XM now available on BlackBerry smartphones
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 8:31 AM
Tags: 2, XM
XM is working with QuickPlay to expand its XM Radio Mobile service, making it now universally available on many BlackBerry smartphones.
What does this mean? BlackBerry users can now get XM Radio Mobile across a variety of major wireless carriers. Channels like XM's 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s decade channels, Top 20on20, Ethel, The City, XMU, Watercolors and Highway 16.
Also, for the first time, you'll be able to hear comedy content in addition to music, with channels like The Virus and XM Comedy now available to BlackBerry users.
Subscribers can opt to have their purchase of $7.99/month charged to their credit card or where available billed directly to their service provider.
BlackBerry smartphones supported by the XM Mobile Radio service require BlackBerry Device Software 4.2 or higher and include the BlackBerry 8800 Series, BlackBerry 8700 Series, BlackBerry Pearl Series and BlackBerry Curve Series smartphones (pictured) with a BlackBerry data plan on major U.S. mobile carrier networks.
The service, and a free 24-hour trial, is available via a downloadable application that can be accessed at xmradio.com/bb from the BlackBerry smartphone's browser, or by texting "XM" to 47201 and clicking on the download link provided.
UPDATE: XM also has a page dedicated to the BlackBerry announcement here.
Photo of the BlackBerry Pearl with XM Radio Mobile available after the jump...
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Comments
This is great Ryan! Cellphones and GPS devices are the way to go. You have said it many times. Blackberry is everywhere. Another step in the right direction!
Posted by: MUSCLE13 | April 1, 2008 8:43 AM
To all you nay-sayers, AC I can't get Sirius on Blackberry? MONOPOLY!!! hahahaha
Posted by: mitchman79k | April 1, 2008 8:53 AM
@MUSCLE13 I think what is really nice is that this covers a large number of BlackBerrys across ALL major networks. And many of those have unlimited data plans.
By removing the network-specific and data-plan hurdles, this deal definitely a winner.
Posted by: Ryan Saghir
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April 1, 2008 9:02 AM
The quality of these broadcasts is horrible. I have a Blackberry AT&T wireless service and I subscribed to the XM Mobile service. When it came in it was great, but there were so many interruptions of the broadcast that it made it intollerable to listen to. Also, it is not the same service as regular XM - it is a prerecorded loop.
Posted by: Anonymous Coward | April 1, 2008 9:21 AM
cool, Ryan. I don't pay for data on my BB, so this is just what I need. It's true, it's not the same as "live XM", but it will do.
thj
Posted by: RonAndFezNoonTo2:40 | April 1, 2008 10:00 AM
Quote....The quality of these broadcasts is horrible. I have a Blackberry AT&T wireless service and I subscribed to the XM Mobile service. When it came in it was great, but there were so many interruptions of the broadcast that it made it intolerable to listen to. Also, it is not the same service as regular XM - it is a prerecorded loop.......
Worth repeating, and very true.
If you expect "XM Mobile" to be anything like real XM, you will be extremely dissatisfied. I certainly was.
Posted by: JazzFan | April 1, 2008 10:40 AM
I just checked this out - These are NOT LOOPS- and is the SAME AS SDARS service despite a lag of about 30-40 seconds.
Posted by: Andrew | April 1, 2008 12:23 PM
Sorry. You're wrong. Regardless of the number of CAPS you use.
Posted by: To: Andrew | April 1, 2008 12:36 PM
Living in the Bay area, hearing that AT&T coverage stinks isn't all that surprising. More dropped calls in more places seems to be their local motto.
Posted by: Mario (Brewed For Thought) | April 1, 2008 12:46 PM
Does anyone know what the bandwidth usage or bitrate is for this app? Verizon is notorious for terminating accounts on their "unlimited" plan if they use more than 5GB of data transfer in any one month. I am wondering how much I would be able to use it. (Where I live, it's Verizon or nothing, so I am SOL if I wanted to switch)
Posted by: RonandFezFan | April 1, 2008 1:20 PM
At least Ethel and 202 are not loops, I just compared them to the online stream, they are about a minute or so behind, but the same stream.
I am listening to the ending of Filter's Soliders of misfortune as Nirvana - Lithium is coming out of the online player.
Posted by: Anonymous Coward | April 1, 2008 1:31 PM
I am currently listening to a BB Pearl on AT&T and comparing it to a XMPCR which utilizes SDARS. Again - The are the same despite a lag. I am on 80s on 8 right now - SDARS has Fresh Prince playing , same song on BB which ended approximately 1min after the SDARS.
So - Whats up with that. I have also randomlly checked about 5 other channels with same results. I am not hearing loops!!!
Posted by: Andrew | April 1, 2008 1:35 PM
I'm sure they're not loops.
I hope everyone will get their one day of listening via BB in before returning to plain-old, OEM and retail receivers.
Posted by: Stack Pointer | April 1, 2008 1:54 PM
What i'd like to know is this $7.99 a month ON TOP of what I pay XM, or is that just for people who don't sub to XM already?
Posted by: Anonymous Coward | April 1, 2008 2:11 PM
I am trying it out. The network where I live isn't able to process the data satisfactorily. Maybe I should move to a real city.
Posted by: RonAndFezNoonTo2:40 | April 1, 2008 2:55 PM
Anyone want to explain to me HOW this music feed works on the edge network?? Even on 3g, streaming music and video is iffy and sounds horrible.
Posted by: r | April 1, 2008 3:23 PM
Sounds like a smart move, distribution wise. If it indeed has the same sound quality as what I get on my PDA, then it certainly will sound crummy, at least for music. For comedy and talk, it'll do fine.
Posted by: Max | April 1, 2008 4:45 PM
why do i have to pay for this when i'm already paying for the main service? it's odd that you get xmonline for free but not mobile.
what gives?
Posted by: dave | April 1, 2008 5:33 PM
GREAT crappy satrad on a BB device which has crappy media app's! L A M E.
Posted by: Anonymous Coward | April 1, 2008 7:22 PM
it actually is working really well for me. i'm located in philly if anyone is curious.
the app is awesome so far
Posted by: dave | April 1, 2008 9:55 PM