The iPhone 3G blog

Sirius XM Radio, always on the lookout for ways to attract fee-paying younger subscribers, is now after the Apple crowd.

After the introduction several months ago of the XM Skydock, the iPod/iPhone accessory is finally on the market, at a price of $120; even Apple stores are to carry it.

Instead of buying an aftermarket satellite-radio kit, iPhone and iPod Touch owners can place their devices in this dock, which has the antenna necessary to pull in a satellite signal. The Skydock itself plugs into a cigarette-lighter power port and also charges your iPhone while it’s docked. An FM transmitter beams your music to your car stereo, so you can play the signal over your speakers.

Access to XM Sirius content costs $13 a month. An added feature is the ability to tag songs you hear for later purchase on iTunes.

Of course, FM transmitters are notoriously finicky (trying to find an available, clean frequency can be hard, particularly in cities). If your car has an auxiliary in connector, you can plug the Skydock directly into your car stereo.

The bigger question is this: While there’s a certain appeal to the serendipity of radio (who knew they were going to play that Scitti Politti song?), doesn’t a well-stocked iPod or iPhone, chockablock with music and podcasts, sort of obviate the need for pay radio?

Blacksn0w

The constant battle between Apple and those that want to open up the iPhone operating system took another step forward today, this time in favour of the coders.

George Hotz, a developer, has managed to circumnavigate Apple’s coding to allow users to unlock the latest 3.1.2 iPhone update and allow users to install non approved applications as well as allow them to use the iPhone on other mobile networks like T-Mobile in the UK and US. Read more… »