iPod Radio ? Well Maybe

Apple recently announced the release of the iPod Radio Remote. This little accessory combines a wired remote control with a FM radio receiver. It works with the iPod nano and the most recent generation (fifth) of iPods.


The iPod Radio Remote is a convenient way for music lovers to control their iPod and add FM radio for a reasonable price point. Using the remote, you can skip tracks and adjust the volume of your iPod even when it's in a pocket or backpack. It's main feature - lets you and listen to FM radio stations while it displays station and song information on the iPod's screen.


"The iPod Radio Remote combines two great features in one elegant product," Greg Joswiak, Apple's iPod Marketing guy said recently. "The iPod Radio Remote is both the best remote control and the best FM radio listening experience for iPod."


If you search the Apple iPod store online, you will also find a couple of competitors that launched similar products ahead of Apple. But I must admit, the Apple Radio Remote is a cleaner package. If you live in the city and get good FM reception, this is a nice little add-on. If you live in the burbs and are looking for great sound - similar to the quality that you get from your iPod, then forget about the iPod Radio Remote. Why, because it is like any other small FM radio, it needs a strong signal to give you decent sound.


But don't give up, there is quite a lot happening in the real time audio market and you will have more choices in the coming months.


There were several rumors in 2005 about Apple and satellite radio for instance. "The iPod is the biggest, baddest thing around and satellite radio is this small, cool device," said Steve Mather, an analyst with Sander Morris Harris. "Put them together and it's the ultimate."


But there has been no evidence that such a dream machine is in the works. Earlier this year, Sirius Satellite Radio CEO Mel Karmazin said he had approached Steve Jobs, the chief of iPod maker Apple Computer, about a possible deal but said Jobs wasn't interested.


Sirius didn't sit on its butt. They created their first portable device called the S50, a small, sleek device used with a docking port in your car. It is like a TiVo for radio. It automatically stores music for later listening. You can schedule recordings from both music and talk stations (with a firmware upgrade), save favorite songs, and link up to a PC to load music files. But? you can't see the song list for recorded music. The S50 is available only with a car kit and the controls are hard to use.


Not to be left out, XM recently unveiled a new satellite radio for spring ?06. Like their initial radio, the new receiver will pick up satellite signals as you are walking around outside. No docking station is needed, which is a huge advantage over the Sirius S50. It also has 1 gigabyte of memory so that you can record 50 hours of radio play. Out doing the S50 - there are no restrictions on how or what you can record. In fact, XM has made it even easier to capture individual songs.


The new XM player also provides a "tag" feature that let's you immediately purchase any song you hear from Napster's online store. When you reconnect the player to your computer, you can get those MP3's that you just purchased to create a mix of MP3's and radio content on the player.


XM now appears to be ahead of Sirius and Apple in the radio wars. To prove it they announced the XM Passport, a small card that can be plugged in and out of future XM enabled devices. With the passport card, you need only buy one subscription to XM radio to power a number of satellite receivers; just plug in your passport card.







About The Author




John Thomas is an author and business consultant who works with entrepreneurs and business owners. He takes time to pursue his passion for iPods at iPod-Tips.com.

The Best Features Of The Psp Console

By Jamie Watts

The Sony Playstation has gone from strength to strength and they have not disgraced themselves at all by releasing the PSP. This amazing hand held gaming device has revolutionized the market, making it one of, if not the best ever, hand-held consoles in the world.

The Amazing Features the PSP Brings With It

The amazing thing about the PSP is that even with all of the technology, graphics and great features that come with it, it is still small and light, weighing less than a pound. This makes it absolutely ideal to carry around with you!

The PSP has been designed for the serious and devoted gamers and it has an excellent range of features, making it a brilliant purchase for anyone with a media oriented mind. It is not only cutting edge for gaming, it is also a hand held video player and music device, too. This makes it so much more than a simple console ? it is a revolutionary entertainment device!

The battery life is generally three to six hours, but the average tends to be more like four hours. Also, it has built-in stereo speakers in order to give you that extraordinary gaming experience. No game would be the same without great sound effects and boy does it sound great with the PSP.

The console itself comes readily equipped with its own usb2.0 port, an infrared port and even a memory stick pro duo slot. It also gives the user a wireless LAN connection. Another great feature is the 4.3-inch display screen and the buttons are laid out exactly like they are on the Playstation controllers, which makes it easier to learn how to play.

The UMD drive is situated at the back of the PSP. With this, you can view movies designed by Sony on a disk with the UMD format. This hand held gaming device is designed to be able to go anywhere, whether it is for a very long drive, a plane journey or whether you just want to play it at home. Having this will really get you through those boring times!

To customize your PSP, you can always change the background color and you can even have it set to change automatically each month. You can also have your favorite wallpapers on your PSP, too. So it is definitely one of the best consoles for personalization.

Not only is the PSP a great multifunctional entertainment device, it is stunning to look at as well. You get so much for your money and it can be carried around wherever you go. What more could you ask for from a game console?

About the Author: Luke Perry is a writer and administrator for PSP Compare Prices, a site that specializes in PSP consumer reviews

Getting the Best Deal on PSP Games

by: KC Yap

The demand for PSP games keeps on growing. With so many customers to serve, every reseller wants in on the action. Whether you prefer to shop for your PSP games online or offline, you definitely have plenty of sources to choose from.

How can you be assured you're getting the biggest selection of PSP games at the best value? You've got to shop around. You've got to compare not only price, but availability. It's also advisable to make your purchases from a reputable source. Once you've made this effort and selected a source you're comfortable with, you'll know right where to go every time you need to purchase more PSP games.

Going right to the source at www.us.Playstation.com is the best way to keep current with the latest new releases, upgrades to previous releases, and news regarding upcoming PSP games titles and events. You can shop there too, but you won't find much in the way of discounted prices. If price isn't an issue, then you'll be guaranteed an easy and secure purchasing process. Another benefit of shopping right at the source is that you can shop for PSP-related gear including carrying cases, backpacks, clothing and apparel, accessories and more.

If you prefer to shop in person, either because it's more convenient or because you don't have a credit card, you're in luck. All the major stores that carry electronics carry a wide assortment of PSP games. You'll likely find what you need at Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, KB Toys or Toys R Us and at the stores specializing in electronic games such as EB Games and GameStop. The assortment at each outlet will vary and you won't find much difference in pricing. These stores all want your business and in order to get it, they've got to remain competitive.

If you're a PSP games enthusiast, your best deal might be to locate an online source that allows unlimited downloading of PSP games for one price. These "membership" sites offer a great selection of fully-functioning games that members download right to their computers. These games are not demo versions, although many demos are available so you can try before you buy, which is another great benefit.

Deals on PSP games exist, but it's up to you to find them. Membership clubs, retail and online sources, and special multi-PSP games package deals are all worth investigating.

About The Author

KC Yap