XM Sirius announces SkyDock for iPhone and iPod touch
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Aug 26th 2009 3:46PM
posted Aug 26th 2009 3:46PM
Read - Pics: New XM SkyDock satellite radio controller for iPhone
Read - Stern Fans Rejoice: Sirius XM SkyDock for iPhone
SIRIUS XM RADIO INTRODUCES THE FIRST DEVICE TO RECEIVE LIVE SATELLITE RADIO CONTROLLED BY THE iPOD TOUCH AND iPHONE
XM SkyDock allows customers to enjoy live XM and "The Best of SIRIUS" in their vehicles using the iPod touch or iPhone
NEW YORK–August 26, 2009–SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today introduced XM SkyDock, the first satellite radio controlled by an iPod touch or iPhone. The XM SkyDock is also one of the first products to take advantage of the new hardware control capabilities of iPhone OS 3.0.
Designed for easy use through the existing vehicle audio system, SkyDock has a built-in XM tuner controlled by a free App that users download from the App Store. The App allows control of the XM tuner using the capabilities of the iPod touch or iPhone Multi-Touch user interface. SkyDock will also charge iPod touch and iPhone devices while listening to live satellite radio.
"XM SkyDock will allow millions of users to add live SIRIUS XM Radio capability to their iPod touch or iPhone while in their vehicle," said Bob Law, Group Vice President and General Manager, After Market Division, SIRIUS XM Radio. "XM SkyDock makes their favorite programming from XM and 'The Best of SIRIUS' available to iPod touch and iPhone users anywhere they drive, coast to coast."
Listeners can use their iPod touch and iPhone to listen to all their favorite sports, talk, news, entertainment and commercial-free music programming, including Oprah Radio, MLB Home Plate, the PGA TOUR Network, Opie & Anthony, Bob Edwards, Jamie Foxx and Blue Collar Comedy. For the first time, subscribers can also listen to the complete "Best of SIRIUS" package, including Howard Stern and his two 24/7 channels, Martha Stewart Living Radio, SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, sports play-by-play and the Playboy Radio channel, all controlled by the iPod touch and iPhone.
Listeners can also tag songs they hear on XM's music channels for later purchase from the iTunes Store–including songs on XM's 24/7 artist branded commercial-free channels such as Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville, Elvis Radio, Eminem's Shade 45, The Grateful Dead Channel, B.B. King's Bluesville, Willie Nelson's Willie's Place, Siriusly Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen's E Street Radio. Other features include game alerts and sports ticker, artist and song alerts as well as a stock ticker.
The XM SkyDock is a perfect companion to the SIRIUS XM Premium Online App, which allows subscribers to receive SIRIUS XM's Premium Internet service on their iPhone and iPod touch when they are out of the vehicle and on-the-go, at home, or at the office.
XM SkyDock comes with SIRIUS XM's patent-pending PowerConnect technology, which simplifies Do-It-Yourself vehicle installation, working through the existing vehicle radio and making it easy to move from vehicle to vehicle. An Aux In Cable is a standard in-box accessory to facilitate Aux In connections in vehicles with Aux In capability. SkyDock's flexible stalk optimizes the iPod touch or iPhone placement in the vehicle. Customers can view the touch-screen interface in portrait or landscape modes. Accessories include Magnetic Mount Antenna and spacers to accommodate the various iPod touch and iPhone product generations.
XM SkyDock is compatible with iPod touch (1st generation), iPod touch (2nd generation), iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. All models require iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
XM SkyDock will be sold in stores and will also be available at www.shop.xmradio.com with an MSRP $119.99 in fall 2009. The XM SkyDock App will be available at the same time.
This device has been granted preliminary approval by the Federal Communications Commission but is still undergoing evaluation by the Commission.
For more information on XM, please visit www.xmradio.com
Get this on the Zune HD and you've got a deal.
Wow. Making the iPhone plan and the Sirius plan MORE expensive with a $119. dock.
What possible benefit could this have?
Instead of thinking up this drool and working on it you, Sirius, should've left my plane alone.
Maybe I wouldn't have canceled after having my bill creep up over 50% the last few years.
Howard Stern show only a year and a half left, anyway...
This is almost totally useless. I would have bought it a year or two ago, but the times have passed you by Sirius...
links to buy songs? Who does that?
HD Radio?
Why would anyone buy this? The Sirius/XM app exists now, and streams the content to the phone already. What does this thing add?
1) No data usage, so if you're in your car (which is what this is for), you can drive across the country with no interruption of service, which may not be true if you're not in a 3g area (or weak signal area).
2) Artist/song alert- a nice feature only available via a tuner, not through internet streaming. For example, I have my tuner set to let me know if Schooly D come on any station, among many others.
3) Consolidation, I prefer using my tuner at work, because I have a weak 3g signal and no wi-fi. This would duplicate the functions of a tuner, while only having 1 device. Less things to carry.
If you're a purely internet only subscription person, then this MIGHT not be what you're looking for. But, if you have a dedicated tuner, or are interested in getting one, this thing is a no brainer. I'd like to see them expand it to multiple devices, let's get Android, Palm OS, and even Windows Mobile into the game.