Sirius yesterday unveiled the Sirius InV2 satellite radio as their affordable, entry-level receiver offering. And the shape resurrects the much-beloved Sirius Starmate Replay.

Just like the previous Sirius InV, the Sirius InV2 requires you to run wires direct to the device as opposed to a happy docking station. So it's "officially" classified as an "in-vehicle product" (and that's what "InV" actually stands for), while the much fancier Sportster 5 and Starmate 4 are classified as "Dock and Play" radios.

Still, with an MSRP of $39.99, it's a compelling product for the price conscious consumer.

Features include:

• Wide amber display (I hate amber)


• FM transmitter or stereo output


• FM preset function so you can store the best FM frequencies in your area


• 6 channel presets


• Parental controls


• Complete vehicle kit with dash mount, power adapter, magnetic antenna, and FM extender antenna

Best of all (well, aside from the $40 price) it looks a heck of a lot like the old-school Starmate Replay which to this day is a fan favorite receiver.

Availability is listed as being in "Fall 2007" which gives it plenty of time to hit the shelves before Black Friday.

Today I also had the chance to play with the new Sirius Sportster 5. As everyone knows, I'm a big proponent of color displays becoming the norm for satellite radios (if nothing else, to have them look like something from 2007, not 1997).

But the Sportster 5 doesn't just have a color display - Sirius took it a little further.

The Sportster 5 has the ability to change colors to match your car's dash lights. To many people, especially those who want to maintain a "factory look," this is extremely important. Have a green dash? No problem, the Sportster 5's color display, and the backlighting for the knobs and various buttons, all can change colors to match.

My only gripe is that the color display is a pretty poor resolution. It's not nearly as crisp and clean as I would have hoped. Combined with the abstracted channel artwork and the display will make many a passenger ask "what the heck is that?"

For future versions I'd like to see a higher resolution display, and some album art (or in-studio images) as icing on the cake. I understand that it can't be distracting (as you should be driving and not staring at your radio), but just as the PAD data changes, so should the imagery. Either way, that's my wishlist for future iterations. For now, let's just enjoy the multi-color chameleon backgrounds, and the bonus 60-minutes pause/replay buffer to boot.

Well, I'm back from Sirius headquarters and there's a lot to give you guys. First let's start with a hands-on look at the new Sirius Stiletto 2.

Weight wise, it feels much lighter than the previous version, and the fact that it's thinner makes it much more manageable with one hand (especially if you have small nubs). The back of the unit with its new finish is a nice touch as well.

Note that the battery life has been extended to match that of the "fat" battery from first-gen Stiletto, but now without the extra bulge.

Tons more pics after the jump, and yes, even photos of the new Altec Lansing headphones...

Want to see more pictures of the all new Sirius Stiletto 2? Why wouldn't you. Follow the jump for some huge images to feast your eyes on.

Side note: I apparently ruffled some feathers by saying the Stiletto 2 looks to be better than the Pioneer Inno. Yes, I know the Inno is nearly two years old. But without any updates from XM to show otherwise, I'd have to give the Stiletto 2 the crown in terms of capabilities (MicroSD, WiFi and cached "virtual channels" are the winners in my book).

Then again, the proof is in the pudding.

And I'm headed over to Sirius' HQ right now to go check out the Stiletto 2 in person... stay tuned.

Well, well, well. Looks like XM won't be the only one on the block with a color plug-and-play receiver (and it's a welcome update in the evolution of satellite radio). Introducing the brand spankin' new Sirius Sportster 5.

The Sportster 5 boasts a vivid color display, simple navigation, and the advanced features that you've come to love from the Sportster line of receivers.

Let's let the features speak for the Sportster 5, because as plug-and-plays go, this is the new hotness from Sirius:

• Large multi-color display
• Selectable colors: match your dash lights and mood (awesome)
• Sirius Universal docking, so it's compatible with a majority of Sirius accessories
• Sirius Replay: pause, rewind and replay up to 60 minutes of live radio
• FM transmitter with FM preset function: allows you to store the best FM frequencies in your area
• 30 channel presets plus the standard array of PnP features like S-Seek Alerts, Sports Alert, One-Touch Jump, personalized tickers, etc
• Parental controls


• Alarm clock w/snooze: wake up in the morning to Hard Attack

The Sirius Sportster 5 will MSRP for $169.99 and will be available at retail this Fall 2007. Yet another winner from Sirius today.

Want more pics? Sure you do, check out more photos of the Sportster 5 after the jump...

Sirius has taken the wraps off of the new Sirius Stiletto 2, something that we all knew was going to happen less that two weeks ago.

Here's the breakdown of the features and highlights:

• Store 100 hours of content
• The Stiletto 2 is smaller (1.9" x 4.3" x 0.6") and lighter (4.3 oz)
• Enhanced 802.11 b/g WiFi now supports commercial hotspots (username/password options now available)
• MicroSD slot for expandable MP3 storage
• Support for any Windows Media-based music store
• Sirius Replay, which allows users to pause, rewind and replay 60 minutes of live radio programming
• Radio Replays - stored music broadcasts from your favorite music channels that create "virtual channels" - these are available even when you have no WiFi or Sirius signal (awesome)
• Altec Lansing will supply new antenna headphones (model # AHP202SIR) for the Stiletto 2. Featuring 30mm drivers and an adjustable headband for increased comfort.
• Battery life: 4 hours live satellite, 10 hours WiFi, 20 hours of pre-recorded content
• MSRP: $349.99 (vehicle kit: $49.99; executive system: $149.99)
• The Sirius Stiletto 2 will be available in Fall 2007

Wow, I want one. May I say, the Stiletto 2 looks like it blows the Inno out of the water.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

During this week's earnings call, Sirius' President of Operations and Sales, Jim Meyer, announced that details on the upcoming Sirius Stiletto 2 and Sportster SP5 would be released soon.

"...we are preparing for the launch of some new after market products, including a new wearable product, Stiletto 2, and a new Sportser SP5. Stay tuned for more details on these exciting new products next month," Meyer said.

"We now believe that Sirius has reached market share parity in the wearable category and we expect to be the leader with the introduction of the new Stiletto 2 this fall."

While there's no info out (...yet) on what the Stiletto 2 will have in store for us, I'd assume a smaller form-factor and increased storage space would be in order. I have a funny feeling we may be learning the full details on the Stiletto 2 sometime within the next two weeks. But that's just idle speculation.

In the meantime, what features would you like to see in the new Stiletto 2? Sound off in the comments.