Sirius Starmate Replay inbound?

Say what you will about Sirius vs. XM (actually nah, we've heard it all before), Sirius has been hard up to keep pace competing with the ever-smallish hardware of XM's portable offerings. Well, apparently only until the Starmate Replay hits the streets, which appears to feature their smaller 3G chipset, and finally incorporates a 44-minute time-shifting window into the device, as well as having an FM transmitter. Glowing index finger option version also available.

[Via Droxy]

[Sasquatch @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

If you pay to listen to music in any form you are just plain dumb.

[T Miller @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

But I will pay to hear Howard!

[Diamond @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

For as much driving as I do, I can't wait until I can dish out my money to XM. It is quite annoying to be driving out of the DC metro area and hit Stafford, VA because then I am reduced to 4 stations. None of them worth my time, but I am stuck with them.

[Jake @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Wow. I am an XM fan, I am really disappointed on how XM didn't put a record/replay button onto their Roady XT/Audiovox. This new SIRIUS model is much better now. I hope XM has something planned.
It will be interesting to see what XM does to conquer sirius
"If you pay to listen to music in any form you are just plain dumb."

If you listen to awful commercial radio, then you're dumb.

[MikeV @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Woohoo! Last year's Delphi SkyFi2, just a little smaller and with 14 additional timeshifting minutes!

[Boomshack @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Nope - it's this years Roady competitor - entry level (unless they've got something even cheaper in the wings)- it uses no cradles, has a small form factor and sells with the car kit and a remote. I agree you could compare it with the SkyFi2 on specs as it is certainly more full featured than XMs latest and greatest RoadyXT.

The Sportster IR ALREADY competes with (and beats with more replay buffer and a better display)the SkyFi2. It's been out for quite a while now. Google it.

Wait till Thursday - then we'll see what new offerings will compete with the SkyFi2, and hopefully the MyFi.

[Diggiti @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Dont Be Fooled !
These two companies will merge.
Regular radio will become like AM RADIO !

[Boomshack @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

The Roady XT is $99 (you can add a remote for $20)

The SkyFi 2 is $119.99 - you need a vhicle kit to use it and that is $49.99 - TOTAL $170

The current Starmate is $49, same as the current Roady. They had higher MSRPs when they came out.

The Starmate Replay will be $129.99.

It will no doubt drop in price in time as well. It does everything the MyFi2 does and then some for less money.

It only costs $30 more than the new Roady XT, (and you get a remote)and costs $20 less than XMs other new announcment - the Audiovox PnP when you add the car kit price, but it has far better features.

Let's see what happens on Thursday before flinging too much poo.

[golferal @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

XM's "edge" is slowly diminishing, and as Howard Stern's debut looms closer the "gap in subscriber numbers" will most likely swap positions. The timing for Sirius' release of new equipment is just about perfect. I know this because I have wanted to subscribe to Sirius for quite a while, but have been waiting for better equipment. I know I'm not alone.

Whatever happens, I see the XM vs. Sirius as the HBO vs. Cinemax wars of the 90's. Both were good but had their own distinct flavors. In fact, I see a day when some programming may be on both XM AND Sirius. So like the other person said, let's see what happens before flinging too much poo...

[stevie stux @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

i have XM....and i wasnt a fan of paying for any music...but xm is truly one hell of a product. no commercials. no boring programming. no bs. so...whatever sirius wants to bring to the table...then better. It will raise the bar for XM to keep bringin it.

[PHug @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Like #10 Golferal said, the timing is perfect.
I been waiting for the Stern Show conversion to make the leap to Sirius. I was so worried i wouldn't be able to because i listen at work on a pocket radio with an earbud. Now the good portable radios are coming out and should be goin on sale just in time for January

[johnny griswold @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

QUOTE: by Sasquatch
If you pay to listen to music in any form you are just plain dumb.

So, Sasquatch? Do you have cable tv? Thought so.

[johnny griswold @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

QUOTE: by Sasquatch
If you pay to listen to music in any form you are just plain dumb.

So, Sasquatch? Do you have cable tv? Thought so.

[Rusty @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I've had XM for almost 3 years and wouldn't go back for anything. It is so nice to be able to listen to anything I want without the annoying commercials! Not only the annoying commercials, but so many of them that you have to turn the volume up and down all the time because they are yelling at you constantly! Someone once said that the louder they yell at you on the radio, the dumber they think you are. My car is my office, and it ticks me off that just as soon as you get into a song, it fades out because you are too far away.
Another nice thing is that with the SkyFi2, you can load your favorite songs or artist into the memory and it will pop up if they come on the 66 music only channels.

[Jeff Goebel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

45 minutes is good, but TimeTrax just released their software yesterday for Sirius. It lets you TiVo-like record ANYTHING on the stations with far better control.

http://timetraxtech.com

Stern fans are happy. I am not affiliated with TimeTrax although they do host their site on my server... and I took some serious hits yesterday (grin).

[vendric @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I had XM for over a year. They cut my favorite station (42). I won't go back. Sirius has more variety and also has NFL broadcasts. Don't pick a radio system based on the hardware. You're paying to listen, so pick it based on what you'll be listening to. Sirius just has more to offer on that front.

[lindalindalinda @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I am shopping for the most resonable Sirius radio
and boombox..totally the only thing i want for christmas to listen to my Howie ans Robin and Artie......
so..which one is the cutest/
smaller the better....
any ideas? where is the best price?
walmart or target?
when is Howie gong on QVC? will they be cheaper there?