Delphi SkyFi3 XM Satellite Radio with Car Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This would by my forth XM unit I've used since signing up in 2003. I've used the SkyFi, the SkyFi2, the RoadyXT (My brother actually) and now, the SkyFi3.Choosing this unit itself was a no-brainer when shopping around for portable units.

The SkyFi3 takes all the functionality of my beloved SkyFi2 (pause/rewind features more than anything) and crosses it with the versatility of the Helix/Inno.Unlike the Helix and the Inno though, this unit has a bias towards car use, yet still gives you the option to be completely mobile (With the purchase of the antenna/headphone set). The Helix/Inno units, which are primarily for on-the-go usage, have a much smaller, yet more colorful screen than the SkyFi3, and also include a built in antenna for on-the-go Live XM feed without any extra accessories.

The SkyFi3 on the other hand, has a much bigger screen, though monochrome, that make viewing from afar much easier. Also, as stated above, unlike the Helix/Inno, this unit has the ability to pause and rewind live feed. It is the first of it's kind to accept MicroSD memory cards for your own music to be added to your playlists, giving you nearly unlimited storage. Be warned though, Recording Live XM feed is limited to the built in 256MB (~10 Hours). The only potential downfall this unit has over the Helix/Inno would be it's large size in comparison. Also, having such a large screen could potentially get scratched much easier. The SkyFi3 is significantly cheaper than the Inno/Helix and when bought through certain retailers, you are given a voucher to get the $50 Standard Wearable Kit for free.

As for the overall sound quality, as long as you are using the SureConnect or a direct wired connection to your car radio, quality is equal to any other XM unit (Of course, using a non-modulated method will be the absolute best). But if you attempt to use just straight up Wireless FM Transmitter, forget it.Total trash.I am going to assume the FCC forced Delphi to use a much lower power transmitter.I live in the Buffalo, NY area and I've gone through the entire FM band and couldn't find a single channel that even made it usable. The SureConnect kit that comes with the SkyFi3 is just a clip that connects to your AM/FM antenna on the outside of your car, then connects to a wire that plugs into your car kit. Make sure you use this unless you have another method of hard wiring the unit to your radio (either by FM Modulation of an Aux input port)

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Product Description:
DELPHI SA10271-11B1 SKYFI3(TM) RECEIVER WITH CAR KIT & SA10252 2.8" LARGE SCREEN WITH HORIZONTAL OR VERTICLE MOUNT;30-MIN PAUSE & REPLAY FEATURES; STORES UP TO 10 HOURS OF XM PROGRAMMING WITH BUILT-IN MEMORY;STORES UP TO 500 SONGS WITH OPTIONAL MICRO SECURE DIGITAL CARD(TM);PLUG-IN-PLAY;INTEGRATED TUNER; PORTABLE PLAYBACK MODE WITH INTERNAL 5-HOUR RECHARGEABLE BATTERY; BOOK MARK & PURCHASE SONGS WITH XM & NAPSTER(TM); ARTIST & TUNE SELECT;XM SPORTS & STOCK TICKER; INCLUDES XM RECEIVER, CAR KIT, REMOTE, EARBUDS & USB CABLE & SA10252 SKYFI3(TM) RECEIVER WITH CAR KIT & SA10252

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Pioneer Inno XM2go Portable Satellite Radio/MP3 Player (Pink) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)in our rural area the inno works pretty well.indoors, you have to move it around a little and then hold it still once you've found a good spot.I can usually find a good spot in each room.this is without the docking station antenna.When you use the docking station antenna, the reception is perfect.Outside the inno gets a signal most of the time.Somtimes I have to put it on a different side of my body to keep a signal.Overalli'm pleased with the Inno.I cant wait for the antenna technology to improve.I may try the antenna headphones.

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Product Description:
The original lineup of XM2Go products (the MyFi, Tao, and Airware) were the first attempt from either XM or Sirius at providing a truly portable satellite radio receiver. As first-generation products, they offered such tantalizing features as a built-in antenna for receiving live XM broadcasts on the go and the ability to record content for playback later. But, like many first-generation products, these technologies were not yet perfected.


With the Inno, you can receive and play live satellite broadcasts while you're on the go. View larger.

XM radio offers an incredible selection of music, sports, talk, and more. Fast-forward a few years: the sequel--the Pioneer Inno--is a radical step forward in both performance, features, and design. (Note: Samsung's Helix is essentially the same model with a slightly different shell.) Boasting a much smaller form factor, slick casing, color screen, and simple user interface, the Inno is the first satellite radio player to make people think twice about buying a straight-up MP3 player.
That's important because not only does the Inno receive all of XM's great content, but it also has built-in storage for your MP3 collection. You can either record up to 50 hours of live XM content into memory, or split it for 25 hours of XM and 25 hours of your personal tunes. Having t

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Magellan RoadMate 2200T 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The 2200T just came out this fall (2006), so many of the online review summaries have not adequately compared it to the competition. The most direct competition comes from the Tom Tom One (same price range), although many may be considering paying more money for the Garmin Nuvi 360 as well.

I took a look at the Nuvi 360 in the store, and it was quite flimsy feeling compared to the 2200T. The Nuvi felt a bit cheap compared to the very solid feel of the 2200T. Considering the Nuvi's significantly higher price and large overlap of key features, I didn't consider the Nuvi further. Your mileage may vary, but the Nuvi seemed like a poor value.

The Tom Tom One has gotten a lot of praise, and I'm sure it's a good product, but most of the online reviews were written before the 2200T was widely available. The reasons that I chose the 2200T over the Tom Tom are:

1. Spoken street names. Often called "text to speech," the 2200T actually says the street names when giving directions ("Turn Left on Main Street") so you can keep your eyes on the road (and look for the street sign). The Tom Tom just says "Turn Left" and you either have to trust that it means the next possible left turn, or you have to take your eyes off of the road to find the street name on the the screen. And on the Tom Tom website it doesn't appear that the name of the street that you should turn onto is always displayed on that map.

2. Display information. The 2200T always displays above the map the name of the street you are on AND below the map the name of the street you will turn on next. You can always find that information quickly. The Tom Tom only displays below the map the name of the street that you are currently on: there is no fixed display of the street (or exit) coming up (a big oversight in my view). You have to wait until you get close to it to see it on the map itself. This can be a problem if you need to get into an exit lane or turning lane well before the turn--the Tom Tom will notgive you adequate information to do that.

3. Display information (part II). The 2200T shows a detailed view of the intersection at the upcoming turn as you approach it: this clearly diagrams any tricky traffic flow that you may have to navigate, and it can appear on half the screen while the standard map remains on the other half. In a sense, the 2200T walks you through the turn, which can be extremely useful when street layouts and traffic flow are complex and unfamiliar (exactly why you buy these things in the first place). The Tom Tom only has the standard map view, so it doesn't provide the extra detail that the 2200T does (it's not even a view that you can manually call up).

4. Interface design. The 2200T has a very easy to understand design. Many extra bits of information are accessible by pressing different buttons on the map screen. Press the readout of distance to the next turn, for example, and it repeats the last verbal instruction. Or press the symbol for the next turn in the bottom left, and it shows a whole list of the turns for the route. The Tom Tom also has a friendly interface, but the online reviews that I saw didn't credit the 2200T with also being good.

5. Expandable. The 2200T can be expanded to include off-road topographic maps (when Magellan introduces these in the next couple of months). The Tom Tom only has maps for roads, and Tom Tom has no expansion plan to include topo maps.

6. Backup and restore without a PC. The 2200T will backup (and restore) all of your stored data (addresses, additional points of interest) to an SD memory card. No connection to a computer required. The Tom Tom needs you to have a computer with their software installed in order to backup and restore.

7. Import Points of Interest (POI) from all standard formats. The PC (Windows only) software for the 2200T reads all of the standard file formats (including XML) for Points of Interest. So if you want to pull a dataset off of the internet (for example, if you are into geocaching), the 2200T software can show them on the map. The Tom Tom does also have the ability to add data points, but it's unclear from their literature whether all of the standard formats are supported.

8. Battery life. The 2200T has an eight-hour battery life, so you can really use it all day outside of the car (if you're walking around an unfamiliar city, for example, or if you get the upcoming topographic map upgrade for off-road use while hiking or fishing). The Tom Tom One has only a two-hour nominal battery life, and the manufacturer's estimates are usually optimistic. It's a pity since the Tom Tom One is also highly portable and would otherwise be useful when not in the car. (N.B. The 2200T only ships with a car charger. If you want to use it outside of your car when you first open the box, you need to charge it up for two hours. You may want to get an AC charger in this case (unless you plan to be driving for a couple of hours after you get it). AC chargers are available from Magellan and various after-market suppliers on the internet.)

By comparison, the Tom Tom has few advantages. It does provide Macintosh software as well as Windows, but the Magellan 2200T is self-contained. The PC software is not required to operate and backup the device, so the advantage here is slight.

I hope the results of my research are useful. Both the Tom Tom One and the Magellan 2200T are very good, but I think the 2200T offers more value. I also notice that several folks have posted comments about inaccurate maps and software problems with the Tom Tom (which uses the Tele Atlas map database). I expect Tom Tom will sort out those problems, but the 2200T uses NAVTEQ maps, which are the best available for consumer GPS, so accuracy should be very good out of the box.

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Product Description:
Magellan RoadMate 2200T

Get the first full-featured, pocket-sized, expandable vehicle navigation system! Simple touch-screen menus make it easy to select virtually any destination and get turn-by-turn voice and visual guidance. The Magellan RoadMate 2200T can be upgraded to become a CrossoverGPS™¹ and work for all of your outdoor adventures. And because its waterproof to IPX-4 theres no need to worry about coffee spills, rain, humidity or it getting wet.

The Magellan RoadMate 2200T offers the best-in-class battery performance for up to 8 hours of continuous use. You can navigate your outdoor adventures and trails, search points of interest, plan trips, listen to music and view pictures even when youre away from your vehicle. It is rugged, waterproof to IPX-4 and fits in your pocket so you can take it with you anywhere. And with the advanced processing chipset, SirfstarIII, receiving a satellite signal is faster and easier with a stronger and wider search range. Quickly acquire a signal when you first turn on your receiver.

Its smart design makes the Magellan RoadMate 2200T easier than ever to use. Simple touch-screen menus and a built-in interactive map of the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico makes it easy to select virtually any destination and get turn-by-turn directions as you drive.

Use the touch screen to enter an address or select a point of interest and get an instant route using the shortest time, shortest distance, most freeways or least freeways. 1.5 million pre-programmed points of interest enable you to quickly find gas stations, airports, hotels, restaurants and much more.

Select the points of interest icons that you want to appear on the map. Touch an icon to get detailed information about a destination, including phone number when available. Save your own personal points of interest to the internal Address Book or Favorites List to quickly navigate to frequent destina

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Pioneer AVIC-F500BT 5.8-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been using the F500BT for a few weeks after using a Nuvi 760 for years. I already upgraded to Firmware 2.0. Here is how the F500BT compares to the Nuvi

Cons:
- Routing engine not as good as the Nuvi. Very prone to give U-Turns when I miss a turn even though I disabled them. Worse is that it doesn't know if the U-turn is illegal or not. Besides the U turn issue, most routes offered are not that bad in "Economical"
- Touchscreen not very responsive. Not as good as the Nuvi.
- Not as easy to use as the Nuvi in general.
- MSN does not work unless you use a big ugly harness. You also need to connect a ebrake signal for to avoid the menus getting locked out.
- Battery life of 30mins
- Does not auto dim the screen when switching to night maps.
- Does not tell you the side of your destination. The Nuvi does.
- Only 1 TTS voice in English. Not great, but not horrible either.
- Voice recognition doesn't work very well

Pros:
- Nice glossy look with a big screen. Looks way more expensive than $199
- Map and menu hard buttons are very convenient to have
- GPS reception seems to be as good as the Nuvi. I get reception indoors
- A lot more information is displayed on the map compared to the Nuvi
- Plays AVI movies
- Lane Assist on freeway junctions. A MUST HAVE.
- Maps are very smooth map animation when routing. Much better than the 760, which was always 2 seconds behind and when making turns it would lag for 3-4 seconds
- Voice does not stutter unlike the Nuvi 760
- Very easy to hack and goes from good to almost great after hacking. I also have TomTom Navigator and Garmin XT loaded (more on this later)
- 3D buildings are pretty cool.
- Pairs with my Palm Centro with no problems. My phonebook does not dissapear. BT performance way better than that of the NuviYou can head to avic411.com forums and learn how to modify the Pioneer software aka IGO8 (its very easy). You can also add new maps schemes, and enable speed camera warnings, add extra 3D buildings, load international maps, etc. You can even hack the unit so it runs Tomtom and Garmin XT. However, these 2 don't have the same software as the PND counterparts, so I use the Pioneer software anyways. With the hacks I now get the current house number at my position, so I can easily know which side of the road my destination is on. I also increased the font size of the data displayed on the map. Overall, its a very good deal at $199.

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Product Description:
The Pioneer AVIC-F500BT on-dash navigator offers an advanced, all-in-one solution for adding large-screen navigation, multimedia capability, and hands-free calling to your vehicle - without removing your factory radio. Simply mount this road-ready travel companion on your dashboard and exercise convenient control over your music, phone, and navigation.

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Slacker 8 GB Portable Radio with 40 Stations (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Slacker portables bring a new dimension to music listening.
Without the hassle of ripping your own MP3s, the service allows you to create your own customized radio stations and then, by WiFi or USB, load them onto the player for your enjoyment at any time.

Many reviews have discussed the player in depth, so let me address a couple of issues in regards to the older player, the G1, versus the new player, the G2.

The G1 player is obviously bigger, and while one advantage is an easier to read screen, it is a bigger package to carry around.

The G1 player also has not had any further firmware updates since March '08, while the G2 player has had frequent updates. Therefore, some important features such as improved battery life, and better USB connectivity have not (yet) been updated for the G1. Please check the slacker forums if you're thinking about buying a G1 to see if any updates have occurred since this was posted.

The G1 player lacks an equalizer control setting, while this was incorporated into the G2 player.I can't say that the G2's equalizer is worth much, as they don't have any user adjustable settings.

The G2 player has a setting to manage the WiFi settings, whereas this has not (yet) been implemented in the G1 player. This again reflects the lack of any further apparent support for this first generation player.

As the price of the 8Gb G1 player has not dropped substantially (although for a time it was selling for less than [...] from Amazon), the G2 unit appears to be the primary hardware that is receiving support from the company.

The G1 player has had an annoying habit of occasionally having a break in audio at the beginning of a song.This has not been a problem with the G2 units. It is unknown what creates the problem, but there has not been a fix issued for the G1 unit to address this issue.

Remember, if you use the web based player at [...] ..... not all the songs that can be heard on the web player are licensed to be downloaded onto the portable players.The company says that there are they are continually gaining more licensing rights, but it is unclear what percentage of music that you hear on the webplayer can be transferred to the portable player. Even with this limitation, you can create a wide variety of stations and enjoy them on the units.

However, for your money, you will probably find the G2 unit less buggy, and better supported by the company with updates.

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Sirius SP-TK2 Sportster Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I won't clutter up this review with pros and cons on Sirius vs. XM satellite radio service. You can sign up for a 3-day trial of each at their respective websites if you need help making that decision. Instead, I'll assume that you've already gone with Sirius and focus on whether or not the Sportster Replay is the right plug-and-play receiver for your needs.

INSTALLATION
The Sportster Replay is a plug-and-play receiver, which means that you shouldn't need to modify the existing stereo setup in your car or boat to use it. After plugging in the external antenna and the power cord, 99% of users will be ready to roll. I have read reports of a handful of users having trouble getting an adequate signal with this simple install, but I've not personnally experienced this (see more details under "Performance" below). It took me just under an hour to install mine in an SUV, with most of that time spent trying different methods for how best to hide those two cords throughout my interior. The only tools that I needed were a screwdriver and a butter knife. It's almost disappointing to discover how easy it is to disassemble your car's interior into pieces, but it really helps out here!

The antenna itself is a flat magnet about the size of a fifty-cent piece that attaches to your trunk or roof. The kit provides plenty of length; in fact, some car owners may have to find a place to hide the extra bundle of wire, either in the trunk or under the dash. The power cord plugs into your cigarette lighter or any other 12v socket, which becomes the only visible wiring sticking out of the entire install. It's also a bit on the short side, so you may have to get into a little bit of trickery through the glove box or a heating vent depending on your vehicle. I recommend searching the web for tips that others have to share based on their installation experiences.

While the receiver itself is portable, it docks to a cradle which stays in place in your vehicle and has all of the wiring connections. This design is one of the advantages of the Sportster over the comparable Starmate Sirius receiver. The Starmate plugs all cables directly into the receiver, meaning that you have to fumble around with wires whenever you take it with you or get back into your vehicle. The Sportster on the other hand just lifts right out of the dock with no such hassle. The docking cradle that somes with this kit is capable of lots of twisting and bending, so you'll be able to find the right spot on the windshield or dash (if your dash is very smooth) to affix it with a powerful suction cup.

PERFORMANCE
The Sportster delivers good sound and has good antenna reach as well. Remember that satellite radio is digital, so it differs from traditions signals in a couple of ways. First, all of the channels sound "compressed" because that's what all satellite providers must do to get 100+ channels to fit into one signal. Music sounds comparable to existing FM, not CD quality as some erroneously expect. Talk sounds a bit tinny, almost like a phone conversation, but you get used to it quickly. Second, the antenna is line-of-sight since it needs to maintain a direct path to the satellite signal. This means that you can forget about listening to any satellite radio in parking garages, tunnels and other covered structures. I've read about problems with other receivers being unable to reliably pick up good signals in downtown driving, but the Sportster has been very solid for me.

The Sportster Replay uses a wireless FM transmitter in the dock to substitute the Sirius signal for a particular FM channel of your choosing. This is a big improvement over earlier satellite receivers that had to be hard-wired to your stereo (i.e. professionally-installed) or else connected via a mess of wires going to a cassette adapter. I've read other reviews complaining that the wireless transmitter isn't strong enough, but I've not had any such issue. As a matter of fact, the default FM frequency that the unit ships with is an actual station in my area but the Sportster mowed it down with no difficulty. Only when I turned up the classical stations could I hear any hint of interference, so I easily configured it for a frequency that's pure static in my area and it's been rock-solid and very clean sounding ever since.

USE AND FEATURES
The unit's "Replay" capability is like a very limited Tivo for radio. Once you select a channel, it begins stockpiling that content into its 30-minute memory. You can rewind if you'd like to hear a song again or if you missed something said during the news. You can pause in case you get a phone call or have something else to do, e.g. a toll booth. Once you change stations, that memory is erased and the recording begins again. Recorded content is also lost when you power down the unit. If you are interested in true time-shifting of your Sirius content, look into the pricey S50 receiver, which is basically an mp3 player that not only captures but also stores Sirius content for later listening away from your vehicle.

One simple but very useful feature is the "memo" button, which allows you to tag a particular song and store its info for jotting down later. You can store up to 20 of these song and artist combinations, so you'll know who you liked next time you're shopping for music.

The receiver has 3 banks of 10 presets each. It also allows browsing by channel category (rock vs. country vs. talk, etc.) which is nicely-rendered on the big, easy-to-read display. Contrary to what earlier reviews indicated, it is possible to adjust the brightness and/or contrast; however, blue is the only color choice (sorry, amber fans). Also, the shiny cover over the display can make it difficult to see on sunny days as it reflects everything around it. This kit comes with a remote that is actually very handy unless you have a very long reach or manage to mount the dock on your dashboard.

ACCESSORIES
The Sportster is an established model for Sirius, and as a result, there are already many handy accessories available for it. You can immediately purchase a home kit that plugs into your stereo or PC, a boombox for mobile play, or additional car docks if you plan on sharing one receiver across multiple vehicles. This line of accessories is tops among the Sirius receivers because the others are either more limited (the Starmate) or way more expensive (the S50), making the Sportster the best value for a wide range of applications.

CONCLUSION
The Sportster Replay is a dependable Sirius receiver that picks up good signal reception and then blasts it wirelessly to your existing FM tuner. Installation is a no-brainer, mainly just tucking wires under your vehicle's carpet and weatherstripping. It's easy to use with a big, bright display and remote control. There are many available accessories for it, making it a good value if you want to use it in multiple locations. It's the ideal first receiver when you jump into the satellite radio arena.

If you definitely know that you're committed to Sirius and you want true time-shifting of content in an mp3 player, get out your wallet and take a look at the S50. Or, if you absolutely must have a more stylish-looking receiver, consider the Starmate, but you're really getting a lot less convenience for a little bit of savings vs. the Sportster.

PROS
* True plug-and-play makes both installation and everyday use very easy
* Unit is simple to use thanks to the included remote and big, easy-to-read display
* Full line of available accessories make the receiver usable in a multitude of places

CONS
* Rather big and plain, it's not the most stylish-looking unit out there (hello, S50)
* Replay functionality has rather limited usefulness since unit can't be powered on-the-go

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Product Description:
With the Sirius SP-TK2 Sportster Replay Satellite Radio with Car Kit, you'll never miss another play from scrimmage again. The ultimate plug-and-play satellite radio, the Sirius SP-TK2 lets you take all 120-plus Sirius stations with you wherever you go. For football enthusiasts, this means that you can do all your shopping while the big game is on and still catch all the gridiron action.
With the Sirius SP-TK2, you get a radio with a built-in FM transmitter and enough internal memory to store the last 44 minutes of Sirius content. The radio features a six-line display, 30 channel presets, a 20-song memory that alerts you when one of your targeted songs is playing on Sirius, and a Sportster Replay's Game Alert function to let you know when your favorite NFL team is about to take the field. Because Sirius broadcasts every NFL game all season long, the SP-TK2 will quickly become indispensable. A "game zone" feature lists updates of your favorite teams' scores on-screen, and a convenient "jump button" gives you one-touch access to traffic and weather reports for your city or your favorite Sirius channel.
The included with the car kit is a vehicle docking station with a suction mount, remote control, DC power adapter, and a roof-mount antenna with a magnetic base and a 20.5-inch cable. A wireless FM transmitter sends your satellite programming to your car's FM receiver so that you can listen to Sirius programming through you car stereo. In other words, this radio and car kit give you everything you need to keep connected to the full range of Sirius satellite programming any time of day or night.

A Sirius subscription, sold separately, is required to access Sirius satellite programming.

What's in the Box
SP-R2 Sirius satellite radio receiver, remote control, CR2025 battery, SP-C2 mobile docking cradle, suction cup mount, car power adapter, antenna, FM transmitter antenna, installation kit, installation manual, and user's guide.

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Pioneer Inno Portable XM2go Radio with MP3 Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been an XM subscriber since my first SkyFi when Opie and Anthony started in October 2004.I added a MyFi when those launched and appreciated its features (ability to store songs, built-in FM modulator, auto on/off in the car, more presets for all the great music channels), but found its on-the-hip portability sketchy.

I purchased an Inno a few weeks ago and am blown away by the improved portability over my MyFi.
1. The reception is better--I can even get a signal in the gym (lots of windows, granted, but the old MyFi reception broke up too much for usefulness indoors).
2.The styling is sleeker.This thing is less than half the size of the old MyFi--about the size of my cellphone.
3. The store-on-the-go/auto-recording features are great.I've been recording Bob Dylan's theme time radio hour when they air it during the night so I've got it the next AM.Only fluke is that recording labels are not always EXACTLY the start and finish of each song.Sometimes you get a second or two of the song before/after.
The negatives that keep it from getting 4 stars--I miss the preset buttons from the MyFi.I had 30 presets, so could always find the right music/comedy/news/etc. for the moment.The Inno doesn't have any presets (unless I've missed something).The XM/Napster software doesn't work on the Mac, which is frustrating.Also, I'd ordered a car kit and still haven't received it.

In the end, though, this little radio is a HUGE step forward.

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Product Description:
XM Radio is a satellite based radio system. It requires a monthly subscription fee for reception. Pioneer's Inno is the complete entertainment package. It's a satellite radio that lets you listen to live XM broadcasts at home, on the go, and even in the car (car kit sold separately). The Inno lets you store individual songs or entire blocks of XM programming and listen to them anytime you'd like. Or you can upload some of your favorite MP3 and WMA files, and create playlists that include MP3s/WMAs and the songs you've recorded from XM.
The Pioneer Inno offers the long-awaited combination of MP3 and live XM Satellite Radio reception in a sleek, handheld device.The wearable radio delivers XM's over 170 digital radio channels of commercial-free music and premier sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming live and nationwide.It plays MP3s and WMAs, and it has a time-shifting memory mode for storage and playback of XM content. A particularly innovative feature of the Inno allows the user to ?bookmark? songs heard on XM, connect the Inno to a personal computer, and instantly purchase the songs from the XM + Napster online music download service.
The Pioneer Inno has 1GB of memory storage for MP3 files, WMA files, and XM programming, to hold up to 50 hours of content.At only 4.4 ounces and 3.4? x 1.9? x .67?, the Inno is extremely light and easy to take along anywhere. In addition to the XM + Napster feature of the Inno, it has a full-color 180 X 180 pixels TFT display and a user-friendly interface for saving and deleting content.Users can build personal playlists using a mix of XM content and tracks from their own digital music collection. The Inno has a memory buffer to make it easy to store an entire track heard in XM, even if the user starts storing it in the middle of a song.

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RightWay 400 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bought this GPS for $60. The good thing is that it can be easily unlocked into a general purpose WINCE machine. The RW400 comes with a multimedia menu out of the box, where you can read txt, watch a few kinds of videos and view pics in a ugly browser. But that's far from what it can actually do. Search "towince" and download the exe into any folder on the SD card that comes with your machine. Change the GPS path to where it is and run. Voila! The WINCE desktop appears! You can view every on-device directory, edit the registry, and launch various applications---it's even pre-loaded with pdf/doc/ppt softwares. Funny why they installed all those stuff if they are not willing to show them to the users.

The copilot software is OK. Smooth interface and quite accurate directions, but 3D display seems a little lagging when there're lots of objects on the map. Not so many POIs---can not find the local bloom store and a newly opened cinema. But you can load your own POI file. Anyway, nearly everything on this device is customizable, including changing GPS software.

Power drains VERY quickly though. Need a recharge every 2 hours if used heavily.

In short, this is a great GPS for geeks who have love of such gadgets. Price is unbeatable.

Click Here to see more reviews about: RightWay 400 4.3 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
Save time and money in a BIG way. The RightWay 400 can help you save both time and money in your everyday life with its gas calculator and route optimizing feature. Simply go to the Gas Calculator and enter in the amount you are paying for gas. Then on the Multiple-Stop Routing screen enter the places you need to go. When all the destinations have been entered, tap the Optimize button. The RW 400 will create the most efficient route to get to all your destinations. A route that will take you all the places you need to go without extra driving, saving you both drive time and gas money. This widescreen model features a 4.3 inch full color touch screen, giving you almost 75% more viewing area than standard GPS models. That means no matter what view you are using - 2D Next Turn, 2D Destination, 3D, Where am I?, or Driver Safety - you can see more of the map. Plus the wider screen makes the buttons and keypads larger, reducing the chance of entering information incorrectly. The RightWay 400 is a fantastic navigation device for virtually everyone. The intuitive user interface and predictive text makes address entry simple, even for someone with no GPS navigation device experience. With street name turn-by-turn voice guidance, high quality ALK maps, your choice of 6 map views, over 2 million travel related points of interest and built-in tutorials, arriving at your destination has never been easier. In the Box: RW 400 GPS Navigator, Car charger, Mounting system, Warranty, Quick Start Guide and CD User Manual.

Get 38% OFF

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Sirius Stiletto SL10 Portable Satellite Radio Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Yes, you could buy this radio and attempt to run around with it wearing the uncomfortable, oversized antenna headphones and spend your day repeatedly tilting your head at weird, painful angles trying in vain to hold onto an elusive live signal, thus frustrating yourself silly in the process.... or.....you could (unfortunately) change your expectations just a bit, accept this radio for what it is actually able to consistently deliver on-- and ENJOY the heck out if!! Here is how:

1. Buy the MANDATORY home dock with the superior antenna, automatic charging of battery when the unit is docked, and remote control.

2. Program the radio to record up to 10 hours of your favorite channels, in 60-minute blocks (or whatever duration you prefer; I record a fresh 9 hours of content overnight while I am asleep, from about 6 different channels.) You do this while the unit is sitting in the home dock, making use of the continuous power supply and greatly improved antenna reception.

3. Wake up to 10 hours (or whatever you have chosen to record) of fresh, remixed content.Plug in a REGULAR pair of headphones-- whatever kind you like-- and enjoy!

In other words, just think of it as a radio version of a Tivo (or other brand of DVR).I am already used to using Tivo and not watching television "live" anymore-- so applying the same concept to satellite radio wasn't very difficult.I really wish I could say that you can be mobile all day with this radio picking up live signals with no problems from the antenna headphones, but the stark REALITY is that your "live" listening will possibly have to be relegated to when you are plugged into either a car or home dock; otherwise, you are just going to have to start enjoying making up to 10 hours of recordings (while docked) and then listening to them during your mobile times.Not hard to do!(Buying a second 'home dock' for the office will give you even more flexibility).Another benefit of recordings is that you can skip through the recorded songs (yes, song breaks are included in the recordings) very easily; quickly finding the songs that you may want to "dub" onto something else.(The home docks come with the outputs and cables that you will need to connect to other devices for dubbing.)

Good Luck!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sirius Stiletto SL10 Portable Satellite Radio Receiver

Product Description:
SIRIUS SL10PK1 SIRIUS(TM) STILETTO SL10 Live, portable reception of Sirius(TM) programming;Stores up to 10 hours of live Sirius(TM) programming;Automatically records Sirius(TM) Satellite Radio with commercial-free music; 1-touch recording of up to 10 hours of live, individual songs from Sirius(TM) Satellite Radios commercial-free music;Schedules & records up to 6-hour blocks of music programming, talk or news from Sirius(TM) broadcasts;Song/Artist Seek alerts user when favorite songs or artists are playing on any Sirius(TM) music channel;Exclusive Aurora user interface provides easy access to Sirius(TM) radio;Pause, rewind & replay 44 minutes of live radio;Enhanced media dial with 6-way navigation control puts everything at the users fingertips;GameAlert prompts user when favorite games are broadcast & alerts when the scores change" SIRIUS(TM) STILETTO SL10

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Pioneer CD-INCAR2 Car Kit for Pioneer GEX-INNO2BK Inno 2 Portable XM Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The main reason for this kit (instead of the INNO1 version) is because the FCC forced Pioneer to reduce the FM transmitter strength.This means that to get the signal to your car's antenna you have to use an extra cable that runs from the in-dash mount, OUTSIDE YOUR CAR, and is clipped directly to your car's built-in antenna.

There are problems with this approach:

1. The first time you go through an automatic car wash the clip-on cable will be stripped right off.

2. The clip-on portion only works with extremely thin "whip" style antennas.My wife's car has a short, thick "aero" style antenna (in the center of the very rear of the roof) that is totally incompatible with this kit.They don't tell you that before you buy it.

3. Who wants a cable strung through your car for passengers to trip over?Who is going to rip out dashboards and upholstery in a new car to run this underneath?Maybe a professional installer, but this kit was aimed at the home user, supposedly.

In my case I finally tried running the "sure connect" cable under the floor mats, into the back cargo area, and then ran it in a large loop around the inner edge of the rubber seal around the hatch back, leaving the clip-on tip dangling where it wasn't obvious.The only reason this kit gets two stars instead of one is that worked: the signal is strong enough to reach the external antenna without any wires going outside the car.

If you're going to use your INNO2 in a car, be warned, and you probably should save the $70 and give it to a professional installer who'll jack it into the back of your existing radio's FM input--except I bet you have to buy the kit anyway, to get the FM transmitter enabled through the cradle, don't you?

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer CD-INCAR2 Car Kit for Pioneer GEX-INNO2BK Inno 2 Portable XM Radio

Product Description:
Convenient close-at-hand mounting with Car Dock, In-car antenna for best reception, and keep inno fully charged with included Power Adapter. Compatible with GEX-INNO2BLK only.

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Delphi MyFi XM2GO Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver with Home / Car Kits Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had my MyFi for a week now and I must say that it has exceeded my expectations.I do live in an urban area where reception is great (DC) but I find that I rarely use the live programming when on the run and just rely on my recorded content.

First what's great about the MyFi:

1) I'm new to satellite radio and was very impressed with the variety of music available.I've discovered lots of artists that while I had my Ipod I never knew existed.Add to that the great live events, talk radio, and other content.

2) XM2Go works flawlessly.But for the limitations (below) it works flawlessly.Pop your MyFi in the cradle at night and in the morning you have 5+ hours of content.Note, the box says 5 hours but in reality if you record any of the more compressed channels (talk etc.) you will end up being able to record more than 5 hours!I believe when I record music channels I actually get closer to 6 hours of recorded content.Once you have your content you can easily scroll from song to song.Skip the ones you don't like.Replay the ones you do.

3) It is truly portable.I go from pocket (headphones), to car (FM transmitter), to home cradle (line-in to the stereo) without ever interrupting listening.

4) It comes with everything you need, including a remote controlso you can easily switch channels as your MyFi sits in its cradle across the room (you can't say that about the Ipod).Further, what it comes with is great quality.I love the swivel car cradle - not only do you not have to worry about plugging wires into the MyFi everytime you bring it into the car (they are plugged into the cradle), it makes reading the display a breeze for both the driver and the passenger (just swivel it between the two).

5) Replaceable battery.Unlike the Ipod the MyFi, like a cell phone, has a swappable battery.That means you can (eventually) either buy a replacement when the battery starts to lose strengh without conducting the surgery necessary on the Ipod (this is huge given the amount of use these devices get and the liklihood that batteries will only hold their full capacity charge for 6-12 months) or just have one handy to extend your listening time.

6) It's solid state.Unlike the Ipod you don't have to worry about a hard drive to go bad (like mine did in 8 months!)

7) Recording isn't limited to scheduled records.You can always nab a song here or there by just hitting the XM2Go button.

8) It feels solid in your hand.Yeah, it's bigger and heavier than an Ipod (think thick PDA, or perhaps the Dell MP3 player) but it's designed to fit in your hand well and works well for both left (me) and right handed people.

Now the things you should be aware of (though, knowing them I still would buy one):

1) Don't expect non-stop reception when you are roaming around.Even in metro areas you might drop a signal when you aren't using the home or car kits.I imagine it is difficult at best in non-urban areas to maintain a line of sight with the sats.Just expect that you will need to make use of the recorded content in those situations.

2) Don't expect the sound quality of a high-bitrate MP3 on the Ipod.I suspect that this has everything to do with the nature of Sat radio and nothing to do with the MyFi hardware, but, the quality is not the same.Although I would rate it great, you do notice that you are getting a compressed stream.

3) Don't expect to be able to control your content.Unless you save a recording session for days you won't likely get the same songs day to day (the playlists on XM are vast, rarely are there repeats) (notable exception is if you record the top 20 channel).That's a good thing if you like variety - that's a bad thing if you like the comfort of always having your favorite tunes handy.

4) The AV cable is a bit short (nothing an extension cord couldn't fix).

5) I would like to see a more sophisticated recording scheduler. Currently you can only schedule 2 record sessions and it limits you to recording within the next 24 hours (unless you schedule a daily recording session).With all of the great XM content it would have been nice to be able to set up a recording session several days into the future.

6) I would like to be able to lock or protect songs or even whole sessions from being recorded over by new recording sessions.Currently, the way it works is just a simple first in first out method.Fortunately, it is smart enough to merely delete a portion of an overwritten section as opposed to the whole section.

7) It doesn't buffer like a TiVo/ReplayTV.It would be nice to pause and/or rewind live content.

8) Fianlly, I would love a computer interface so that that XM can distribute updated software to fix some of the above issues.

This product is great.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Delphi MyFi XM2GO Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver with Home / Car Kits

Product Description:
The Delphi MyFi, the first personal, portable XM2GO satellite radio that delivers XM's Ultimate PlayList™ anytime, anywhere - at home, at work, in the car and now, on the go.The hand-held MyFi gives users the personal freedom to enjoy XM Radio's Ultimate PlayList of more than 130 digital XM channels in two ways: a "live" listening mode and a time-shifting "memory" mode. The MyFi's live mode enables users to listen live to all of XM's 68 commercial-free music channels, plus premier news, sports, talk, traffic and weather channels. MyFi's memory mode - called "My XM" -- allows users to store five hours or more of XM's outstanding content with the press of a button, even when the unit is not in use. The MyFi makes it possible to enjoy XM Satellite Radio anywhere, anytime, effortlessly. Large, illuminated six-line LCD display. Up to 30 channel presets. Built-in alarm clock.

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Pioneer GEX-INNO2BK Inno 2 Portable XM Satellite Radio with MP3 Capability Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had XM for four years, and this is the third type of unit I've had, and it is, by far, the best.I owned the portable Delphi unit, which worked fine.I bought this Inno for a friend, and when I saw it, I fell in love and bought one myself.

Why I love it:

Size:It is small, and sleek.It comes with a little leather case to protect it (bravo to Pioneerfor not making me spend another $30 on an after-market case!) on the go.
Reception:It has an internal antenna - that little stub on the top of it in the picture is the antenna.Unlike the old Delphi, no need for an external wire clipped to clothing for reception;the reception is GREAT and smooth.
Battery:I haven't gone out all day yet, but after three hours yesterday, the battery was still over half charged.The battery indicator is clear as well. BTW, the unit comes with a slight charge, so you can "play" with it right away; no maddening "please wait 8 hours before first use."
Recording:Easy to quickly record a station, a single song, and even schedule a recording in the future.This is good for the talk radio channels.
Menu:Easy to flip through and select menus.The display screen is a great improvement; it isn't just color because it's cool; it's designed to make navigation easier.
Power:No need to lug cradle on trips.It comes with an additional more compact charger for travel.Thanks!

Why someone might complain:
Earphones: I've read reviews complaining about the earbuds.Yes, they are cheap, but so what? I've got so many other ones scattered about, it isn't really an issue.I use my ipod buds, my Bose headset, whatever.Who cares about the little earbuds?It's just something so the package is complete, and you can listen right away.
FM Modulator:Not internal to the unit, but must be purchased with the car or other kit.But then again, there are so many of those on the market, I appreciate that they didn't eat up size/functions with the modulator that is easily added on elsewhere.This is a PORTABLE unit.I don't really need a modulator when I'm out walking around...
Memory:Again, I've heard complaints about the storage size for books and recordings.I wouldn't have been surprised if there had been a slot for a card, but I'mokay with that. I've got an ipod; I'll leave my books on there.I'll use this radio as a RADIO.

OVERALL it's great.Reception is good and consistent, screen easy to navigate, solid battery charge, and the accessories in the box are great - no need to buy aftermarket anything.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer GEX-INNO2BK Inno 2 Portable XM Satellite Radio with MP3 Capability

Product Description:
Take a listen to our latest innovation, the Pioneer inno. Small in size, big on features, it's the first satellite radio that plays MP3s and WMAs. You heard right; now you can select and record from over 170 crystal-clear channels of live XM radio or play your own MP3/WMA mix. Anytime you want, at home or on the road, hear talk radio, college sports, Major League Baseball, NASCAR and any kind of music you choose. That's unheard of variety and options. And innovation, now available with the Pioneer inno. Create your own play lists / Manage play lists and files without a computer Bookmark the songs you like and purchase with XM + Napster Schedule recordings in advance, so you never miss your favorite programs Artists and Tune Select alerts you when your favorite song or artists is played.

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Delphi SA10224 SKYFi 3 Portable XM Radio Receiver with Vehicle Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Ok, I feel for people with a bad unit.Mine was working for two hours then locked up.I had another one arrive a few days later from another seller, it worked great!Difference was: THE FIRMWARE!I reset the first locked up unit by pressing the Volume+ button on the side while pushing the Mode (on/off) button on the front.The firmware version is shown at the bottom of the screen at startup, my first unit was version 1.03!Version 1.19 is the latest! (16 revisions of the firmware have obviously solved numerous problems)So I went to XM's firmware update page (http://fwupdt.xmradio.com/), hooked up the supplied USB cable from my computer to my SkyFi unit, clicked on the "XM Firmware Client (R2.26} (in red) at the bottom of that page and followed the simple instructions and let it do its update magic.Presto...my first unit works great now, no lockups, just smooth operations in all features.It's a great unit, just some of these have been sitting around on a shelf somewhere for a while (from the original $199.00 price days) and just need this simple fix to straighten them out.Best XM radio value out there!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Delphi SA10224 SKYFi 3 Portable XM Radio Receiver with Vehicle Kit

Product Description:
The Delphi SKYFi3 XM Satellite Radio is the latest in the best-selling SKYFi family. The SKYFi3 offers optimum balance of compact size, screen readability and portability outside the vehicle.
Compact and lightweight, the SKYFi3 can be used as a portable digital audio player. Click to enlarge.


Fits in the palm of your hand. Click to enlarge.


The Delphi SKYFi3 comes with everything to start enjoying XM in any vehicle equipped with an FM radio. Click to enlarge.


View screen in landscape or portrait. Click to enlarge.


Optimized for Your Car
The Delphi SKYFi3 comes with everything to start enjoying XM in any vehicle equipped with an FM radio. A low-profile car dock with direct channel and preset-favorites access allows for both horizontal an vertical mounting options. The car dock also provides for a single auxiliary line input so users can listen to an external audio. SKYFi3's orientation flexibility, bright 2.8-inch display screen and ease-to-access car dock buttons offer improved readability and control for safer operation while driving.


30-minute Pause and Replay
In today's fast-paced, multi-tasking world interruptions while listening to our favorite songs are unavoidable. The SKYFi3 features a 30 minute Pause-Replay function that continuously and automatically saves the last 30 minutes of music, sports, comedy or talk--regardless of whether the user changes channels. At any point during live listening, users can pause a song or program with a single button press. As long as playback resumes within 30 minutes, users can enjoy what they would have otherwise missed.


Store up to 10 hours of XM Programming
The Delphi SKYFi3 can time-shift up to 10 hours of fresh and continuously updated XM programming on its non-removable internal flash memory. Recordings can be started anytime during the live listening mode or by using SKYFi3's scheduled recording feature. A subscription to XM must be maintained to listen to stored XM programming.


Additional Features

Plug-n-Play architecture with integrated XM tuner provides live XM listening when docked to a number of compatible Delphi accessories.
Vehicle-centric design featuring vertical or horizontal orientation and the largest display among all plug-n-play satellite radios.
The first and only XM portable satellite radio to offer MicroSD card compatibility.
Portable playback mode--listen to stored XM or MicroSD card content without running out of battery (with flexible recharging capabilities).
XM+Napster allows XM subscribers to listen to more than 70 XM music channels on the XM Radio Online service and access Napster's massive catalog for on-demand listening, purchasing and downloading.
Info Extras and Stock Ticker bring you personalized stock information, sports scores and more!
TuneSelect alerts you when your favorite song is being played on any XM channel.

What's in the Box
SKYFi3 receiver, Full-function remote control, Earbuds for listening to stored content on the go, Magnetic mount car antenna, Car cradle with integrated back-lit number keys and vertical or horizontal orientation, Mounting accessories, Power adaptor

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Pioneer CD-XMPCAR1 XMp3 Car Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got the XMP3 radio for Christmas '08 ( a LOT cheaper now if you're thinking about it, and about the best Sat Radio available!) and I wanted to get the car kit for it also. I just waited a few months for the price to come down and now I have one. If you want to listen to your new XMP3 Radio in your vehicle you'll probably need this too! If you've had previous XM radio car kits this includes the same stuff, extra remote (good thing), antenna etc., except no cassette adapter this time, just a stereo to stereo adapter cable for direct input, if you have that in your car. The owners manual says that if don't have an input into your radio or are still using a cassette player stereo and don't have a cassette adapter, you need one of the two FM modulators for XM to hear it as the FM modulator capabilities are supposed to be in the base for this car kit, not in the radio. I actually got this car kit for my Gold Wing motorcycle. I already had my SkyFi2 set up on it and it was just swap it out for this base and change the power adapter for the 5 Volt XMP3. I already have the in line FM modulator on the motorcycle and it all works great. To be honest though the SkyFi2 display is easier to read in the bright sunlight, and it's a bigger display. In a car/truck the XMP3 color display would be fine though.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer CD-XMPCAR1 XMp3 Car Kit

Product Description:
Pioneer Phoenix Xmp3 Car Kit Accs

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Pioneer GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver w/ Home Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought an Xmp3 player from Amazon about a week ago. I have to write that it became almost difficult to buy one because I read all manner of both rave and poor reviews. In the end I took a leap of faith and bought one despite identifying with some poor reviewers. The principle poor I read here was absolutely wrong and I want to address that here because the leap of faith I took was in deciding that the poor review was written by someone who likely didn't know how to operate the device.

The poor review stated that you had to view all the channels and could not save favorites so that you could easily go to the channels you like easily. Frankly I couldn't believe that, bought one anyway, and found the feature the review stated was not there in all of 5 seconds. And I am first-time XM device owner and subscriber.

So I want to accomplish two things in this small review. I want to say if you are too stupid to use the device, don't bother writing a review about it. You scare me and anyone else looking for credible information on a device. I just can't stand it when write bad reviews with less then all the facts. This rotten reviewer could have spent a few seconds with the device without even reading the manual and found the settings. It's right on the menu and so I am lead to believe this person has some ax to grind because no one is that stupid to miss the feature.

I do have some complaints, but for the most part, anyone would like this device.

The xmp3 has a very simple menu system on the device itself. You start off by being able to see all channels in a long list or seeing them by group. Once you find a channel you like, click options, then click Add to Favorites. It's so simple I don't know how one bad reviewer missed it. There is a paper channel guide sitting on top of the manual too. So if you just want to type in a channel, like 129, just press the keypad button and type it in. So in just 2 steps you are into whatever channel you want. I know CNN is 122, so I can go to my favorites, or just punch it in. I can't see how to make that any easier.

Someone here mentioned signal problems. I very much want to cover this because that also scared me. I live in San Francisco. And I take public transportation all the time. Buses, BART, I walk, etc. Some city streets allow just2-way traffic. One lane for cars in each direction. If I walk on those narrow streets with 2 to 3 story houses on both sides, then the signal cuts out. If I want on wider streets, it's fine. And there are two kinds of signals. Terrestrial and Satellite. You can get one or the other, or both. And there is a setting in the options that shows you both signals while the music or news plays. So you will see how little signal you need to get the programming. Unlike regular radio, a limited signal does not mean poor quality. It's all you need to get the full experience. It's digital, so it's perfect or it's not. It doesn't need full strength to get a perfect audio output. This is important. Now, the Xmp3 came with a home kit, and I bought an extra one for work. I didn't have to mount the antenna outside at all. Just place it on a window ledge and watch the antenna signal. Aim it around and watch the signal response. It's stupid-easy. I did the same thing at my office. So when I am home or at the office, I plug the xmp3 into the doc, which is already plugged into the external antenna and I get great audio. It comes with a remote control with every home kit. A pair of self powered $20 speakers is all you need to use these with the home kits. It works fantastically and you need only the one device.

Some wondered if you can truly record more than one station at a time. Yes, you can. Keep this in mind because it's important and I'll explain why in the next paragraph where I explain the battery issues also raised in review.

Some complain the battery only lasts for 4 to 5 hours in live mode. First, live means you are listening to Xmradio live, and not recorded. The XMP3 player can play MP3s, WAVs, and recorded XM radio, plus live XM Radio. There is an easy way to extend the use of the radio to meet anyone's enjoyment needs. I have owned 5 iPods, 4 Zunes, 3 Zen Players, and 2 Rios, plus a Sansa. I have listened to over 200 audible books. I listen to podcasts more than anyone I ever met. I've been listening to portable audio for over a decade. So Xmp3 has a lot to live up to. I'm just as tough on a device as anyone else.

I want to give a quick example of how I use it and you can apply this to the battery issue. Because my method solves all the problems of battery, signal, etc in my opinion. So open those eyes wider and pay attention. The reality that this records 5 stations at once is the key. In the morning before the New York Stock Exchange Opening bell, I am up and getting ready for work. I record CNN, Bloomberg, and CNBC at the same time for about an hour. I can mostly listen to one of those live as I get ready for work, but the other 2 are recorded at the same time. When I hit the street to take my bus, I listen to the other recorded programs to avoid any signal issues. The information is still fresh, and I get no signal problem as I did record this while the unit is mounted into the external antenna. Playing back recorded programming, audible books, or mp3s makes the battery last 16 hours. So my point is, when you are listening to something live take the opportunity to record other stations so you maximize your listening time. It's easy, and it works well. And you get to use the device all day. Again at 4:00PM at work I set it to record the stations I want for an hour. So that at 5:00PM when I leave, I am listening to recorded shows from 1 hour ago and again, little battery drain, and no signal problems on the way home because it's recorded playback. What's the difference in listening to 1 hour ago programming? In fact, it's better. Let me explain why. When you record a channel for 60 minutes or more and then play it back, you can skip ads as easily as you can hit the "Next" button. The recorded shows are divided up by every change. If a ad comes up, it's considered a segment which can be skipped in playback. So when I listen to record news, I can quickly listen to the news by skipping ads. And it's even easier than a tivo! Just one tap of skip, skips one ad. If there are 3 ads in a row, you can skip 1, 2, and 3 times to skip all three ads. Easy as pie and you'll love it. So believe me, you want to take advantage of recorded shows when you go for a walk. You skip the bull, get perfect audio, and can listen just like live or skip ads. Up to you.

So I have to say, in terms of the device itself, it's a 5 star device. After reading poor reviews, I'm glad I tried it anyway. If you are on the fence, go for it. You will see as I have see that the device is fantastic. That's where the rave reviews come from. Those are from those folks that have a brain in their head and don't have some ax to grind.

Now I do have gripes, but they have to do with the XM2Go Music software. This software is not a music manager as you might think. It should not be compared to iTunes or Media Monkey, because it's honestly not a music manager at all. It's more of an upload tool to upload mp3s or WAV files to the device. Read on...

I thought the XM2GO app would be a full music manager, but rather what it does is allow you to easily setup a program record time if that's what you want. You can use it to upload music to your SD card. But the best way to do this is by organizing what you want to upload to the device into a single folder before you upload it. If you already have a full music collection on your hard drive that is stored in the file system by artist and you want a small subset of favorite tunes, you're going to go crazy with XM2GO because you will have to pick one by each song using a director tool in XM2GO to hand pick each song and choose upload. It's insanely stupid.

I use Media Monkey instead of iTunes. And in Media Monkey, I can take my favorites playlist and sent a copy of the songs in that playlist to a folder on my desktop in Windows. Then I use XM2GO to upload the contents of that single folder to the SD card. This gives me my favorite MP3s on the XMP3. I find this the fastest, easiest way to deal with the extremely lousy XM2GO software, which didn't even come with my player. I had to download it. The one real complaint I have with the XMP3 player is not with the device. It's with the Music app from XP / Pioneer. These two companies absolutely blew it on the software. You can work around this as I said, but it would have been great to have a more full-featured music app so that you can easily manage podcasts and mp3 playlists on the device. The way it's done now makes me want to visit with Pioneer and XM and slap these stupid programmers. I don't know why it is so hard for these companies to see what needs to be done to make something simple and enjoyable to use. It's as if they have no brains in their skulls, and know that's not true. It's not a show-stopper. I'd buy the device all over again even knowing what I know now.

You can add audible content to the Xmp3, but not on the SD card. It goes on the devices built in memory. And recorded XM radio also goes on the device memory. So the SD card is truly good for MP3s and WAV files.

Now a few other points for first -time XM people. If you use the web app to play content online you can click a button and buy the song from Amazon. I love this feature. So listening via a laptop over the internet is a good idea and can help you discover new songs to buy. BUT! And I mean BUT, some stations are not available online. No Bloomberg or CNBC for example. Don't count on every station being there exactly the same way as on the device. Because of this, I strongly recommend getting a home kit for your home and office. If you just think it through a little you'll find that the battery, being mobile, etc are all not a real problem. Even for those walking around dense cities as I am.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver w/ Home Kit

Product Description:
Record What You Love, Listen When You Want! Introducing the Pioneer GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio with MP3. Providing you with the best of both worlds.
With the XMp3, the Music Never Stops
Loved that song, really want to hear it again? Miss that MLB play or joke on one of the comedy channels? Pause and replay it. Know you'll miss the game? Record it and play it again the next day, or on the drive home. In the car with your kids? Listen to 20 on 20 or XMKiDs while simultaneously recording the game, your favorite show, or the station you can't get enough of to listen later.



Live XM: Enjoy over 170 channels of music and exclusive content.




The NEW XMp3 offers:

More ways than ever to record up to 100 of your favorite XM programming
Automatic Recording: 15 - 30 hours
Multi Channel Record up to five channels at the same time
DVR like feature pause and replay 30 minutes of live XM
Smaller and lighter form factor
Larger and more vibrant color display
Improved User Interface and track wheel
Micro SD Slot! The XMp3 is microSDHC compliant and works with standard or high capacity microSD cards (up to 8GB).
New Exclusive XM2go Music Manager compatible with XMp3 and backward compatible with Inno, Helix, Nexus, and SkyFi3

Record up to 75 hours of programs or 10 Hours of songs.


Compact and easy to cary at only 3.1 ounces.


Live XM

Enjoy over 170 channels of music, sports, news, talk, entertainment, and exclusive content
Set up to 99 Favorite Channels
TuneSelect: Be alerted when your favorite artists or songs are playing on any XM channel
XM Programming Guide: See the best of XM and choose to be alerted when it is playing or schedule to record it

Recording

More ways than ever to record up to 100 your favorite XM programs -- automatic, scheduled, one touch -- and save time by recording up to 5 channels at the same time
One-Touch Recording of up to 10 Hours of Individual Songs
Schedule Recordings of up to 75 Hours of Your Favorite XM Programs
Automatic Recording of up to 15 - 30 Hours of Your Favorite XM Channels
Save Time -- Record up to 5 Channels at the Same Time

MP3
Enjoy your personal music collection (MP3 and WMA files) collection with the micro SD card slot. Compatible with standard or high capacity microSD cards, the XMp3 is microSDHC compliant.
XM2go Music Manager

Schedule Recordings of up to 75 hours of your Favorite XM Programs
Manage your music: Create and modify playlists of your own MP3 collection or your XM recordings
Online Programming Guide: Discover new music by seeing what's playing on XM for the next week
Bookmark and purchase songs from compatible online music services including Napster
Purchase and listen to your favorite audio books from Audible.com/xm

Other Key Features:
GameSelect: Be alerted when your favorite sports teams are on any XM channel Info Extras: Keep track of selected sports scores and stocks


What's in the Box
GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio with MP3, wireless remote control, headphones, operation manual, warranty sheet

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SIRIUS Stiletto 2 Portable Satellite Radio with MP3 Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I thought about writing a review for some time now. I wanted to make sure I was out of the honeymoon phase before I wrote about this device.I have had it for over a couple of weeks now and feel like it's time.

I purchased the Stiletto 2 as a late Christmas present to myself.I had signed up originally for the 3-day trial and loved the radio selections.I live Montana and our radio stations are pretty decent, but we have a lot of commercials.So, being able to listen to music without commercials is fantastic.

I wasn't sure what device to purchase, so I started reading.I had read a number of reviews (particularly the poor ones) about the Stiletto 2, but I liked the portability aspect, so I purchased it.

I now understand their complaints.They want better reception from the device itself, better/more comfortable headphones, etc.I agree the reception on the device isn't the best when indoors, but I purchased the home kit and that significantly improved reception.

When I am away from my home dock, I connect through Internet radio and it works just fine.

I also bought the car kit, but haven't had a chance to install it yet.I was able to get reception in my car without it though, so I imagine the car kit will only improve upon that.

The user interface is quite easy to navigate and the controls on the device are fairly intuitive. I like to test devices without reading the manual first to see how easy it is to figure out and the Stiletto 2 was pretty straightforward.I had to refer to the manual to understand the recording options, but otherwise, it was simple.

The recording option is fantastic.I set up a number of recurring sessions in the middle night.In the morning, I can then listen to them when I am working out, running errands, etc.I think this is probably one of the best features of the device.I have 15+ hours of recorded content and have used only 35% of the internal memory.Replay is fantastic.You can skip through songs just like your MP3 player and for me, that's a great option.

The size of the device is just right.It fits in my pocket, but it's not so small that I am afraid it's going to get broken or lost.

The battery life has been more than adequate.It's rated at like 4+ hours for Satellite or Internet radio and 20+ for recorded or library selections.I can attest that I have listened to it for many hours without running out of power.I wouldn't mind having a spare battery, but it's probably overkill.

As for the additional SD card slot.It's too bad it's under the battery.When you install an SD card, it's like you are putting in RAM in your laptop.This is not simple or intuitive for a lot of people (thinking of my mom here).I am sure there was an architectural reason, but it's too bad it's not just inserted on the side like a number of cell phones.

I have owned a number of musical devices in my life, 5+ iPods, a Zune, Rio, CD players, Walkmans, etc, but I can say this device has really reminded me of how music can be such a wonderful part of your life.I listen to my radio non-stop, and I wouldn't have it any other way now.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SIRIUS Stiletto 2 Portable Satellite Radio with MP3 Player

Product Description:
With the release of the Stiletto 2, Sirius ushers in the next personal music player revolution. With a slim and sleek profile smaller than a video iPod, the ultra-portable Sirius Stiletto 2 satellite radio receiver features a built-in antenna that allows reception of the Sirius signal without the need for an external car or home docking station. This handheld receiver offers users up to 100 hours of internal storage of live satellite program and music feeds. It also can handle MP3 and WMA files, enabling you to mix Sirius content with your own personal music collection. When coupled with an optional vehicle or home docking kit, you can broadcast both Sirius radio and digital audio files over any FM stereo via the built-in transmitter (adapter required).


The sleek and stylish Stiletto 2 can play both Sirius broadcasts and MP3s. View larger.

With its compact design, the Stiletto 2 lets you experience Sirius internet radio on the go. The compact Stiletto 2 MP3 player is a 4.3-ounce portable radio that is capable of receiving live Sirius broadcasts via both satellite and Wi-Fi signals. Internal flash memory is used to store Sirius content as well as MP3/WMA files for non-live playback. Listeners can easily bookmark songs and tag favorite songs for later purchase using any Windows-based online music service. Additionally, the Stiletto 2 supports removable microSD flash memory cards to enable users to conveniently expand usable memory space. MP3 and WMA files also can be stored on the Stiletto 2 and managed with the included My Sirius Studio software. The Stiletto 2 is compatible with most music download and subscription services.
The enhanced Wi-Fi capability of the Stiletto 2 permits access to standard Sirius Internet Radio (SIR) or, for an additional subscription charge, SIR's premium audio quality offering. SIR gives subscribers access to more than 80 channels of Sirius Satellite Radio content on the Internet, including Howard Stern's two channels, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius OutQ, and commercial-free music programming. Sirius also selected Altec Lansing to develop the new antenna headphones for the Stiletto 2. Featuring large 30-mm drivers for full-spectrum acoustics and an adjustable headband for increased user comfort, the new Altec Lansing antenna headphones can deliver hours of listening enjoyment in absolute comfort and crystal clear audio clarity.
Other features of the Stiletto 2 include a brilliant 2.2-inch color display, a handy media dial, and a six-way navigation control that provides easy one-handed access to all features and content. Thrown in for added convenience are Sirius Replay, which allows users to pause, rewind, and replay up to 60 minutes of live radio programming; Game Alert, which allows listeners to track favorite sports team and drive broadcasts and alerts when scores change; and Game Zone, which provides a listing of the user's favorite teams in one virtual category. Parents also have control over usable channels with the parental channel lockout feature. Measuring 1.9 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches, the Stiletto 2 weighs in at a scant 4.3 ounces.
About Sirius
Sirius Satellite Radio delivers more than 130 channels of music and programming via crystal clear direct satellite feed. In addition to 69 channels of commercial-free music listening, Sirius also delivers 65 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, and weather forecasts. Sirius--the official satellite radio partner of the NFL, NASCAR, and NBA--broadcasts live play-by-play games of the NFL and NBA, as well as live NASCAR races. All Sirius programming is available for a monthly subscription fee.
What's in the Box
Stiletto 2 receiver/MP3 player, battery, AC power adaptor, Altec Lansing headphones, ear buds, PC cable, and My Sirius Studio software.

Listen to more than 130 channels of music and programming on the go--in the car, at home, or in the office.

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Duracell 813-0281-07 100 Watt DC to AC Pocket Power Inverter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It is 100 W0.8 A for 5 minutes only, all the rest of the time is 80W 0.65 A. Consider this when buying it.
It is made by a company called XANTREX in china for DURACELL.
On the picture is looking better than actual.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Duracell 813-0281-07 100 Watt DC to AC Pocket Power Inverter

Product Description:
The Duracell Pocket Inverter 100 is a popular member of the Duracell Power family of ultra-compact, lightweight and modern power inverters and chargers manufactured by Battery-Biz Inc. The Duracell Pocket Inverter 100 efficiently converts 12-volt DC current from a vehicle's cigarette lighter or power port into safe, reliable standard 120-volt household AC electricity. This versatile inverter includes a three-prong AC outlet plus a convenient USB charge port, allowing you to simultaneously operate and recharge both an AC-powered and a USB powered mobile device with ease. When your laptop, iPod, BlackBerry, Palm or any other portable electronic device runs out of battery power, simply plug it into the Duracell Pocket Inverter 100 and keep it going. The Duracell Pocket Inverter 100 is the smallest inverter on the market and can easily be stored in your laptop bag, vehicle console or glove box, making it an ideal companion for any well-connected traveler.

Elegant, Yet Practical
The Duracell Pocket Inverter 100 is designed to connect to the 12-volt DC accessory outlet in your vehicle and turn your vehicle's battery power into usable current to operate and charge a wide variety of popular portable electronic devices. The Pocket Inverter 100 efficiently and reliably converts power via both a standard 3-prong AC receptacle and a convenient USB port for flexible compatibility with thousands of popular electronic devices. The Pocket Inverter 100 uses reliable solid state power electronics for years of safe, trouble-free operation and includes automatic safety monitoring circuitry to protect both the inverter and your vehicle battery from inadvertent overload conditions. A sleek, elegant case design makes the Duracell Pocket Inverter 100 an attractive choice for use in even for the most stylish vehicles.

Convenient charging, including USB, for all your modern gadgets.
View larger.

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