Posts Tagged ‘Popular’

I’m looking to buy a good priced GPS system that will list all the attractions (like museums, beaches, things like Mount Rushmore, ect.). Is there one around like that in the price range of $350 and from Garmin? If not, is there one like that from Tom Tom or another brand?

Portable satellite radio is the latest music trend, combining your MP3 collection with the ability to hear new music via Sirius or XM Radio. You’ll find that many of the portable ones are unique, sleek and more functional than an iPod. Many people like the versatility of a portable satellite radio since they can use it in the home, office or car, with minimal installation requirements.

Your best bet for Sirius brand is the Sirius S50 Radio (with car kit), which allows you to save your favorite channels and 50 hours of music, replay songs, import playlists, get game alerts, listen to six hours of music per charge and access traffic reports. It also comes with everything you need to listen to your subscription in the car.

The Stiletto 1 or Stiletto 2 portable satellite radio offers the most stylish new design. The only difference between the two is that the second model is slightly slimmer, lighter and has longer battery life.

Both will record up to 100 hours of radio programming, bookmark 10 hours of music at the touch of a button, store your MP3s on 2 GB of space, allow an hour’s worth of replay and provide personalized sports alerts. The Stiletto 1 usually runs for $199 and the Stiletto 2 is $329, but you can often find sales.

If you’re thinking about XM brand, there are some amazing options. The Pink Pioneer Inno offers: 50 hours of storage, sports and news tickers, one touch recording, artist and tune select features, MP3 storage and play. While girls may prefer the Pink Pioneer, guys can get excited about the gray Pioneer Inno or the Samsung Helix, which has all the same features.

Both of the Innos can also play Audible audio books as well! The Nexus has a little less storage space and lacks the bells and whistles (like sports and news updates), but it will get the job done for $129 full price or $70 on sale. Your Nexus will come complete with a mini-tuner, home stand and antenna, power adapter, RC cable, USB cable, rechargeable battery, earbuds, Napster CD, belt clip and remote.

Portable satellite radio is great for exercising, walking to class, plugging into your car and bringing your subscription to the office. XM brand offers live breaking news, while Sirius brand can give sports fans Game Alerts – which is a really neat feature that your iPod doesn’t currently have! Get the most out of your Sirius or XM subscription with a portable device that goes where you go.

Radio broadcasting has grown volumes in the almost 15 years that have passed since the Untied States Federal Communications Commission made the S band (the 2.3 GH frequency) available for Digital Audio Radio Service. With an ability to broadcast with static free, high quality sound over a distance surpassing 20,000 miles, satellite radio is one of the most significant developments in the world of broadcasting since the launch of FM itself. Sirius, XM and WorldSpace, satellite radio companies, have capitalized on this technology and have brought it to the masses on a worldwide scale. But how it does satellite radio really work?

All satellite radio services have three things in common: the actual satellites, the ground repeaters, and the radio receivers. These components are used to broadcast the radio signal a customer hears after subscribing to a service. But each of these service providers (Sirius, XM and WorldSpace) utilizes a unique broadcasting system to deliver sound (radio signals) to the subscriber. For example, Sirius utilizes satellites that orbit the Earth in an oblong pattern. While this may seem irrelevant to the average listener, it’s significant because Sirius’ model makes it possible for satellites to reach higher in the sky and, thus, lose their signal less often than other providers do. XM, on the other hand, operates geostationary satellites that orbit the Earth in a synchronized pattern consistent with the planet’s customary movements. Radio reception is attained and, to make it clearer, XM then uses a network of antennas that re-transmit the signal to avoid interruptions that have been known to occur near tall buildings, bridges or hills.

So know that we know how the radio signal itself is transmitted, when does the music get added to the mix? At the digital broadcast centers, where radio programmers are responsible for picking what song will be played when. These centers maintain music in both digital format and a CD format and often also have studio space where performers can be recorded and their sound transmitted, live. The extremely high quality sound that subscribers hear is made possible by a process called digital compression, a procedure in which algorithms (a set of rules developed to break down a problem, or process, into smaller, simpler steps) are used to squeeze as much sound as possible into the bandwidth available. Satellite radios are the only types of radios sophisticated enough to decode these signals, which is why a subscription is required and why you won’t be able to access the same content through your everyday AM/FM dial. The exclusivity, quality of sound, popularity and commercial free features of satellite radio have all been key factors in making it possible for companies to offer satellite service at a reasonable price.