No, I don't want to duct-tape an iPod to an XM radio receiver

November 28, 2005 8:00 AM

Gadgetfilter: One portable device that plays mp3's and gets satellite radio. Does it exist? Will it exist in the future?

mr. junkbox loves listening to talk radio (especially BBC and This American Life, though he'll listen to people talk about almost anything really). He lusts after XM radio or Sirius, but he also hauls a CD player around with him to listen to his favorite music.

The last few years, I've been hoping for a device that would do both; is it out there? Do they have them in say, Japan, and maybe they'll be available in the US in another year or two? Or is such a thing unfeasable for technical or market reasons?

I'm thinking that it's time to go ahead and get him an iPod, and let him use Podcasts to get his talk radio fix. Time to stop holding out, or is there still hope?

posted by junkbox to technology (11 comments total)

As far as I know, there are no portable XM/Sirius gadgets that also play mp3s.
posted by antifuse at 8:12 AM on November 28, 2005

I'm pretty sure Sirius was working on a unit that had some MP3 functionality, but I can't now find the thing.

Part of the problem, I think, is that the satellite radio receiver gear is still fairly large and runs hot.
posted by selfnoise at 8:27 AM on November 28, 2005

Satellite radio will begin to see its full potential (hopefully) by Christmas 06, but definitely Christmas 07.

For now, get an iPod (I recommend the new iPod video... not the Nano, it's too much for too little).
posted by bamassippi at 8:35 AM on November 28, 2005

I believe Dell is working on this right now. I'm not sure of the release date however.
posted by meta87 at 8:44 AM on November 28, 2005

Dell offers a player that plays mp3s and satellite radio but not in the way you're looking for...I believe it records satellite radio programming while docked, which you can then listen to whenever you want when you unplug it. Lame, I know. I'm waiting for an XM/mp3 player myself. I think it would be a great way for a non-iPod product to make headway in the portable music market. We'll see.
posted by apple scruff at 9:05 AM on November 28, 2005

It's probably not what you were thinking, but Sprint is offering SIRIUS via their "Vision" wireless internet service. Pair that with, say, Treo 650 and, ideally, Pocket Tunes and you have a device that can also play mp3s.

The Treo can also stream Shoutcast (Internet Radio), so I dunno if that could replace satellite radio for you.
posted by LordSludge at 9:09 AM on November 28, 2005

The Treo can also stream Shoutcast (Internet Radio), so I dunno if that could replace satellite radio for you.

that might be the solution because I know with sirius, you have a log in so you can stream the same channels over the internet.
posted by chuckforthought.com at 9:17 AM on November 28, 2005

XM also has an internet streaming version of their service (included in the monthly fee now), but you can't use it on the Treo because the player is all in Flash.
posted by shinynewnick at 9:28 AM on November 28, 2005

Do they have them in say, Japan, and maybe they'll be available in the US in another year or two?

Satellite radio is a largely American phenomenon. Everywhere else is upgrading their FM transmitters to digital (eg DAB) instead. This explains why there's so little choice in receivers, and why there'll probably never be an iPod with integrated satellite radio.
posted by cillit bang at 10:52 AM on November 28, 2005

Sirius has the s50 and XM has (soon) a Dell-DJ branded player.

Both of these units will only receive SatRad while "docked" at home or in the car.

The only portable SatRad unit is the XM MyFi, but it does not support MP3s.
posted by stew560 at 8:03 PM on November 28, 2005

cool workaround:

1) get directv - they've replaced their in-house crappy music stations with over 50 XM radio stations!
2) get a slingbox
3) listen to XM radio on your laptop, by simply connecting to your home tv!
posted by ericbop at 2:06 PM on November 30, 2005