SIRIUS Goes Portable with 'ReGo'

After what many have considered a rough outing for the smaller of the two satellite radio providers at CES 2005, some good news for SIRIUS came from partner XACT Communications as it unveiled the ReGo.

Billed as the services' first truly portable unit, the ReGo will have similar features as the recently released MyFi for rival service XM. However, with the addition of an optional CompactFlash card, the ReGo will also be able to play MP3 files as well.

"With the ReGo, XACT offers the public a multi-faceted device that is nothing like other personal entertainment products on the market. We have targeted the technological needs of a wide variety of music and radio lovers and have created a product that not only fulfills those needs, but surpasses them," XACT Vice President Ben Lowinger said in a statement.

XACT spokesperson Jesse Stowell told BetaNews that the unit will carry a $300 USD price tag. However, if the user wants to use the MP3 feature of the unit, a CompactFlash card is needed. A 1GB card, the largest the ReGo can handle, would retail for around $90 USD. Stowell said the company had not decided whether to ship a CF card with the unit and would make a final decision after CES.

Although XACT claimed in a statement that the unit is "wearable," satellite radio Web log Orbitcast took issue with just how portable ReGo actually is. "From the information we've gathered, this is NOT a wearable device," the blog's author wrote. "You cannot plug in headphones and walk around with the thing." This statement was later confirmed by SIRIUS' Larry Pesce, who told reporters a wearable device like the MyFi is not expected until later this year.

Stowell told BetaNews that ReGo will be released in the spring. Asked whether XACT was planning to release devices for XM as well, Stowell answered "XACT Communication looks forward to continue producing satellite radio receivers and accessories for its partner, SIRIUS."