I've had my MyFi for a week now and I must say that it has exceeded my expectations.I do live in an urban area where reception is great (DC) but I find that I rarely use the live programming when on the run and just rely on my recorded content.
First what's great about the MyFi:
1) I'm new to satellite radio and was very impressed with the variety of music available.I've discovered lots of artists that while I had my Ipod I never knew existed.Add to that the great live events, talk radio, and other content.
2) XM2Go works flawlessly.But for the limitations (below) it works flawlessly.Pop your MyFi in the cradle at night and in the morning you have 5+ hours of content.Note, the box says 5 hours but in reality if you record any of the more compressed channels (talk etc.) you will end up being able to record more than 5 hours!I believe when I record music channels I actually get closer to 6 hours of recorded content.Once you have your content you can easily scroll from song to song.Skip the ones you don't like.Replay the ones you do.
3) It is truly portable.I go from pocket (headphones), to car (FM transmitter), to home cradle (line-in to the stereo) without ever interrupting listening.
4) It comes with everything you need, including a remote controlso you can easily switch channels as your MyFi sits in its cradle across the room (you can't say that about the Ipod).Further, what it comes with is great quality.I love the swivel car cradle - not only do you not have to worry about plugging wires into the MyFi everytime you bring it into the car (they are plugged into the cradle), it makes reading the display a breeze for both the driver and the passenger (just swivel it between the two).
5) Replaceable battery.Unlike the Ipod the MyFi, like a cell phone, has a swappable battery.That means you can (eventually) either buy a replacement when the battery starts to lose strengh without conducting the surgery necessary on the Ipod (this is huge given the amount of use these devices get and the liklihood that batteries will only hold their full capacity charge for 6-12 months) or just have one handy to extend your listening time.
6) It's solid state.Unlike the Ipod you don't have to worry about a hard drive to go bad (like mine did in 8 months!)
7) Recording isn't limited to scheduled records.You can always nab a song here or there by just hitting the XM2Go button.
8) It feels solid in your hand.Yeah, it's bigger and heavier than an Ipod (think thick PDA, or perhaps the Dell MP3 player) but it's designed to fit in your hand well and works well for both left (me) and right handed people.
Now the things you should be aware of (though, knowing them I still would buy one):
1) Don't expect non-stop reception when you are roaming around.Even in metro areas you might drop a signal when you aren't using the home or car kits.I imagine it is difficult at best in non-urban areas to maintain a line of sight with the sats.Just expect that you will need to make use of the recorded content in those situations.
2) Don't expect the sound quality of a high-bitrate MP3 on the Ipod.I suspect that this has everything to do with the nature of Sat radio and nothing to do with the MyFi hardware, but, the quality is not the same.Although I would rate it great, you do notice that you are getting a compressed stream.
3) Don't expect to be able to control your content.Unless you save a recording session for days you won't likely get the same songs day to day (the playlists on XM are vast, rarely are there repeats) (notable exception is if you record the top 20 channel).That's a good thing if you like variety - that's a bad thing if you like the comfort of always having your favorite tunes handy.
4) The AV cable is a bit short (nothing an extension cord couldn't fix).
5) I would like to see a more sophisticated recording scheduler. Currently you can only schedule 2 record sessions and it limits you to recording within the next 24 hours (unless you schedule a daily recording session).With all of the great XM content it would have been nice to be able to set up a recording session several days into the future.
6) I would like to be able to lock or protect songs or even whole sessions from being recorded over by new recording sessions.Currently, the way it works is just a simple first in first out method.Fortunately, it is smart enough to merely delete a portion of an overwritten section as opposed to the whole section.
7) It doesn't buffer like a TiVo/ReplayTV.It would be nice to pause and/or rewind live content.
8) Fianlly, I would love a computer interface so that that XM can distribute updated software to fix some of the above issues.
This product is great.
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Delphi MyFi XM2GO Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver with Home / Car KitsProduct Description: The Delphi MyFi, the first personal, portable XM2GO satellite radio that delivers XM's Ultimate PlayList™ anytime, anywhere - at home, at work, in the car and now, on the go.The hand-held MyFi gives users the personal freedom to enjoy XM Radio's Ultimate PlayList of more than 130 digital XM channels in two ways: a "live" listening mode and a time-shifting "memory" mode. The MyFi's live mode enables users to listen live to all of XM's 68 commercial-free music channels, plus premier news, sports, talk, traffic and weather channels. MyFi's memory mode - called "My XM" -- allows users to store five hours or more of XM's outstanding content with the press of a button, even when the unit is not in use. The MyFi makes it possible to enjoy XM Satellite Radio anywhere, anytime, effortlessly. Large, illuminated six-line LCD display. Up to 30 channel presets. Built-in alarm clock.
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I have had this radio for about 7 YEARS, and my children grew up playing CD's on it. They dropped to the floor many times. It even continues playing upside down. At this point I think it's indestructible. I'm so glad I bought it when I did.
