TELUS announced yesterday that the developer Rdio streaming music app would be their official mobile subscription service. Yep, this means that their meagre exclusive music service is on the way out.
Traditionally, I've been a Slacker user for their great BlackBerry applications, but after you use Rdio seriously for the first time today, I can see why people dig it. It is a little more sociable, you can follow friends and see what they listen to - sort of like Zune, or iTunes Ping. They have everything mobile clients (the iPad app will the Apple approval process now, pic above) and support synchronization with your iTunes or Windows Media Player collections, so that push the songs on your phone to a local synchronization. Their web and desktop applications are two excellent supplements to clients Rdio is available for Android, iPhone, Windows and BlackBerry phone. For $10 per month, you get basically unlimited demand music streaming, and soon you will be able to purchase DRM-free tracks individually too.
The strategy of relying on partners rather than owning the flow of content/service together end-to-end is a refreshing step of Telus. Their partnership with Skype is an obvious step in the same direction. Video is not yet ready for mobile, but Telus has already started with a brand Skype LG black Optimus with voice over IP calling. Facebook is also a large part of the angle of networking social Telus, with an official of branding on their next HTC status and the cloud of INQ Touch.
With Telus, presenting the reins for many services, which raises the question "is not that just make Telus a dumb pipe." TELUS responded yesterday at an event to preview in Toronto by saying: "" perhaps, but you can be a terribly intelligent dumb pipe. "" Instead, they hope to activate and parish priest of the plethora of new wireless solutions that fight against independent parties (if they are also against unnecessary preloaded bloatware). Finally, Telus acknowledged that third parties dedicated would be always able to do a better job addressing niche markets that they could, which was the first of many pleasantly honest statements, I have heard of them this day there. Another is that they have no desire to "take hostage of clients" with contracts as long as they want, this is why they have changed their early termination fee structure to be more representative of the grant that TELUS provides the initial cost of device. Of course, that could mean you pay was actually more to kill a young contract on an expensive smartphone, but at least the reasoning is valid.
Overall, Telus has given that they are interested in eliminating barriers such as the commitment and the price and by reducing the complexity of the whole phone property process, in addition to suppression of sensible partnerships such as this with Rdio.
The education of the wise Simon surrounded largely by writing, technology and community online, bringing to begin his career to blog at www.BlackBerryCool.com and quickly discover a vibrant and active community around the BlackBerry and mobile technology. By exploring the RIM platform, he learned that what companies look for mobility and what makes the harmless BlackBerry so attractive to them. Recently Simon of the gradual covering summer of RIM in a market already crowded consumer and the impact of the challengers booming, as the iPhone, and the leaders of long standing, such as Nokia, on the progress of the BlackBerry. With a lot of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on always using BlackBerry as a barometer. IntoMobile, you can count on its posts being impartial, well informed and thoughtful.
