XM announces satellite radio-MP3 player

The new satellite radio-MP3 players are tiny - from the size of an iPod mini to the size of a standard iPod.

Date published: 1/4/2006

LAS VEGAS - Big news here at Consumer Electronics Show: Washington-based XM Satellite Radio unveiled a new line of products Wednesday night featuring live XM and MP3 music on-the-go, in partnership with Samsung.

The new satellite radio-MP3 players are tiny - from the size of an iPod mini to the size of a standard iPod.

And they're pleasing to the eye.

The Samsung Helix ($399.99), a tiny, handheld tuner that can pick up XM on the run, is scheduled for a March or April launch, in time for the Major League Baseball season on XM. It will make the company's MyFi handheld devices look big and clunky.

Also new: the Samsung Helix XM2go Player, which must be docked, and the Pioneer Inno, which plays live satellite radio on the go, plays both MP3 and WMAs and has a time-shifting memory mode for storage and playback of XM content.

The new devices overshadow Sirius' S50, a much larger and more primitive wearable device launched in late 2005.

Gaining an edge over Sirius in device quality was critical for XM because of the buzz being generated by Howard Stern's launch on Sirius Monday morning.

"For the first time ever, you can listen to live satellite radio and play MP3s on single, wearable device," said Hugh Panero, President and CEO of XM Satellite Radio in D.C.

"Samsung works diligently to identify opportunities in aligning our brand with reputable and exciting content providers," said D.J. Oh, president and CEO of Samsung.

XM also has partnered with Napster. The new devices can be tethered to PCs so users can learn all about an artist - and comparable artists - if they're interested when they hear a song.

-Michael Zitz, The Free Lance-Star

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Date published: 1/4/2006