June 3, 2006

a deal to the power of X(M)

Whilst perusing my my favorite deal site a few months back, I came across an offer I couldn't refuse... actually, two offers I couldn't refuse. First, the XM Roady 2 receiver for free after rebate, and a special that included three free months of XM radio. Essentially, try us out for three months for the cost of shipping... no cancellation fee, no reactivation fee if you want to turn it back on.

The nice thing about the Roady 2 kit compared to other XM receivers is that it comes with just about everything you need to run it in your car. It included a cassette adaptor, a 12V power adaptor, the tiny magnetic-mount antenna and a vent mount for the Roady itself inside the car. It also has a built in FM broadcaster that has just about every station between 88.1 and 107.9 in case you have one of them newfangled CD playin' radios in yer car an' cain't use the cassette adaptur.

After getting the Roady all plugged up, we used it off and on for about three or four months... enough for XM to start billing us the $12.95 a month, so we decided to shut it down. Well, the nice folks at XM have offered to give me three more months for free (actually, I think it was the nice Indian man probably working for XM for $12.95 a month answering their phone in India.)

On a scale of 1 to 10, one being "as cool as a rock" and ten being Tivo, I'd give the overall service experience about a six. It's kind of fun to be able to tune in to Mad Money on the way home (something I kind of like, but Lydia doesn't), but I really don't spend enough time in the car with the radio to make it worth $13 a month. Plus, I'm more of an iPod consumer of music... pick it yourself and order it yourself rather than allowing a radio programmer, no matter how benign or creative, do it for you. Generally, I use it to fill the commute, landing on the 80s, or Flight 26 or The Groove. We'll see in another two and a half months whether we stick out the subscription. Of course, I'll probably be able to find another deal by then...

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