LAS VEGAS and HAUPPAUGE, NY (Audiovox Corporation) - LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, 2006 CES, Audiovox Booth 11006-10506 - Audiovox Corporation and XM Satellite
Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR) today unveiled the XM Passport, a tiny, portable tuner that delivers XM Satellite
Radio to an expanding portfolio of XM Ready products for the home, car, and portable use utilizing XM Connect and Play technology.
The XM Passport measures only 1.3 inches wide, 1.65 inches long, and 0.44 inches thick, yet this miniature cartridge contains the entire XM radio tuner needed to deliver XM Satellite Radio to a wide array of XM Ready products, including home stereo and home theater systems, DVD players, mini/micro-shelf systems, car radios, clock radios, boom boxes, and the new Samsung NEXUS XMP3 digital audio player. The XM Passport is inserted into a docking station connected to the product, or it is inserted directly into a port offered by the manufacturer, and it will deliver XM Satellite Radio to the product.
The XM Passport is approximately 40 times smaller that the original trunk mount XM radio tuners introduced just four years ago.
An XM subscriber can easily move the XM Passport from one 'Passport' compatible product to another, allowing the subscriber to receive XM Satellite Radio on many devices with only one subscription. The XM Passport is a standard platform that is completely inter-operable among XM Passport Ready systems. XM Passport sets a new standard for satellite radio technology in terms of the ease of use and affordability, delivering an unmatched simplicity in customer experience.
"The XM Passport is a tiny little tuner that is going to make a big impact on satellite radio," said Dan Murphy, Senior Vice President, Product Marketing and Distribution, XM Satellite Radio. "Millions of home, car, and portable products will use the XM Passport as the gateway to XM Satellite Radio. It's a passport to the whole world of music, sports, talk, and entertainment choices available on XM. This is a major breakthrough for XM in terms of offering customers portability, affordability, and convenience."
In commenting on the announcement, Pat Lavelle, President and CEO of Audiovox said, "Audiovox is thrilled to be the main distribution arm for this new and exciting breakthrough in XM Satellite Radio
Technology as it compliments our portfolio of XM products, like XM Direct and XM Connect and Play." Lavelle further stated, "We are also excited about the opportunity for our company to develop other Passport compatible products for both the consumer and mobile markets."
Consumers can purchase an XM Passport for $29.99 (MSRP) and home and car docking stations ($29.99 each) at retailers beginning in March 2006.
The XM Passport will come bundled with the upcoming Samsung NEXUS XM/MP3 digital audio players and connect to the home docking station (supplied) and car dock (optional). The user can carry the one XM Passport between home and car docks for live reception of XM's signal in both environments.
The XM Passport delivers XM to a variety of XM Ready home audio systems that use XM Connect and Play technology. Manufacturers offering home audio systems equipped with XM Connect and Play technology in 2006 include Audiovox, Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer, Sony, LGE, JVC, Samsung, Eton, Polk Audio, Crosley, Sharper Image, Oritron, SDI, GPX, and others.
"The XM Passport is a whole new audio format, in the same way that CDs and MP3s are audio formats," Murphy added. "You can take a CD from the stereo to the car, or take an MP3 file from the computer to the portable player. With the XM Passport, you can take XM from one product to the next to listen. It goes wherever you go."
