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View Full Version : Samsung to Build MP3 Players with XM


Chris Gohlke
07-29-2005, 04:30 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.betanews.com/article/Samsung_to_Build_MP3_Players_with_XM/1122437287' target='_blank'>http://www.betanews.com/article/Samsung_to_Build_MP3_Players_with_XM/1122437287</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Satellite radio service XM announced on Tuesday that it would partner with Samsung to introduce MP3 players with satellite radio capability by year's end. The players would use XM's Connect-and-Play technology and come with a home accessory kit to allow access to the satellite radio. The devices would also allow the user to record XM radio content when it is connected to a home or car accessory kit. Unconnected, it would act as a normal MP3 player, but would also allow playback of recorded content, as well as MP3 or WMA files. With the Samsung players, users would be able to select certain songs to download after hearing them on an XM radio channel."</i><br /><br />Looks like they are building their answer to the iTunes/iPod combo. Be interested in seeing what the unit looks like and what kind of battery life it gets. I seem to remember reading a while back that the portable XM radio's did not get very good battery life. More interesting will be how they price the downloads, what they use in the way of security, and whether the downloaded files can be used on other devices/burned to a CD.

piperpilot
07-29-2005, 12:47 PM
What I find disappointing about this upcoming device from the description in the article is that the device will not be able to receive live XM content if it's not cradled. The MyFi has such capability. I would consider upgrading to the Samsung from the MyFi if it could receive live feeds, but without that capability, I will pass.

On another note, I routinely get about 5-6 hours of battery life out of the MyFi. That is more than enough for my needs. I get a headache if I listen to music longer than that!

boeman
07-29-2005, 04:10 PM
What I find disappointing about this upcoming device from the description in the article is that the device will not be able to receive live XM content if it's not cradled. The MyFi has such capability. I would consider upgrading to the Samsung from the MyFi if it could receive live feeds, but without that capability, I will pass.


From what I understand, the current decoding chipset used by XM recievers is fairly large. Putting the XM chipset in an MP3 player would increase it's size more than most companies are willing to at the moment.

Hopefully the next generation chipset will be small enough to allow companies like Samsung to add live XM to MP3 players.