This is off the topic of domains, but I find most domainers are Tech Toy crazy.
I did want to acknowledge the passing of one of the original tech toys, XM Radio.
About 10 days ago the official merger between XM Radio and Sirius went into effect, with Sirius being the surviving company.
As one of those who had XM, almost from the start, I will miss it.
Everyone who had XM for a number of years, can tell you their favorite station, which is now gone and replaced with a Sirius look a like.
What I loved about XM was that you could find cutting edge, new artists, rather than the same old, same old, found on radio and unfortunately Sirius.
Sirius is fine but certainly more commercial, mainstream and unexciting.
Sure you get Howard Stern, Bubba the Love Sponge and NFL games, but I grew up in NY and got all I needed of Howard years ago, Bubba and I owned a nightclub in Tampa years go and I listened to him more than enough, and I watch my NFL games in high def on Directv.
So much for the additions.
The other big loser in the merger are the new artists who have lost a tremdous platform for getting their music heard.
I can’t tell you how many new R & B, Neosoul kind of artists i found on XM for the first time (Suite 62 was my favorite) and then downloaded on itunes.com. I know the rock crowd is lamenting the loss of stations Fred and Ethel.
I don’t know what venue new artists are going to have that gets listened to by millions of people daily.
That’s a shame.
In the early days whether you got XM or Sirius, basically depended on the car you bought. For Example, GM’s came with XM, BMW’s came with Sirius.
I rented a car a couple of years ago that had Sirius, and can remember thinking boy I glad I have XM.
Now I don’t.
You don’t know what its got until its gone. They put up a parking lot.
Bye XM, i’m going to miss you.
If you have an iPhone, I highly recommend downloading the Pandora Radio app (it’s the #1 most downloaded app on iTunes). I’ve discovered hundreds of new artists and have been able to download their music via iTunes with the push of a button. The music output is high quality, it hooks up to your car with ease, and best of all.. it’s free.
The real questions is:
Will Sirius survive and reorganize their HUGE debt load coming due in 2009? If they do survive (and the common stock), the stock looks like it could be a good longer term buy at .20 cents.
Bye bye to sirius too unfortunately.
I have been watching both stocks for many years but with new car sales down and satellite radio probably at the bottom of services to renew, there is no way sirius can operate in a declining market.
They need millions and millions of subscribers to even approach profitability and I just don’t see that happening.
XM and Sirius have always been able to borrow money to operate because of the huge upside for the day when every car would have satellite radio.
That day may come but I just don’t see the average guy paying for it.
The stock price is near $0. Unless a Disney or somebody comes along, it’s over for satellite radio.
Rob’s likely right.
There was never a big enough market–now or in the future–for two satellite radio providers.
Their ridiculous–no, outrageous–multi-year, multi-multi-million dollar expenditures for talent virtually guarantees monster losses for years to come…
But; because there is a market for one well-run, responsible company in satellite radio; someone will provide it…once Sirius goes bankrupt so that these overpriced “talent” contracts can be renegotiated to levels the market can actually support.
Actually, I have never heard that the cost of the talent was ever a problem. The outrageous cost of launching, upgrading and maintaining satellites is where the huge cost lie.
Satellite radio is really more rocket science, literally, than it is a radio business.
Can you give me a song that you heard on XM that you can’t hear on the new lineup? Have you listened to the new channels or the channels that just changed their name? Have you tried Faction, Alt. Nation, 1st Wave, or Heart and Soul.
Give it a chance before you post that the service is R.I.P.. I actually thought the XM crowd made out with this deal. Below is a link explaining the changes.
http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/lineup.xmc
JS
Heart & Soul bears little resemblance to the old Suite 62 which featured many new “Neo Soul” artists.
Heart & Soul is nothing you can’t find on the radio in any major market.
I miss Suite 62! Comparing Heart & Soul to Suite 62 is like comparing kool-aide to a fine glass of wine. There is no comparsiopn! I can hear H&S on any radio station. Bring back Suite 62!!
I miss suite 62 it was the only station I listed too pretty much 24-7. It was very ‘sweet’ relaxing. The new H&S often have jazz and alternate music (aren’t enough station playing this type of music already),also the quality has gone down. There r a bit of the good stuff left but a lot has been replaced by poor quality…I rarely hear Robin Thicke anymore…anyways I have a decision to make as my renewal is coming up. I am hoping that there will enough complains to get our station back…but good luck trying to get in touch with anyone at Syrius!
Yeh… there is absolutely NO COMPARISON between Suite 62 and Heart and Soul. I loved Suite 62 and would listen to it for hours on end. It was very adult Neo-Soul oriented. Like another poster above, Heart and Soul is nothing that can’t be found on regular radio. Suite 62 was in a class by itself! Too bad it’s no longer available — I wouldn’t even consider subscribing to Satellite Radio now that it’s gone.
I used to listen to XM when I had Direct TV, and also when it was a part of AOL Radio. I don’t have Direct TV anymore, and AOL created their own Radio Station. During those times, I fell in love with XM! The Neo Soul station, uncomparable. I found the best music ever, from artist I never heard of, or have heard since, that I too, have downloaded. (I still have a stack of screen prints I would print out while at work of the song and artist, so I could download later. My IPod is full of NEO Soul artist heard on XM.
Today, I logged on to XM.com for a trial, as I have been missing it so long, (Although, AOL has a Neo Soul station, but I have been boycotting them since they dumped XM!) I then Googled NEO Soul Station on XM, and stumbled onto this sight. No wonder I can’t find my Neo Soul station, or Suite 62. Well, I’ve been contiplating subscribing to XM, and logging on was going to tell-the-tell. Well, as far as I’m concerned Sirius has spoken! No Neo Soul, no Suite 62? No Kpjazzy! I guess I’ll give AOL radio a shot after all. Hmmm, did AOL know this was coming all along? PLEASE BRING BACK THE NEO SOUL STATION!!!!!
Most definitely will miss suite 62, it was my fav! Damn not all change is good. Suite 62 played all the bomb r&b/underground music. Does anybody know who sings and where i can get the theme song for the after hours playground? Love that song. I think the group or guy name is first class or 1st class and the song title is after hours. I’m not sure. I would appreciate it. Thx! =)