News Articles From Days Gone By

Tampa St. Pete commuters siriusly hacked off
(31 January 2009)
Forget the Super Bowl. Commuters in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area are just not happy with the changes taking place at SiriusXM since the merger. Tops on the list is the change in traffic reporting. Not only have Sirius and XM merged; the combined satcaster has merged the Tampa Bay traffic reports with those from Orlando. The resulting confusion has many convinced that the area has been dropped altogether. In addition, numerous popular programs have been dropped and commercials are now being broadcast on music channels that had previously been available on XM only. And to top it off, SiriusXM is raising the monthly subscription rate for additional satrads and for Internet access. Maybe the Tampa Bay commuters would like to send Steelers' linebacker James Harrison after Mel Karmazin instead of Kurt Warner.     more>>


Should FM receivers be in cellphones?
(31 January 2009)
Given the unfolding weather disaster in the Midwest, Jeff Smulyan, Chairman and CEO of Emmis Communications says everyone would be better off with FM radio cellphones instead of HD Radio. Says Smulyan, "I received a note from my friend and colleague Bud Walters, President of the Cromwell Group, which operates 22 radio stations in four states." Smulyan goes on to say that Walterws tells him that "Owensboro, Kentucky is now a federal disaster area. There is no local communication except for our radio stations that are on the air...thanks to a very dedicated staff. No Cell. No Telephone. No Long Distance." Clearly an FM radio capability in cellphones would help people in distress to receive critical information even if the cellular telephone system is inoperable.    more>>

Springsteen speaks!
(30 January 2009)
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are being featured in a live and exclusive interview on SiriusXM. The big event took place at the Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa with Chris "Mad Dog" Russo. The interview is being spaced on Saturday, 31 January at 10:35 AM(ET) on Mad Dog Radio (Sirius 123, XM 144).    more>>

Another analyst walks away.
(30 January 2009)
Financial analysts are apparently leaving SiriusXM like rats abandoning a sinking ship. The latest financial guru to bail out is Barclay Capital's James Ratcliffe. Dismayed by the company's microscopic stock price and lack of enthusiasm, Ratcliffe said, "We believe that the equity price is not being driven by fundamentals or the future of the underlying business, but rather purely by speculation as to the company's ability to refinance or resturcture upcoming debt maturities."    more>>

Hyundai more sirius about HD
(29 January 2009)
Hyundai has announced that it is extending its commitment to factory-installed HD Radio. In addition to the Genesis, the automaker is launching the technology on additional vehicles for the 2011 model year. "HD Radio technology is another example of how Hyundai enhances the in-verhcle experience for our customers," said Scott Margason, national manager, Product Development, Hyundai Motors America.    more>>

The iPhone gets Sirius
(29 January 2009)
It may have taken awhile, but satellite radio is finally coming to the iPhone. NiceMac uSirius StarPlayr is an iPhone application still in beta that allows SiriusXM subscribers to stream chnannels over a cellphone or WiFi connection. It's said that the application will be submitted to Apple this Saturday. If it's approved, StarPlayr should be available at your friendly App Store next week.    more>>

SiriusXM the worst stock for 2009!
(29 January 2009)
Jim Gillies of MSMBC thinks that SiriusXM is the worst stock for 2009...and it's only January! Saying that the stock price is likely to go to zero, he cites the SiriusXM debt load, competition from other sources of entertainment such as web radio, and poor automobile sales.    more>>

New HD Radio antennas make the transition easier
(29 January 2009)
Stations transitioning to HD Radio may want to take a look at the experiences of KUSU in Salt Lake City. By using a dual-input antenna made by Jampro, the station has been able to modernize its current analog operations and to transmit HD Radio without incurring significant additional costs. Says Chief Engineer Friend Weller, "Based on the criteria we specified for the amount of gain we wanted, available tower space, delivery schedule and price, Jampro won the contract. We have nothing but good to say about the Jampro engineers." Listeners of the Utah State University station should apperciate the innovative idea.    more>>

Gary Williams gets Sirius
(27 January 2009)
Gary Williams (no, not Maryland's basketball coach) is getting Sirius. The host of the popular "Morning Sports Page" on WFNZ in Charlotte is ending his relationship with the station after ten years to join the staff at SiriusXM. He'll be hosting a sports talk program for the satcaster at 6:00 AM(ET) daily starting this Monday. Says Williams of his departure from WFNZ, "This is very difficult personally. I appreciate the people here letting me do this. It's biterrsweet because this is our home and so many people have been so good to me."    more>>

We all knew it was coming
(23 January 2009)
Web radio provider Pandora is now featuring commercials. In a move that was made inevitable by the recent actions of SoundExchange and the Copyright Royalty Board, ads are now being added to the free service to offset higher royalty costs. To date, ads for the Internet service have been purchased by American Idol, Bose and McDonald's. Pandora's iPhone should soon be featuring ads by Best Buy and Kraft. The $36 per year premium membership remains ad-free.    more>>

You're hired!
(23 January 2009)
SiriusXM host Claudia Jordan is one of the competitors on season two of Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump. Claudia can regularly be heard with Jamie Foxx as the co-host of his program and hosts her own show, "The Single Life with Claudia Jordan and Friends." Both can be heard on the Foxxhole (Sirius 106, XM 149) on SiriusXM. She's also "Suitcase #1" on Howie Mandel's hit game show "Deal or No Deal." Among others competing for the Donald are Clint Black, Andrew Dice Clay, Scott Hamilton, Herschel Walker and Dennis Rodman.    more>>

Animal Radio at the Global Pet Expo
(22 January 2009)
Animal Radio, heard on XM's America's Talk (channel 158), is going to be broadcasting live from the Global Pet Expo at the Orlando Convention Center on 12-14 February. The show should highlight the latest and greatest pet products for this year. Says Animal Radio Executive Producer Judy Francis, "This yearly show-gram is a blast to produce - we get to sample everying on the sutdio animals." Get ready for better kitty toys, dog wigs, animal toilets, pet costumes...    more>>

They're Sirius
(22 January 2009)
Hold onto your wallets, SiriusXM subscribers. The satcaster apparently intends to balance its debt on your backs (see yesterday's RUsirius.com story). According to a customer service representative, starting 11 March users with multiple accounts will have to pay about $9 per month for each additional account, up from the current $7 per additional account. In addition, subscribers will have to pay $3 a month to get SiriusXM online. It is currently free for all subscribers. Users will be able to defer the increases if they sign up for a long-term annual contract extension or pay $500 for a lifetime subscription.    more>>

It's that time again
(22 January 2009)
It's the end of the football season, time for the Super Bowl. And SiriusXM is ready. The satcaster is offering 13 different live broadcasts of the big game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Broadcasts of the game in ten different languages are being offered in addition to the big Bruce Springsteen halftime event.     more>>

Can they be Sirius?
(21 January 2009)
With a declining economy and layoffs in most businesses, SiriusXM is rumored to be raising its prices. According to someone who claims to be an employee of the SiriusXM Activations Department, each additional satrad owned by a subscriber would cost $8.99, up $2 from the current price. In addition, online streaming will apparently be at a cost of $2.99 a month instead of free. Current subscribers, however, are said to be capable of "locking in" the current price. What a relief!    more>>

More media layoffs
(21 January 2009)
Terrestrial broadcasting giant Clear Channel is cutting 1,850 jobs or 9 percent of its workforce. The cuts are due to a decline in advertising revenue and are pretty much across the board. Jobs have been eliminated in the company's corporate, radio and outdoor units. Says Clear Channel Chief Executive Officer Mark Mays, "We are facing an unprecedented time of distress in the general economy -- and the ripple effects have hit some of our largest customers hard."    more>>

Get ready for more HD Radios
(21 January 2009)
At last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, iBiquity announced a series of new HD Radio applications. They include an MP3 player with embedded HD Radio, a stand-alone AM/FM headset portable and an HD Radio accessory that attaches to MP3 players. Another new innovation is a portable navigation device with an embedded HD Radio. HD Radioheads rejoice!    more>>

HD Radio honored
(20 January 2009)
In contrast to satellite radio (see RUsirius.com story dated 12 January), HD Radio has been honored by Stevie Wonder. HD Radio purveyor iBiquity was among five entities honored by Wonder, Sendero Group and the National Association of the Blind at last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The award was for their work to make their products, programming and services available to those with visual impairments.    more>>

What again? Yes, again.
(20 January 2009)
It's time once again to begin talking about a merger in satellite radio, this time in Canada. XM Canada owner Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada have apparently hired investment bankers to negotiate the terms of a possible merger. "The door is now open, but talks could take months to play out," said a source familiar with both sides. Combined, Sirius Canada and Canadian Satellite Radio have 1.2 million subscribers.    more>>

Is Zcom moving to satellite?
(20 January 2009)
Apparently not satisfied with its internet protocol television operations, media company Zcom Networks is apparently ready to launch a satellite broadcasting station in Los Angeles. Says Zcom CEO Alex Parsinia, "Our goal is to capitalize on integrating IP TV and Satellite Broadcasting while moving to the next level, incorporating some of the key shopping networks, marketing distribution and advertising know-how that Zcom has developed in the past years." It is not clear whether Zcom intends to compete in satellite or internet radio. TIN TV, Zcom's primary target, is a provider of music, talk shows, sports and live programming throughout North America.     more>>

Could they just be kooks?
(19 January 2009)
There's been an XM outage in Portland and some folks are pretty upset about it. Andy Roe, a structural engineer who spends a lot of time in his car has noticed that the signal has been dropping out, in some cases for up to 10 minutes. The problem appears to be primarily in Downtown Portland, where XMer Jeff Lockhart noted, "Ever since January 5, I was driving along and when I was in Downtown Portland, I hardly got a signal." In a statement, SiriusXM said, "We have dispatched technicians to survey the signal environment in Portland. We are checking to see what is interfering with our signal" Portlanders must be asking, "What's next?" The Kooks Museum closing and the Trail Blazers moving to Omaha?    more>>

The Boss gets Sirius
(19 January 2009)
Bruce Springsteen is a guest deejay today on E Street Radio (Sirius channel 10, XM channel 58). The broadcast starts at 4:00 PM(ET) and will be rebroadcast at various times throughout the week. A second edition spaces in a week. Springsteen and co-host Dave Marsh are expected to play music handpicked from Bruce's own record collection. The range of material will be "folk songs to contemporary music including hip hop and progressive rock."    more>>

A sirius AVN from Kenwood
(19 January 2009)
Not wanting to be outdone by Fujitsu (see RUsirius.com article of 9 January), Kenwood is introducing yet another generation of DVD receivers with GPS navigation. The latest entry in the eXcelon series is a "best-in-class" DVD receiver with 6.95" WVGA touchscreen control, Garmin navigation technology and a comprehensive voice control system. The DNX9140 includes USB interfaces and Kenwood's Advanced Bus (KAB) that allows easy connection to a satrad or HD Radio. It's expected to retail for $2000.    more>>

Cydle goes HD
(19 January 2009)
Cydle is introducing the T43 Navigator, complete with HD Radio. But in case users want to do more than just listen to digitized music the unit comes with a 4.3" touchscreen, Blutooth support, Cydle maps and real-time traffic updates. It's expected to be available at BestBuy soon.    more>>

Paul McCartney gets Sirius with Howard.
(16 January 2009)
SiriusXM plans to broadcast a Howard Stern-Paul McCartney interview that took place this week. The interview deals with, among other topics, McCartney's life, family, The Beatles and "Electric Arguments," his new album. During the interview Howard says that the Beatles "are more of a religion to me than any organized religion. Their music does more for my spirit and elevates me to a higher plane than any religious ceremony ever did." The interview is being broadcast on Howard 101 starting at 8:00 AM(ET) tomorrow and at 8:00 PM(ET) tomorrow evening. It also spaces at 11:00 PM(ET) on Sunday, 18 January.    more>>

Sorry, Sirius.
(16 January 2009)
In yesterday's XM Canada annual meeting little attention was paid to a possible merger with Sirius Canada. The company instead chose to concentrate on its own domestic issues, especially the installation of satrads in vehicles. Said Canadian Satellite Radio boss John Bitove, "What's great for us is that we have installation relationships with the four leading Asian manufacturers, who experienced seven percent growth in new-vehicle sales in 2008." Of a possible merger with Sirius Canada, current CEO Michael Moskowitz said, "We have been watching what's been going on in the U.S. post-merger, and the success that they've seen in terms of synergies. Of course, how the U.S. experience would translate to Canada, only time will tell."    more>>

HD Radio goes all out at the North American Auto Show
(16 January 2009)
The HD Digital Radio Alliance is making a big splash at this week's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Despite the current economic turmoil and its effect on the auto industry, the alliance is proudly displaying 12 outdoor billboards and two mobile billboards. Over 25 different HD Radios are being displayed on the show floor, with a "test drive" unit installed in a 2010 Jaguar XK Coupe. In addition, in a stunt reminiscent of a prison break or an old Devo concert, 15,000 VIP badges are being handed out to attendees by team members dressed in full head-to-toe orange jumpsuits with HD Radio satchels.     more>>

XM Canada has sirius loss
(15 January 2009)
XM Canada parent Canadian Satellite Radio has reported that its net loss has nearly doubled in the fiscal 2009 first quarter but that its revenue has incrased sharply. The loss is blamed primarily on currency and has risen to $31.5 million or 66 cents a share for the three months ended on 30 November 2008. During the same period revenue rose 53 percent to $12.5 million. Says Canadian Satellite Radio president Michael Moskowitz, "Despite prevailing economic headwinds, our performance continued to improve in the first quarter of 2009, reflecting the successful execution of our business strategy."    more>>

Pioneer is sirius about everything
(15 January 2009)
Pioneer Electronics is coming out with a new line of in-car CD players that offer compatibility with both satellite and HD Radio. Depending on the model, the new units offer Bluetooth, voice recognition, iTunes tagging and iPod control. Says Larry Rougas, vice president of marketing and product planning, "We're packing our new single CD players with innovative features that matter to not only kids but also to a broad range of consumers."     more>>

Noise no more.
(14 January 2009)
Wish your satrad would perform better? Mitsubishi may have the answer in the form of a new plastic-packaged low-noise amplifier. It's based on a state-of-the-art high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) that operates at around 2-3 GHz (these are the frequencies used by SiriusXM to stream their signals from the satellites). The 2-3 GHz signal is converted to a lower frequency (0.8-1.0 GHz) by the antenna before sending it on to the satrad. By making the antennas just a little quieter the folks at Mitbusishi might just be able to improve your listening enjoyment. And you may only have to replace the antenna! Shipment of the new amplifier is due to begin later this year.     more>>

Siriusly inaugurating
(14 January 2009)
SiriusXM is providing complete coverage of next week's inauguration of Barack Obama from a variety of viewpoints and across 17 different channels including P.O.T.U.S. (Sirius 110, XM 130). Just to make things interesting, progressive network Air America is adding Ana Marie Cox to its lineup for the occasion. The founding editor of the political blog Wonkette will be Air America's first Washington D.C.-based national correspondent.    more>>

Slackers rejoice!
(14 January 2009)
Slackers everywhere will be happy to learn that free radio application Slacker is now available on iPhones and iPods. The content includes over 10,000 artist stations, biographies, album artwork and the ability to create custom stations. Last.fm and Pandora have been offering a similar service so Slacker is actually just new in an existing market. A commercial-free premium subscription is available for $3.99 a month. If you're too cheap to pay up expect to hear an ad after every fifth song.    more>>

Radio Heard Here taps MWW.
(13 January 2009)
MWW Group has been hired as the Agency of Record for Radio Heard Here, the primary marketing front for the National Association of Broadcasters, The Radio Advertising Bureau and the HD Digital Radio Alliance. MWW is charged with engaging consumers, advertisers, agencies and radio insiders using media relations and other scams. According to NAB prez David Rehr, "MWW Group will be a great partner in this effort as we excite and engage radio fans everywhere, igniting their passion for this great medium and sharing with them fantastic new applications and technology advancements that are increasing radio's value and relevance."    more>>

Andrew Wilkow is on XM!
(13 January 2009)
SiriusXM has announced that popular conservative pundit Andrew Wilkow will debut on XM's America Right (channel 166) starting on Wednesday, 14 January at 12:00 PM(ET). For his first XM show, Wilkow will be welcoming Republican National Committee chairman Mike Duncan, Michael Steele, Tom DeLay, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Gary Bauer and Bill Bennett. Wilkow has been broadcasting on Sirius Patriot (Sirius channel 144) since August of 2006.    more>>

Who needs satellite radio?
(13 January 2009)
Avis and Budget are adding AT&T's new in-car live TV Cruisecast (see RUsirius.com story dated 9 January) to their fleets. In addition to 20 radio channels, Cruisecast should provide Disney, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon, MSNBC and more. The cost of the service is expected to be $9 per day or $63 per week. It's should start within the next six months.    more>>

You're Zman!
(13 January 2009)
XM's Tommy Zarzecki is launching Planet Zman, a website dedicated to terms like First & Ten, Shovlehead V-Twin, Black & Tan and Big Bertha. A rebellious new lifestyle portal, Planet Zman is dedicated to the "Man's Man." Zarzecki, who says, "I'm kind of like the male version of Martha Stewart," has gathered a huge following as a feature writer at Cigar Magazine and as the host of a program on XM. "Planet Zman is truly the last great bastion for male bonding and camaraderie," claims Tommy. "If guys dig it - we're gonna talk about it." Whadda you lookin' at?    more>>

HD Radio's in SYNC!
(12 January 2009)
Speaking at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Ford Motor Company President Alan Mulally said that his company is looking to provide state of the art digital infotainment systems, including HD Radio. One of the targeted platforms for the technology is the SYNC, introduced in 2007 in partnership with Microsoft. Said Mulally, "We must focus on that which is valuable, compelling and that which offers our customers the opportunity to be one with the world and truly live one life."    more>>

Stevie Wonder wants to get Sirius
(12 January 2009)
Music icon Stevie Wonder told attendees at the Consumer Electronics Show that he wants consumer electronics that are more suitable for the blind, including satellite radio. Of concern is that so many devices are now coming out with touch-screen interfaces, a development likely to aleniate most visually impaired consumers. Wonder said he had a wishlist that included a car he could drive and a SiriusXM satrad he could operate. "If you can take those few steps further, you can give us the excitement, the pleasure and the freedom of being a part of it," said Wonder.    more>>

Siriusly FlyCasting
(12 January 2009)
FlyCast was on display at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. The application streams music and talk radio to iPhones, Blackberrys and other wireless devices. A free service, FlyCast is able to generate income through ads that are streamed along with the desired content. Says FlyCast veep for marketing Roy Smith, "FlyCast is offered free because it's our goal to have the largest possible audience listening to our member stations. We are the very first company to perfect the ability to deliver web-style targeted advertising to a 'broadcast' audience. We do this by taking advantage of the fact that everyone who is listening has a unique IP address, and when we ask you for basic demographic information, we now have the ability to serve you ads that 'demographically' will appeal to you." SiriusXM beware!    more>>

Kia goes HD.
(12 January 2009)
Kia has announced that it would be offering HD Radio technology in select vehicles starting in 2010. Said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing for Kia Motors America, "Kia has always been dedicated to creating cars that are dynamic with high value, quality and safety, and the integration of HD Radio devices into our vehicles will further enhance the Kia value story."    more>>

Get ready for yet another AVN system
(9 January 2009)
Just when we thought we'd seen it all, Fujitsu introduces the AVN system to end all AVN systems. The AVN726E is an audio visual navigation system that features all digital circuitry with a 7-inch display. It has a map/navigation database that is pre-installed into a built-in 2GB flash memory for easy updating. It can play DVDs, DivX and CDs and has a USB port for MP3 players. It's also ready for satrads and HD Radio tuners. Driving will never be the same again...or so Fujitsu hopes.    more>>

With CruiseCast, AT&T looks sirius.
(9 January 2009)
Telecommunications giant AT&T is introducing CruseCastSM, a satellite-based system that beams 22 satellite television and 20 satellite radio stations into automobiles throughout North America. The system uses a small vehicular antenna with a technology that overcomes the effects of line-of-sight obstacles such as overpasses, buildings, trees and tunnels. Television channels currenly slated for the lineup include the Disney Channel, Disney XD, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, MSNBC, CNN, and CNBC. The price is a little higher than that of SiriusXM: around $1000 for the receiver and $28 a month. It's due for availability this spring.    more>>

Macintosh goes HD...again.
(8 January 2009)
MacIntosh is making yet another leap into the world of HD Radio. Its latest HD product is the MR88 component tuner featuring manual flywheel tuning, single-ended and balanced audio outputs and a vacuum-fluorescent display.    more>>

JVC offers drivers even more excitement
(8 January 2009)
As we enter the new year isn't it good to know that JVC now has even more products to make the commute more enjoyable than ever. The company is introducing seven new CD receivers for 2009. The flagship product is HD Radio ready and features two full-speed USB ports for iPods, iPhones, flash drives and digital audio players. Another unit expected to be popular features a built-in HD Radio tuner. All are being hawked by the manufacturer at the Consumer Electronics Show and are just bound to delight anyone happily sitting in traffic on the 101.    more>>

Agilent measures up
(8 January 2009)
Agilent has introduced a new HD Radio measurement application for its handheld spectrum analyzer. The appliation is designed to support the spectrum emission limit masks and is tailored to the needs of technicians and test engineers working with HD Radio. It features special hardware for improved noise performance and software to permit the quick set up of emission measurements, an especially important task once the power levels of the digital HD Radio signals are permitted to increase.    more>>

Get ready to MiRGE
(8 January 2009)
SiriusXM has announced MiRGE, the first interoperable satrad. Says Jim Meyer, President, Operations and Sales, SiriusXM, "MiRGE is the first interoperable radio designed to receive 100% of Sirius and XM's dynamic programming and is a major advancement in satellite radio technology. Sirius XM Radio delivers more value than ever - enabling subscribers to hear everything available without the need to buy multiple radios and pay two monthly subscription." The satcaster is offering a "Sirius Everything plus XM Everything" package at a monthly cost of $19.99. MiRGE is scheduled for release this spring at a suggested retail price of $249.99.    more>>

HD Radio continues to expand
(8 January 2009)
If the number of products on display at the Consumer Electronics Show is any indication, HD Radio is continuing to expand its presence in the marketplace. At this year's show at least nine brands launched their first HD Radio products. Since its launch in 2004, HD Radio has claimed a total installed base of 600,000, according to iBiquity. If there is a downside, it's that fewer companies are entering the market for the first time.    more>>

HD goes portable
(8 January 2009)
iBiquity continues to roll out new HD Radio products at the Consumer Electronics Show. This time it's portables. The HD Radio purveyor expects a handful of portable HD Radios to be introduced including one with an MP3 player and an antenna embedded in the headset.    more>>

The quest continues.
(8 January 2009)
The effort to develop an electronic program guide (EPG) for HD Radio is continuing to a second phase. The project is the work of BIA, Broadcast Signal Lab and Unique Interactive and is being funded by the National Assodciation of Broadcasters. One of the conclusions of the project is that implementing an EPG is more difficult for radio than for television due to the mobile nature of radio and the wide variation in receiver displays. In the second phase the effort is expected to collect feedback from the industry as it moves toward end-to-end trial operation.     more>>

2009 not a year to be Sirius
(7 January 2009)
According to a survey by Forrester Research 66 percent of respondents have said that they are less likely to purchase a satellite radio and subscription this year. The results are consistent with a general tendency to spend less on high-tech devices including smart phones, GPS receivers and video games.    more>>

Bobby Flay gets Sirius.
(7 January 2009)
Starting tomorrow SiriusXM is kicking off a five-week series with renowned chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Bobby Flay. He'll explore the essentials of good living for men of all ages in a call-in program called "Bobby Flay Radio." A diehard sports fan, Flay will also welcome "Larry K," his longtime friend and sports consultant, to pick the winners and discuss players and teams. The program can be heard at 10:00 AM(ET) every Thursday on Sirius channel 108 and XM channel 139.    more>>

Get ready for CrestaTV!
(7 January 2009)
Just when you thought you'd seen everything, here comes CrestaTV. Created by CrestaTech in Santa Clara, California, the CrestaTV Universal Broadband Receiver is capable of turning any laptop personal computer into a television or radio receiver. The chip connects via a universal serial bus (USB) to convert any laptop into a portable digital television or radio capable of receiving 31 different types of signals. Says CrestaTech founder George Haber, "We believe there is no reason why the same hardware can't function as both a TV or a PC. Today, we make the living room TV into something you an take with you on the go in a computer that you are already carrying." CrestaTV is being introduced this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.    more>>

Get there with Dual
(7 January 2009)
Consistent with announcements from iBiquity and Clear Channel about HD Radio traffic (see RUsirius.com stories dated 6 January), Dual is coming out with the XNAV43HD. It's a GPS receiver with built-in HD Radio technology to supply live updates on the screen. It is the first such device to incorporate HD Radio technology to provide enough bandwidth for information on traffic, gas prices and weather. The XNAV43HD is being introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas.    more>>

Get ready for HD traffic.
(6 January 2009)
iBiquity is ready to roll out two new personal navigation devices (PND) capable of providing real-time traffic and navigation information to happy commuters throughout the land. Five prototypes are being introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show this week. Says iBiquity veep Joe D'Angelo, "The radio industry set a precedent by coming together in 2005 to accelerate the adoption of HD Radio technology and the rollout of real-time traffic service over HD Radio broadcasts has been a collaborative effort among radio broadcasters and PND software suppliers."    more>>

XM Canada has sirius numbers to discuss.
(6 January 2009)
Canadian Satellite Radio, the parent company of XM Canada, is ready to discuss its financial results for the quarter ended on 30 November as part of its Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 15 January. The meeting takes place at 10:00 AM(ET). Investors or those just in it for a few laughs can access the meeting at 1-866-250-4892.    more>>

Not ready to be Sirius? Try Abbee.
(6 January 2009)
Want commercial-free radio without having to pay for it? Try the Abbee Commercial-Free FM Radio or the Ira Wi-Fi Internet Radio. Both are from Myine Electronics and are being featured this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Says Myine founder Jake Sigal, "There is a lack of good products available for people who are not tech savvy or just busy. You're never going to find a company that tells people their products are difficult to use. However, what those companies can't say is that their products set up in minutes, have a two-page manual, or that they don't require subscriptions." The Abbee uses Myine's Popcatcher technology to record music from FM stations and remove all commercials and talk. The Ira allows users to listen to Internet radio wherever a Wi-Fi connection is available. Abbee is expected to be released this spring at a suggested retail price of $249.99. Ira should be out this week for $129.99.    more>>

Stern strikes back!
(6 January 2009)
Everyone must have known this was coming. Sirius' Howard Stern is getting even with Jay Leno for last month's remarks regarding the irrelevance of the former "King of All Media" (See RUsirius.com story dated 29 December 2008). Says Howard on Jay, "Leno, with all of his horses**t has 5 million viewers. Even downplaying it, we beat 'The Tonight Show.'" He continues, "I left terrestrial radio and I couldn't be happier. I didn't have any delusions that when I'd go to satellite radio I'd have as many listeners that I had on terrestrial radio. I came over to build a business. My assignment was to save Sirius radio. To bring listeners and to make things happen here. I came here to help this media merge, not to have as many listeners as I used to have. I'm in love with not having as many listeners as I used to have. I'm in love with the listeners I have. I don't get s**t every time I open my mouth by some mainstream tight a** a**hole who's going to misinterpret what I say because he happened to tune by and not even understand what I was trying to say." Stern has spoken!     more>>

Clear Channel Traffic!
(6 January 2009)
In an announcement supporting iBiquity's new traffic and navigation feature for HD Radio, Clear Channel has announced the launching of its Total Traffic Network. Using HD Radio channels, the service delivers updated traffic information to over 50 markets nationwide.    more>>

It's Pulsar!
(4 January 2009)
Rogue Amoebia has released a Public Preview version of Pulsar, its new software for listening to XM or Sirius on the Web. The software can be downloaded for free so potential users can take it out for a spin. It's still necessary to subscribe to Sirius or XM so it's not a completely free ride. In addition, the sound quality degrades after 20 minutes unless the user buys a $15 license.    more>>

The saga continues...
(1 January 2009)
It may be a new year but the old battle for radio royalty rates is still being fought. In a story that has been followed by RUsirius.com since its inception, the Copyright Royalty Board has released a notice that seeks to alter the reporting requirements for stations. The CRB now appears to want any entity that distributes digital content, including satellite and Internet radio, to report every song that is played to SoundExchange. The previous requirement had been to require the reporting of playlists for two weeks every quarter. Says David Oxenford, a partner with Davis Wright Tremaine, "Where this change is likely to have the most impact is in connection with the operations of broadcasters who also stream their programs on the Internet."    more>>

A black eye for Sirius?
(1 January 2009)
SiriusXM is apparently on the wrong side of a battle being fought by female workers for Kiryung Electronics in South Korea. The women assemble Sirius satrads in Seoul where they are paid $3.62 per hour in a place where the cost of living is as high as that in New York, SiriusXM's headquarters. Kiryung apparently had been forcing the women to work 13-hour days until a union organized them three years ago.    more>>