Itsme
01-04-2006, 09:58 PM
XM Satellite unveils cheaper new products
JAN. 4 3:47 P.M. ET As competition for subscribers hits a frenzied pace, XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. announced several new products meant to expand its reach in the nascent satellite radio space on Wednesday.
One of XM's new products, the XM Passport, is a small 1.3-inch by 1.65-inch cartridge, which serves as a portable satellite radio tuner.
The product, launched with Audiovox Corp., resembles a flash memory card, and eventually it will be directly inserted into a slot in XM-ready electronic devices, such as DVD players and home stereos, from partners including Yamaha, Pioneer, Sony, LGE, JVC and Samsung.
Until the XM-ready devices are in stores, the XM Passport, expected to be released this spring, can be inserted into a docking station, which can be plugged into the auxiliary plugs on the back of some electronics, or in some cases, into an XM antenna port.
The radio service on the XM Passport will be priced at the standard $12.95 per month, but the cost of the XM Passport will be just $29.99, a steep discount to XM portable radios, such as the Delphi MyFi, which can cost up to $350. The home and car docking stations will also be priced at $29.99 each.
At a pricier $399.99, Pioneer Electronics and Samsung Electronics are both rolling out MP3 players that include XM's radio service.
The Pioneer Inno and the Samsung Helix XM2go players, handheld devices expected to be released in the first quarter, will have flash memory, so listeners can save and store XM programming, and will have a bookmark function to save songs heard on the radio.
For the more price-conscious consumer, Samsung also is rolling out the Samsung NEXUS 25 player, which will retail at $199.99 and can store up to 25 hours of programming, and the Samsung NEXUS 50, which will retail at $249.99, and can store up to 50 hours of programming.
Competitor Sirius Satellite Radio isn't sitting idle, either. On Wednesday, Thomson Multimedia said it is partnering with RCA and GE to roll out several new Sirius-enabled audio systems this summer, priced between $119 and $299.
The $299 bookshelf audio system has a 5-CD changer, and can rip CDs directly onto an MP3 player via a USB port. Listeners can also record Sirius Satellite and FM radio broadcasts on the system's MP3 player.
Thomson's $299 home theater system has a 5 DVD or CD changer, and the $119 under-cabinet kitchen audio system has a CD player.
The new products require a Sirius Satellite Radio antenna, which could add another $49.99 to the total cost.
JAN. 4 3:47 P.M. ET As competition for subscribers hits a frenzied pace, XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. announced several new products meant to expand its reach in the nascent satellite radio space on Wednesday.
One of XM's new products, the XM Passport, is a small 1.3-inch by 1.65-inch cartridge, which serves as a portable satellite radio tuner.
The product, launched with Audiovox Corp., resembles a flash memory card, and eventually it will be directly inserted into a slot in XM-ready electronic devices, such as DVD players and home stereos, from partners including Yamaha, Pioneer, Sony, LGE, JVC and Samsung.
Until the XM-ready devices are in stores, the XM Passport, expected to be released this spring, can be inserted into a docking station, which can be plugged into the auxiliary plugs on the back of some electronics, or in some cases, into an XM antenna port.
The radio service on the XM Passport will be priced at the standard $12.95 per month, but the cost of the XM Passport will be just $29.99, a steep discount to XM portable radios, such as the Delphi MyFi, which can cost up to $350. The home and car docking stations will also be priced at $29.99 each.
At a pricier $399.99, Pioneer Electronics and Samsung Electronics are both rolling out MP3 players that include XM's radio service.
The Pioneer Inno and the Samsung Helix XM2go players, handheld devices expected to be released in the first quarter, will have flash memory, so listeners can save and store XM programming, and will have a bookmark function to save songs heard on the radio.
For the more price-conscious consumer, Samsung also is rolling out the Samsung NEXUS 25 player, which will retail at $199.99 and can store up to 25 hours of programming, and the Samsung NEXUS 50, which will retail at $249.99, and can store up to 50 hours of programming.
Competitor Sirius Satellite Radio isn't sitting idle, either. On Wednesday, Thomson Multimedia said it is partnering with RCA and GE to roll out several new Sirius-enabled audio systems this summer, priced between $119 and $299.
The $299 bookshelf audio system has a 5-CD changer, and can rip CDs directly onto an MP3 player via a USB port. Listeners can also record Sirius Satellite and FM radio broadcasts on the system's MP3 player.
Thomson's $299 home theater system has a 5 DVD or CD changer, and the $119 under-cabinet kitchen audio system has a CD player.
The new products require a Sirius Satellite Radio antenna, which could add another $49.99 to the total cost.