Radio Anywhere With the Sirius S50

Sunday, March 12, 2006

The Sirius S50 - a great device for discovering new music. It combines an in-car satellite radio dock with a removable iPod-like player that can store up to 50 hours of music in its 1GB of flash memory.

The Sirius S50 has a decent assortment of features, but its inability to receive a signal away from the dock may deter some potential buyers (the unit also requires a monthly subscription to the Sirius service).

Installation of the S50 is rather easy - you attachthe antenna to your car roof, and install the docking station inside the car (a couple wires dangled from the dash). The S50's built-in FM transmitter lets you listen through your car stereo, and the remote control makes locating your favorite station easy; With 3 preset channels, you can add, and record your favorite music while you drive.

When you leave your car, you simply take the sleek black player along with you. Because the tuner is built into the cradle, you cannot receive live radio, but with the included earbuds you can listen to several hours of music that the Sirius S50 had recorded while you were driving. To save a tune, you simply press the 'Love' button to put it in a playlist.

At home, you can use the My Sirius Studio software to upload your own MP3 and WMA files to the player via the included USB cable. The software does not let you download to a PC, but it does deliver Sirius music stations over the Internet.

At $330 USD, the Sirius S50 is a little pricey, especially if you add the optional $100 home dock for connecting the player to your PC speakers or stereo system. But having a steady stream of new music to record and take anywhere is certainly enjoyable.