New Alltel MOTOROKR Z6m offers XM support

[TNDan21]

New Alltel MOTOROKR Z6m offers XM support
by Nino Marchetti on October 18th, 2007

Alltel Wireless and Motorola today announced the beginning of sales of a new music phone with an exclusive feature. The Motorola MOTOROKR Z6m is priced at around $130 after a new contract and rebate.

The Motorola MOTOROKR Z6m, making use of Alltel “Celltop” technology to access and organize information available on the phone, is loaded with an exclusive XM Radio Mobile cell. It delivers 20 channels of XM and costs around $8 a month. The Z6m is designed as well to be a music playing mobile, allowing up to 2GB of optional removable memory and support for audio formats like MP3, AAC, AAC+ and WMA.

Other features of the MOTOROKR Z6m include built-in GPS navigation, stereo Bluetooth support, a two-megapixel digital camera and a 3.5mm headphone input jack. The phone should be available now.

http://www.slipperybrick.com/2007/10...rs-xm-support/

[Mobile Mike]

This sounds like the next logical step for cell phone features. I wonder if any of the other carriers will jump on this bandwagon?

[Andy]

I am starting to become increasingly addicted to XM Radio so this sounds like a really cool feature.

[Gamer03]

This is a step in the right direction, but I already receive all of the XM stations that are broadcast online via XstreamXM on my Sprint Mogul.

I listen to them via my Mogul and the information is extremely accurate and updated every few seconds (the XstreamXM website pings IE on my Mogul's browser every few seconds to check and display the correct song information). Also, the music is streamed to Windows Media Player and it streams at 64 Kbps. The quality is excellent, and it is actually better than the stream and sound that comes through using XM Radio Online via XM's website.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by Andy

I am starting to become increasingly addicted to XM Radio so this sounds like a really cool feature.

Do you already subscribe to XM Andy?

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Gamer03

Do you already subscribe to XM Andy?

You know what I used to have an XM subscription but cancelled that and now I listen only through AOL Radio and my work is all XM so I listen to it quite a bit. I spend a lot of time in my car each day, though, and I've been listening to my iPod for a while. Radio Stations are boring and full of ads and my iPod is getting boring too though, so I'd like something new that I know I'd enjoy since I listen to XM quite a bit.

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Andy

You know what I used to have an XM subscription but cancelled that and now I listen only through AOL Radio and my work is all XM so I listen to it quite a bit. I spend a lot of time in my car each day, though, and I've been listening to my iPod for a while. Radio Stations are boring and full of ads and my iPod is getting boring too though, so I'd like something new that I know I'd enjoy since I listen to XM quite a bit.

You and I got a good look at them the other day.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by Andy

You know what I used to have an XM subscription but cancelled that and now I listen only through AOL Radio and my work is all XM so I listen to it quite a bit. I spend a lot of time in my car each day, though, and I've been listening to my iPod for a while. Radio Stations are boring and full of ads and my iPod is getting boring too though, so I'd like something new that I know I'd enjoy since I listen to XM quite a bit.

I personally prefer XM over Sirius. I had Sirius for 6 months, and the stations (especially the dance stations), played the same song over and over. I would drive to school in the morning, listen to one song, and then on the way home in the evening, I would hear the same song again. Furthermore, I think the channel selections on XM is much better than on Sirius.

Plus, XM actually has better audio quality when both streaming it via each of their websites, listening to the stations on my Mogul, and listening to the stations in my Suburban. Also, whenever I was under a tree when driving, the sound would cut in and out on Sirius, and XM does not lose the sound when under the same tree.

[RadioFoneGuy]

I have heard XM has better song diversity but Siruis has a better network.

Here are the facts.

XM launched satelites over the equator or approx 20 degrees off the ground towards the south similiar to Dish Network and Direct TV. XM has a ton of blind spots, expecially in the northern states of the US. XM uses alot of Earth based repeaters on Cell Phone towers.

Sirius has satellites that make a figure 8 flight pattern across the continental US and has a better signal, line of sight wise. But from what I have read the satelites they bought have a defect in batteries or solor panel and will fail years before they are suppose to. Sirius also uses Earth based repeaters in Metro areas.

I spend alot of time in a vehicle and I prefere Sirius, I just have the antenna on my dash not on the roof and I almost always have full signal. Another guy at my work had XM and he would have service blackouts of 30 mins sometimes longer. I have never had XM so I cant speak from experience.

Before I bought my satelite radio I did alot of research. I like sirius channel 20 Octane the best.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Gamer03

I personally prefer XM over Sirius. I had Sirius for 6 months, and the stations (especially the dance stations), played the same song over and over. I would drive to school in the morning, listen to one song, and then on the way home in the evening, I would hear the same song again. Furthermore, I think the channel selections on XM is much better than on Sirius.

Plus, XM actually has better audio quality when both streaming it via each of their websites, listening to the stations on my Mogul, and listening to the stations in my Suburban. Also, whenever I was under a tree when driving, the sound would cut in and out on Sirius, and XM does not lose the sound when under the same tree.

You know I can understand that, but believe it or not, XM has that problem too of re-playing the same songs over and over. At my work, we have our XM set to XM 25- The Blend and even though they have a huge variety of songs, you can pretty much expect to hear certain songs every day. That's not a bad thing, but I guess each station, whether satellite radio, FM/AM has a set playlist.
Reason your XM may not cut out under the same tree may be because of a terrestrial repeater. The antenna at my work does not have any line of sight to the satellite, but runs of the terrestrial repeater. When that goes down (which has happened at least two or three times the past few months) our XM is dead.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by Cellonetech

I have heard XM has better song diversity but Siruis has a better network.

Here are the facts.

XM launched satelites over the equator or approx 20 degrees off the ground towards the south similiar to Dish Network and Direct TV. XM has a ton of blind spots, expecially in the northern states of the US. XM uses alot of Earth based repeaters on Cell Phone towers.

Sirius has satellites that make a figure 8 flight pattern across the continental US and has a better signal, line of sight wise. But from what I have read the satelites they bought have a defect in batteries or solor panel and will fail years before they are suppose to. Sirius also uses Earth based repeaters in Metro areas.

I spend alot of time in a vehicle and I prefere Sirius, I just have the antenna on my dash not on the roof and I almost always have full signal. Another guy at my work had XM and he would have service blackouts of 30 mins sometimes longer. I have never had XM so I cant speak from experience.

Before I bought my satelite radio I did alot of research. I like sirius channel 20 Octane the best.

I too did a lot of research before I bought Sirius. My setup is that I used a Sirius Tuner that directly connected to my radio in my Suburban and I was able to change channels via the Seek button on my steering wheel and I can also switch between Sirius 1, Sirius 2, AM, FM, CD, and Onstar. My setup is the same for XM. I have a tuner that directly connects to my radio and the sound comes out of my 9 Bose surround sound speakers and subwoofer. I still prefer XM since I think they have a better variety and in my area, I receive a better signal with my XM than i did with my Sirius. I also prefer the audio quality with XM since Sirius seemed washed out to me. Both services allow me to stream Sirius and XM on my Mogul. For Sirius, I had to download a WM5 cab file and for XM, I go to a specific website, and the website connects to the built-in WMP in my Mogul and I stream this way at 64 Kbps.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by Andy

You know I can understand that, but believe it or not, XM has that problem too of re-playing the same songs over and over. At my work, we have our XM set to XM 25- The Blend and even though they have a huge variety of songs, you can pretty much expect to hear certain songs every day. That's not a bad thing, but I guess each station, whether satellite radio, FM/AM has a set playlist.
Reason your XM may not cut out under the same tree may be because of a terrestrial repeater. The antenna at my work does not have any line of sight to the satellite, but runs of the terrestrial repeater. When that goes down (which has happened at least two or three times the past few months) our XM is dead.

I didn't know that Andy. That is really interesting. Thanks for pointing this out.

[RadioFoneGuy]

Originally Posted by Gamer03

I too did a lot of research before I bought Sirius. My setup is that I used a Sirius Tuner that directly connected to my radio in my Suburban and I was able to change channels via the Seek button on my steering wheel and I can also switch between Sirius 1, Sirius 2, AM, FM, CD, and Onstar. My setup is the same for XM. I have a tuner that directly connects to my radio and the sound comes out of my 9 Bose surround sound speakers and subwoofer. I still prefer XM since I think they have a better variety and in my area, I receive a better signal with my XM than i did with my Sirius. I also prefer the audio quality with XM since Sirius seemed washed out to me. Both services allow me to stream Sirius and XM on my Mogul. For Sirius, I had to download a WM5 cab file and for XM, I go to a specific website, and the website connects to the built-in WMP in my Mogul and I stream this way at 64 Kbps.

A few of you guys are from Florida so maybe your close enuff to XM satellites that it doesnt matter. Up here in the Northern US and not near ground repeater you would have different feeling about the XM. When I was shopping for mine I tested both out a few times at the stereo shops and I prefered the XM programming over Sirius but I did alot of asking around and the folks I talk to like XM but the coverage was aweful up north. Like I always say, use what works for you. With the Sirius/XM merger maybe we can all get the best of both.

[MOTOhooligan]

Originally Posted by Cellonetech

With the Sirius/XM merger maybe we can all get the best of both.

Yes... I am going to wait until that sorts itself out until I purchase a satellite radio receiver. It is interesting to watch the evolution of computers, mobile devices and entertainment systems... eventually we'll be watching TV and movies on the same screen that we surf the internet on and the CD/DVD player will also be the PC which can stream music/video over wireless internet to our phones which will also get FM and satellite radio as well as being able to make phone calls, pay for a latte and control the thermostat in our homes.

I can't wait until things are like they were on The Jetsons.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by Cellonetech

A few of you guys are from Florida so maybe your close enuff to XM satellites that it doesnt matter. Up here in the Northern US and not near ground repeater you would have different feeling about the XM. When I was shopping for mine I tested both out a few times at the stereo shops and I prefered the XM programming over Sirius but I did alot of asking around and the folks I talk to like XM but the coverage was aweful up north. Like I always say, use what works for you. With the Sirius/XM merger maybe we can all get the best of both.

That could very well be true. I never thought of that. Where you are in the midwest Cellonetech? I used to live in central Illinois before I moved down to Florida with my family 13 years ago.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by MOTOhooligan

Yes... I am going to wait until that sorts itself out until I purchase a satellite radio receiver. It is interesting to watch the evolution of computers, mobile devices and entertainment systems... eventually we'll be watching TV and movies on the same screen that we surf the internet on and the CD/DVD player will also be the PC which can stream music/video over wireless internet to our phones which will also get FM and satellite radio as well as being able to make phone calls, pay for a latte and control the thermostat in our homes.

I can't wait until things are like they were on The Jetsons.

About how long do you think it's going to be until the XM/Sirius merge and we can buy units that are functional for the combined entity? I'm also in the market to purchase an XM receiver right now.