I am absolutely biased. There’s no doubt there. I love XM.
On Howard Stern’s show, a caller was complaining that he hates that he can’t listen to Sirius between his car and work, and he can’t listen at work. Howard then recommended the S50.
Only one problem: the S50 cannot play live satellite content. But you wouldn’t know that from looking at the Sirius web site. Looking at their site you see:
Experience the cutting edge of portable satellite radio with the most compact and versatile receiver available. Pause and rewind live broadcasts and store up to 50 hours of content.
From that you’re thinking: okay, it’s a portable unit that lets you hear live broadcasts and store 50 hours, right? Wrong. Upon further investigation, you see:
Listen whenever and wherever you want. Get SIRIUS live with the included car or optional home dock or go portable with your stored content. Just detach the Satellite Media Player and listen to your favorite commercial-free music, news, sports and shows wherever you go.
There it is. You can listen live when you’re in your car, or at home if you buy another kit. But on the go? Nope.
Further on, Howard said:
That’s why I’m pissed off at XM. They put out a portable device that no one is having any luck with. It’s shitty. I asked the guys in development here and they said they could put out a unit like XM’s, but people would just return them because they don’t work yet. The technology just doesn’t work yet.
I would have to disagree. I’ve had my MyFi for about a year now, and I LOVE it. I listen in the car on the way to work, and when I park, I just put on headphones. It’s crystal clear. And when I get to work, I either listen with the headphones, or I listen online.
Another thing about the technology:
Not only does the on-the-go MyFi technology work, the new XM unit won Best of CES 2006:
XM Satellite Radio won top honors for its satellite radios at the mammoth 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
XM unveiled a series of portable audio players that receive live satellite radio and play MP3 music. Samsung and Pioneer plan to introduce the next-generation XM2go radios (the Samsung Helix and Pioneer Inno) at retail in the first quarter of 2006.
The Pioneer Inno XM2go won the Best of CES 2006 People’s Voice Award, based on 5,000 votes and hosted by
CNET. The Inno also won Last Gadget Standing, the annual CES competition hosted by PC Magazine. The online audience chose the Pioneer Inno among 10 new products picked by editors and online visitors.
So I’m guessing, Howard, XM’s technology does work. Otherwise everyone at the Consumer Electronics Show is an idiot.