Sirius Stiletto 100: this dog will hunt

Sirius' answer to XM's Inno/Helix -- the Stiletto 100 satellite receiver -- just scored an "excellent" review over at CNET. No surprise to find the player taking hits for bulk and for requiring users to wear those "kind of dorky" and "very uncomfortable" headphones for the best satellite signal reception. But you'll be happy to know that CNET was still able to tune-in to satellite radio with the included, antenna-less earbuds with the reviewer pulling 2/3 signal bars while seated near a window in his fifth-floor office building. They also weren't too stoked at the "less-than" 1GB of storage available to MP3/WMA audio or the AM-like audio quality when streaming Sirius content over WiFi (802.11b, only) but it was nevertheless a welcome feature when in a satellite dead zone. Still, you can always pay an additional $3/mth for Sirius to open access to their 128kbps "CD quality" streams. Streaming internet radio over WiFi worked well and the ability to pause/replay and record live Sirius streams functioned with "razor precision" storing files in the "well-organized" library. CNET still has to conduct their battery-drain test but don't expect anything better than the 4 hours for live satellite radio, 8 hours for Internet radio, and 20 hours for MP3s off the big ol' standard battery -- impressively, a slim battery is included in the bundle but offers only about half the playback. Overall, CNET found the Stiletto 100 to be particularly "fun" to use due to the "huge" feature set your $350 buys and from the "incredibly easy to use" game-like interface allowing you to constantly discover the new music and content delivered by satellite and Internet radio.

[Thanks, Brit]

[B1indspot @ Nov 6th 2006 10:04AM]

Hmm... Satellite feed recieved directly between the ears... Cancer anyone???
Yeah, We all use Cell phones, but doesn't make it any better...

[effrpm @ Nov 6th 2006 10:14AM]

B1indspot- the satellite waves are there whether or not you're wearing the headphones, dumbass.

[heath @ Nov 6th 2006 12:28PM]

lol, you probably just caused him some sleepless nights... put the headphones on over a tinfoil hat..

[Jimmie @ Nov 6th 2006 10:14AM]

Sheesh. What happened to the pretty asian models? That chick is scary.

[Kurt @ Nov 6th 2006 10:17AM]

I still like the form factor of the XM portable better. Does the sirius unit allow for pausing of live sat radio...that is the one thing that the XM is lacking. I took my Inno back because without the ability to pause live radio I thought it was just too expensive (price was $399 at the time).

[LDM @ Nov 6th 2006 11:24AM]

B1indspot - the headset also don�t transmit like a cell phone. So if you suck face with a cell phone at least once a day, the exposure by comparison, um, see where I�m going with this?

[JimBlaze @ Nov 6th 2006 12:16PM]

Jimmie - "Sheesh. What happened to the pretty asian models? That chick is scary."

There is no way that puss slipped passed the marketing folks. That�s gotta be Melly Mel Karmazin�s niece or something. LOL...

[Don Wilson @ Nov 6th 2006 3:01PM]

Jesus, do you think you could quote any more single words? Doing "this" in your "words" does "get annoying" after awhile. Please "stop" and just "make" us read the "website".

[Ryan @ Nov 6th 2006 3:06PM]

Putting these headphones on this ugly chick doesn't make the headphones look so bad.

I don't think it is Mel's daughter... it is Howard's.

[pockpie @ Nov 6th 2006 3:09PM]

Sirius continues to outfox XM at every turn.

I'll take two of these Mel !

[sean @ Nov 6th 2006 4:09PM]

How is XM outfoxed at this?
XM offers a 2nd generation, smaller unit, with better reception. Actually the 3rd gen should hit soon.

And they don't gouge customers an extra $3 a month to get less than CD quality streams online.

[Steve @ Nov 6th 2006 3:10PM]

Jesus, do you think you could quote any more single words? Doing "this" in your "words" does "get annoying" after awhile. Please "stop" and just "make" us read the "website".

You clearly know nothing about journalism (even online journalism). They have to use the quotes, since they're drawing them (out of direct context) from the original review. Without the quotes, the thing would read like an ad. It's just they're way of saying "these are the words that Cnet used. Rather than quoting the paragraph, we'll paraphrase using some of their exact words."

[otaking241 @ Nov 6th 2006 6:56PM]

I like that despite all the drawbacks this thing still gets an "excellent". Sirius fanboy or serious kickbacks? Gizmodo's review is a good deal more realistic:

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/portable-media/sirius-stiletto-100-reviewed-verdict-i-am-one-disappointed-fanboy-212787.php

[Josh Kooistra @ Nov 8th 2006 4:17PM]

Well I have always trusted Engadget and Cnet way more than anything Gizmondo ever said. CNET gave the stiletto a great review.


http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-7873_7-6550972.html?tag=cnetfd.ld3

[O&A FAn @ Nov 9th 2006 12:03AM]

The new Skyfi 3 can Pause live XM. And The Inno can get a signal without being next to a window. The Idea of Portable is that you can move around. Not sit next to windows or in Wifi Hotspots to listen. Sirius Stinks and so does the Stiletto

[Taylor @ Nov 10th 2006 3:37PM]

Quick correction...the 128k streams aren't available on the Stiletto yet. There's rumors that they will be added in the future.