Teckie toy question

I pump Sirius through the smart phone app, works pretty well and I export it to the car audio through the aux socket.

The Sirius Stiletto is a nice unit. Expensive ($250+). Good reception.

Make sure you are mentally prepared to pay $13-$17 a month ($160-$200 a year) just for the service. If you think your walks would benefit from .80 a day of satellite radio entertainment, go for it. If not, get a new generation IPod and load up with your music/mp3s PLUS set up podcast downloads for your favorite programs (not to mention the apps available for IPods nowadays).

Me--I'm a cheap ass and I'd go with the latter. But sat radio has its fans. Note that networks like ESPN still run commercials on satellite radio so your advantage over local terrestrial radio is nil in that regard. I do like sat radio's commercial-free "50's on 5", "60's on 6", etc...fun!

Good luck.

Billy, have you tried resetting the mp3? There should be a small hole that you can insert a paperclip into, and the device should reboot. If you tell me the make/model, I might be of more help. The GeekSquad is highly overrated...

That being said, if the thing is truly dead, you should go with something that your budget approves of. Satellite radio is cool, but expensive for monthly service. I don't generally advocate iPods because they're hugely overpriced, but if you love Apple, the iPod simply works and is good for those who have already committed to iTunes/Mac.

For me, I like my generic mp3 players. Right now I have a Creative Zen that I bought refurbished. When it dies, I'll probably go with one of the Samsung or other small, portable players. Cheap and simple are the things I want from my single function gizmos.

You can buy a player-to-car adaptor for nearly any player on the market. So the big questions are: What do you want it to do? And how much are you willing to pay?

mine's a Zune. dont knwo about resetting, but will look at it

satellite radio - monthly fee
mp3 player - no monthly (unless zune service)

I really think it depends on if you have music or plan on getting service. Make sure your phone doesn't have the ability (and battery) for using internet radio (pandora) or playing back mp3s. If you are just looking for good prices of mp3 players or satellite radio check out buy.com or newegg.com

Instead of getting a dedicated mp3/Sirius portable, I'd recommend a smartphone and downloading the Slacker or Pandora aps. They have a ton of channels and are free. The Wi-Fi connection might suck your battery a little, so be sure to charge up before a big trek. Sirius is a little expensive so this route might save you some bucks in the long run.