recall, AT&T and Napster announced a partnership late last month, to bring Napster's mobile service to the masses. Ironically, for a service that built its name on providing access to digital music for free, Napster Mobile is ridiculously expensive - running about $2/song or $7.50 a month for 5 songs. (Pssst, note to digital music providers: no one wants to pay a premium just to download songs over the air.)
But the flippy-phone Samsung SLM and its music capabilities aren't just about buying and downloading songs over the air (thankfully).
The SLM (which will cost roughly $150 in a special introductory offer) also supports the full AT&T Mobile Music suite of services, including XM Radio Mobile, Pandora, MusicID song-recognition service, and VIP access (a mobile "fan club" and music-discovery service).
I like the fact XM Radio Mobile is popping up more and more in various AT&T phones, but it still irks me that it's a crippled service. Adoption of both XM and Sirius' mobile services will continue to be slow as long as they keep offering a dumbed down selection of channels.
[Press Release, photo courtesy of Engadget]
Once Xm and Sirius merge the combined company should try to team with a carrier and make a phone that acts like stilleto
Now THAT is a good idea!
There would be no technology-driven need to limit the number of channels or the number of selection/option packages, it would not be susceptible to loss of signal in-doors, and it would be completely mobile (meaning you could use the one source for mobile, in-home, and in-vehicle).
>>>> Adoption of both XM and Sirius' mobile services will continue to be slow as long as they keep offering a dumbed down selection of channels.
I would really like to know how much money is changing hands on these deals between sat radio and cell phone companies. I would doubt XM/SIRI are getting much, IF ANYTHING, out of it. Thus, the need for the crippled service.
"I would really like to know how much money is changing hands on these deals between sat radio and cell phone companies. I would doubt XM/SIRI are getting much, IF ANYTHING, out of it. Thus, the need for the crippled service."
Wow- yet ANOTHER brilliant observation on the state of the industry. Tell us Stack, do you believe Mel Karmazin suckered AT&T into charging them for 130 channels and gave them only 10, or is that phones of this capability must be sent to the Underwriters Laboratory for approval, which would take at the very least four years?
just buy a windows mobile phone.
Nope PFreak no competition out there....none...zip...don't look in this story...
oh wait its not "easier" then sat radio...so it must be a monopoly...
:)
>> I would really like to know how much money is changing hands on these deals between sat radio and cell phone companies. I would doubt XM/SIRI are getting much, IF ANYTHING, out of it. Thus, the need for the crippled service.
@StackPointer: I think the content agreements don't help either. MLB/NFL, etc all have their own individual contracts with various wireless carriers - plus they have their own wireless services (with revenue streams from subscriptions/advertising). Same with online distribution.
Combine that with whatever rev-share agreement XM/Sirius have with the wireless carriers, and it's obvious why the services are crippled.
The problem is... that's exactly where the industry is going.