|
|
| My take: satellite radio is a SIRIUS iPod killer |
May 9, 2006 |
By Greg Michetti
You can listen to oldies, eavesdrop on the jammed traffic situation on Boston’s Boylston Street or pay attention to Martha Stewart as she waxes eloquent on her Living Radio program.
For Roman Catholics, SIRIUS satellite radio has a station broadcasting a Catholic Mass 24/7; the perfect way to atone for last Sunday when you stayed home to watch that Cowboys-Eagles game.
Wait. There’s more. There is an all-Elvis radio station that plays, naturally, nothing but the King. Is this a great country or what?
Joking aside, let’s get, um…serious for a minute. For me, SIRIUS satellite radio embodies everything about the Internet that I like. First, it employs Internet Protocol and satellite technology. Second, it uses technology to breathe some new life into something familiar but old and tired. And it uses a small device to access an endless supply of data, which by the way, is where all entertainment devices are headed. If you can get to all of your data all of the time, do you really care where it is? Of course not.
SIRIUS (http://www.sirius-canada.ca), along with its rival XM Satellite Radio (http://www.xmradio.ca) has been going great guns in the U.S. for a couple of years now. It took awhile before the sleepy Ottawa types approved it for north of the 49th, but in November 2005 the services were finally made available for us.
The popularity of satellite radio is booming. In the U.S., it’s at nine million subscribers, up 97 per cent from a year ago. Suddenly, packing around all those MP3s and listening to the same old boring tunes on an iPod has become just so 2005.
Here’s the deal. The SIRIUS Canada service costs $14.99 per month and for that you get 100 commercial-free stations, 60 of which are music with the other 40 news, talk and sports like the NHL. Ten are Canadian music and information stations made available nationally in both English and French. Structurally, SIRIUS Canada is a partnership of CBC/Radio Canada, Standard Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (U.S.).
The Starmate player I tested was a 10cm by 2.5cm unit that slips into a swivel arm that in turn “suction cups” to the inside of your auto’s windshield. A pair of thin rubber cables, for power and connectivity to your auto’s built-in radio, run from the Starmate and into the dashboard.
The orange and black screen displays the artist, song title and channel information and you can operate the unit and surf through channels with a small remote control device. When you find one you like, you program it as a favourite, much like the regular radio station settings in your car. Initially, it is hard to stop channel surfing. And take it from me, it is tricky to do this and keep your eyes safely on the road.
So, exactly what music is playing, anyway? Here’s a quick rundown from SIRIUS:
Pop: Music from today and favourites from yesterday
Rock: Includes classic rock on Classic Vinyl, the latest alternative hits on Alt Nation, pure hard rock on Octane, and others.
Electronic, Dance, Hip-Hop/R&B: Electronic and dance channels include trance and progressive house on Area 33, downtempo electronica on Chill, and classic dance on The Strobe.
Country: Today’s stars on New Country, classic country from The Roadhouse, renegades and rogues on Outlaw Country and bluegrass music on Bluegrass.
Jazz and Blues: Contemporary jazz on Planet Jazz, smooth jazz on Jazz Café, new age instrumental music on Spa73 and authentic blues on Sirius Blues.
Standards and Classical: Channels include Standard Time, Broadway’s Best, Symphony Hall and SIRIUS Pops.
Latin and International: Channels include today’s top Latin music on Universo Latina and music from around the world on The Globe.
The best way to learn about SIRIUS Radio is to sign up for a free three-day trial at http://www.sirius.com. You’ll get the idea pretty quickly. Then parade on down to your local Future Shop, London Drugs, Best Buy, Canadian Tire or the Source and pick up your device.
|
|
|
| Top 300 Issue |
 
|
| Gadget of the Week (Canadian) |
|
Boost your cell
ARC Wireless Freedom Blade
Mobile data and voice are great, as long as the signal is strong. And while mobile networks are pretty good these days, road warriors quickly discover that dead zones still exist.
more>>
|
| Gadget of the Week (Japanese) |
Sounds of Japan
Why record just the visual when you can capture the sounds as well.
more>> |
| Backblog RSS feed |
Click to subscribe  |
|
sponsored by 
