The boys at CNET have given the XM Mini-Tuner a thorough once over and the verdict is, well, generally good.

As CNET points out, the big deal with the XM Mini-Tuner is that your subscription is no longer tied to a single device. Sure you can use a plug-and-play, but there's wires and kooky docking stations involved with such a setup. The Mini-Tuner solves this issue.

CNET also highlights that the XM Mini-Tuner is in it's 3rd iteration of a name, having gone from the XM Passport, to the XM Pass and finally resting on the XM Mini-Tuner. (Side note: it was rumored that the name change from "Passport" was due to a disagreement with the guys at Escort, though there's no official word on that.)

What CNET doesn't like - and I have to agree with - is that the XM Mini-Tuner, while tiny in the world of satellite radio, is a behemoth when measured against items like the clip-on iPod shuffle and itsy-bitsy MicroSD cards. Of course, those don't do nearly as much as the Mini-Tuner does - but some geeky consumers may wrinkle their noses at it. And even though it's still ridiculously small, it's not small enough to enable devices like the iPod to receive XM.

They also bring up the fact that the XM Mini-Tuner right now doesn't really have too many compatible devices on the market right now. Another issue, albeit a temporary one, is that some of the early-gen XM Mini-Tuner capable devices will require a small dongle (wow, haven't heard the term "dongle" since 1990). They are quick to point out that newer devices will have a built-in slot (like the drool-inducing Jensen NVXM1000 GPS - I want one).

Overall they gave it a 7.7 rating. Is that a fair rating? You tell me.

[CNET]