This just doesn’t seem like a wise or logical decision. The company has opted not to include the Howard Stern channels in the iPhone app, even though these channels are available as part of the online service. The most noteworthy omission, however, is Howard Stern. The online service does not include live play-by-play sports broadcasts, which is the big disappointment for me. In terms of programming, the service includes all of the Sirius/XM music-only channels, as well as most of the entertainment, news, and sports talk channels. The interface shows you what’s currently playing on any given station as you browse, and it allows you to instantly purchase songs via the iTunes Store – or you can add them to your shopping cart to purchase later so that you don’t have to leave the app. The iPhone interface is cleanly laid out and intuitive to maneuver it’s very easy to browse categories and channels and to set favorites.
#SIRIUS XM APP FOR MAC TRIAL#
Sirius/XM is currently offering a free 7-day trial of the service, so I signed up online, downloaded the iPhone app to my phone, and dug in. In what universe is 128kbps “near CD-quality”? Sirius claims “near CD-quality sound” and then goes on to quote a 128k rate. The company says that WiFi will provide the best quality, while results may vary when using the cellular network. The service is streamed over WiFi or AT&T’s 3G or Edge cellular network, using variable bitrate streaming that lessens the quality when connection speeds are not where they need to be. The app itself is a free download, but you have to pay the monthly fees described above to access any content. The Sirius/XM iPhone app is essentially a means to access the online streaming service, with its own user interface. Sirius/XM subscribers must pay an additional monthly fee of $2.99 to access the online service (there used to be a stripped-down Web service offered to subscribers for free, but that’s gone now), while non-subscribers can sign up to receive the online service for $12.95 per month.
#SIRIUS XM APP FOR MAC PC#
To understand how the iPhone app operates, here’s the back story: Sirius/XM offers a Web-based streaming solution, accessible from a Mac or PC to anyone with a broadband connection, that features over 120 channels of music, sports, news, and entertainment content.
My favorite music and comedy channels have gotten me through numerous traffic jams and cross-country road trips. During this time, I’ve enjoyed many an NFL and Big 12 football game that wasn’t televised in my area. I’ve been a Sirius subscriber for years now, with a plug-and-play Sportster radio that I can use in both the car and the home.
0 kommentar(er)
