The XM-3 Satellite was successfully handed over on-orbit to XM Satellite Radio from Boeing today. Not necessarily something that makes blood rush into spongy tissue, but news nonetheless in a rather no-news-day.

I do like the ballsy statement said by Dave Ryan, president of Boeing Satellite Systems:
"XM-3 is one of the most powerful satellites ever built."

Ohhh snap!

Akamai has been selected as the lead provider of Internet streaming services for XM Radio Online.

XM definitely has some stuff brewing for XMRO.

Need to send out an alert nationwide within a certain demographic instantly no matter the location? Well, police in upstate New York are, and they're looking to satellite radio to help in their search for a trucker in a hit-and-run case.

It's believed that 19-year-old Matthew Wakefield was run down by a tractor-trailer early this week while walking on a NY state highway. So word of the search for the hit-and-run driver, believed to be a 2003-2006 Volvo truck, is being spread by XM on Open Road. The channel, popular with truckers, have generated more than a dozen calls with tips in the case.

Pretty cool. I definitely see satellite radio being used in this way a lot.

We got our grubby little hands on some photos of a Zipcar Mini Cooper equipped with XM Satellite Radio. Cool stuff!

(Photo Credit: John Harrington)

Zipcar, a car rental service that lets you use them by the hour or day, said it reached a deal to install and activate XM's equipment throughout its entire fleet of vehicles in 21 cities around metro Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Zipcar will make the satellite radio service available to members at no additional cost.

XM Satellite Radio has just signed a long-term agreement with Air America Radio, the lefty talk radio network. Starting in May, XM's liberal talk channel, America Left (XM Channel 167) will cease to exist, and will instead be aptly named Air America Radio.

As part of the long-term agreement, XM will be the only satellite radio provider to offer Air America content. (Yes, that means it's exclusive... sorry Sirius)

The channel will include an expanded line-up of Air America Radio programming, including the recently debuted "Springer on the Radio" hosted by none-other-than Jerry Springer himself (Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!). But America Left fans don't need to fear, XM's new Air America Radio channel still will feature shows currently carried on America Left, including "The Ed Shultz Show" and "The Alan Colmes Show."

XM's Washington, D.C. headquarters will offer dedicated studio space for special live broadcasts throughout the year for Air America Radio programs featuring (begin name-throwing) Rachel Maddow, Marc Marron, Mark Riley, Al Franken, Katherine Lanpher, Jerry Springer, Randi Rhodes, Sam Seder, Janeane Garofalo, Chuck D, Mike Malloy, Laura Flanders, Steve Earle, Robert Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio, Kyle Jason, Marty Kaplan, and Betsy Rosenberg.

As a result of this announcement, America Right is now really offended, has begun filibustering, and wants a deal of their own. (anyone want to make a bet for when Rush Limbaugh will announce his move to satellite?)

XM Satellite Radio and AOL have teamed up to add XM satellite feeds to AOL's Radio@AOL internet radio service. Users will be able to access 20 XM channels on AOL's radio section, in addition to AOL's current lineup of about 130 stations - for free.

A new version of AOL's "premium" radio service will have 70 XM channels and be available for a monthly fee at a rumored $5/month.

AOL will own the task of building the radio service which is probably will the current Radio@AOL infrastructure based on Ultravox and the AACPlus streaming audio format. AOL expects to begin rolling out the new internet radio service with XM streams this summer, in conjunction with the new AOL.com portal.

Yes, there will be commercials on the AOL channels, but the XM channels will remain ad-free.

XM also plans to replace its current XM Radio Online service (which now is free to subscribers as of last week) with this new AOL-powered service when it launches this summer.

Read more here and here and here.

XM Satellite Radio destroyed all analysts estimates today when they announced adding over 540,000 new net subscribers during the first quarter of 2005 for a total of 3.77 million subscribers.

That's a 68% increase in new subscribers compared to the first quarter of 2004 (which was 321,675 new subscribers).

"This was the best first quarter in the history of XM," said Hugh Panero, President and CEO of XM Satellite Radio.

You can say that again Hugh!