The latest portable satellite radio from Samsung offers live broadcasts in your pocket and the ability to record up to 50 hours of content. Is it time to toss out your iPod?
Review summary of the Samsung Helix:
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 The Samsung Helix dramatically improves upon previous generation XM2go portable players by offering live XM content without having to tote a bulky player or use a dock. Sound quality on the Helix is excellent and the variety of music options – live content, recorded content, MP3s and WMAs, plus compatibility with the XM + Napster service – means that you’ll never run out of things to listen to. Release: June 2006. Price: $399.
Pros: Excellent sound quality; sleek design; bright color screen; stores up to 50 hours of XM radio content; plays MP3 and WMA files; plays live content without a dock
Cons: Expensive; front buttons feel a bit flimsy
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Full review of the Samsung Helix:
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Samsung put its latest pocket-sized XM2go player on a diet, but like the pioneer Inno, it still manages to play live XM broadcasts anywhere - unlike the Sirius S50, which needs a dock to play live content.
Satellite radio - Excellent
Controlling the Helix is very straightforward: you simply scroll through the list of 170 XM stations (or type in a specific number if you know the channel) and make your selection.
users can also search by artist or genre and get alerts if a preselected singer is playing on another channel. XM + Napster support means that you can tag songs you like and then purchase them when you sync the Helix with your PC.
music sounded crisp and clear, and we encountered very little static while walking through Manhattan. the Helix gets plenty loud too; we cranked up the volume without encountering any distortion. tip: upgrade the earbuds for even better sound.
Stored audio - Very good
The Helix makes it easy to switch over to your stored recordings and MP3s, too; it holds 512 MB worth of MP3s or up to 50 hours of XM content. both MP3s and recorded XM radio sounded excellent.
Battery life - Very good
The Helix kept ticking for over 4.5 hours of continuous live listening; better yet, the battery life increases to more than 10 hours when playing recorded content. you can also listen to the Helix while the battery recharges in the included cradle.
Price and availability
The Samsung Helix will start selling for $399 () in June 2006.
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