…big news tomorrow eventually today!
UPDATE: The first part of the NDA we signed before entering the Secret Room was lifted today, but while I’m waiting on additional information & photos, there’s really no reason to say anything else at this time. It’s not an announcement or anything, it’s a unit that we got to see and will be unveiled to the public. (soon?)
Sirius Satellite Radio will be debuting their new music channel called “Super Shuffle” on September 29th. Featuring a wide variety of music offered on Sirius’ 65 music channels, listeners will hear the most popular songs in a continuous mix of genres and artists. If you like a specific era or style of music you hear on Super Shuffle, you’ll be directed to the specific channel through your receiver’s display and through audio cues.
Super Shuffle will be available on Sirius Channel 12.
Personally, I don’t care much for the “Jack” format, but the fact that you can explore more channels through this uber-channel is pretty cool. The Jack format is just a random playlist, there’s no added benefit to the listener. This isn’t Jack, this is a sampling of popular songs from across the spectrum that you can then go and explore further. I dig it.
This is part of the new Sirus channel line-up that you can check out here.
Sirius Canada went out and commissioned a study of Canadians to find out the level of support from the public, and guess what? 76% of Canadian respondants support the CRTC’s decision to grant satellite radio licenses to Sirus Canada and Canadian Satellite Radio.
The majority of lobbying opposition has been from French-language arts groups in Quebec, but yet only 21% of Quebecers feel the federal cabinet should overturn the CRTC’s decision. 69% of Quebecers actually support the ruling. 27% of Quebec respondents strong feel that the prospect of having Quebec artists heard all over North America outweigh the prospect of American/English channels threatening Quebec culture.
There’s also a very strong interest in satellite radio in Canada coming from younger Canadians, with 1/3 (yes, 33%) of Canadians under the age of 35 interested in becoming subscribers to one of the two satellite radio services.
One recent Orbitcast comment had the genius idea to just give them French-language Hockey and they’ll be happy. Genius!
Looks like XM files a trademark for the term "Nexus" - no clue as to what it means, but some interesting names coming down the pipe from those guys (Remora, Nexus, etc).
Word Mark NEXUS
Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Satellite =
radio hardware
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 78696195
Filing Date August 19, 2005
Current Filing Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Owner (APPLICANT) XM Satellite Radio Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 1500
Eckington Place, NE Washington D.C. 20002
Attorney of Record Cynthia Greer
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
Thanks CB!
XM Satellite Radio will kick off its coverage of the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) and Big Ten Conference (Big Ten) football seasons on September 1st.
XM will also debut a new weekday college football news and call-in show, “College Football Coast to Coast” on September 12th. Hosted by T.J. Rives, this new hour-long program will cover news from college football conferences across the country, game analysis, interviews and listener call-ins. “College Football Coast to Coast” will air weekdays at 9 a.m. ET on XM Channel 191.
The 2005 season also marks the first time play-by-play of Boston College games will be available through XM’s ACC coverage since leaving the Big East Conference earlier this year. A complete schedule of ACC, Pac-10 and Big Ten college football games for the 2005 season broadcast on XM is available here.
In response to the possibility of the Canadian Feds overturning the CRTC’s decision, Sirius Canada has said it will up it’s French-language offering. No specifics yet but this is definitely an attempt to prevent the rescinding of the Canadian satellite radio broadcast licenses granted back in June.
Well, it looks like a bunch of groups (largely of the French-speaking type - go figure) have been lobbying the Canadian government to rescind the CRTC licenses granted to Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada, and it might just pay off.
The government has until September 14th to announce its decision, but their minds are pretty much made up already. The cabinet can let the CRTC decision stand, cancel the licenses, or refer the issue back to the commission for further consideration. Rumor has it that they’re going to ask the CRTC to rescind the licenses.
The funny thing is that this is all because of the “lack of” French-speaking channels - which the CRTC is “only” requiring 3 of. But there’s of course plans to create more French channels (it’s that whole supply and demand thing). If these lobbyists could be just a little patient rather than go crying to mommy, they would be able to have their cake and eat it too. But it looks like now everyone is going to lose. Great jobs guys.
Thanks Lil’ Conner! (haha)
Sirius Satellite Radio is poised to debut Theater Of The New Ear, two radio dramas (Sawbones and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind) from September 2nd through the 5th.
Celebrity voices to be heard on the satellite network will be Marcia Gay Harden, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Peter Dinklege, Hope Davis, Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman
Looks like Eddie Trunk, host of a four-hour weekly show on XM’s Boneyard channel, was dropped from the XM roster (or quite possibly just suspended) due to a few comments Mike Piazza made on his show. Not really sure if there’s other stuff involved behind this.
Alpine/Sirius Satellite Radio + Traffic Tuner
The SIR-ALP10T SiriusConnect tuner is the first SIRIUS Satellite Radio tuner to incorporate both audio and traffic data services. Compatible with all Alpine satellite radio-ready headunits, the SIR-ALP10T can also interface with the new Alpine NVE-N872A Navigation System to deliver traffic data, including traffic incidents, road speed and flow information.
Specs & Features:
MSRP: $299.99
Available: November 2005
Alpine NVE-N872A ($1,699)
This unit also marks Sirius Satellite Radio’s introduction to begin broadcasting traffic data services in a partnership with NAVTEQ. Rumor has it that we can expect to see SIRIUS Traffic Services becoming available as early as next month.
Own a GM but want to get Sirius instead of XM? Now GM owners with satellite radio enabled vehicles can get SIRIUS installed with the GM SiriusConnect unit.
Compatable with over 50 2003+ GM vehicle models (some require satellite radio compatibility, some require specific radio models), the GM SiriusConnect includes a T-harness cable to provide compatibility with existing audio accessories such as CD changers. Includes micro-antenna.
Specs:
MSRP: $99.99
Available: November 2005
Now you can add Sirius Satellite Radio to new or existing Sony headunits. The Sony SiriusConnect supports pass-through functionality (for Sony CD changers or other UniLink accessories) and can be installed in any vehicle.
Compatable with many Sony UniLink headunits (back to 2003 models), the Sony SiriusConnect includes a micro-antenna, power harness, and a UniLink bus cable.
Specs:
MSRP: $99.99
Available: November 2005
Continuing with out coverage of the Sirius 2005 Holiday Preview, here’s the XACT XTR3CK Visor. A compact satellite radio unit, with a unique rotary control knob, the XACT Visor also has an easy to read 1-line, 16-character display that will flip when the unit is flipped. Pretty cool.
With 36 channel presets, and of course a built-in FM transmitter, the Xact Visor also includes a mini car antenna, 12v cigarette lighter adapter, and a remote control. You can dock the Visor in 4-positions including a sun visor mount (hence the name! ho ho!), a windshield suction mount, adhesive dash mount and a plate mount.
Specs:
MSRP: $99.99 ($50 from Circuit City)
Available: Late September 2005
Optional Accessories:
Home Kit TBD
The XACT XTR8CK features the same 44-minute Replay capabilities as it’s brethen, as well as the new SIRIUS-Seek function which alerts up to 30 artist names and/or song title combinations. The XTR8CK also includes a 5-line wide-screen display, a sweet 4-way navigation button, 30 channel presets with preset scan, and the 100-frequency FM transmitter (with FM preset button that stores 5 FM frequencies that can be access with a touch of the preset button).
The Satellite-updated real-time clock is a cool feature, with the same Game Alert, Game Zone, and Jump Button features as others. The XACT XTR8CK also includes a suction cup mount, mounting plate with “cable management features,” low profile car antenna and a remote control.
Specs baby Specs:
MSRP: $129.99
Available: October 2005
Optional Accessories:
Home Kit - model #XS082 ($39.99)
Check out the in-person photo of the XTR8CK after the jump…
Similar in form as the original KT-SR3000 Sirius Satellite Radio unit, the updated JVC Replay KT-SR3000 Plug and Play is enhanced with new Replay features including the 44-minutes of satellite radio time-shifting, 6-line display, 30 channels presets, S-Seek, Game Alert, Game Zone, and Jump Button.
Specs:
MSRP: $169.99
Available: October 2005
Optional Accessories:
Home Kit ($49.99)
Additional Car Kit ($49.99)
Boombox ($129.99)
So it's time to do the round up of the new offerings by Sirius for the 2005 Holiday Season. To be honest, I don't really have many in-person photos of some of these units because I was so absorbed with the Sirius S50 and the Starmate Replay. Still, specs are what people are asking me for, so specs are what you'll get! I've also included Sirius' photo of each unit for your viewing pleasure.
Anyway, enter the Audiovox PNP4.
Like many of it's counterparts, this new offering replays 44 minutes of content (such an odd number, but I'm sure there's a reason for it), it lets you rewind and fast-forward by song, or time. You can also Search and choose songs from your Replay List. With a 6-line graphic display, 30 channel presets, aux inputs for MP3 or CD players, and you can use the 100-frequency FM transmitter.
The Audiovox PnP4 also features the S-Seek (favorite song alert), Game Alert (favorite team alerts for when they start playing, or when the score changes), Game Zone (lists your teams' scores on one screen) and the Jump Button (one touch to jump to local traffic or weather reports).
Specs yo!
MSRP: $169.99
Available: October 2005
Optional Accessories:
Home Kit ($49.99)
Additional Car Kit ($49.99)
Boombox ($99.99)
BIGresearch ran a study profiling the average satellite radio listener and has delivered some very interesting (and hilarious) results. We're a buncha fat, 40-year-old, money spending, unhealthy men with too much leisure time and most of us own dogs. Damn.
Check out the breakdown of the study after the jump:
Looks like over 3,000 Canadians have signed up to Canadian Satellite Radio in a show of support for the medium in the country, and to be the first to get their hands on legal satellite radio in Canada. CSR held events at the Molson Indy and at the Dark Knights Nationals event to encourgage pre-registration, as well as online. CSR is expected to be launched sometime before the end of the year.
There’s a rumor going around that XM may be signing a “big name” to host a show… possibly, Oprah. Interesting. More on this as it develops…
Due to popular demand, I scanned in the new Sirius channel line up. I know this’ll probably blow my bandwidth through the roof, but what the hell. Special thanks to Scott at Satellite Guys for wasting his bandwidth on me.
Click the image for the HUGE version (warning: ~500k).
This is the Sirius One unit. I need to catch a train, so uhhh.. I’ll update more on this later.
One more photo after the jump…
And so as Orbitcast gave you a sneak peek at the Starmate Replay, now here’s the up-close-and-personal photos with the actual unit. Very gorgeous, but I have to admit that I didn’t play with it all that much because I was distracted by the Sirius S50.
More photos of the Starmate Replay after the jump…
I just got back from the Sirius 2005 Holiday Preview event and I have to say I am extremely impressed with their new offering. The Sirius S50 is especially really really exciting to see. The press release photo is one thing, but you really don’t get a sense of how slick it is until you see it in person. Sirius really concentrated on the form-factor here, and I have a good feeling it’s going to pay off for them (in sales, lots of sales).
We all know of Howard’s coming, and that’s great, but content isn’t everything - you need a device that will attract the younger, tech-savvy audience as well as the executive that wants to dress up his office. Sirius really went the whole mile here with the S50, from the looks (black is the new white!), to how it weighs (featherweight), to the OBE (Out of Box Experience - something that Apple always concentrates on). The S50 is very very, VERY impressive.
So enough with the praise, you all get it. How about some photos?
More photos of the S50 (lots of them) and a bunch of more info after the jump…
The country music Duo, Brooks & Dunn, will host “Brooks & Dunn Radio” on Sirius Satellite Radio’s New Country (Channel 31) all day on Thursday, August 30th, starting from 6am to midnight (ET). They’ll talk about and play all the songs on their new album Hillbilly Deluxe, as well as their favorite music from their personal collections.
Sirius Satellite radio will launch one of its Howard Stern channels (Channel 100) in September. While Stern’s start date is officially January 9th, Sirius Channel 100 will launch next month and will be home of Stern programmed content including an appearance by his parents and several Wack Pack members as the channel gears up for Stern’s official arrival.
If something happens to Stern that will get him kicked off the air early, he stated he will appear on Sirius the following day. Channel 101 is also designated for Howard Stern as a “creative outlet” on Sirius.
No further details have been provided by Sirius, but I have a feeling we will find out a lot more at today’s event. Orbitcast will have full coverage of the SIRIUS Press Event today, so stay tuned.
Billboard Radio Monitor: Arbitron will begin reporting Satellite Radio listenership as part of their syndicated ratings survey, beginning with the Fall 2005 survey. All satellite radio channels will be eligible, but only to those channels that have enough of an audience to meet their minimum reporting standards. So the traffic channels are out I guess.
But since there’s no call letters for each channel, Arbitron has come up with an alternative naming convention: XM Satellite Radio will begin with the characters “XM” plus the channel number. Sirius Satellite Radio will begin with the characters “XS” plus the channel number. (“SI” couldn’t work? Talk about a branding nightmare)
In Fall 2004, Arbitron said satellite radio appeared in about 1.2 percent of all diary entries. Since then, the number of satellite radio subscribers has grown to 6.2 million.
XM Satellite Radio has partnered with Suzuki to offer XM-Ready vehicles for the 2006 model year. The new 2006 Grand Vitara and the Suzuki XL-7 SUV will be arriving in dealerships in mid-September, and the XM Satellite Radio hardware will be available as standard equipment on both models. Buyers who activate the radios will also get 3-months free satellite radio service. The press release is a little confusing in that it also states that all XM-Ready vehicles will be available as a dealer-installed option for $399 plus installation. Is this an indication that more XM-Ready vehicles will be coming down the pipe... or am I just reading it wrong?
Personally, I think Suzuki stinks, but hey it's always a good thing to get satellite radio in more cars.
OK, I'm a little late with this one, but it's worth bringing up anyway. Sirius Satellite Radio has launched a 100% Rolling Stones music channel dedicated to this legendary band. Starting yesterday, and playing through September 29th, Rolling Stones Radio will air five decades of Rolling Stones music, live cuts, and previews from their first studio album since 1997: A Bigger Band.
The channel will also air nightly concert playbacks whereby SIRIUS will play album versions of the Stones' songs in the order they were performed following each US tour date, among many other surprises.
SIRIUS will also present exclusive track-by-track stories and introductions to each of A Bigger Bang's 16 all-new songs, as told exclusively to SIRIUS by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood. "Rolling Stones Weekends" will be featured during Labor Day weekend across eight SIRIUS commercial-free music channels.
FMQB: How ridiculous can this country get? Looks like when Howard mentioned that he heard “rumors” that he’s going to be investigated by the FCC, he wasn’t lying.
The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau is infact investigating a February 4th, 2005 broadcast of “allegedly” indecent material on The Howard Stern Show. The complaint, filed by indecency lunatic, Jack Thompson (jackpeace@comcast.net) against WRXK/Ft. Myers and Infinity Broadcasting?s WXRK/New York.
The problem? Women golfing with strap-on dildos on their foreheads, and attempting to sing “Amazing Grace” with a four-inch sausage down their throats. How is that indecent? THAT’S COMEDY!
This could mean the end of Howard on terrestrial due to the wussy Consent Decree Viacom agreed to on November 23, 2004.
I don’t care if you don’t like Howard, or if you love him, it’s not about that. This indecency crap needs to end. Are it hoards of parents calling in because their precious children heard the dildos? oh wait, IT’S RADIO! Oh it was the gagging that offended the millions of good parents who let their kids listen to Howard everyday on the way to daycare. NO. It’s just one bored man with nothing else to stress about in his life. RIDICULOUS.
An anonymous tipster sent us this juicy product sheet on the upcoming Sirius Starmate Replay, much like the Sportster IR the Starmate Replay will have time-shifting functions for live satellite radio broadcasts. This also marks what is rumored to be the first peek at the 3G chipset product line, so we can assume that some of the functionality seen on this unit may be available for future receivers.
Orbitcast will get upclose and personal with this unit and many others at Sirius' product preview this Thursday, so stay tuned.
Sirius Starmate Replay details:
* Cost: $129.99 MSRP
* Pause, rewind and play 44 minutes worth of Sirius content.
* Sirius GameZone - select for favorite teams from the NFL, NBA, NHL and college sports
* Sirius GameAlert - Prompts you when your favorite teams are on, and when the scores change
* Traffic Jump - one touch gets you back to your local weather/traffic channel
* FM transmitter - up to 100 frequencies
* SIRIUS Seek - Store up to 30 favorite songs and alerts you when they're playing on another channel
* Satellite clock - automatically updating clock with 7 time zones
Very cool. Click to view a hi-res version of the product sheet.
Humax, known mostly for HDTV and PVR products, has entered into the satellite radio market by signing a deal with Sirius.
Since Humax has experience with satellite set-top boxes, they’ll most likely be applying this knowledge with table-top or tuner products.
Good stuff.
XXL Magazine has produced a special edition entitled XXL Presents Shade 45. This one-shot magazine places emphasis on Eminem and his new radio channel, Shade 45 on SIRIUS Satellite Radio.
XXL explores how and why SIRIUS created Shade 45 in association with Eminem, Shady Records and Interscope Records. The issue also features a free Eminem poster and a notorious Q&A with Em, 50 and Dre together. For fans who want to know about the man ?behind? Eminem, there is an interview with his manager, business partner and friend Paul Rosenberg.
The O&A Army put together $1,000 in 3 days to buy out billboard ad space on Florida's All American Boulevard in the Orlando / Maitland area. I know some people here are O&A fans (can you tell?) and other Orbitcast readers can't stand them (or the fanspests) but you have to give props for putting together this stunt. Supposedly it was done without the knowledge of XM or Opie and Anthony.
Even better is the use of a free press release service to get the word out about it. Happy Birthday Jimmy!
Bon Jovi will be the first band ever to perform at the Nokia Theatre Times Square to kickoff the release of their new album Have a Nice Day.
In a multimedia extravaganza, Network LIVE (the joint venture between XM, AOL and AEG) will beam the event online to AOL Music LIVE! and to XM Satellite Radio on XM Live (Channel 200), as well as simulcast in High Definition and Dolby 5.1 audio to over 100 Regal, United Artists, Edwards, and Georgia Theatre Company movie screens in 50 U.S. markets.
The Bon Jovi: Have A Nice Day multimedia event kicks off on September 19th at 9:00pm (ET), and the World Tour hits the road this fall.
XM Satellite Radio will debut a new six-part series spotlighting country music star Shania Twain starting on Monday, August 22 at 9am ET on Highway 16 (XM Channel 16).
The show “Shania Twain: Forever and For Always,” hosted by Shania herself, and will feature interviews, chronicles Shania’s life and music from her early days in Nashville to international star.
You can check out the schedule for this series after the jump…
Lisa Hirsch has joined as Director of Talent and Industry Relations at Sirius Satellite Radio. Hirsch, a former top Director of Marketing and Production Management at Virgin Records and Senior Director of Artist Relations at Universal Records, will be responsible for the procurement of all musical and non musical guest appearances for SIRIUS? originally produced channels.
Hirsch will focus on creating and nurturing all aspects of the music and talent communities in order to create a broader awareness about SIRIUS? exceptional programming. She will also work closely with labels and recording artists, as well as, non musical guests and celebrities to call attention to the company?s commitment to supporting new talent.
So it appears that the FCC has reported that the number of complaints dramatically decreased recently. Overall, the number of radio and television complaints went from 317,833 in the end of 2004 to 157,650 in 2005 (of which only 634 were complaints about “obscene” or “indecent” content). Now keep in mind that the majority of these complaints are done by special interest groups sending out mass emails to the FCC. It’s not really all of America up in arms, just the vocal minority who wants the media to do the parenting for them.
But it appears that Cable and Satellite complaints are on the rise. Not sure how much of this is actually broken down to Satellite Radio (if any), but this FMQB article hints at the “future home of Howard Stern” as being the new target.
Unfortunately there seems to be a rising number complaints by parents to SIRIUS about certain channels - and with the Sprint partnership on the horizon requiring clean content - it seems that SIRIUS may have to clean up it’s act a bit. This isn’t something that is going to away anytime soon, there’s always going to be these whining groups of wackjobs out there who have far too much free time.
Moble Satellite Radio is going to happen, sooner than we may think, and with cellphones there’s a larger number of kids now listening - and as a result more cranky parents waiting to complain. So both Satellite Radio companies are going to need a solution. Sure, you can have channel blocking enabled for parental control, but it seems like there could be a better way to have our cake and eat it too - especially for these content deals. Something like an “EXPLICIT” button that would switch to content that has curse words bleeped out. If the receivers could have multicasting abilities that allow switching between a “clean feed” and an “explicit feed” we could have a solution for both parents and us adults who want to listen to adult content (part of the reason why satellite is growing so quickly).
Just a thought. What do you all think?
Looks like Radio Korea is live on SIRIUS. I haven’t heard it yet, and can pretty much guarantee that I never will listen, but for those interested (like Korean Americans?) check Radio Korea out (Sirius Channel 144).
Giant has announced they’ve signed a deal with Audiovox to produce XM Satellite Radio enabled car stereo units. The new range of products are expected out in October.
Giant already has the Tao XM2go unit, so it’ll be interesting to see what they do with car stereos.
Maxim, first the magazine, then Sirius, and soon - a nightclub near you. Nice.
XM Satellite Radio’s Latin music hits channel Alegria (Channel 90) will now focus its format on Reggaeton, the hugely popular Latin Hip Hop music genre. Reggaeton music, produced by XM’s programming staff, will now make up the majority of the tracks played on the Alegria channel.
This also marks the debut of an exclusive audio version of IMF: The International Music Feed’s Reggaeton program ?IMF Bodega Beats,? hosted by B-Real of Cypress Hill.
Loco!
Here's a little bugfeature that I think many of you pests would find interesting. A 12 month subscription to Opie & Anthony on Audible.com runs $69.95 - but if you add to cart and go through the whole purchase process - you get credited $60 dollars just before finalizing the purchase.
Total cost? $9.95
I've personally tested this out, and yes, it works.
Not really sure why it's happening, and if it's a bug then I'm sure they'll be aware of it after this post - but 83 cents a month is hard to argue (especially for the cheap-asses who are still stealing the show).
Thanks Greg!
UPDATE: Looks like they've fixed it now. Hopefully some of you snuck in while you could. :(
The Reverend Jesse Jackson and executives from The Word Network hand-delivered over 15,000 protest letters this week to Sirius Satellite Radio, arguing their decision to end Word Network broadcasts when the current contract expires on September 2nd.
Jesse Jackson is currently the host of The Word Network?s Rainbow Push with Jesse Jackson which broadcasts African-American ministries, gospel music and religious family programming.
Lewis Gibbs, vice president of operations for The Word Network, asked, ?If Sirius can make room for the values Howard Stern represents, we?d also like them to make room for the values we represent.?
…I’d have to disagree.
Richard Simmons will create and host a weekly three hour talk show that will air exclusively on SIRIUS beginning on Sunday, October 2nd.
On his SIRIUS radio show, airing Sundays from 3 pm to 6 pm ET, Simmons will read people’s letters on the air and then call them to give advice, provide a proverbial shoulder to cry on or just make them laugh.
Simmons will often broadcast the show live from his Beverly Hills weight loss center, SLIMMONS, with a live studio audience who will have the opportunity to interact directly with him. In addition, he will give the latest information on health, diet, fitness and overall well-being.
uhhhh… ?
Argh, stop emailing me about the “secret room” people. Yes, I was in there. No, I can’t talk about it. Yes, Opie’s girlfriend is hot. That’s all.
Don’t make a fuckin’ maniac outta me!
The Garmin GPSMAP 3005C is targeted towards the serious boater or fisherman who wants to have cutting-edge GPS and optional weather data at their finger tips. While it's hard for me to consider a $1000+ unit "affordable" I'm also not a serious boater, so what the hell do I know.
What I do dig is that this waterproof unit has two optional XM Satellite weather accessories to choose from. First you can get the XM WX Satellite weather receiver (GDL 30), so you can geek out with your fishing buddies showing off your NEXRAD goodness while kicking back a few tallboys. Or, you can be the real uber-angler with the GDL 30A Weather/Audio receiver that allows for both the XM WX Satellite weather goodies, plus XM Radio that you control via the user interface. Dope.
Specs:
Manufacturer: Garmin
Available Date: Now
MSRP: $1066.65
Size: 7.8?W x 4.7?H x 3.0?D
Weight: 1.8 lbs.
Screen Size: sunlight-readable, 5-inch Diagonal, 256-color, 640x480-pixel VGA display
Accessories Included:
? Basemap: Worldwide Marine
? GPS 17 WAAS-enabled, 12 parallel channel sensor with 30-foot cable
? Power/data cable
? Bail mounting bracket
? Unit cover
Accessories Sold Separately:
? GDL 30 Marine Weather Satellite Receiver ($642.84)
? GDL 30A Marine Weather + Audio Satellite Receiver ($857.13)
? GSD 20 SONARtransmitter remote sounder; dual-frequency, 500 watts RMS ($266.65)
Orbitcast was the first to show you the XMWX enabled Garmin GPSMAP 376c for your car or boat, but somewhere admist all the excitement we missed the Garmin GPSMAP 396C and 3005C. First, let's cover the 396c though.
This thing is a portable GPS navigation system for aircraft, boat and car featuring integrated XMWX Satellite Weather services and XM Satellite Radio audio capabilities. The water resistant WAAS-enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver uses a GXM 30 Smart Antenna for XM audio and data services to display real-time weather information overlayed on top of your map. Very cool, but not for those living paycheck to paycheck as this thing will run you $2,695 MSRP.
You can run this baby for 5 to 15 hours (depending on backlight settings) off it's rechargeabale lithium-ion battery, and she'll give you voice-prompted road guidance when you connect her using the power/speaker cable. The only bummer, which I truly truly hate, is the proprietary Garmin data cards that are used for transferring pre-programmed map information and other goodies. I understand it's an extra buck for Garmin, but those data cards suck.
Anyway, here's the specs you're lusting after:
Manufacturer: Garmin
Available Date: In stores now
MSRP: $2,695
Size: 5.7?W x 3.2?H x 1.9?D
Weight: 14.2 ounces with battery
Screen Size: 3.8?Diagonal, 480 pixels W x 320 pixels H
Accessories Included:
? GXM 30 smart antenna ? delivers XM WX and XM audio services
? Yoke mount
? Cigarette lighter adapter
? AC adapter cable
? USB-to-PC interface cable
? Low-profile remote GPS antenna
? Carrying case
? MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager CD-ROM
On August 15h, Starwood's chic W Hotels will expand the available of Sirius Satellite Radio in their hotel rooms (called "SIRIUS Suites"). Previously only available in New York and Los Angeles, now peeps in Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, and Silicon Valley can enjoy listening to their very own incredible Clarion Calypso Radios in W's Sirius Suites.
W will also make the plug-and-play Clarion Calypso radios available to guests through W's stylish boutique store, W Hotels The Store, which has locations in New York, Chicago, and San Diego properties.
The GPX-HMW9815CNP has a name that rolls off the tongue like razorblades, but that's all forgotten with hot looks, great sound and an incredible price. This GPX tabletop system plays CD/CDR/CDRW/MP3/WMA encoded discs as well as AM/FM radio and is XM-Ready. With a total of 25W worth of power, these full range speakers are pretty impressive.
But it's the price that really impresses at only $99, it's actually a system most people can afford. Of course, if you want to receive XM Satellite Radio, you need to purchase the optional XM Connect & Play Antenna which goes for about $50, but for $150 total it's still not a bad deal at all.
Specs:
Manufacturer: GPX, Inc.
Available Date: September 2005
MSRP: $99.99
Size: 8.1?W x 7.8?H x 15.8?L
Weight: 164 oz. (10.25 lbs.)
Screen Size: 1.875?W x 0.75?H
Remote control Included
This is pretty neat. Apparently a November 29, 1957 concert at Carnegie Hall had the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane performing together, and was recorded by Voice of America for an overseas radio broadcast. Unfortunately, the tapes were poorly labeled, stored away and unheard until January 2005, when they were found at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. With little recorded documentation of Monk and Coltrane performances, these full-length high-quality recordings are the first and only musical record of one of the most legendary collaborations in jazz history.
The 51-minute recording of the concert will be released by Blue Note Records in conjunction with Thelonious Records on September 27, 2005.
SIRIUS’ Pure Jazz Channel 72 will broadcast this landmark recording during The Blue Note Hour with Bruce Lundvall on Friday, September 9th at 6pm ET. T.S. Monk, son of the late Thelonious Monk, will be Lundvall’s special guest for this exclusive, world premiere broadcast.
“The discovery of this recording has been called ‘a Dead Sea Scroll of 20th century popular music,’ and now we can bring it to a new generation thanks to SIRIUS,” said Bruce Lundvall, president and CEO of EMI Jazz and Classics, which includes the Blue Note Record label.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Belkin got it right with this unit. I'm not talking about the uber-iPod white design (which is debatable... I sorta like it) and I'm not talking about the interoperability between both the Delphi RoadyXT and the Audiovox Xpress units, (they both have the same docking configuration) which I must admit was very smart of Delphi and Audiovox to do.
Nope, I'm talking about the general overall package of Belkin's Portable Audio System. First off, it turns your plug-and-play XM radio into a portable receiver for only $100, which is nice. But it's also water resistant - which is very nice. And with the built in handle and smooth design, you're bound to get noticed if that's what you want. To boot the 2-way speaker system of 5W RMS/channel with 4?woofers and 13mm tweeters just is icing on the cake.
Specs baby, specs:
Available Date: November 2005
MSRP: $99.99
Size: Approximately 18?W x 9?H x 5.75?D
Like the Altec Lansing XM3020, the Altec Lansing iMX2 is a docking station with speakers for all XM2go satellite radio receivers, but this one's got a bit more on the portable side. Featuring a unique on-the-go design with a foldout XM2go docking connector, the iMX2 uses 4 AA batteries to power the unit (or you can plug her in when stationary which also will charge your XM2go unit at the same time). Not rechargable? A little disappointing, but not a deal breaker. And hey, at least it includes an auxiliary input for other devices and we dig that.
For enhanced sound quality, the iMX2 utilizes high performance, custom designed 2?neodymium micro drivers and MaxxBass to create deep bass without an external subwoofer (though it includes subwoofer output connectors if you're a bass whore like myself). It also comes with a rubberized grip and a custom carry case for rugged mobility.
More specs? Here you go:
Available Date: September 2005
MSRP: $149.95
Size: 5.23?W x 1.42?H x 8.44?L
Weight: 1.5 lbs. (w/o batteries)
The Altec Lansing XM3020 was just announced but now we have more details on it after the XMas in August even. It's pretty much a docking station with speakers compatable with all the XM2go devices, including any of the Delphi MyFi, Pioneer AirWare and the Tao XM2go units. The docking system includes an external home antenna (with a 20 foot cord), and works with the XM2go remote controls that came with your XM2go receiver. But wait, not all XM2go units are shaped alike - how do they all work on the Altec Lansing XM3020? Ah ha! So glad you asked, there are three docking cups included to match each XM2go unit, so your XM3020 will play whatever you have.
There's also 2?drivers with 6 watts of RMS power and bass enhancement to create the bump you're looking for. Here's a couple more stats if your interest is peaked:
Available Date: September 2005
MSRP: $99.95
Size: 6.0?W x 3.5?H x 10.5?L
Weight: 1.5 lbs.
Oops, just realized I had more photos from the XMas in August event. These are all the tabletop/tuner systems, including the new unit from GPX and the gorgeous Eton receiver (below).
Yep, you guessed it, more pics after the jump…
Check the rest out after the jump:
This is another tiny tiny tiny unit, with an incredible multi-line display. Again, more details in a few.. but here’s a couple pics for some yummy goodness.
Wanna know why it’s called the Delphi Roady XT? Because this thing is eXtra Thin baby (get it? Roady + X + T = RoadyXT) holy shizzle my dizzle. This is the smallest ever satellite radio unit. Orbitcast first wrote about the RoadyXT back in early June and gave hints on it’s release date when we got word it would be in October - well, it seems we were wrong - the release date will actually be in September! The RoadyXT will also cost only $99.95, making it not only tiny but also affordable.
The Delphi RoadyXT is filled with features in that small package though. Like a built-in FM transmitter that will allow you to broadcast up to 100 frequencies. The display is nice too, with lots of backlit colors to choose from (and with funky names like “Orchid” and “Arctic” - Ooooo..). Backlit keys and a higher brightness and contrast than the previous Roady make it shure look purty too.
The only disappointment with this thing is the two-line display (of course, the Audiovox Xpress makes up for that with a 5-line display). But, in addition to the channel name, artist name, and song title, the display does have a customizable sports ticker that displays the latest scores and schedules and a customizable stock ticker for up to 20 stock symols, and of course the popular TuneSelect feature, which alerts the listener when favorite songs and artists are played on any XM channel.
…and more pics after the jump.
SIRIUS will be launching the acclaimed BBC music channel Radio 1 in America starting tomorrow (Wednesday at 9 am ET) during the channel?s popular Chris Moyles Breakfast Show. BBC Radio 1 will provide SIRIUS subscribers with a cutting-edge mix of pop, rock, R&B and hip-hop music from the UK as well as unique in-studio performances and interviews from British artists.
BBC Radio 1 will be heard 24 hours a day on SIRIUS channel 97. The channel will be time-shifted by 5 hours so Americans can enjoy the channel?s lineup as it was intended- Chris Moyles in the morning, Scott Mill?s show in the afternoon, and kicking off the weekend with Pete Tong?s Friday night Essential Selection.
Altec Lansing and XM Satellite Radio have announced the release of two Altec Lansing speaker systems to be released in October, offering full-bodied digital amplification for XM listening in the home, office, backyard, beach and other locations beyond the car.
Details on the Altec speaker systems:
Altec Lansing inMotion iMX2 (MSRP $149.95), a compact, high-performance portable speaker system for XM2go receivers. Offering the same sleek one-piece design and dual battery/AC operation of Altec Lansing’s other market-leading inMotion portable audio speakers, the iMX2 will tuck easily into a briefcase, suitcase or backpack for on-the-go use.
Altec Lansing XM3020 (MSRP $99.95), a desktop powered audio speaker system for XM2go receivers designed for desktop use. With contemporary styling to fit in the home or office, the XM3020 also features an XMRadio home antenna with a 20-foot cord for XM reception while indoors.
Both systems will be portable and desktop speaker systems offering the first universal audio solutions for the portable XM2go Pioneer, Tao and Delphi satellite radios. Both will allow consumers to dock their XM2go receivers into built-in cradles to listen to live or stored XM broadcasts through full-range neodymium drivers and bass enhancement technology that deliver bigger and better sound than the receivers themselves.
Both systems also will charge the receivers while they are docked.
Both SIRIUS and XM have announced they’ll contribute airplay data for the Billboard Radio Monitor Mainstream Top 40 Chart.
Songs played on Sirius’ its flagship pop music channel, SIRIUS Hits 1, will be included in the airplay charts published in the August 19 issue of Billboard Radio Monitor, and each week thereafter.
XM’s leading Top 40 channel Top 20 on 20 will contribute data to the Billboard Radio Monitor Mainstream Top 40 Chart effective with the magazine dated August 19th as well.
Sirius has put together a multi-year agreement with Ivy League Sports to broadcast a “Game of the Week” for football and men’s basketball, on Sirius throughout the season. They will also feature a select number of men’s hockey and other games from across the Ivy League sports landscape.
Starting this fall, Sirius will feature both football and basketball games from all eight Ivy League schools - Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton and Yale - and showcase some of the best match-ups of the season.
The Ivy League football season kicks off Saturday, September 17 and men’s basketball tips off Friday, November 11. Complete Sirius broadcast schedules for both football and basketball will be announced sometime in the future.
Orbitcast is having a bit of facelift this week. I want to make things a little cleaner looking around here, and plus there’s some new features I think some will enjoy.
We’re now accepting Trackbacks again. Previously, any Trackbacks were never displayed because of the amount of spam I was getting hit by. But since I’ve taken some countermeasures against the spam, I think it’s a good thing to open Trackbacks again. Helps the community.
New Tag system implemented. I used to try to organize things into Categories, but things got out of control with the general cats like XM and Sirius. So now I’ve put together more specific topics, or Tags, that will get more specific. You’ll notice the Tags associated with each entry under it’s title, clicking on the tag will bring you to related entries on that topic. As time goes on, I’ll setup more and more things that will allow people to use these tags better (such as being able to subscribe an RSS feed for each Tag specifically).
Anyway, as always please feel free to email me with any comments or questions, and I apologize if some things look quirky during the updates.
Looks like Audible.com has now started offering XM programming, part of the XM/Audible deal announced back in June. You can get full-length episodes of both the Bob Edwards Show and Opie and Anthony, albeit a somewhat limited selection (so far there’s only 6 O&A episodes dating back to July 26 and 26 BES episodes from throughout the year, mostly from the summer).
Each episode costs $2.95/each, or you can also subscribe to each show (1-month at $12.95 per show and a 1-year subscription at $69.95 per show). This is just the first part of a happy Audible/XM relationship, with the AudibleReady/XM handhelds expected in 2006, subscribers will be able to purchase audiobooks and Podcasts from Audible and listen to it seamlessly next to Satellite Radio content. Good stuff.
Thanks Vyse!
Just saw a pretty neat feature on National Geographic about the history of Sea Launch (the company that launched XM Satellite Radio’s satellites into orbit). They even showed “Mission 15” which many of us know as the February 28th launch of XM-3.
Pretty cool stuff if you’re into it. It’s amazing to see what goes into throwing these things up into orbit. A lot more is involved than we really realize.
Should be reairing again in August 10th @ 5pm. Check here for showtimes and info.
Eminem has added yet another hot DJ to his Shade 45 station on Sirius Satellite Radio - DJ Kay Slay.
The host of a new weekly four-hour mix show called Streetsweepers Radio, DJ Kay Slay will feature exclusives, freestyles, special guests, and, of course... drama.
DJ Kay Slay became known as the "Drama King" for his role in some of hip-hop's most popular and publicized rap battles, such as the one between Jay-Z and Nas.
PaidContent: The NAB has filed a petition (warning: PDF) with the FCC to deny the transfer of WCS licenses to XM Satellite Radio or at the very least to remove XM’s application for the licenses from “streamlined” consideration. This isn’t the first time the NAB has whined about the WCS deal, last month NAB Prez Eddie Fritz wrote a nasty-gram to the FCC.
It’s been speculated that the WCS acquisition would allow XM to expand its local traffic and weather data services, launch a video service, or add additional satellite-radio stations targeted to certain markets.
The NAB as a result has cried foul, claiming that the local and regional wireless spectrum licenses that XM will be getting is contrary to XM’s FCC license. XM fired back a couple weeks ago calling out the NAB for just wanting to stifle competition.
BetaNews is reporting that AOL has begun testing it’s new AOL Online Radio with XM.
The player is still in open beta right now, and AOL is asking for participation in the program to work out the bugs.
First impressions are mixed. First, I’m happy it works with Firefox (I expected IE only), so that’s good. It seems that connecting to channels is spotty, but when you do finally get a music stream to work (clicking around generally fixes it), the sound is… uhmm… not so good.
I think it’s great exposure, but there’s still a bunch of kinks that need to get worked out. Most importantly I’d like to have a higher quality stream, but I do understand this IS free.
Go check out AOL Online Radio with XM for yourself and comment here with your thoughts on it. I’d love to see what everyone else thinks.
With the Stern Show going to Sirius Satellite Radio in January, there’s no way he could have a censored TV show as well. Even though the E! show was broadcast on cable, during the “safe” time, we still had to look at pixelated boobies. So as a result, Howard Stern has hooked up with the In Demand Network to air his TV show as an On Demand subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) show.
In Demand is available nationwide on cable television through about 1,400 affiliates and they’ve already signed deals with Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox to carry Stern’s programming.
But the kicker is… the show is rumored to cost about $10 a month - with unlimited access to previous show highlights. Will this cause many people who originally were going to follow Howard to Sirius, to simply opt for the SVOD version instead? Afterall, it’s cheaper than Sirius, and there’s no hardware to buy - and you can SEE the boobies!
Sirius must be pissed about this one. Unless, of course, they have their hand in this and are getting a cut. In which case, they deserve a round of applause.
UPDATE: Someone diggs this entry. Cool.
XM Satellite Radio and Arlington County (in Virginia) have hooked up to offer the Arlington Alert emergency broadcast service to XM subscribers. Covering key areas like the Pentagon and Reagan National Airport, these emergency alerts are pretty vital to interests of the area, not to mention to the D.C.-based XM Satellite Radio. The service will be integrated into XM 214, the Washington DC-area traffic and weather channel, creating a one-stop channel for all local information and alerts.
The Roam Secure Alert Network (RSAN), which powers Arlington Alert, will connect Arlington Alert to XM Radio. This partnership also paves the way for broadcasting of the Roam Secure service in 20 other major metro markets over XM Satellite Radio.
Sirius’ Jam_ON channel 17 will feature Garcia’s friends, Grateful Dead band mates, and many music artists to pay tribute to the legendary Grateful Dead guitarist and signer who died on August 9th, 1995.
The day-long special tribute to Garcia will feature memories of him by his Grateful Dead band mates Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, and artists including Warren Haynes, Michael Franti, Derek Trucks, Keller Williams, members of .moe, Butch Trucks (Allman Brothers Band), SIRIUS host Buddy Cage (New Riders of the Purple Sage), John Popper (Blues Traveler), Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna) and SIRIUS listeners.
Jerry’s music, including Grateful Dead, solo projects, and his work with others, will be featured all day, along with cover versions of his music by other artists.
During the Q&A session at Sirius’ Q2 report, there was a question about the possibility of using Arbitron data for advertising sales. Mel’s response, which must be applauded in my opinion, was simply that ?we think their methodology is archaic in this world and our salespeople have sufficient data.?
Arbitron is the benchmark for radio logistics and has been widely criticized by many for having a somewhat skewed statistical methodology (“extrapolation” is a wonderful thing). They’ve even recently starting testing the use of “people meters” - no doubt in response to the failing faith in their numbers.
?If, in fact, we believed that we needed numbers from Arbitron we would subscribe. We are looking at a humongous growth in advertising revenue anticipated for 2006 and we are able to accomplish that with our numbers.?
XM Satellite Radio and the New York Times have partnered together to provide news, info, and music programming from the the NYT’s new radio division.
XM will place news, features, reviews and commentary from newspaper and radio employees of the Times company on its satellite channels. The companies will jointly develop hourly newscasts and quarterly music specials.
XM also plans to offer the music series “Reflections From the Keyboard,” a music series on the Times company’s radio station WQXR, on one of its classical music channels.
Terms have not been disclosed…
Sirius announced their Q205 Results today, so here’s a few points to sum it up:
As a result of all this goodness, SIRIUS now expects to have 3 million subscribers at year-end.
As usual there’s a bunch more other good stuff in these results, so go ahead and read the Press Release here.
[via Get Sirius Info]
Delphi and WorldSpace today announced that they’ve signed an agreement to provide mobile satellite radio in India. The launch will begin in India, and subsequently will expand to China. Under the agreement, Delphi will provide the satellite radio hardware that received the WorldSpace signal (which includes 35 stations currently).
The Delphi satellite radio units are expected to be available in the Indian market in the first half of 2006.
You’ll recall the WorldSpace and XM deal that was announced a little while back. No doubt we can expect some India/China related announcements from XM in the near future.
SIRIUS Satellite Radio along with the NFL and Southwest Airlines, will offer NFL fans a chance at an unforgettable season-long experience with a new sweepstakes entitled ?Any NFL Game, Anywhere.?
Contestants compete for a chance to win two tickets to an NFL game of their choice every week for all 16 weeks of the 2006 regular season. The winner and a guest will receive airfare on Southwest Airlines and hotel accommodations in the city hosting each game.
John Madden will help promote this with sales materials in over 20,000 locations nationwide as well as radio advertising and other promotions.
The ?Any NFL Game, Anywhere? sweepstakes will run from August 7 to October 1. To enter, go online at - www.sirius.com/anynflgame - though at the time of posting this article, the site wasn’t working yet (taking a guess… you might need to wait for August 7th before visiting).
XM Satellite Radio has just announced two big guns joining on board the team.
The first is media relations guru Nathaniel Brown who’s joining XM as the Senior VP of Corporate Communications. Brown has over 12 years of experience in the entertainment media relations industry and he most recently was the VP of Media Relations at Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
Donald Charlton has also come on board as the Senior VP of Corporate Development. Charlton was the Executive Vice President of Strategic Development/Mergers and Acquisitions at InPhonic, Inc., a leading online seller of wireless services and devices, and was the owner of Liberty Wireless, where Charlton served as President.
XM and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) have hooked up and signed a three-year agreement to broadcast the 2005 US Open finals and semi-finals. XM will be considered the "Official Satellite Radio of the US Open" which... really isn't a very sexy title, but the deal is sorta cool (if you're into Tennis).
Anchoring for the US Open on XM Live (Channel 200) will be renowned sports journalist Bud Collins, who will also host a daily one-hour XM show from the USTA broadcast booth in Arthur Ashe Stadium from 9:00 am to 10:00 am ET during the tournament.
XM also will broadcast daily highlight packages, recapping all the action at the US Open, featuring match results, player interviews, and preview analysis of the following day's matches.
The 2005 US Open will be held Monday, August 29 through Sunday, September 11.
This article in Information Week points out the fact that XM Satellite Radio will be creating a specific Hyundai channel that would broadcast only to the XM Standard Equipped Hyundais.
“Why would anyone listen to the “Hyundai channel” over the dozens of other satellite channels? The company hasn’t figured that out yet. But it plans to use the same online survey tool it used for the Sonata campaign, MarketTools Inc.’s Zoomerang, to gather data on customer responses to the radio messages.”
We just got the scoop that Martha Quinn, former MTV V-Jay with the hot girl-next-door look, will be joining her other ex-MTV buddies over at SIRIUS Satellite Radio Channel 8 Big 80s.
Apparently this has been buzzing around that she’s in talks with Sirius, but then a quick teaser promo was released yesterday that confirms the whispers.
Via Get Sirius Info
Yep, it’s official now. Awesome.
Hey buuuddys! Looks like the rumors were true.. Ron and Fez will be joining XM Satellite Radio, and their buddies O&A on XM 202. Ron and Fez will be starting on September 12th and will be on XM202 during the 11am to 2pm timeslot.
Ron and Fez will appear on the Greg and Tony show on August 9th for a Q&A session. THE AFRO SHOW IS BACK BABY!
Elvis Radio, SIRIUS Satellite Radio's all Elvis all the time channel, will welcome many who knew Elvis personally and performed by his side, in special broadcasts during Elvis Week, the annual event commemorating the legacy of Elvis Presley with the anniversary of his death.
Among the many special guests who will share their personal recollections are Joe Esposito, who served as his road manager and worked by his side for 17 years; friend and music producer Jerry Schilling, who accompanied Elvis to the White House to meet with President Nixon; musicians John Wilkinson and James Burton, who played guitar with his band for many years; and many more.
Mark your calendars because Elvis Week is from August 8 through 16.
Bryan Herta, the driver of XM Satellite Radio’s IndyCar Series race car, won the Firestone Indy 400 yesterday by 0.0374 of a second - the 11th closest finish in IndyCar Series history.
“Bryan and the Andretti Green Racing team did an outstanding job, from the first lap all the way to the winner’s circle. We want to congratulate everyone at Honda IRL Racing for today’s big victory,” said Hugh Panero, President and CEO of XM Satellite Radio.
Arthur Chi'en, famous for the on-air blurting of "What the FUCK is your problem man?!" 
