Android Apps
SIRIUS XM Android App now broadcasting sans Howard Stern
May 28, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
Multimedia
SIRIUS XM has launched its Android app, offering much of the programming on America’s only major satellite radio network. Of course, the app doesn’t offer Howard Stern, SIRIUS XM’s largest draw and one of the primary reasons that many early adopters signed-up, and some of the live sports broadcasting that attracted another chunk of subscribers aren’t available either. But at least there’s still news, lots of music, and Open & Anthony if you’re into that sort of thing.
Head over to Siriusxm.com/Android to get your taste of satellite radio. The app is currently installable via APK and comes with a free 7-day trial. Using the app beyond that will cost extra depending on your subscription status. SIRIUS/XM subscribers will have to pay an additional fee to add Premium Internet Radio onto their current service.
Anyone with a compatible phone/region can download SIRIUS now. Correction: that’s anyone without a Backflip because you’re not allowed to install devices outside of the Android Market on that phone.
[via Phandroid]
Been listening to the music channels for about 30 minutes now. The sound quality is not great on this app. There appears to be some background popping and static in the music that you don’t get with Pandora. And of course the absence of the Stern channels is a huge downer.
We have had XM radio for a while now, and couple of years ago they got rid of the free internet streaming and replaced it with fee-based. I'm not surprised that they want to squeeze more money out of their subscribers.
No Howard, no thanks.
When Stern retires,this entire industry is going to wither away to only a handful of long-haul truckers.
Absolutely, it's the only reason I have it. It works on my stiletto fine but not my phone. No matter after December I'm cancelling anyway.
Jeff
the satellite radio sound quality over the regular radio isn't that great. They are trying to squeeze so much data into the stream at the detriment of the quality. Way too low a bitrate for decent music imo.
Sirius is going to have to buy out Pandora if they really want to be in the cell phone biz. They've castrated out their only competitive advantage (Howard) so this thing is as DOA as the iPhone app. Dumb dumb dumb.
No Howard is pretty crappy, but for $3 a month (my dad has Sirius in his car that I could add on to ) I'm tempted. I know I already have Pandora and such, but the thing I always liked about "regular" radio is that they play a lot more new music, so you get exposure to things you may not have otherwise listened to, or you find out that a band you haven't listened to in awhile has new stuff out, etc.
why 'of course' no Howard Stern? This is Android, not Apple.
it was more of a sarcastic "of course" since its another major Android app with core limitations.
So i've downloaded and installed it a couple times and I can't get it to stream anything. Keeps telling me that it's trying to acquire data blah blah blah.. possibly will not work on edge network? ohh and yeah i stream with other apps without issues.. mostly slacker these days.
The lack of Howard Stern has nothing to do with Android and everything to do with his ego. He refuses to allow his show to be streamed over the internet. What a tool.
Huh? I have the internet service, specifically for the Stern show. 'He refuses'?
Who's the tool?
You can get Howard streamed over the internet to your computer so it isnt his ego. Not exactly sure why they would'nt include this main channel in this app. That is the only reason I would actually pay for it. I guess I will keep listening to his channels for free through shoutcast on the droid.
It's ecause Sirius doesn't own the "mobile" rights to Stern and the live sports but the do
own the satalite and Internet rights
Only appears to work through a wifi stream, rendering it worthless when you really need it. KInd of the whole point to streaming it to a phone. If I have a wifi signal, I can just use my laptop with a better sound system.
For free, I would use the app, but to pay for a monthly service and not be able to stream from my 3G, pointless, no thanks.
FYI, I am a dedicated sirius xm listener.
No streaming, no 3G usage… Sounds like they are trying to keep a common code-base between Android and the Crapple app.
What a piece of garbage. Slacker radio is 100x better. I will just listen to Stern in my car. Also, the Howard feed on Shoutcast isn’t live. Sirius is again trying to squeeze every penny out of us subscribers. Why am I wasting my time typing this? Who cares? Howard will hopefully leave Sirius XM and start is own medium and the company will lose most of its subscribers.
no stern. watse of 3 bucks, will be canceling soon
f stern O&A forever!!!!
Very stupid considering the 3.00 a month you pay for the internet radio gives you howard stern, and the old STARplayer used to have howard stern…
As much as i like stern, in a way i hope he retires so i can just get rid of satellite since it will fail…
The music channels are starting to get more and more talking trying to be like FM radio stations… i didnt pay all these years for radio to have a horrible horrible dj talk over half of the songs….
Well, I agree with chrisloveskaos, F*** STERN! He has been horrible since he has been on Sirius anyways. A lil bitch. 4 days a week, 10 weeks of vacation and he is an OLD WASHED UP HAS BEEN!!! O&A is MUCH more funnier. Jimmy Norton is amazing, the quality of the guests is much better and Stern hasn't been a "shock jock" since the early 90's. To me it is worth paying for this service, works perfect on my Droid, 3G or WIFI, connects via head phone jack right to my car stereo and sounds perfect. I doubt Sirius will fail when Stern retires, it will be better. They won't be pissing away $100 million dollars a year on him.
F Stern? Face it, he's the main reason that it's Sirius XM instead of just XM. Without Stern, this app is useless. I guess it'll please a few O&A and Oprah fans, but few others.
When Stern joined Sirius the stock was in the $5's, now even joined with XM it struggles to maintain $1.
That's due to their business model and not Stern. If he retires Sirius/XM will lose a huge portion of their subscribers. There is no way I will pay $12 a month + $3 for internet with no Stern. I'd basically be paying $15 for what I can get for $3 a month from Pandora (or free if I listen < 40 hours a month).
I currently use pocket tunes app to listen to Howard on my iphone. I agree with the rest of the comments as far as the music quality is severely lacking and the rest of the programming is stuff you would only listen to driving a truck.
I could not care less about stern, SIRIUS Lifetime subscriber for 2 years now, and I have not listened even one time to him
I Just looking for an additional source of Patriot Radio and music where I don't need the clunky Stiletto 2 Headphones.
stern is sirius if you don't think this way your a very stupid person who doesn't deserve the time of day
at least there is jason ellis on faction 28 . 12noon-4pm west coast. RED DRAGONS