Music on the Move as Mobile Applications Multiply

[Paul Martin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061216/media_nm/mobile_dc' target='_blank'>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061216...ia_nm/mobile_dc</a><br /><br /></div><i>"This past year marked the beginning of a revolutionary experiment to sell and distribute digital music to and from mobile phones. The stage is only just being set, with the business models, pricing and marketing issues still evolving...The more immediate goal for 2007 is to raise awareness of both [subscription and a la carte pricing] models. Only 3 percent of mobile users say they've listened to music on mobile phones, so the wireless industry hopes that offering a broad portfolio of mobile-music services will spark consumer interest in 2007. A pending mobile-music service from mobile-phone manufacturer Nokia could aid in that effort as well."</i><br /><br />Are you in the 3 percent that have listened to music on your mobile phone? The article discusses the emergence of "music-related services and applications" during this past year, including streaming satellite radio, streaming concerts, concert tickets, and lifestyle portals. Does this interest you and does it change the way you interact with your other mobile devices?

[daS]

Why is there no option for: Never tried it, and have no interest in listening to music on my phone?

I have a mobile phone and I want to save the batteries for voice and data. If I used it as an MP3 player, it wouldn't be available for its intended purpose.

[Paul Martin]

It's because I knew some opinions could not be limited to a simple bullet point. :lol: Sorry, should have provided that option. So, if battery life were a non-issue, would you be interested then?

[Hosidax]

I listen to a lot of audio on my PPC phone every day, only a small fraction of it is music...

[Mark Kenepp]

There was a time when my PDA or smartphone was my only mobile music device and it would depend on what I was doing as to which device I used for music.

Now, I have an old hand-me-down first generation iPod do I rarely use anything else for music.

[ctmagnus]

I uninstalled Pocket Player months ago (for reasons that I still do not understand) and never got it reinstalled. But I've started using my iPod for music full time due simply to capacity.

[Paul Martin]

I listen to a lot of audio on my PPC phone every day, only a small fraction of it is music...

So, just curious, is it podcasts? Also, does your player have some sort of bookmark feature so that you can pick up where you left off if you have to stop listening either for a call or something away from the phone?

[Hosidax]

I recently got a Cingular 8525. It automatically pauses and resumes audio playback for phone calls which is a great feature. I listen to Podcasts, books on tape, Audible content, and streaming internet radio. (Not to mention the movies -- capped from purchased DVD's or from TV -- and ebooks I also occupy my time with).

Previously I had an iPaq5555 and used it for the same - but obviously couldn't stream internet content with that.

Windows media player is pretty featureless, I hate that it often looses it's place with content when it closes, but I haven't spent enough time looking for a good audio player that does windows media formats... is there one out there?

The Audible player is decent I guess.

I think Flash Players could take over the world if Adobe would get it's act together in the mobile market and the streaming server/podcast business.

I've been frustrated with all of the DRM hoo-haa going on now, so I have avoided the music "services" which don't let you actually "own" the tracks you "purchase" - I've seen a couple of friends have bad experiences with iTunes music store and Yahoo music when trying to upgrade hardware, so I have steered clear.

Thankfully there still seems to be a good deal of non-DRM entertainment out there -- or at least in the case of Audible and AirAmerica Premium, DRM without the heavy-handedness -- so there's plenty to entertain that doesn't include online music stores.

lol I guess I went off on a tangent....

Yes my phone pauses the audio when a phone call comes in.
;) :wink:

[Ed Hansberry]

I don't because Microsoft doesn't hve the model right. When your phone rings in your ear at full volume while listening to to music, it will train you very quickly to give up on it and just get an MP3 player. :(

[Demens]

I only listen music from my computer and my PPC.

- I like to play from a device that hasnt been retarted. (restrictions and missing features)

- I like the variety of software players for different occasions.

- It is always there. (it's my phone too) (well maybe headphones aren't, though.)

- Quality is good when combining Coreplayer or TCPMP with Koss porta pro headphones. (Core &amp; TCPMP dont mess around with the frequencies and try to balance the sound for tinny earplugs)

- I have never, i mean never run out of battery. (longest trip was 6 hours on a plane and after that 8 hours on bus, offcource i didnt listen all the time but i never got bored or tried to save battery)

- With 2gb card i have no problem.

- I listen classical shoutcast stations a lot. (almost every night before going to sleep)

[Frankie1]

When I wake up, on of the first things I do is tell (Voice Command) my ppc to play something, it helps me get up in the morning. I have no reason not use the media player on my device on a daily basis.

[Frankie1]

Why is there no option for: Never tried it, and have no interest in listening to music on my phone?

I have a mobile phone and I want to save the batteries for voice and data. If I used it as an MP3 player, it wouldn't be available for its intended purpose.

Well who's to say that the purpose of your ppc is to make phone calls. In my opinion; a Device that has Windows Mobile Phone Edition is a PPC that can make phone calls, opposed to phone that has features of a pocket pc. Essentially I think that purpose of a pocket pc is to increase mobility by consolidating devices. With that said; playing music on your device does not mean it's not being used for it's intended purpose.

[arteagac]

I use Napster with both my Dell Axim and Cing 2125. I would sync to Napster for music but would never try to download directly from my smartphone for any type of music. This holds especially true for a service from a carrier which always seem to be way more expensive. It is such a convenience to have a device that does it all. I love taking the smartphone to the gym because I can answer a call when working out and then the music resumes after the call.

[Paul Martin]

This holds especially true for a service from a carrier which always seem to be way more expensive.

That's something I was wondering about was the extra cost.

[Ed Hansberry]

I have a mobile phone and I want to save the batteries for voice and data. If I used it as an MP3 player, it wouldn't be available for its intended purpose.

Well who's to say that the purpose of your ppc is to make phone calls.
Agreed. The second "P" in PPC does stand for Personal after all. :)