In part two of the continuing plug-and-play series (part one covered color displays), let's explore what I consider to be the "new" plug-and-play on the market. And it may just surprise you, because... well, it doesn't involve a satellite radio at all.

Take a look at Amazon's Bestsellers in the Electronics category. Consistently, GPS receivers are always in the top 25. Consistently. (In fact, at the time of posting this, it was #1.) And here we thought that the U.S. consumer doesn't like to have a suction cup'd device stuck to their windshield? Turns out consumers really don't mind... as long as there's a need.

The portable GPS is now the new "plug-and-play."

It's not really all that surprising. Everybody wants a nav system in their car. Even if you don't do much driving, a GPS is one of those "good to have" items (especially with the OEM versions are still running as $1000+ options). The prices of portable GPS receivers have dropped significantly over the years, and the interfaces have improved substantially.

So plug-and-play satellite radio receivers aren't just competing for mindshare and earshare... they're now competing for windowshare (I'd say "cigarettelightershare" or "12voltaccessoryoutletshare" but they just don't roll off the tongue... you get the idea).

But, wasn't this was something XM and Sirius anticipated? Both announced their traffic services well ahead of the curve. XM NavTraffic and Sirius Traffic seemed like a way for both to get their foot in the door and establish some great GPS relationships. But something appears to have fallen apart, because even with all the satellite radio data services available, the likes of Clear Channel and Microsoft are snapping up the partnerships instead.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ignoring the progress already made, but we've only just started to see satellite radio integration in nav systems creeping into the market. The Rock-n-Road looks fabulous (integrated XM Mini-Tuner slot? gasp!) and the Scout Sirius-ready nav unit also looks extremely promising. And yes, Garmin (who by far is the market leader) has a suite of XM-enabled nav systems, but there's only a limited number available in a consumer-targeted price range (and for most, you need to buy the add-on in order to enable satellite radio... it should come with it!).

But take it a step further. Don't just integrate with the GPS devices (though, that's a start) - offer free trials with each one sold. Apply the OEM model to Retail. Only rather than trying to do it alone, ride on the coat tails of the portable navigation device market. It's a value added for manufacturers - allowing them to differentiate themselves from the growing competition - and it's a way to access consumers who are actively looking to upgrade their in-vehicle experience.

Gartner analyst Thilo Koslowski forecasts that U.S. sales of portable navigation devices will grow from 3.5 - 3.6 million in 2006... to an incredible 7 million units for this year alone. (And some are even whispering about sales of 8 million units this year.)

The growth rate is astounding and real, but can Sirius and XM ride this wave?