0ur opinion:

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Stiletto 2 combines Sirius radio with your own personal MP3 music library for the ultimate portable audio entertainment experience - wherever you go. Enjoy live Sirius radio from Sirius satellites or via WiFi, listen to stored Sirius programming or to your favorite songs from your personal music collection.

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With the release of the Stiletto 2, Sirius ushers in the next personal music player revolution. With a slim and sleek profile smaller than a video iPod, the ultra-portable Sirius Stiletto 2 satellite radio receiver features a built-in antenna that allows reception of the Sirius signal without the need for an external car or home docking station. This handheld receiver offers users up to 100 hours of internal storage of live satellite program and music feeds. lt also can handle MP3 and WMA files, enabling you to mix Sirius content with your own personal music collection. When coupled with an optional vehicle or home docking kit, you can broadcast both Sirius radio and digital audio files over any FM stereo via the built-in transmitter (adapter required).

The sleek and stylish Stiletto 2 can play both Sirius broadcasts and MP3s. View larger.

With its compact design, the Stiletto 2 lets you experience Sirius internet radio on the go.

The compact Stiletto 2 MP3 player is a 4.3-ounce portable radio that is capable of receiving live Sirius broadcasts via both satellite and Wi-Fi signals. lnternal flash memory is used to store Sirius content as well as MP3/WMA files for non-live playback. Listeners can easily bookmark songs and tag favorite songs for later purchase using any Windows-based online music service. Additionally, the Stiletto 2 supports removable microSD flash memory cards to enable users to conveniently expand usable memory space. MP3 and WMA files also can be stored on the Stiletto 2 and managed with the included My Sirius Studio software. The Stiletto 2 is compatible with most music download and subscription services.

The enhanced Wi-Fi capability of the Stiletto 2 permits access to standard Sirius lnternet Radio (SlR) or, for an additional subscription charge, SlR’s premium audio quality offering. SlR gives subscribers access to more than 80 channels of Sirius Satellite Radio content on the lnternet, including Howard Stern's two channels, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 0utQ, and commercial-free music programming. Sirius also selected Altec Lansing to develop the new antenna headphones for the Stiletto 2. Featuring large 30-mm drivers for full-spectrum acoustics and an adjustable headband for increased user comfort, the new Altec Lansing antenna headphones can deliver hours of listening enjoyment in absolute comfort and crystal clear audio clarity.

0ther features of the Stiletto 2 include a brilliant 2.2-inch color display, a handy media dial, and a six-way navigation control that provides easy one-handed access to all features and content. Thrown in for added convenience are Sirius Replay, which allows users to pause, rewind, and replay up to 60 minutes of live radio programming; Game Alert, which allows listeners to track favorite sports team and drive broadcasts and alerts when scores change; and Game Zone, which provides a listing of the user's favorite teams in one virtual category. Parents also have control over usable channels with the parental channel lockout feature. Measuring 1.9 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches, the Stiletto 2 weighs in at a scant 4.3 ounces.

About Sirius
Sirius Satellite Radio delivers more than 130 channels of music and programming via crystal clear direct satellite feed. ln addition to 69 channels of commercial-free music listening, Sirius also delivers 65 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, and weather forecasts. Sirius--the official satellite radio partner of the NFL, NASCAR, and NBA--broadcasts live play-by-play games of the NFL and NBA, as well as live NASCAR races. All Sirius programming is available for a monthly subscription fee.

What's in the Box
Stiletto 2 receiver/MP3 player, battery, AC power adaptor, Altec Lansing headphones, ear buds, PC cable, and My Sirius Studio software.

Listen to more than 130 channels of music and programming on the go--in the car, at home, or in the office.

Piece Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

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Buyer's feedback: - * Quite happy with it. ...
After regular use of my Stiletto 2 for the past month, I have to say I'm quite happy with its performance. I am located in North Dakota, nowhere near a terrestrial repeater, so I have to rely solely on satellite signal.

Outdoors with the antenna headphones in use, I get good strong signal any time I've got a clear view of the sky directly above. In cases of heavy cloud cover, signal will sometimes get spotty if I'm under a tree. Concrete or metal overhangs (like at a gas station) will usually kill the signal until I get clear, regardless of sky condition.

Using the unit outdoors with just the earbuds is hit and miss. With clear skies, I need to hold the unit upright to maintain signal, and it's more sensitive to obstructions as well. For portable outdoor use, your best bet is to use the antenna headphones, which sound ok as far as I'm concerned and are fairly comfortable.

Indoors, I can sometimes get signal if I point the antenna phones out a window, but it's hit and miss. I utilize the wifi feature when indoors, and get great signal and sound quality. Setting up the wifi connection was not difficult.

On the down side, the channel selection is reduced when using a wifi connection. I've not done a comprehensive survey, but I believe all the music channels are available. Most (maybe all) of the sports channels, however, are not available over an internet connection and require satellite signal to receive. Additionally, the ability to pause, rewind, and save songs is also unavailable when using the wifi.

I have not picked up the home or car kits yet, but intend to do so in the near future. For the time being, I hang the antenna headphones from my rear view mirror and get good signal in the car. I then plug my cassette adapter (yeah, my car is old) into the phone jack and listen through my car stereo. However, I do need to turn the volume on the Stiletto 2 rather high, which means I've got the rather expensive antenna headphones blasted, which concerns me.

Battery life estimates seem to be pretty accurate. I get almost right at 5 hours of satellite reception on a full battery charge, right around 10 (I've actually only done 8, but had 20% charge left) when using a wifi, and significantly lower power consumption when playing stored music. Unfortunately, the way the unit is built it is not possible to plug the power adapter and the antenna headphones into the unit at the same time, although you can use the power and the other phone jack at the same time. I'm not entirely sure why the power jack wasn't moved over just a fraction of an inch further left to allow all three jacks to be used simultaneously.

The only other minor issue I've seen is the rare time I turn the unit on from "sleep" mode, and it seems to get a bit confused as to how much battery charge it's got. I'll get a "low battery" message, even though it's over 75% charged. Waking it up a second time takes care of the problem. I've only experienced this two or three times thus far, and hope it's not indicative of a future power issue.

Setting up service was a bit of a challenge, as I had a difficult time getting the voice recognition software on their phone service to understand me. This surprised me, as I have a very neutral accent. I was using a cell phone, so that may have been a factor. Once I got a living human on the line, setup was a snap.

All in all, I'm happy with my Stiletto 2, as well as the Sirius programming with it. I do recommend the product even with its limitations.

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Buyer's feedback: - I knew I'd like this thing...
I knew I'd like this thing, but I didn't know how much! I use it all the time in the car, mow the lawn connected to wi-fi, listen to the library all the time...it's great. The Altec Lansing antenna headphones sound and work quite well, and the home and vehicle kits are a must. The "patch" antenna on the unit itself doesn't receive satellite well at all. If you're in a city, the terrestrial repeaters are received by the portable very well. Sirius programming is excellent- you just need to get past their customer service first. I highly recommend the Stiletto 2.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Very buggy software limits, ruins the experience. ...
I received my Stiletto II about two weeks ago, and I've enjoyed the convenience of listening to Sirius programming on-the-go after recording it in my office during the day. The headphones it comes with are quite nice (metallic wiring). Most of the joy I get out of the device, however, is dashed by the very buggy software that's installed - and that I find myself having to reinstall over and over again - on it. In the last two weeks, I've had to perform an approximately 15-minute "device recovery" using a PC and the provided software to erase everything I've recorded and then reformat the Stiletto II. Thus far I've had to recover because: 1) the device had some kind of issue with an inability to delete recorded programs I no longer needed, freezing and then giving me an "error, plug into computer to recover" message; 2) for no apparent reason other than waking up the device after it had been recording during the afternoon; and 3) the software crashed the first time I attempted to upload mp3's onto it because I foolishly downloaded updated device software when prompted to by the "My Sirius Studio" program (the software you use to upload music and manage the files already on the Stiletto II, provided on a CD-ROM). In fact, I'm typing this as my Stiletto II is recovering after incident #3 ("Recovering / Please wait..." it says).

I regret buying this; I had a Sportster 4 that worked just fine. I haven't had to reboot the Stiletto 2 in the last few days (the time between incidents 2 and 3 because, I suspect, I'd been limiting my use to very simple things, like recording and listening to just one station, rather than attempting to upload mp3's or manage what files I had on the device after successive recordings. That means, however, it seems that to avoid future crashes I'll have to avoid enjoying the Stiletto 2 to its fullest advertised capability. I hope in the future other device makers than Sirius/Directed Electronics offer Sirius reception. The Stiletto 2 is just a mess.

It's been about 15 minutes already and my Stiletto 2 is now in the "Receiving Software" stage of the software recovery. I'll have to reselect my favorite stations and will have lost all my recordings. Sigh.

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Buyer's feedback: - The best of the Sirius family of radio's
The Siruis Stiletto 2 is a far cry from my previous Siruis S50 portable radio. It is an attractive multi-functional device that makes me smile when I hold in my hand or wake up next to it on my pillow. I will however replace it the moment Sirius comes out with the Stiletto 3. Out with the old and in with the new. Similiar philosophy for my relationships.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Less than Honest rebate policy ...
The rebate had been extended by 30 days on their site and I had the updated form. Their web system was not so I mailed the form. They rejected it - I know how to properly submit. I let it go as did not feel like battling them.