By Brandon Matthews
As discussed on LAST WEEK’s BlogTalkRadio Show, which focuses on all the current news surrounding Sirius XM Radio (SIRI), Satwaves is pleased to announce that the Satellite Radio Superstore is now accepting SkyDock pre-orders for the scheduled launch date of October 18! Matt Moffett, President of the Satellite Radio Superstore discussed the high demand his company was seeing for the SkyDock, which allows Apple (AAPL) devices such as the iPhone and iPod Touch to be used as fully functioning Satellite Radios.
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.
Songs heard on XM’s music channels can be tagged for later purchase from the iTunes Store. Other features include game alerts and sports ticker, artist and song alerts as well as a stock ticker.
Listeners can also tag songs they hear on XM’s music channels for later purchase from the iTunes Store. Other features include game alerts and sports ticker, artist and song alerts as well as a stock ticker. The XM SkyDock compliments 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.
Compatible with the iPod touch (1st generation), iPod touch (2nd generation), iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. All models require iPhone OS 3.0 or later, the Skydock also comes with Sirius XM’s patent-pending PowerConnect™ technology which simplifies Do-It-Yourself vehicle installation.
XM SkyDock comes with SIRIUS XM’s patent-pending technology, , 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.
More information can be found at Satellte Radio Superstore.
Position: Long SIRI
Looks like things are right on schedule. That’s terrific!
I ordered mine yesterday, I can’t wait to see the end product!
This really will be a game changer for Sirius XM. Not doubt that this stabilizes the current subscribers, by providing a transportable mult-use device, and aims at a whole new market. With the FULL channel list available, this will appeal to a broad set of customers. Great news!
is it true this can be used for other things BESIDES sat radio? If so, opens another product sale market too
Yes, this can be used for .mp3s, Pandora, the Sirius streaming app, anything on the iPhone! It has been mentioned a few times, and durying the FCC tests, they tested while playing .mp3s. I agree that this secret little feature will open whole new doors for Sirius.. It will get a market alot larger than just Sirius subscribers PLUS advertise to them at the same time with the big XM and built-in sat receiver they might just try out the pay-for app or XM service. This product will be a success being the most robust, interoperable iphone car player on the market.
Was this one of the devices that was “FCC approval pending” (or some similar wording)? And, if so, has the FCC approval been formalized? Does anyone know?
What would be great is if the Skydock is sold in Apple stores. My worry is that it’s just a bunch of satellite radio junkies (like me) that will be interested in this.
There was a great interview with Reggie Jackson today on Howard Stern show. He promoted his new show on Sirius and Howard said Mel was someone he believed in when Reggie asked him who his role model was.
Not to be skeptical….but the president of a company selling a product saying how “high” the demand is…..Seems to be little untrustworthy to me…..With any new product…the company selling will say ..Wow! the pre-order for this is really high…Everyone better place your orders fast……ie…Palm Pre…etc….It’s always a good idea for a company to create a hype as far as demand to increase their sales….Let this president give us some numbers…before we get excited….how many is he ordering…how many pre-orders….
As a subscriber and invester…i feel it is becoming more obvious that Mel Karmazin never had a true intention to offer A La Carte to subscribers. Sure the starmate 5 and 6 offer it…Why doesn’t teh SKYDOCK have this technology built in? The iphone is not advanced enough to do it? NO WAY!! This could have been a real game changer if this was an A LA CARTE capable radio…Many ipod touch/ iphone users wouldnt mind paying $6.99 for a limited amount of channels…They have thier mp3’s for music already….Many would like to just have select channels. I would suppose that they can get mostly news, or one of the other options for $9.99..but A LA CARTE would’ve been a GRAND SLAM…..Being greedy by getting as much out of each subscriber is risky….They should now focus on increasing the number of subscribers, and having word of mouth start to grow expeonentially…instead of milking current subscribers and any new ones for as much as they are willing to spend….This has not been the first time Mel Karmazin and team has misled the FCC..I think this time…it will hurt the company..and investers….
Only time will tell….I will give myself a “thumbs up”…I know eveyone in hear is just thinking this SKYDOCK is going to change the world…and people will be lining up to get it……Don’t believe the Hype!!!A huge marketing campaign and sale is needed to move this!
I walked into an Apple store to ask a salesman about the release of the SkyDock on Oct. 18, and there’s a chance that he was a new employee, but he didn’t know what I was talking about. Will the Skydock be an item sold and promoted through the Apple stores and through their advertising? Or will it be another terrific Sirius XM item only accessible through their website? It will make a huge difference. It’s tough enough that thestreet.com, Jim Cramer, and CNBC (including Fast Money) are in collusion regarding freezing SIRI out as a stock to be NOT mentioned, NOT discussed, NOT addressed at any point as far as I know since its drop to .05, so unless you follow the company and the stock, its not a stock in the regular consciousness of Wall Street, let alone your average consumer who doesn’t subscribe to its phenomenal programming. What the shorts have done (whatever happened to an end to the “review period” regarding the reinstatement of the uptick rule?), let alone the new sophisticated trading computer programs being implemented every day ( GS?), has held the stock down, but it’s time is coming where macro-momentum related to 3Q earnings and projections can outrun the vicious gravity of the shorts, and inevitably within 2-3 weeks they’ll be forced to jump on board all at once as it climbs post-SkyDock into 3Q earnings release!
The company needs to humanize itself in relation to the market and the consumer. It needs to take Apple’s lead and forge a new ad campaign that taps into the Apple iPhone and iPod consumer base. It’s a reasonable price per month ( 3 Starbucks lattes really) for access to diverse and informative programming, which Sirius XM continues to expand regularly quite impressively. The company seems to be gaining real momentum considering the historic recession we’re coming out of, but its equity value could offset some of the effects of the shorting if the CEO and management released more information about projections in revenue and sales along the way BEYOND its programming releases. It’s not enough to hear from the company four days a year. There’s communication necessary for the consumer through advertising (beyond the website), and there’s communication with the market and those committed to its equity value. The communication is lacking in both. While it had a rough road in February, it’s turned a corner despite the temporary atrophy of U.S. auto sales, and has shown resiliency in its relationship with Apple technology and its new products in terms of building alternate future revenue growth. It’s too great a technology to remain dormant in its communication. The website isn’t enough. They need to understand the value of occasional press releases related to any momentum related to sales, revenue, refinancing debt, new product promotions, new programming of course, and its phenomenal position in relation to Apple’s product and technology and marketing and packaging and sales and revenue revolution!
It’s products and services and technology will support the company, but its relationship to the consumer and the market will build its capitalization, eliminate its debt, expand its market, and carry it into the future as a universal amenity provider as satellite radio become completely assimilated as a technology. Thanks.
Excellent review by Chris Braden Jones, above.
well put CBJ…well put! Thanks for that great post!
Unfortunately I am a Sirius subscriber. Why do I want a Skydock? I don’t think they are gonna have the market with Sirius subscribers. Even if they have an I-Phone. JMHO
If you walk into any retail store…Apple, Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc….And ask about the SKYDOCK..the sales person will have no idea what you are talking about!!!Then say…its a FM modulator, charger and satelite radio that will cost $119.00….They would probably tell you…If you want satelite in your car, why not just get a stand alone satelite radio for less money? They don’t work on commission so they will easily give you a way to listen to your ipod touch/iphone in your car and charge it for less than half the $119.00 price. I know a lot of sites bash SIRI…But this site is doing the opposite….Creating unrealistic HYPE that doesnt exist about this product. What is the President of a SIRIUS XM reseller suppose to say about the demand of an upcoming product that they sell? lol….Yeah, skydock is coming and no one cares? lol…that will really help his business……This dock without promotion is all HYPE!!SIRIUS XM needs to get off their butts and promote the SKYDOCK….and more importantly there content!!!SIRIUS XM has been available to all who want it in their car for less than $119.00 for a long time…This dock is not going to make people want satelite radio!!!!Only content that appeals to them…and content that they are made aware of, so they are willing to pay a monthly fee for it!!!! How is demand going to be high for a product that has no promotion? Apple dominates the market…yet they still advertise their products!!!SIRIUS XM struggles…doesn’t advertise…and this device is going to sell well? WTF!!!?
Jerrold, well said. I would not be the least bit surprised if the product is not even ready by October 18th. I too have asked about the product, and nobody knows anything about it. Meanwhile, the stock is tanking, thanks to executives cashing out well deserved bonuses. I am disappointed that Brandon hasn’t even acknowledged any of that here, after his rhetoric that the company has zero chance of going bankrupt. You certainly had plenty to say about the little pops in price the past few months, but this stock has nosedived from .80 to .50 in just a few weeks.
@JERROLD WILLIAMS
coordinated media blitzkrieg, coupled with some sort of controlled trading manipulation.The market is down-siri is down,market goes up-siri goes down.Does goldman sachs still hold that 250mil boxed position?Third qtr report can not happen fast enuf for me.This is what happens when the status quo is threatened.
@BeGeezus
XMRADIO.COM is now taking orders to be shipped October 12. This article is VERY dissapointing! This article is no more than an advertisement for SRS. Brandon needs to disclose his partnership with this company and how he is trying to boost their sales. Why mention SRS taking pre-orders with no shipping date…when xmradio.com will ship this coming Monday? Amazon.com is taking pre-orders to? Brandon, If you don’t have a partnership with this company, explain how it is a better choice to order from SRS, than from xmradio.com, when they will ship this coming Monday? Or Amazon.com, who offer extremely fast shipping and handling? This site never mentioned the new rewards program that saves customers money by ordering through xmradio.com, getting a long term plan, then getting up to $100.00 back in a debit card!!!It is your site, so you can do as you wish. However, you should not try to come across as you are reporting news to us. You are just promoting a small business that sells SIRIUS XM products. This article makes it seem like SRS is the first company to accept pre-orders….Buy through xmradio.com and get this by the middle of next week. Go to the apple store, best buy and get it on Monday…..or Order through SRS….get it when? ohh…they don’t know yet….give me a break with the HYPE to line your pockets while the stock tanks!!! uh oh….i wonder if this post will be deleted…since it is anti-advertising posing as news….btw…stock down 6% at time of this writing? what’s going on? Remember, you said…this SKYDOCK will sell of the shelves….we will see next week!!!
Where can I purchase XM SkyDock?
XM SkyDock will be available through the Apple Store®, Best Buy, RadioShack, and many independent retailers starting as soon as October 11th.
per xmradio.com
Brandon – why did you remove my post from 10/7 early AM. I submitted it, it was posted – and now it is gone!? Did you not like the content, or the fact that I was critical of Sirius/XM management? Just curious. Nothing I have posted has ever been removed. This is just a little bit upsetting, to say the least.
I am perplexed why some commenting on this site would expect employees of Best Buy and other stores to have information about Skydock – a product that they will not be selling for another week or two. If I were sales manager at a store, I’d wait until the product could be put in the hands of the salespeople, and then say to them: “Ya see where it says here on the box that this product will do _______? When a customer asks you a question, you can show them where it says _______ and also point out that ______.” – or something like that. To tell sales staff information a week or so in advance of a product’s availablity, when they have thousands of products in the store, is information the sales staff will easily forget by the time the product is on the shelves.
That having been said, I hope once the product is ready to be put out for consumers that the sales staff has been briefed properly so they can stimulate sales.
@SteveSirius
I agree about traing staff when the product arrives. However, this site has said repeatedly how much this product is in such high demand and so many people want it. If that were the case, don’t you think that workers in electronic stores would at least know of the release date of have some comment, when in fact they never even heard of it? A few days or weeks beofre an iphone or ipod is coming out…Do you think that Best Buy employees are aware of it? When any “in demand” product is about to come out…there is a buzz in the store and you wouldnt have employees with no clue of what you are talking about. In fact the retail stores may take pre-orders for popular electronics…ie…the Wii and other “in demand products”. The sad part of your statement is that you expect a Best Buy or Radio hack employee to “stimulate” sales……NO!!!SIRIUS XM needs to stimulate sales by advertising!!This comes out in 5 days and no one but people like us who go to satwaves, siriusbuzz and invest in SIRIUS know about it!!!!..ok..point made…my last comment for the day…
@JERROLD WILLIAMS
I would agree with you that at employees should have a basic knowledge of this product that people are now asking about, even if they don’t have detailed information.
However, I would ask that you not make insulting comments to people, like you, who are trying their best to share knowledge and opinion. Your statement to me “The sad part of your statement is that you expect a Best Buy or Radio hack employee to “stimulate” sales……NO!!!SIRIUS XM needs to stimulate sales by advertising!!” is insulting to me. Most people’s thoughts here (aside from bashers) are worthy of respect – even if you don’t agree with them!
I submitted a post today that was critical of Sirius/XM management, and emphasized their indifference for the subscribers and the investors – and their conscious decision to not communicate information, company updates, and news in general to any of us who have the service and/or a vested interest in the company. I posted it, read it a couple of times, and then retired for the night. When I woke up, I logged on to Satwaves and lo and behold – my post had dissapeared! I spent a good hour on the thing, and there was nothing offensive or beyond the boundries of propriety in the least. Basically, it was constructive criticism and suggestions… well intended. I wanted this post to be read, and I resent the fact that someone, obviously, objected to me expressing my opinion. Or the fact that what I had to say was perhaps just too honest for some peoples sensitivities. Any way you slice it, it is a travesty that my comments were removed. If my post isn’t reinstsated, this site has heard the last from me.
To all (both novice & experienced commentators), you should be ashamed of yourselves. Mr. Matthews busts his a** for the benefit of you, the investors, & the general promotion of this wonderful product. He cranks out at least one or two articles a week covering this company, & that isn’t easy by any standard. No article he has written, or anyone for that matter, is perfect, & I believe he does an excellent job covering SIRI news. Sure he misses stuff sometimes, but the last time I checked..yep, he was still human.
And what in the hell is wrong with promoting SRS! Mr. Moffett has graciously appeared on Brandon’s show twice & anyone who tuned in has benefited from the appearances. Brandon’s article may not have meticulously covered every company that is releasing the Skydock with specific dates, but he also didn’t slander any other company that is releasing the Skydock. Only Brandon knows if he intentionally left the other companies out of the article or just made a simple omission for brevity or lack of info, but hell, where I’m from that’s called a “hookup,” & I can’t see anything wrong with that. If Brandon’s taking kickbacks from SRS that another story, but to insinuate this is just plain wrong.
Brandon does accept articles from secondary writers. Why? Because the blog is about the company SIRI, its product & its investors. I suggest keeping your snide comments to yourselves & contributing to the team. I’m not suggesting you be a Brandon cheerleader, just offer constructive criticism with something you all seem to be lacking: TACT!
I’ve said my piece.
@JJ
JJ- Bravo to what you have said! Brandon does go the extra mile and there are some people here who comment on this website who have manipulated comments to their advantage. Nowhere in the above article is there even the hint that Satellite Radio Superstore is 1) the only source for Sirius/XM products or 2) the only place that buyers should go to to get products. The guy from this company was on Brandon’s BlogTalkRadio Show last week. Brandon simply mentioned what the guy said and then Brandon went on to discuss upcoming features. Period. Here is the first paragraph of the above article. Judge for yourselves:
“As discussed on LAST WEEK’s BlogTalkRadio Show, which focuses on all the current news surrounding Sirius XM Radio (SIRI), Satwaves is pleased to announce that the Satellite Radio Superstore is now accepting SkyDock pre-orders for the scheduled launch date of October 18! Matt Moffett, President of the Satellite Radio Superstore discussed the high demand his company was seeing for the SkyDock, which allows Apple (AAPL) devices such as the iPhone and iPod Touch to be used as fully functioning Satellite Radios.”
As I mentioned in a previous post today, people should stick to facts and opinions and not question the goodwill of others who are trying to have a discussion here to benefit us all.
We surely don’t all agree on anything. That’s life. But let’s stay away from the bashing or this will turn into some of the other boards we all detest.
For starters, my relationship with SRS is simple….There isn’t one. I get absolutely NOTHING for promoting them. The same cannot be said of other sites. I have offered to work with other Satellite Radio sites and they have stated that they do not care to develop a relationship with us. In fact, even SRS had no idea I had written that article until I spoke to Matt Moffett yesterday afternoon.
And Steve O. This isn’t Yahoo. I wrote an article about the Skydock. You used this article as a place to crucify sirius xm management on non related issues. I felt it was not appropriate for this discussion and deleted it. I stand by that decision.
@SteveSirius
I apoligize if my comment as far as “the sad part…..”It wasn’t meant to be insulting to anyone. What I mean was “sad” was the lack of promotion from SIRIUS XM itself. At this point it seems that sales reps, internet ads, satwaves are the only thing promoting this. it would be sad if sales reps at electronic stores are needed to sell SIRIUS XM..That won’t work…People have to feel they have a need for the content. No sales rep could pursuade someone into a monthly bill for radio…Only SIRIUS XM’s content and letting that content be known can sell this product. If anyone took offense….none was intended…I respect your opinions..
Brandon, Thanks for not taking offense to my comment about you disclosing your relationship with SRS. I was not attacking you or the site, I just wanted to be clear on the relationship. The gentlemen came on your show, so I guess in turn you gave his website a “plug”, nothing wrong with that. I just felt that the article made it seem that SRS, was in some way one of the first to offer the Sky Dock or take pre-orders. It’s appreciated that you came back with just the facts and you weren’t defensive, like some people defending you were. The site is great overall……I think sometimes you are an unrealistic cheerleader for SIRIUS XM…just my opinion……Some may feel, I;m a pessimist. However, we all have valid opinions. I am a big investor in SIRIUS…deep down I hope you are right and me wrong and this Sky Dock is the next big thing for the holiday season, and stores can’t keep it in stock……I just don’t see it without a huge advertising campaign to boost demand, aside from technology geeks like you…and me……Without advertising they won’t get the average commuter that hates terrestrial radio, tired of downloading songs to their ipod/ipod touch that they own. I still contend that the average person doesnt know what SIRIUS XM is…much less this Sky Dock. Many people think that it is just “radio” that you pay for….meaning paying for what Pandora or Slacker does for free. We know that is not true…This perception needs to change…SIRIUS XM needs to become a household name and be a respected company…..according to xmradio.com….the SKYDOCK goes on sale monday at Apple stores, Best buy, Radio Shack etc….We will be able to see the demand on sites like AMAZON, that post reviews and sales rank. Well, the opinions expressed here today, a little contentious, show how much investors are anticipating the launch of the Sky dock for the holdiday season. Some of us feel this will sell like crazy…some of us feel, they have a lot of advertising to do……The idea is great…I still feel that the device is priced too high…I feel if you have an ipod touch/iphone…you should have a lower price entry point to satelite readio than someone with just a car radio…ie…Onyx goes on sale for only $79.99…XMP3 on sale for $100 with car kit…etc…
great gift, my girls already ask me to buy them skydock for Christmas