DRM will soon be implemented and you will have to pay for every song you record. Soon even local broadcast companies will have to charge you for any recordings. Congress is in session debating your rights away. Contact EFF.com to stop DRM.

by mrobzo (See profile) - November 25, 2005 6:10 PM PST

Sure...XM to MP3 is good, but you are still subject to the whims of the playlist directors when receiving your content. Lack of control of what you are listening to is my biggest beef there.

Better idea would be to allow you to real-time stream your personally-selected content and playlists from a music service provider (Rhapsody, Yahoo, Napster) to a remote device. Would require a persistent connection to their servers, so the mp3 player may get chucked in favor of a phone, but this is where the future of music is going.

by cmclatcher (See profile) - July 27, 2005 6:18 AM PDT

It's called TimeTrax. It's a timeshifter (think DVR) for satillite radio. I set what shows I want recorded or can just record what I'm listening to at the time. I tell TimeTrax to put recorded content within my sync folders.

Sounds like cnet wants to help sell some Samsungs.

by tom dante (See profile) - July 26, 2005 8:37 PM PDT

Sure, if you have satellite radio already, this is a nice feature to have, but if pioneer, delphi, etc. can make portable satellite radio receivers, why can't samsung (or another company with licensing rights) simply combine the functions of, say, the MyFi with a YEPP? Remember how everyone used to want FM radio on their MP3 players? Sure, a lot of people (including Jasmine France herself) still do, but my point is that built-in satellite radio tuners will eventually replace this feature, just as satellite radio itself will eventually put at least a few radio stations out of business. It's nice to download some radio programs (and maybe a few podcasts while you're at it) directly to your device when you're at home or in your car, but it would certainly be a lot nicer if you could actually listen to these stations live. Just put a hard drive and MP3-playing capabilities onto a MyFi or AirWare and you have a product primed to explode as satellite radio's profile elevates.

by chetpdes (See profile) - July 26, 2005 1:37 PM PDT

This is exactly why I like mp3 players: they're so versatile; you can do so much with them. I bet anyone in the next FIVE YEARS, this feature will be standard for all flash-based mp3 players at the least. And on top of that, companies will want to make this feat. even MORE portable than a docking station. Technologies are changing, for ex. the potential buyer for a portable music player don't really think about walkman's anymore, but MP3 players. I can't wait until this new idea is common!

by musicman01 (See profile) - July 26, 2005 12:43 PM PDT

Will this work with an iPOD?
leo

by jdleo (See profile) - July 26, 2005 12:03 PM PDT