Satellite Radio for the iPhone

Most of you that read the blog know that I'm a fan of satellite radio. I actually subscribe to both Sirius and XM, although Sirius is what you'll find me listening to most often. Ever since I got my iPhone, I've wanted a way to listen to the service on my phone. I always have it with me, but I don't always have my Stiletto2 or inno. I thought maybe I'd be able to use the online listening platform to stream Sirius to my phone, but Apple decided not to give the current iPhone Java support, so that's a no-go. However, all is not lost. XM is currently working on an iPhone application to allow online streaming, and there's a application under development for Sirius that will allow streaming for Jailbroken iPhones (not an official Sirius application).

Father's Day Sirius Special: Save 20%

If you're a procrastinator like me, then I bet you still haven't picked something up for Father's Day.... Am I right? Yep... Thought so. Slacker. Well, no worries, Sirius has you covered. Sirius is offering 20% off their entire line when you enter the coupon code "father" into your shopping cart. A Sirius Stiletto would make a pretty cool gift for just about any dad. And with radios starting out at $25, how can you go wrong? Check out the entire Sirius radio offering by clicking here.

You're welcome.

I Want That: Sirius Radio SCV-1 Backseat TV

If you've ever been on a long road trip with kids, then you probably already know it can be a pretty patience-testing experience. Kids get antsy, books and magazines become less and less entertaining, drivers start to become delirious from the hours of repeated Barney and Dora the Explorer soundtracks....

If this is you, or somebody you know, get them help immediately. They need to know about Sirius Backseat TV. For less than the cost of two CDs per month, Sirius Backseat TV can help any road-tripping family by providing live streaming video with kids programming to a backseat entertainment system, while simultaneously providing over 150 audio channels of musics, sports, and entertainment. Want to learn more? Follow the jump to check out a video from Al & Ed's Mr. Mobile as he demos the Sirius Backseat TV system. Oh yeah, and you can win one of these too! Check out the video to learn how.

Scooped: Sirius Stratus 5!

Well, the guys at the FCC have hooked up gadget geeks again with another sneak peak of a Sirius product, this time the new Stratus 5. It's not a terribly exciting, but I figured we'd share it anyhow. The new Stratus 5 will feature a "hot" monochromatic three-line display, built-in wireless FM transmitter, and a pretty thin profile. While it's nothing to get uber-excited about, it is pretty perfect for those interested in getting an inexpensive taste of Sirius. The guys at Orbitcast suspect this also won't support the a la carte programming feature either, which is kind of weak, but oh well. Follow the jump to check out a full pic with accessories and the owner's manual (pdf).

in the forums!

Source: Orbitcast

The Battle for Mobile TV Heats Up!

With analog TV going bye-bye in a few months, the options for a new over-the-air TV format for mobile use has opened up an all-new format war. Earlier in the year we reported on Kenwood and Hughes collaboration on the "MPH" DTV standard. LG was initially on board to use DTV, but has since made an announcement to go work exclusively with Samsung to develop their own DTV standard and devices to support it.

And then you have Sirius with their satellite-driven Sirius Backseat TV, which at the moment is limited to only a handful of channels (all kids programming for the moment). Backseat TV also offers a much smaller resolution and is not recommended for screens over 10-inches.

And now US Telematics also announced they'll be developing their own digital TV standard that will actually broadcast over WiMax wireless internet technology, known as IPTV. They currently offer the Voyager system (which I've tried to get more information on, but have been unsuccessful), and will be developing a newer 4VDO mobilecast program that will feature broadcast and video programming. Cool thing about this format is it requires Internet to function, so vehicle's will be "connected", which opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.

It'll be interesting to see who comes out on top, or maybe there's room for all? I suspect Sirius TV isn't going anywhere, and I think Kenwood and Hughes have a pretty solid package (based on my hands-on experience with their prototype). If you have an analog TV tuner in your car, enjoy it for the few months you have left (if you can even pick up a TV signal). We're looking forward to 2009. Let the format wars begin!

in the forums!

Source: Gearlog
Source: Wired