I chose XM because it a has fully portable receiver that can also record five hours worth of music to play back when reception is poor, as it is in many indoor places. But I have nothing against Sirius – I wish it well.

To be free of the endless strident commercials, the hyper-repetition of the same five news stories, the top-40 programming philosophy (even for classical), and the pontificating –- bliss!

Don’t tell the XM management, but I would pay a lot more than the $12.95/month they are charging me. And I have barely begun to explore all the channels available; some genres that do not ordinarily command my attention look interesting, and the opportunity to sample them easily and at zero cost is a great, and rather unanticipated, benefit.

I have already ordered another so that I don’t have to tote the radio between home and office. Then of course there is the car - and the kitchen – and what if I wander out on my balcony? (XM charges a cut rate for each additional hook-up. They call it a family rate – but it’s going to be all for me.) And Adam Thierer, who is a super early gadget adopter, is already pointing out the catalogues full of neat add-ons.

Both services need more terrestrial repeaters to improve reception, a step certain to be opposed by ordinary broadcasters. So they need to build their listener base rapidly, making it into a political force. Well, they can sign me up to picket the FCC.

The ultimate killer ap, I think, will be cell phone/satellite radio. People pay $50 + per month for cell phone service, so adding $10 for radio would hardly be noticed.

posted by James DeLong @ 7:11 AM | Radio

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