Sirius has started the marketing of the S50. A video clip from their website and details of this satellite radio / mp3 player.
Product Details
Marketing Video
Product Details
Marketing Video
Sirius Debuts The S50 Wearable
- Thread starter Sirius_Rich
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...But can you listen to LIVE programming.?.?
Like the MyFi can.
Congrats to Sirius on re-inventing the tape recorder. Haha.
Like the MyFi can.
Congrats to Sirius on re-inventing the tape recorder. Haha.
Irish_Flyers said:...But can you listen to LIVE programming.?.?
Like the MyFi can.
Congrats to Sirius on re-inventing the tape recorder. Haha.
Welcome to SatelliteGuys.us and the Satellite Radio Forum. Up to now this forum has done a great job of NOT being another Yahoo bash fest. As a moderator of this forum, I would like to keep it that way. If you have a personal review of a satellite radio or comments on satellite radio programming, critique away.
Enjoy and please contribute to SatelliteGuys.us.
Sorry if you felt I was bashing it, Rich. I was having a little fun, (hence the smilies).
Granted the fun was at the expense of Sirius' shortcoming in the technology dept, but it was just a little humor there. I don't feel I was being anything like the Yahoo boards can be.
And even though it was short, what I wrote can be considered a critique. The S50 may be wearable, but you can't listen to Live shows. That's a critique.
Granted the fun was at the expense of Sirius' shortcoming in the technology dept, but it was just a little humor there. I don't feel I was being anything like the Yahoo boards can be.
And even though it was short, what I wrote can be considered a critique. The S50 may be wearable, but you can't listen to Live shows. That's a critique.
It says right on the link to the product details
"Simple:
Pause, Rewind and Fast Forward Live Programs"
Am I missing something here or are you?
"Simple:
Pause, Rewind and Fast Forward Live Programs"
Am I missing something here or are you?
minorthr said:
Here is the history of the development of the S50 via an interview with the designer. If read, you will see the reasons for the emphasis on portability.
Ziba is the creative firm that had a hands on involvement with the product design of the upcoming Sirius S50 unit. The S50 was a departure from Sirius’ previous device approach in that an extreme amount of focus was placed on form-factor, from the ergonomics of the unit to the out of box experience (OBE), every aspect of the S50 was considered. Many feel that this eye for design was what was responsible for the success of the iPod, and this seems to be the same approach Sirius is shooting for. Design is everything.
Form follows function though. So it was not enough to ensure that the S50 not only looks good, but it must function intuitively in the hands of the listener.
Orbitcast got the chance to interview the Creative Director from Ziba, Steve McCallion, who worked on the Sirius S50 project. Ziba has a reputation as being an extremely high-end firm, with clients such as Starbucks, KitchenAid and Motorola - so when Sirius approached them for work on the S50, they were up to the challenge.
Read the full interview after the jump…
Sirius S50Q: Before we continue, please introduce yourself and explain to our readers what was your involvement in the design process for the S50.
Steve McCallion, Creative Director, Ziba Design. Responsible for guiding the team of industrial designers, graphic designers, interaction designers and engineers that envisioned and delivered the S50. The core team included Brandon Burroughs, project manager; Paul O’Conner, lead designer; and Jamian Cobbett, Design Director. The team was lead by Laura O’Donnell on Sirius’ side.
S50-2.jpgQ: Like many others, we were surprised to see the level of detail put into every aspect of the unit. This admittedly is a bit of a departure from Sirius’ previous units. Did it take some convincing from Ziba to accomplish this, or did Sirius already consider design as a priority?
Sirius is very committed to enhancing the overall experience that someone has with its service. The folks at Sirius understand that the physical product is a key aspect of this experience. They’ve been great.
S50-3.jpgQ: What sort of limitations needed to be considered when coming up with concepts for the S50?
The biggest challenge with satellite radio is the ability to receive live signals in a portable configuration. Making the product live in all environments was in direct conflict with making a highly portable product. Our research determined that in many scenarios, portability was more important than live. As a result, we were able to create a highly portable product that is live when docked.
S50-4.jpgQ: The car dock, home docking station, and the executive speakers all have a consistant look-and-feel, did Ziba have a direct involvement on those pieces of the project as well? or did you set guidelines for the manufacturer to follow?
Paul O’Conner our lead designer was responsible for designing the entire family. The goal was to create a brand language that captured the spirit of Sirius.
S50-5.jpgQ: Tell me about the “tilt-wheel,” what was the inspiration behind that, and what was the process that led up to it’s development?
We call it the Media Dial. The concept is reminiscent of stereo receivers we’re all familiar with, but it has the added functionality of media control. We explored a number of different controllers searching for a solution that connected with people both functionally and emotionally. We wanted it to be simple and approachable, but express the new technology as well. The Media Dial connects the old with the new.
S50-6.jpgQ: I noticed a perforated backing for the unit - was heat a factor that needed to be addressed?
Heat was definitely a factor, but the perfs were really about treating the back of the product with the same level of detail as the front. Hand held products need to be designed in the round. The perfs enhance grip and provide a nice little surprise when you hold the device.
S50-7.jpgQ: With the release of the iPod nano in black, and it’s level of popularity when compared to the white unit, as well as the new iPod video being offered in black - how was Ziba able to predict that ‘black is the new white’ when selecting the color of the unit?
Colors go in cycles. Apple reset our expectations that a consumer electronic had to be black. That worked for a while, but the writing was on the wall. The S50 is a counterpoint to the iPod. It’s an iPod that you don’t have to manage. We wanted to make it black to emphasize this difference and reconnect the S50 with radio (traditionally black). Ironically, making it black is considered new due to Apple’s ability to shift our perceptions. The Dark Ages have returned.
Q: Did Ziba have a hand in the interface design, or was that handled separetly by Sirius?
We developed the interface as part of the overall product development. The goal was to create an integrated product experience.
Q: In a perfect world where there are no limitations, what would you add to the Sirius S50 to help convey the design concept further?
In a perfect world, satellite technology would be small enough that the device could receive live signals in all environments. Until then, we’ll rely on satellite casting and memory to fill in the times you don’t have a signal.
Orbitcast Interview
So when you're not docked, it can't get a live signal. That is incredibly lame. I stopped reading the article at that point. If you can't get a live signal, development should have ceased or been shifted to a new team who understands what people buy portable satellite radio devices for.
Booooo
Booooo
Purogamer said:
If you had finished reading the interview it says the technology of a true portable satrad receiver that gets a consistent signal is not here yet.
Some think of the S50 as an iPod with the benefit to record not only personal WMA and mp3 files from your PC but Sirius content as well. The S50 has a ton of features not found on the iPod. Maybe you should read about them.
Obviously it is not for everyone and it was not meant to be. Personally, I can't wait to get one. When I do get my hands on one, I will write a review on this thread.
The device will only be sold to people who think it is a portable live unit, mark my words. It'll be off the shelves quickly.
I'm a sirius guy but this thing is shockingly lame.
I'm a sirius guy but this thing is shockingly lame.
Purogamer,
You may be correct and you may not. There are a lot of people who currently disagree with you. Check out these two links:
Forbes Poll
Best Buy Orders 450,000 S50's
This will be interesting and we will see soon enough how popular the S50 will be. I look forward to see the results.
You may be correct and you may not. There are a lot of people who currently disagree with you. Check out these two links:
Forbes Poll
Best Buy Orders 450,000 S50's
This will be interesting and we will see soon enough how popular the S50 will be. I look forward to see the results.
OK, so if I have this thing in my car, in the cradle, I can receive live radio broadcasts, right?
And, if I have it at home, in a docking station, then I can receive live radio broadcasts, right?
Are these assumtions correct?
And, if I have it at home, in a docking station, then I can receive live radio broadcasts, right?
Are these assumtions correct?
...but you could buy anything on the shelf to do that, and probably cheaper than the s50 will warrant as a new device...
I still can't believe it...
I still can't believe it...
*GRRRRR* Sirius CANNOT get it right. In places with solid repeater coverage (major east coast pedestrian metros such as DC/NYC/etc) my MyFi works great at street level on foot. I really care if the few people I see on the street that I'm never ever going to see again think I look like a dork with the personal antenna.
The point is, if I want to listen to O&A in the morning while walking somewhere, live, I CAN... with acceptable reception. Sirius dodges by saying portability is more important than live reception. Yet, the MyFi is eminently portable. What Sirius has is a glorified solid state recorder with some integration benefits. Thanks but I'd prefer to CHOOSE whether or not I want to put up with reception difficulties.
Then again, it's possible that Sirius can't do a true portable thanks to the elliptical orbit of their satellites. XM may have a benefit in having their satellites in geosynchronous orbit.
The point is, if I want to listen to O&A in the morning while walking somewhere, live, I CAN... with acceptable reception. Sirius dodges by saying portability is more important than live reception. Yet, the MyFi is eminently portable. What Sirius has is a glorified solid state recorder with some integration benefits. Thanks but I'd prefer to CHOOSE whether or not I want to put up with reception difficulties.
Then again, it's possible that Sirius can't do a true portable thanks to the elliptical orbit of their satellites. XM may have a benefit in having their satellites in geosynchronous orbit.
I haven't seen the "personal antenna" on the MyFi, so I don't know if it is inconvenient or not. Nor do I have any idea how good the reception on the MyFi is when it is being used on the go. However, I agree with the conclusion that this new Sirius product will be very disappointing to those who want to listen to live programming. Different strokes for different folks, of course. But, satellite radio is just as much about live news, sports and talk as it is about commercial free radio. . . . especially for Sirius which has chosen to invest MILLIONS more than XM to secure exclusive content like the NFL, NCAA Tournament, Howard Stern and, yes, Martha Stewart.
The S50 appears to be a good portable IPOD-like product. But, Sirius would be well served to continue in its effort to replicate the versatility of the MyFi.
The S50 appears to be a good portable IPOD-like product. But, Sirius would be well served to continue in its effort to replicate the versatility of the MyFi.
elephant98 said:
Exactly. This is what it is advertised to do, but affords live Sirius content while in a docking station and record that content automatically or manually. Custom playlists can be created from the recorded material and other mp3/WMA files added.
Sirius gives detailed S50 features and benefits at this SITE. If you don't think it is a good value for the features offered, don't purchase it. How many iPods have been sold?
Whether or not everyone has an iPod, almost everyone knows what it is. To compare the iPod to the S50 is a stretch at this point. You can get any 3rd party mp3 player, if it comes from sirius it should be able to receiver sirius' signal when you're wearing it around...
So, if the S50 might not be the right product for some, what is considered the best Sirius radio for someone who wants to listen to Stern at home in the morning, then go out to the car and listen on the way to work as well.
The S50 looks classy, but if it's encumbered by limitations that will probably be overcome with an S70 (or whatever) in a few years, what is the best alternative (price not an issue)
THANKS
:-jon
PS - I don't want this just for Stern, but that is what my initial motivation is.
The S50 looks classy, but if it's encumbered by limitations that will probably be overcome with an S70 (or whatever) in a few years, what is the best alternative (price not an issue)
THANKS
:-jon
PS - I don't want this just for Stern, but that is what my initial motivation is.
The S50 has been arriving at retailers the past two days. These initial radios are for store displays only. They are working models as I had the opportunity to play with one for a couple hours today. This Sirius radio will surprise most everybody when it is seen in person. There are more features to the radio than I knew about. If even slightly interested, I suggest a visit to a big box retailer in the near future to see it for yourself.
Newest S50 Pictures
Newest S50 Pictures
