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Sirius XM Radio, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is making good on its promise to make several programming alternatives available to customers after swallowing rival XM Radio back in July.

While SIRI shares sit below $0.50 today as the Dow plummets yet again, the company's newest radio plans are aimed at increasing subscriptions. The new plans are aimed at letting customers have more choice by purchasing programming from both the Sirius side, as well as the XM side.

Looking to boost its revenue and number of subscriptions, Sirius XM Satellite Radio Inc. Thursday announced a range of new programming options that lets subscribers buy programming from both of the recently merged rival services. The "Best of Both" plan actually tips the scales at $16.99/month, which is over $4 higher than the normal $12.95/month subscription. But, that amount does give all XM subscribers to ability to hear Howard Stern while giving Sirius folks the ability to hear Oprah's satellite show.

But the big news is this: a new $6.99/month plan will allow customers to ability to choose 50 "ala carte" channels from either service. That's what many of us having been waiting for: we may only want a few channels but don't want to pay for all of them. If you've been on the satellite radio fence for a while, will you jump on board now for less than $7 a month and get your fix? You won't get Howard or some live sports without additional fees -- and only certain radios are supported -- so be prepared.

Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is ditching the warehouse-blue store format that it's grown famous for. Well, not really -- but in some newer stores in Denver, that cheery blue is being supplemented by earth tones and skylights as the largest consumer electronics chain in the U.S. sets its sights on the female demographic. That's right -- the anti-gadget crowd who rolls both eyes when guys start salivating over that 50-inch flat screen television.

Women do have a huge (indirect) impact on consumer electronics sales, although the merchandising most retailers push definitely fits the male buying persona. So, instead of the gray, techie feel where those large flat-panel displays generally reside, Best Buy will be placing some (if not all) of those televisions into staged rooms that look like a set from a typical home. What a better way to visualize that new purchase than by seeing how it looks in the real world, right? Ever sold a home and staged it to sell? Same thing.

Best Buy even asked 40 local female customers to work with its employees to help them form ideas. In other words, merchandise your products in a way that makes them comfortable to be around and use, not as cold hard hunks of steel, plastic and chrome. Serving the needs of women shoppers better is a perfect way to grow sales in this economic state (if that's even doable) -- Best Buy certainly has the right idea here. There's nothing better than involving your customers in decisions that affect how they purchase, right?

Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) CEO Eric Schmidt has sung the praises of many things in the past: consumer experience, mobile product offerings and even Google's philanthropic efforts. At the same time, Schmidt has made sure Google has evolved into a ruthless competitor that has really blindsided the internet marketplace in so many ways so fast that it caught most of us off-guard.

But can Google seriously save the world? Although tech pundits sometimes state that in tongue-in-cheek fashion, Schmidt is dead serious about it. Google's massive global infrastructure requires a ton of energy to operate. As we all know, energy costs are not exactly low. Although newer Google data center sites are chosen partly for cheap energy proximity, that's not enough. The company wants to fix the energy problem in the U.S., and they have a plan.

According to Taiwan's CENS website, T-Mobile USA will sell half a million of the Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) G1 smartphone built by Taiwan's own HTC and sold exclusively (so far) by T-Mobile USA. Although that's not up to par with announced Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 3G sales, it's no slouch expectation either.

When the G1 phone is released for sale on October 22, that leaves just over two months for that projected sales figure to be hit. Although the unit will cost a relatively paltry $179 with a two-year contract, can T-Mobile USA really hit that sales number? I have severe doubts, although T-Mobile USA will easily be able to start competing with established players like Apple in 2009.

Although Apple has an entire year headstart over rivals like the G1 and the Samsung Instinct, there are many customers who want the novelty of a touchscreen smartphone but don't want to be locked down into the Apple ecosystem -- even though it works very well and would serve most customers 100% perfectly.

But then again, Apple's first-mover advantage and its incredibly powerful marketing muscle may just keep it floating above the likes of the Google-powered G1 for quite some time. Google's efforts with the G1 could make it a second-tier player here while Apple dominates. That is, unless, T-Mobile USA starts off quick with half a million in unit sales this holiday season and never looks back. What is your projection?

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) will now be offering about 2,500 movies from the Starz movie channel as streaming video from its website. As Netflix continues to dabble heavily into internet-delivered content to complement its DVD rental business, the company really has taken the lead on ensuring it builds its brand to deliver content through whatever means. Once the DVD becomes obsolete (and it will), Netflix's positioning will put it in front once again to give its customer base content through whatever means.

Netflix's "Watch Now" selection of immediate content has grown in recent months, but regular customer complaints about lack of selection have streamed in at the same time. This partnership with Starz should change that a bit. Right off the bat, Starz's "Starz Play" lineup will contain hits like No Country for Old Men, Superbad and other recent hits. Can Netflix convince studios to release movies at the start of or during theatrical release? That would be a major coup -- but that's quite a paradigm shift for the movie studio industry as well.

All the new Starz content will be available at no cost to current Netflix subscribers as well -- which is a major selling point if I've ever seen one. The more partnerships Netflix can forge with device manufacturers, gaming console leaders and content providers, the better. And, it may just keep giving Blockbuster executives fits as well, while Netflix CEO Reed Hastings sighs in relief.

No wonder Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) is losing customers fast. The third-largest wireless provider in the U.S. announced a new "MyMoneyManager" program last Thursday that sounds like the nicest thing for your Sprint phone since sliced bread. The only problem is this: the new downloadable application meant for your Sprint handset lists compatible Sprint cellphones that looks like the "who's who" of the Sprint handset lineup from sometime in 2007. Umm, Sprint: it's October 2008.

This is the kind of thing that not only makes Sprint subscribers confused and angry, but gives a terrible PR black eye to a wireless company that has lost hundreds of thousands of customers in the recent year. Sprint should work hard to announce new applications that actually are meant for and usable by its current product lineup -- not from outdated models that are not even for sale any longer.

The reason customers have not embraced using applications on their cellphones is due to the "works there/doesn't work there" framework that the wireless industry just can't seem to figure out. Unless it's universal across a product line, why even bother? Sure, there are several wireless phone manufacturers and models, all of which are different. Add to that the protectionist tendencies wireless providers have and it's no wonder why consumers find it hard or impossible to do things on these technologically-advanced phones that marketing departments want them to. With examples like this, it'll never happen. Can you hear me? Good.

When T-Mobile USA and Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced the Google-powered G1 smartphone last week, little did the fourth-largest wireless provider in the U.S. know that it would have to turn customers away.

Anxious customers who want to sign up for the new phone when it's released on October 22nd are apparently getting this message on T-Mobile's website: "Sorry! Due to the overwhelming popularity of the new T-Mobile G1, upgrades are temporarily unavailable. Please try again later." This news is according to the Android Guys blog, which guesses that the Google G1 sold out in four days.

T-Mobile has neither confirmed nor denied that the Google G1 sold out, nor has it released initial sales figures for the still-unreleased smartphone. The G1 is a clear competitor to the Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 3G and to the various BlackBerry and Windows Mobile smartphones. It's also poised to become a huge seller for T-Mobile as more and more touchscreen competitors try to steal some of Apple's thunder.

NYSE: WMT) announced this morning that it will be recalling over 210,000 standard kitchen toasters distributed by General Electric Corp. (NYSE: GE).

Of course, GE doesn't make many consumer products itself (it contracts out), so this is another reminder that brands must have some say in quality control of their outsourcing partners. Oh wait -- that costs too much, and I doubt Jeff Immelt wants to explain to shareholders that profits were down due to safety recalls.

Moving right along, this recall was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) last night. Apparently, the heating element inside the toaster can cause a short circuit, with sparks emanating from the toaster itself. Circuit breaker trips in consumer's homes were mentioned in the recall notice as well. Wal-Mart heard from 140 consumers about this particular toaster, which carries the GE logo on the front of the box and toaster itself, with model numbers 169115 and 169116.

As usual, the offending products were made in China. They were sold at Wal-Mart stores in the U.S. from September 2007 until July 2008. Although no injuries have been reported, consumers can return these toaster models to Wal-Mart for a full refund or an exchange for another brand of toaster.

After getting overloaded with economic bailout reading over the weekend, something techie floated to the top of the pile that caught my attention. It seems that Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is rejecting quite a few submissions to its App Store, where aspiring iPhone application developers send their programs so that iPhone customers can buy them.

The only problem is that Apple is not telling rejected (and dejected) application developers why their programs are not being approved. Also, the non-disclosure agreement the company is sending out prevents these developers from talking about their rejected iPhone app situations. Is this Apple being its usual self: controlling, closed and mum? The company really (really) knows how to design something the consumer wants and markets its sleek goods in a way other companies just can't figure out. But in addition to that, it retains a tight control on the entire ecosystem in which its products exist.

Perhaps it's the best form of quality control -- but it's not freedom. And developers want freedom, or, at the least, communication. Apple seems to be extremely tight-lipped, which is odd but not surprising.

On another Apple-control-freak note, Apple is now restricting reviews of iPhone Apps to people who have paid for them. It seems that the Wisdom of Crowds argument, which says that putting people in control leads to wisdom, isn't working here. Of course, there is also the vocal minority which can't be pleased by anything and trashes everything that doesn't fit a preconceived notion. Apple is turning on the quiet switch in this situation as well. So here's my proposal for a new motto: Apple: Think Different (but don't communicate it).

Motorola Corp. (NYSE: MOT) is apparently planning on a rather large piece of its wireless business being wrapped around Google Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android operating system. The wireless company already has 50 employees working on Android development and will be boosting that number to 350 before long. Since Motorola is one of the larger members of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), the open-source software movement meant to support all things Android, this comes as no surprise.

Perhaps Motorola wants some revenue from software development for the mobile space instead of selling profit-challenged hardware? The company has had a rough time of things recently, but after spinning off its handset division soon, Motorola wireless hardware and software may be on the path to re-inventing themselves.

But can Google's vaunted wireless platform challenge the entrenched iPhone, Windows Mobile and Symbian space? Together, those three platforms control a huge swath of the smartphone market. Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK), which now owns all of Symbian, has the lion's share of smartphone software sales globally. The newer iPhone 3G has launched in dozens of countries and continues to sell very well. Let's not count out Windows Mobile. Even Google may find it hard to take large pieces of market share away from these players. But at least Motorola is only placing a small bet here on Android's success. Three hundred fifty employees isn't too many, is it?

Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) would do best to get rid of its struggling iDEN mobile network. Yes, this is the entire national wireless network it brought on board when Sprint and Nextel merged in 2005. Customers are leaving at a rapid pace, so Sprint be best to just jettison the network and move its customers over to the Sprint side of things. That sounds odd just saying that (the "Sprint" side of things?).

While that merger stands in tatters now, Sprint still continues to operate and support two completely separate national mobile networks as it tries desperately to unload just about anything with the word "Nextel" on it. It might as well -- the failed merger has had tens of billions in write-offs recently.

Who would want an outdated (albeit, valuable) national wireless network? How about private equity? Sprint CEO Dan Hesse appears to be looking for a buyer, although a sale of the Nextel national network infrastructure has not been formally announced. While competitors have improved their national networks to keep up with increasing subscriber counts and wireless data usage, Nextel's aging infrastructure is worth something. Just not much.

Leave it to private equity investors to try and buy a national network for pennies on the dollar and then resell it in pieces for what probably would be a very nice profit. Sprint shareholders have been clamoring for a sale like this for over a year now, and new-to-the-corner-office Hesse won't disappoint. That is, if credit can return so someone can get a line to buy the thing.

Welcome to the 78th installment of The Wal-Mart Weekly, a column dedicated to bringing you insight, wit, facts, results, opinions, and just a bit of everything else when it comes to a very hot topic these days: Wal-Mart.

This week, let's take a look at a major initiative by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) to cut down on the amount of plastic shopping bags it provides. Wal-Mart has made itself part of the "green" movement in recent years, from being the leader in sales of CFL-type lighting to natural-gas powered fleet vehicles to the sale of items made from recycled materials.

But still, it doles out tens of millions (that's a conservative estimate) of plastic bags every single month, most of which probably end up in landfills. In my area, plastic bags are not accepted as recycled even though there is the recycling mark on them. In some counties, only specific kinds of plastic are accepted for recycling. Thus, just making something recyclable does not mean it will be or can be. How should Wal-Mart assist in this effort? Read on.

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) said this week that it would be switching all of its laptop PC models to LED-backlit screens by 2010. This is part of Dell's movement to manufacture greener PCs, as LED screens don't have mercury inside and use 43% less energy (for a standard 15" screen). It will begin offering only LED screens in some models beginning this December, and will have all laptop screens using this technology by 2010.

Currently, Dell -- like most manufacturers -- uses fluorescent lamps to give a backlight to its laptop screens. Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) recently said that it also plans to replace all screens in its various laptop PC models"eventually," but with Dell giving dates, no doubt other manufacturers will come out with similar announcements and roadmaps soon.

Expect more electronics manufacturers and retailers to continually find ways to cut waste, conserve electricity and use parts that don't contaminate the environment. Not only is this a smart decision from an environmental perspective, it's also good for business. In a commodity business like PCs, differentiating oneself by marketing "green" bullet points may just get your PC sold over the one sitting a foot away on a display shelf. That is, until all your competitors have the same advantages as you. Then, it will be on to the next differentiator.

Yahoo Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) told the world that it launched its new "Apt" online ad system a few days ago, but was anyone listening? Although Yahoo! called the new system revolutionary, that's also how many of us were pitched the "Project Panama" ad delivery system that turned out to be slightly evolutionary rather than highly revolutionary. What makes Apt different?

Apt is meant to bring intelligence and relevancy to display ads instead of simple text ads, which are Google, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOG) strength and which have added billions to its coffers over the years. When I stopped using Yahoo! Mail years ago, it was because of those non-relevant, intrusive display ads about cheap mortgages, credit reports and other junk that had no relevance to my purchasing intentions. Apt is meant to change that.

First up will be participation by a consortium of newspapers, who have been hit hard in recent years as advertisers move their campaigns online and out of print. Apt will make the process of buying and selling display (graphical) ads as easy as any self-service system on the web, according to the company. It's about time -- Yahoo! has one of the largest user bases on the entire web, and making sure that all customer data is mapped in a way to provide relevant advertising was most likely a massive undertaking. That Yahoo! could deliver this after such a turbulent summer and with a slew of executives recently leaving is amazing. Now, we'll see if it's actually utilized by anyone who still believes in Yahoo!'s power.

Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) said this week that it plans to re-introduce some breakfast food selections to its menu. For a company that can't seem to keep a single strategy in place, this is a rather odd reversal of course from earlier this year. Why would Starbucks want to squelch the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee in its stores -- again?

Perhaps the new Piadini breakfast selection will have aroma inhibitors to prevent those breakfasty smells wafting into those coffee aromas? As with all new sandwich shops these days, the new Piadini will feature "artisan" breads along with sausage, egg and cheese selections, or other selections such as portobello mushrooms. Yummy!

Starbucks said it has changed the cheese to minimize the cooking smell interference with its trademark coffee aroma, but customers will ultimately tell the tale by snatching up the new sandwiches or fleeing Starbucks due to the lessening of the svelte coffee scent they know and love. It's somewhat surprising that Starbucks could not have changed its cheese type back at the start of the year and kept breakfast sandwiches all along, but perhaps it took eight months to do some odor engineering and ingredient research before re-launching more non-coffee products.

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD), watch out.