Paul Anka will be getting behind the mic tomorrow (July 30th) to play his favorite musical selections and tell some stories on SIRIUS channel 75.

If you didn’t know, Paul Anka is the writer of classics like “Diana,” “Puppy Love,” “Put Your Head On My Shoulder,” not to mention the theme from The Tonight Show and “My Way”, among others.

And let’s not forget that he’s just released the Verve Records album Rock Swings, featuring his swingin’ versions of songs originally done by Nirvana, Soundgarden, R.E.M., Billy Idol and more. Oh hell yeah. Paul Anka’s THE MAN.

Finally, it seems the SIRIUS is offering a newsletter giving highlights of what’s on different channels for the week.

If you haven’t gotten yours, you can also check it out online.

This has been one of the biggest pet peeves of many subscribers, and it’s nice to see that Sirius is listenening (and responding).

Not sure if anyone else heard it this morning, but Howard Stern again said that Sirius has 3 Million subscribers. This following the recent 3.5 Million number he said on the air last week.

Could it be that he’s leaking this? It’s days before the Q2 results and these numbers must be driving SIRI investors wild.

Apparently in the latest Q3 report from Agere, we find some very interesting information (though, the slightly disturbing?). Agere and Sirius have extended their agreement and will develop a new platform that will use SIRIUS-designed technology and “unique set of complementary technologies” to expand the product line.

Agere will deliver the new chipsets that will be integrated into some of SIRIUS’ new digital radio products as early as the fall of 2006.

…fall 2006???

According to a recent article on TWICE, it looks like Directed Electronics will be releasing a combo docking station (called the “Executive Docking Station”) for the Sirius Sportster, the Apple iPod, and eventually other media devices. The unit will feature interchangable docking cradles, so when you’re done listening to your iPod you can crank up Maxim Radio.

For about $200, you get a 20-watt amp powering a set of micro-speakers. It has outputs to connect to your computer and folds up for transport (nice). The only bummer is that additional cradles are expected to run $70-$80. A little pricey on the cradles, but the main unit isn’t really that expensive so it evens out.

Release date? September for the Sportster version. iPod cradle by the end of Q4, and the remaining “other” devices by early next year.

I’m getting reports that Howard Stern said twice this morning that Sirius has 3.5 Million Subscribers. I didn’t listen to the show and didn’t find any mention of it on MarksFriggin.

Can anyone else confirm? Could this be why Sirius has been so quiet lately?

UPDATE: OK, so apparently it was said, but I’m not sure in what context it was. 3.5 million because of Howard? 3.5 million expected? I can’t see this being leaked out without a major announcement being made before the Q2 report, but who knows.

I’m seeking out the audio right now. When I get it, I’ll post it.

SIRIUS has scheduled a conference call at 8:00am ET on August 2nd to their Q205 results. You can listen to the conference call online, and by tuning to SIRIUS Channel 131.

According to a new Eastlan study, 80% of Americans still have little interest in satellite radio and remain unlikely to subscribe to satellite radio in the future. This reflects similar results to the same study performed back in 2001.

The study also found that 5% of those surveyed are currently subscribing to satellite radio, while another 5% have never even heard of satellite radio. 9% are likely to subscribe to satellite radio sometime in the future.

Not for nothing, but 20% of the population being interested in Satellite Radio isn’t all that bad. That’s something like 50 million people no? Very similar number to what analysts are expecting the satellite radio market to be by 2010. So yeah, 50 million people * $13/month = $7,800,000,000 annually. I’ll take it!

[Link]

Earlier this morning we got a notice from a dedicated reader that Stern will be leaving Terrestrial as of today. The fuel for the rumor was almost validated with this flyonthewall entry:

Viacom B-Howard Stern to leave VIA.B early VIA.B is severing ties with shock jock Howard Stern four months before his contract ends and allowed him to go on air this morning to say goodbye to listeners. David Lee Roth is rumored to be replacing him on the air. :theflyonthewall.com

But listening to this morning's Stern show you knew quite obviously that it was a big joke. If you've listened to Stern for any amount of time you could clearly smell the prank a mile a away.
Billboard Radio Monitor has more on this.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio just announced that Land Rover is now offering SIRIUS Satellite Radio as a factory-installed option on the 2006 Range Rover and 2006 Range Rover Sport vehicles. Great news for Sirius. Awesome.

UPDATE: Hey wait a sec… isn’t Land Rover owned by Ford? Is this really new news?