Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
Review: Sirius XM for iPhone/iPod touch sans Stern
As we reported last night, it's out, and the Howard Stern fans aren't happy that this app eliminates the two channels Stern appears on.There are still 120 channels that do work, so I thought I'd give it a try. The app is called Sirius XM Premium Online [App Store] and it's free but requires a paid subscription if you don't already have one.
You log in (one time) with your user name and password. After a few seconds, you are authenticated and ready to explore the radio offerings.
The app allows you to browse by category, channels, or by favorites you provide. There is a shopping cart if you want to tag something for purchase at the iTunes store. (Ah, that's why Apple liked this app.)
I found the performance of the player pretty good. On a WiFi network I was able to acquire a signal or switch channels in 3 seconds. On the 3G network with moderate signal strength, it took about 7 seconds. You can get a display that tells you what is playing, or just see a list of stations.
I found the interface slow to respond at times. I often had to tap a few times to change stations. Audio quality was not ultra high fidelity, but about what you'd expect from streaming radio. I listened on Sennheiser headphones.
Howard Stern fans are very upset about not having their hero on this app. Sirius certainly could have told customers well in advance that he wouldn't be available and saved some of this pain. They handled the merger of XM with Sirius the same way. XM customers didn't know what was happening until the morning it happened. For a struggling company, it seems suicidal to constantly mislead and disappoint paying customers.
I asked Patrick Reilly, Senior VP of Communications for Sirius what happened to Stern. His response: "We aren't commenting beyond what was in the press release: Some select programming, including MLB Play-by-Play, NFL Play-by-Play, SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, and Howard Stern, will not be available on the iPhone and iPod touch. Listeners will continue to be able to access that programming through the platforms they are currently offered on."
Not a very satisfying answer. There may be very good contractual reasons why Stern and the other channels aren't offered, and Sirius XM customers deserve a better explanation. It doesn't look like one is forthcoming.
At any rate, the app works, and works well for the channels that it does have. You'll have to decide if it is worth the money versus free music apps like Pandora, Last.fm, AOL Radio and others. By the way, Dave Thomas of the Cars.com blog alerts us to their comparison of alternatives to the Sirius XM app.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mike said 1:13PM on 6-18-2009
Awesome Stern impression! What's next?
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Flaystus said 1:13PM on 6-18-2009
Sterns contract doesn't allow it. Just like it didn't allow streaming when they first started doing that. Now they gotta go argue and agreement out of him to allow it to be a mobile stream. (Yes apparently there is a difference contractually speaking)
Frankly. Who cares. They got Ron and Fez on there.
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JKT said 4:53PM on 6-18-2009
I'm not sure that makes any sense, because Stern has been touting the upcoming Sirius/XM iPhone app in recent months during their "what phone should I get" discussions. He specifically cited the pending iPhone app as a good argument in favor of the iPhone over the Blackberry and other rivals. So it sounds to me as if he may really not have known that he'd be missing from the app.
jober14 said 1:15PM on 6-18-2009
I just want to know WHY NOT on Stern and other sports PBP. That is all!
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Flaystus said 1:19PM on 6-18-2009
See above.
Cabbage said 1:35PM on 6-18-2009
Screw that washed up old lady.
OPIE
&
ANTHONY
Channel 202
The Virus!
That is the only reason this app is a requirement.
Ron & Fez 11 - 3!!!
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IRadi8 said 1:50PM on 6-18-2009
Opie & Anthony are so much better. I'm glad that old asshat isn't on. O&A and Lil' Jimmy are way better. It's just annoying that we have to pay extra as current subscribers. Way to go XM/Sirius...make your customers happy!
Jim said 1:51PM on 6-18-2009
The solution to this for Stern fans is called POCKET TUNES ($9.99) . Not only does it work with all sirius channels, but it doesnt cost $2.99 a month if you already have the basic internet connection package.
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michael Berba said 3:10PM on 6-18-2009
Pocket tunes rules. With an ipod aux in my car it totally eliminates the need for a separate Sirius radio setup.
It rocks.
Funny, this morning when i downloaded the sirius app(I have a lifetime subscription) the pile of crap wouldnt log me on. Apparently im not alone,I waited on hold for over an hour, on speaker with ZERO answer.
Sad to say because im an investor,but this is just par for the course.
If Stern is on Sirius after his contract expires,ill be surprised. Look for a dedicated Stern network over the internet to change internet radio. With him in charge,not the execs at any platform.Terrestrial or not.Remeber when he signed internet radio was immature,pre iphone!
Still love the show. Just hate the bullcrap business practices. The programming rocks ,something for everyone.But the execs are typical corporate greed mongers. Cant play in each others sand box.WHAT A JOKE.
get Pockettunes!
Jeremy said 10:19PM on 6-18-2009
HOO HOO Robin, I don't want any steaming audio...I invented streaming radio. Tell 'em Fred...HOO HOO.
O&A Party Rock!!!!!!!!!!
I use to have XM but after the merger it all went to crap. They started charging for the online audio and that's when I said I'm out. Now I get O&A on Audible and don't even miss SIRIUS/xm. That's just how it is.
ChillyWilly said 12:02PM on 6-19-2009
Thanks for the details on Pocket Tunes.
Hope Stern and Co. will allow streaming eventually over this app.
babynurse said 1:24PM on 6-18-2009
Not worth getting the app nor paying the $3/month if I can't get the channels we listen to the most (NFL, MLB and Stern). They have been working on app for what seems like forever, if it is a contractual thing they should have been working on that and the app simultaneously.
No wonder they went bankrupt. This probably has to do with people buying their radios but please, come up with a better pricing model than this.
Simple plan:
Have a radio and a subscription: full access via the iPhone at no extra charge.
Subscription with no radio: limited access for $3.00 a month, pay extra for premium content.
You want to keep adding subscribers, not tick off the ones you already have. You need to evolve your model to the delivery vehicles available! That is what successful companies do.
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johnmc said 1:28PM on 6-18-2009
Meh. I'm more likely to use this because Stern's not on it.
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NutMac said 1:32PM on 6-18-2009
Sirius XM is turning into an anti-consumer company. It's not that Stern is not (hopefully yet) on the iPhone app, rather their corporate style response as to why. Their greedy "let's charge existing customers for every cents they got" pricing plans further reinforce their style. They've just lost several customers on my end.
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Alex said 1:32PM on 6-18-2009
Sirius is going to be bankrupt or gone, either this year or when Howard leaves in 2 years. They won't be getting another dime out of me now.
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jeffofla said 4:29PM on 6-18-2009
Well, at least they have the Strobe!
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Hobbesj97 said 1:48PM on 6-18-2009
I know that sucks but If you really need Stern on your iphone as I do, and have an internet subscription for Sirius it's worth getting the Pocket Tunes Radio app from the app store. It keeps your Username & PW. I can listen to the entire show on EDGE network.
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Drooling Dog said 1:58PM on 6-18-2009
This is B.S., imo. Their app is should be positioned as a Web browser, which is already allowed.
Pocket Tunes sounds much better. What is the minimum subscription price available to get Howard and Bubba?
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jcoe said 2:05PM on 6-18-2009
Great review. We also have one at appmodo
http://appmodo.com/958/sirius-xm-now-available-on-iphone-and-ipod-touch-full-review/
I second on the first guy for the mobile site. Needs some work.
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HC said 2:14PM on 6-18-2009
The reason why I stopped my subscription. Wanted pod casting of a sort for Stern. Why bother when the show is available on torrent daily @ 128k?
Screw S/XM and bababooey to you all.
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