Washington (DC) - XM is getting in on the big Vista launch today, due to a stake it has in Microsoft’s new operating system. One of the channels in Vista’s preinstalled media hub is XM Radio online, in a deal that XM hopes will open up its widely disregarded online streaming service.

Click through the Windows Vista launch gallery ...

XM Radio subscribers are able to listen to the online feed for free, while those who do not want a physical radio can subscribe to the Web-based service for $8 a month, a discount from the $12.95 a month for regular service.

"By working with Microsoft, we are expanding the availability of XM Radio Online, which provides an extraordinary variety of music choices, talk radio options, and exclusive programming such as ’Oprah & Friends.’ The integration of XM Radio Online further enhances the music and entertainment experience offered by Windows Vista," said XM marketing VP My-Chau Nguyen.

The partnership with Vista is part of XM’s outreach to new markets, as it tries to space itself from Sirius, which is closing in on XM’s market share dominance. At CES, XM showed off a vehicle that included a handful of new in-car technologies, including video, weather, and GPS services powered by its satellites.