Well surprise surprise, a shiny new Audiovox XpressR XM satellite radio just arrived for me to grope and fondle it for a bit. (Sadly, I don't get to keep any review units.) Of all the plug-and-plays on the market, the XpressR is arguably the most advanced, so I can't wait to give a thorough workover and review.

But for now, here's the unboxing available for your mass consumption after the jump... 

Just got back from an Audiovox media event in NYC. Small event, nothing crazy, and all the products shown was stuff we've seen before (either at CES or shortly after).

I hadn't had the chance to play with the upcoming top-o'-the-line XpressR before, so it was nice to fiddle with the interface a bit: split-screen, 6-lines and all. One interesting thing to note is the five-way tuner knob does take a little getting used to, but in about 5 minutes I pretty much got the hand of it. Both the XpressR and the CommanderMT seem to have this same knob, while the XpressEZ has a much more simple interface.

As a power-user, I'd go with the XpressR hands-down. The dual-screen feature just seems so much more natural to use. Hopefully this is will be a trend throughout more receivers. 

But really the main thing that I was excited to play with was the Jensen Rock 'n Road (pictured above). My only criticism is that the name doesn't give the device justice ("Rock 'n Road" is cute and all but... ehh). Regardless, if you read my writeup on it from CES, you'll know that I was a fan of this device from the get-go. It just makes sense. And the lack of satrad involvement in the GPS market was something I ranted about a while back.

The Jensen's touchscreen interface is slick and, more importantly, extremely easy to use. The 4-inch display is really beautiful, though I have yet to see it in extremely bright conditions. The fact that it supports the XM Mini-Tuner earns it tons of points. And apparently they bumped up the internal memory from 8Gb to 12Gb, so that's always nice. Throw in the optional back-up camera, and instantly anyone can upgrade their vehicle with features only found in luxury vehicles. All that, and it's portable too.

Accessing the booming GPS market is key for satellite radio in my opinion. But both XM and Sirius (who has their own Sirius-enabled GPS in the works) need to understand that people buying a GPS aren't necessarily looking for satellite radio - so they need to run promotions to allow these users to sample the service. But hey, at least these devices are starting to hit the streets (expect to see the Jensen in August).

UPDATE: If you've been wondering whether the Jensen Rock-n-Road supports XM NavTraffic with the XM Mini-Tuner - the answer is yes. It can receive XM NavTraffic updates in up to 50 markets nationwide. Again, the big draw to this unit is that it brings features currently found in luxury vehicles, to a much more accessible price to us regular income folks.

XM has launched the XM CommanderMT, which we first saw earlier this year at CES 2007. The seamless in-dash XM radio will work with any car stereo and will be available at retail later this month.

Manufactured by Audiovox, the CommanderMT is an all-in-one package styled to seamlessly integrate into any vehicle's dash and will work with any car stereo, regardless of make, brand, or year. The clean and sleek unit seems generally targeted at people who wish to retain their current car stereo (be it a stock or aftermarket headunit), but who also want to maintain a "stock look" in their vehicle.

The CommanderMT features a large, easy to read, four-line display and easy to use tuning knob for selecting and changing channels. The radio offers quick channel navigation with up to 30 favorite channel presets, or you can just enter and move directly to the channel you want.

The "MT" part of course refers to the portable XM Mini-Tuner, which is a removable cartridge containing the XM subscription. So with the CommanderMT, you retain the clean look on your dash, but still have the portability of a Plug-and-Play.

CommanderMT will MSRP for $179.99, and XM has a product page up here.

Check out more pics after the jump... 

Out with the old, in with the new. While the all-new Audiovox XpressEZ and XpressR XM Satellite Radios are hitting the retail shelves, several fan-favorite receiver models are being discontinued.

Along with the product line changes, XM SureConnect - XM's wired FM-modulator solution - will be eliminated from receiver packaging.

Dan Murphy, XM's retail aftermarket distribution executive VP, told TWICE last week that the XM Sportscaster, Delphi SkyFi2, Samsung Helix and Samsung NeXus will all be discontinued by their manufacturers. While no one will shed a tear for the Sportscaster (AGT is now making ugly HD Radios instead), the Delphi SkyFi2 - as well as Sammy's Helix and NeXus - were beloved units by many. The good news, is that they'll be cheaper than ever now as retailers blow out stock.

The Pioneer Inno, which shares the exact same functionality as the Samsung Helix, will continue to be available through the holidays, Murphy said.

XM SureConnect, which has been bundled with plug-and-play receivers since last September (following the FCC crackdown on over-powered FM transmitters), will instead be sold separately as an accessory. XM SureConnect will MSRP for $19.99.

Here's an interesting figure for you: Less than 40 percent of consumers who bought an XM radio with SureConnect included even used the kit, Murphy said. The remainder used wired FM modulators professionally installed, while others would just connect the radios to a headunit's audio inputs, or use a cassette adapter. Hopefully all this won't matter when those highly anticipated Mini-Tuner enabled XM headunits hit the streets.

[TWICE]
Thanks Jeremy!