Sirius
Latest
John Ashcroft lobbying for NAB after being rebuffed by XM
So it looks like controversial former Attorney General John Ashcroft is using his remaining influence in the Justice Department to lobby on behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters against the proposed satellite radio merger -- though it seems that he's acting more out of self-interest than anti-trust ideology in this debate, as the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Ashcroft's consulting firm initially approached XM before eventually being hired by NAB. As you might imagine, then, Ashcroft's letter the House and Senate Judiciary Committees was decidedly anti-amalgamation, concluding that "the proposed Sirius/XM merger, which reduces the number of competitors from two to one, raises most serious competition concerns." Of course, now that everyone knows Ashcroft originally intended to shill for XM before NAB "opted to pay him to parrot their views" (according to an XM spokesperson), his "professional opinion" on the matter will probably hold decidedly less weight. Still, the WSJ revelation apparently didn't stop Ashcroft from enjoying his weekend, where at various times he was spotted listening to his iPod, jamming out to HD radio, streaming NPR over the Internet, and of course nodding in agreement as Rush Limbaugh espoused his opinions over the free analog airwaves.
Rumored HTC Sirius, Erato, and Wings get detailed specs and dates
We don't know where the information came from and (as ever) we can't be absolutely certain that it's genuine, but over the last few days a range of specific details on some previously rumored HTC mobiles have turned up in data sheet and picture form over at PDAdb.net. First up is the HTC P6500 Sirius: a quad band, WiFi and EDGE device that runs Windows Mobile 6, has a 400MHz Samsung processor, a 3.5-inch QVGA display, and also comes with 256MB and 64MB of RAM and ROM respectively. Next up is the HTC S420 Erato flip smartphone, which could potentially be the successor to the Star Trek. This 99 gram, 2.4-inch screen flipper should come with the same 400MHz CPU and Windows Mobile 6 operating system as the Sirius, but adds features like UMTS and HSDPA connectivity, an FM radio receiver, SiRF Star III GPS, and a 2 megapixel shooter. Finally there's the touchscreen featured (but stylus lacking) HTC S730 Wings which shares the same CPU, operating system, connectivity, screen, camera, GPS, and storage as the Sirius. In fact, the only difference we can tell between the two is the addition of WiFi, the exclusion of FM, and a different form factor to accommodate a slide-out QWERTY keypad. PDAdb quotes possible release dates for these unannounced and currently rumored devices as August for the Sirius, April for the Erato, and July for the Wings. You can't get a more detailed "rumor" than that.[Via GSMArena]
XM and Sirius offer reassurance regarding existing radios
Whilst raising the prospect of having Howard and Oprah on the same set, the announcement of a merger between Sirius and XM may also have presented the unappealing possibility that radio sets bought before the merger would become obsolete and stop functioning after the two companies joined. Not so: the two companies have made a statement to current XM and Sirius subscribers to say that current radios will work just fine after the two companies become one. This pledge comes after the companies asserted that owners of old kit wouldn't be left out in the cold in a recent conference call with analysts. As well as reassuring stock price influencing analysts -- both XM and Sirius's stock prices dropped recently due to concern regarding backwards compatibility and potential monopoly issues -- the soon-to-be-merged companies are carrying out ad campaigns (including a full page open letter in USA Today) to let current customers know that they will be able to tap into new programming once it becomes available. Now that that's out of the way, let the speculation about the name of the system after "merger day" begin: we think "Xirium" has got a certain ring to it.
Sirius' and XM's merger presentation revealed
Brace yourself: corporate speak ahead. We normally aren't in for all this "cost synergies" and "roadmap" hogwash that all the suits seem to get so hot for, but when it comes to a merger of two cutthroat competitors like this, we couldn't help but take a peek. Other than the technology improvements we mentioned, there isn't much talk about consumer benefits in here, and there's absolutely no mention of creating some sort of single satellite radio provider, just the power of combined resources. Most of the talk is directed at shareholders and those "synergies" that help out the bottom line -- to the tune of an estimated $3-7 billion in savings, though a $4 billion "flex" does seem to cast a bit of doubt on those numbers. The rest of the slides deal with plans for getting regulatory approval, which basically amount to arguing the case of intense competition from radio, iPods and other emerging wireless standards (see above). That said, XM and Sirius seem quite confident of success on the regulatory end of things, and look to have put a quite a bit of thought into it. Pending approval from the feds, along with respective shareholder go-ahead, XM and Sirius plan on sealing the deal by the end of 2007.%Gallery-1735%
It's official: XM and Sirius plan to tie the knot
It's been more than two years since we first reported that XM and Sirius were in talks to merge, and although the New York Post may have jumped the gun a bit way back then, it was certainly on the money today, as the two satellite radio pioneers have just issued a joint press release stating their intention to become life partners. In the proposed $13 billion deal -- which they'd like to go down by the end of the year but which still must pass rather daunting regulatory scrutiny and opposition from such heavyweights as the National Association of Broadcasters -- investors would get 4.6 shares of Sirius stock for each share of XM, with current Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin and XM Chairman Gary Parsons retaining those roles, respectively, in the combined entity (whose name has yet to be decided). As you might imagine, the companies are already trying to spin this as a big win for everyone from Martha Stewart on down, arguing that consumers will end up benefiting from more programming choices and better hardware, manufacturers and retailers will see increased sales, and of course shareholders would gain value through the economies of scale and elimination of redundancies realized from a merger. The new pals also took an opportunity to sneak in a mention about the growing number of choices consumers have for receiving audio content, from old school AM/FM to internet radio to the the still-nascent technologies of cellphone streaming and HD radio, clearly hoping to sway public opinion on that whole anti-trust thing. Still, keep in mind that the FCC is gonna be taking a long, hard look at this one -- in fact, current regulations would need to be changed in order for the merger to gain approval -- so don't get your celebratin' started just yet.Update: Just in case there was any confusion, both companies will continue to operate independently until such time as a merger is approved, meaning that you needn't fear losing your precious sat feed out of the blue. And even if everything goes according to plan, we highly doubt that your current gear will stop working or that you'll even see an interruption in your service whatsoever.
Sirius and XM set to merge?
Well, we can't exactly say that we didn't see this one coming, but for the deal to actually get inked would indeed be something special. According to the New York Post, Sirius and XM are all set to announce a merger deal after hammering out details all weekend long. Of course, it was noted that the somewhat shaky agreement "could fall apart at any time," and interestingly enough, both companies purportedly spent the majority of their (and their lawyers) time ironing out the good stuff while leaving "regulatory concerns" on the back burner. Unfortunately, those very issues could be insurmountable hurdles, as the typically stubborn FCC certainly has played hard ball with each company before, and having one overriding satellite provider with no competition in sight is ripe for monopoly arguments. Regardless, you won't find us complaining about a little Howard just a few channels down from Oprah, or a dash of MLB just a dozen notches from the NFL, but considering that gaining that oh-so-critical regulatory approval "could take up to 15 months," we wouldn't count on your lineup changing anytime soon no matter what.
Senators pushing for more limitations on internet / satellite radio recording
It seems that satellite radio just can't catch a break, as the RIAA and its indirect constituents apparently have a perpetual target set on crippling services associated with recording content. Yet again satellite radio (along with internet radio) is under fire, and this time a number of senators are pushing "rules embedded in a copyright bill, called the Platform Equality and Remedies for Rights Holders in Music Act," which could "restrict listeners' ability to record and play back individual songs." Furthermore, the act calls for streams to be laced with "reasonably available copy-protection" so that timeshifting material becomes next to impossible (and illegal, too), and that portable recording devices such as the much-debated XM Inno and Sirius S50 would no longer allow "automatic recording." The reasoning stems from a belief that satellite / internet radio should still be a "passive experience," presumably forcing us to look backwards rather than forward in radio technologies, and proponents of the agenda somehow insinuate that enforcing these rules will curb "music theft." Unsurprisingly, the RIAA "applauded the effort and urged Congress to make passing the legislation a top priority this year," while most everyone else on the planet (including spokespersons for XM and the Home Recording Rights Coalition) is balking at what would potentially make satellite / internet radio less accessible to desiring consumers. While we've no idea how quickly action will be taken on these newly surfaced guidelines, we can all rest assured that our representatives will devote every waking hour to this here issue until it's finalized and implemented, at least if the RIAA has anything to do with it.
Sirius announces SiriusConnect SC-V1 Backseat TV
We knew live video was on the way from those Sirius satellite beamz0rs, but it's finally hitting for real: announcing Sirius Backseat TV and the SiriusConnect SC-V1 A/V Tuner. It sounds like those launch predictions were right on as well: the service goes live in Spring 2007. The $300 SiriusConnect setup includes the SC-V1 A/V tuner, a wired display control, wireless audio remote, wireless video remote, rear seat control, FM switching, and two mini antennas. It's a "multi-zone" unit, meaning you can listen to audio up front while the kids peep live TV cartoons in the back (hence that convenient Backseat TV moniker). You can control it all from the front, or let your kids choose their own poison with their own remote. Make sure you check out Orbitcast for pics galore of Sirius' souped up setup at CES.
Sirius wooing XM into merging?
XM and Sirius, Sirus and XM -- fanboys, start your engines. Not that there's really much to go by here, but a very fluffy bit from the NY Times suggests that the company with the larger market cap (Sirius, at $5.26B) is increasingly saccharine about the idea of forming with its market-leading counterpart (XM, at $4.08B). Sure, judging by a number of statements and quotes from senior Sirius execs who seem anxious at the idea of cutting their losses, pooling their subscribers, and letting America live in one content-bountiful satellite radio utopia, one might think this is a real possibility. Unfortunately we don't yet have any real reason to believe there have been talks going on behind the scenes, nor has XM said much of anything of the idea -- and don't even get us started on what the SEC and FCC would think about the only two players in the market merging to become a sat-rad monopoly. We're not saying it's not gonna happen, but the NY Times is singing the same tune about an XM and Sirius merger that many have sung since day one. Still, Howard and Oprah peacefully coexisting on the same network? Bring it on.
Sirius Stiletto 10 now available
Those looking for a little portable satellite radio action but not willing to drop upwards of $350 for the Stiletto 100 now have another option at their disposal, with the stripped-down Stiletto 10 now available for a full hundred bucks less. To bring that price down, this model eschews the built-in WiFi of the Stilleto 100, as well as about nine tenths of its storage space, now able to store only ten hours of Sirius content as opposed to a hundred (as the names would suggest). Otherwise, the player looks to be pretty much in line with its more feature-packed sibling, with the same 2.2-inch color display, dual batteries, and a similar, albeit grayer form factor. You can grab this one direct from Sirius (though they appear to be out of stock at the moment) or from your retailer of choice (most of which appear to have some on hand).[Thanks, Jose]
Sirius InV SV2-TK1, a new in-dash receiver
So the internets are predicting a new low-end Sirius dash receiver on the horizon. The InV SV2-TK1, according to Orbitcast, sports a simple design with a "three-line display (artist, title, channel), 10 channel presets, a one-touch Jump Button, parental controls, 100-channel built-in wireless FM transmitter and a real-time clock." However, Electronista tells us that users won't be able to use the universal Sirius plug-and-play connector, sadly. While the receiver should be available soon, our pricing info is conflicting, with those sites quoting the MSRP as being $50 and $60, respectively. Still, it's no slick Stiletto, but it'll get you your Stern, sans problème.[Thanks, Jonathan]Read - OrbitcastRead - Electronista
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]
Radio companies want the FCC to recall offending FM transmitters
It turns out that FM radio stations -- like NPR -- don't particularly like personal FM transmitters, such as the (pictured, blown-up) iTrip. While you're no doubt gasping for breath at this shocking revelation, we'll present the evidence. While certain countries have been hesitant to allow the use of FM transmitters, the use of such devices in the US has so far remained legal -- much to the chagrin of radio stations which "own" the frequencies that these devices broadcast on. Although the FCC has been investigating the issue of motorist's radio experiences being harmed by FM transmitters, specifically ones integrated into portable satellite radios from XM and Sirius, it seems that the radio companies still aren't satisfied -- to the point at which NPR has carried out its own investigation into the matter. Their findings were that 40% of the devices exceed FCC power limits, with a separate study showing that 75% of devices are too powerful. NPR's assessment that all offending transmitters should be recalled is a fair one, but their claim that "these modulators pose a significant threat" to public radio is a little dramatic. To us the solution seems pretty clear: if you are going to use an FM transmitter, make sure to choose a frequency that isn't occupied. You won't piss off other drivers (unless they're partial to a bit of static), and you'll get better sound quality. Everybody wins!**Except the companies that own the radio stations which you aren't listening to.
Details on new FCC-compliant satellite radio FM transmitters
The good folks at Orbitcast have the rundown on what the FCC's crackdown leaky FM modulators means for you and your next satellite radio; in short: more wires. The complete details on XM's and Sirius' answers to the FCC's demands have emerged in (what else?) FCC certification filings, with each company coming to similar solutions. Sirius' FM Extender, seen above, requires you to affix a wire inside the vehicle as close to the external FM antenna as possible which, in most cases, means a wire on your front or rear windshield. XM's FM coupler takes things one step further,with a coupling clip that attaches directly to the external antenna or sticks to an on-glass antenna. Not exactly an ideal solution in either case, though we tend to agree with Orbitcast's assessment that professional installers have got to be digging it. Too bad, too, we were kind of digging on the short-range pirate radio stations we'd been broadcasting in traffic these last few years.
Sirius Stiletto 100 caught in the wild
Engadget reader John C. managed to nab a Sirius Stiletto 100 and took a bunch of pictures for us -- thanks John! Sounds like he was really happy with it for the most part, mentioning that the sound quality is great, but already we're seeing some drawbacks. Apparently the unit suffers from such a minor but obvious oversight in lacking a charge indicator when it's off, but the big bummer was learning how this unit gets reception without a fat antenna like its XM2Go competition -- they give you some seriously massive and dopey looking headphones that receive the signal from atop your dome. You might not think that's as big a hack as we do -- after all, it's probably only for those pesky dead zones where you need a little extra oomph, right? Not so; John mentioned to us that unless you live near a terrestrial repeater, you're not going to have much of a choice but to wear the big phones, and not the ear buds (of course, your mileage may vary). The things we do for portables.P.S. -Reader Eric hit us up with a YouTube vid of his Stiletto 100 in action -- check it out after the break.
Sirius Stiletto 100 "availability" announced
We know that the last thing you wanted to see on a peaceful Tuesday afternoon was another Stiletto post, but we thought we'd just let you know that Sirius has finally gone official on the "availability" of the Stiletto 100 this month. We're not even sure what they mean by that, since there's still no mention of the player on their main site or online store, but they printed it up in a nice fancy press release, so at least it means they're done with any of those rumored "delays" or whatnot. Sirius also has the prices on the vehicle kit ($70), home kit ($70) and executive system ($150) that we spotted yesterday, so that's pretty, um, exciting.Update: Reader Scotty points out that Sirius' online store is now showing a ship date of October 4.
Sirius Stiletto 100: the rest of the story
We've been all over the place with this Sirius Stiletto 100 portable player, with rumored specs a'flying, a launch window stretched to the limit, and even a bit of RIAA drama. We still don't have an actual launch date -- that would be too easy -- but we've got the info on just about everything you could care to know about the little player, thanks to a conveniently "live" official site for the player. Of course, you've probably already heard the basics by now: live satellite radio, 802.11b WiFi (with WEP and WPA support), a purtiful screen (2.2-inches at a QVGA res) and a good helping of storage (turns out to be 2GB of NAND flash) for live radio recording and for pre-loaded PlaysForSure action. Now we've got the nitty gritty. The player comes with dual batteries out of the box, a standard version that makes the unit measure 1-inch thick in total, and powers 4 hours of satellite radio, 8 hours of Sirius Internet Radio (over WiFi) and 20 hours of library playback, along with a slim version that trims things down to 0.72-inches, but halves all those battery scores. As for other dimensions, the Stiletto measures 4.6-inches tall, 2.1-inches wide and weighs 5.6 and 4.6 ounces with standard and slim batteries, respectively. There's also a set of antenna headphones, earbuds and a PC sync cable included in the box. Sirius, of course, has a whole complement of accessories for the player, including vehicle and home docking kits, and a Stiletto Executive System dock with built-in speakers. We're still holding out for a September release date here, so start prepping your $350 for this fall's satellite hotness.[Thanks, Ian Z.]
Sirius launches Internet Radio service
Not quite a month after we received word that Sirius was planning their its pimped-out internet radio option, the site has officially gone live and is now accepting subscriptions. While Sirius indeed offers free internet listening to its current subscribers (albeit at 32kbps), the company is hoping the "CD quality" stream offered in the pay version -- dubbed SIR -- will tempt users to write a slightly larger check each month for the enhanced online content. It promises "75 channels of 100% commercial free music and talk radio," but still doesn't include all the selections (namely sports-related) that you can fetch on your home / vehicle receiver. The cost? 'Tis a bit on the pricey side -- especially considering XM's 64kbps online alternative -- with monthly fees clocking in at $12.95 for new subscribers, $2.99 for current radio subscribers, or $6.99 for a separate account (for family members) above and beyond your regular subscription.[Via Orbitcast]
Sirius Stiletto receives FCC approval
Sirius fans, we bring you good tidings -- after some hemming and hawing, the Stiletto has been approved by the Feds! It was only yesterday that we told you that our buds at the FCC seemed to be raining on the Stiletto parade, which sadly, did not lead to a rain of Stilettos on our parade, which would have been really freakin' sweet. So that means the Stiletto pre-orders are back up from your favorite online retailers like Crutchfield and TSS-Radio, who both still show the pre-order price of $350. Unfortunately, we remain without a word on what the exact release date will be, but if our earlier post about a September date still holds, it should be sometime within the next 10 days.[Via Orbitcast]
Sirius Stiletto delay FCC-related?
Let's recap: Sirius gets us all in a tizzy by announcing its first "personal live satellite radio product," then opens up the floodgates to pre-orders, and suddenly pulls the rug out from under the whole deal by demanding that retailers stop taking orders of the Stiletto 100 under further notice. The cause behind such a curious sequence of events might not be manufacturing hangups, supplier shortages, or any of the most common issues related with postponed launches -- rather, the company may simply be waiting for an FCC ID number. Considering the agency hasn't exactly been an ally in Sirius' production process (nor XM's, to be fair), we aren't terribly surprised at the supposed culprit. A tiny, albeit powerful snippet of fine print within FCC guidelines prohibits the marketing of products that aren't in good standing with the commission, which gives strong suspicion that Sirius is just holding its horses until the Stiletto 100 is granted its oh-so-honorable identification tag -- whenever that may be.[Via Orbitcast]
