First, there was the iTunes on a phone. Now, Sprint is hooking up with RealNetworks to provide podcasts and Internet radio service for their wireless customers. Another good sign for podcasting? Yes but my biggest question is cost. According to the report on CNET News.com

For $6.95 a month, people nationwide with a Sprint phone (specifically, with Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Service) can sign up and listen to several different radio stations or Internet podcasts, as well as gain access to videos, music news or freestyle rap service “Beats N Breaks

Ok so first, you have a basic cell phone plan that can run anything from $39 and up and then you’d have to get somekind of Internet Connectivity/Media Add On probably a few more bucks a month (rough guess $15/month) and to get the audio on your phone it’s $6.95 a month. That’s – if my assumptions are correct or near there – extra $22 a month just to have audio on your phone. Of course this could be wrong – anyone with more info please enlighten me.

Still… it’s quite a bit to add on. From the marketers point of view; at those prices, it’ll probably take a while and suspect most people would just rather carry an iPod or portable MP3 player – as a whole, it bodes well for podcasts as a media.