Is Harman a Threat to Sirius XM?

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 10:22 AM, gasboy48 wrote:

  Am I missing something here? Sirius/Xm offers streaming of their services/programming. So how is this a threat? It's all about content. If the free content was so good, Sirius would have been sunk a long time ago. Having the ability to receive streams effectively in a car only strengthens the providers position. The content buyer now determines how they want to receive the information. I think it's about time people writing these articles wake up and see what is really going on. People like what they're getting from Sirius as demonstrated by the increasing numbers of subscribers. This is not a stock to short anymore. If you want to make some money, jump on the buy train.....

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 10:25 AM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  To answer your question with as much research and insight as you've shown in this "article," NO.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 10:35 AM, jojopuppyfish wrote:

  How much will the internet in the car cost?

  That rate will be the competition to Sirius/xm.

  Right now, people are paying $15 or something for satellite radio in their car.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 10:35 AM, pete163 wrote:

  Look I have Sirius XM and it's tuned to the oldies 24-7 there are No stations out there that will offer this, without a truck load of trash sales talk. And to answer this read "NO"

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 10:44 AM, Austin77478 wrote:

  Opaquely and rubbished written article!

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 10:57 AM, Filters wrote:

  It is incredible how Motley Fool constantly tries to bash SiriusXM when it makes a move to the upside. Where is the SEC ?

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 10:58 AM, gasboy48 wrote:

  Good point jojo. If I understand what you're saying, the consumer would have to pay an additional charge just to receive access to the internet in their car.(internet access is not free anywhere....even in hotspots someone pays) Then they could compare what's available at this cost to what they would get from Sirius. I think hands down Sirius content would rule dollar for dollar. The comparison has always been made comparing "free" radio to satellite. But if you're going to have to spend money on either avenue, value for services rendered comes heavily into play.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:00 AM, vesprito01 wrote:

  Trash from cramer followers no more no less.

  Siri long and profit beyond your dreams

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:00 AM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  jojopuppyfish, what many people seem to miss is that Sirius is not just for the car, even though that is currently the major application. I have a dock at home connected to my stereo, and one at work as well. The set I purchased is portable, the signal is consistent (even in areas where 3G and 4G service is not available), the content is there, and I don't have to worry about data charges from some ISP. I for one believe that my monthly charge for Sirius is a great bargain.

  So, where's the competition for that?

  Just as a new implementation of that old technology - the laser - made cassette decks practically obsolete, this other new implementation of an old technology - easily-received digital signals from satellites - will make that unreliable Internet-streamed audio in mobile applications obsolete.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:03 AM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  ...sorry, I forgot to add unreliable "and about to be much more expensive"

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:18 AM, Austin77478 wrote:

  The author does not have the ability to move Sirius’ stock. What’s going on right now is expected. People would take quick profit, and moreover, the overall market is down.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:19 AM, beerman53 wrote:

  Sirius jumps and the MF trots out and or recycles some more verbage on the ...... * rebuffering *.......................... * rebuffering........................... Re... * joys of cellular data transmission radio while in a moving receiver device.

  Sirius is a great product. Getting better and priced right

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:32 AM, gasboy48 wrote:

  Siriuslyrick... totally agree. I also have a Stilletto 2 and use it in my car, home stereo, with ear buds when working out and boombox. However, this is the one area that I think Sirius has fallen down. They haven't really put too much emphasis on the portability potential of their service. Just try and find a small ipod equivalent speaker dock for their portable players....they are nonexistent. Also, their players are clunky compared to apple offerings. However, this may change with Sirius 2.0. They are being mum about it so I think we all be pleasantly surprised.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:52 AM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  I have to wonder when Sirius will expand their contract negotiations to include home audio systems. Sure, the auto industry is the bread and butter right now, but what about a Sirius receiver built into your favorite brand of home audio receiver? Some of them are already coming WiFi ready or home network equipped. Why not Sirius-equipped as well? Perhaps demand will impel Sirius to look at those sorts of contracts too.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:59 AM, snowpol wrote:

  Stay tuned for the next Motley Foolish article:

  Is the Atari 2600 a threat to Sirius?

  Followed by:

  Are shoe laces a threat to Sirius?

  Give up already!

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 11:59 AM, multi007 wrote:

  Not sure why SIRI is dropping today by ab out 4 cents. MF cant be that powerful can they ? Any ideas ?

  And yes, harmon wont compete with SIRI, their radios will offer both options. If they dont, then they will be competing with other electronic co's who sell radios that offer both.

  Either way as I see it, SIRI will win hands down based on content. Pandora and other streaming services will only serve a small portion of the community who want something better than fm radio. I believe that will only help sell SIRI more as once people start to transition from terrestrial radio to streaming radio, its only a matter of time they swtich to SAT radio.

  Content -vs- content SIRI wins hands down.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 12:06 PM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  Hey, snowpol, great comment! Given that Sirius is also streaming over the Internet, why doesn't MF write "Is Sirius XM a threat to Sirius XM?"

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 12:11 PM, gasboy48 wrote:

  Sirius ready home receivers are already offered by several manufacturers.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 12:20 PM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  Thanks, gasboy48. I guess I just don't buy the right brands. Hmmm... Onkyo, Kenwood, and more to come, I'm sure.

  Even us Sirius users don't always realize how pervasive Sirius has become.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 12:39 PM, Brent2223 wrote:

  Hmmmmm, isn't the same content argument that has been dismissing the threat of Panadora apply here? No worries, MF will have a lot of article idea's, just take all the pandora articles, do find and replace to update 'pandora' to various other items. Snowpol has already given you a couple great ones to start.

  And I haven't seen any recent articles about how solar waves will disrupt SIRI's sats and kill the company, I miss chuckling over these. Come on MF, SIRI articles are your chance to really show off your creativity.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 1:36 PM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  How about this as a template:

  Is ________ a threat to Sirius radio? _________ has shown some growth lately ________ ...WiFi....4G streaming solution ....dashboard integration.... And Sirius...just out of bankruptcy....shares plummeted...takeover....Liberty....Yep, _________ may be a threat. Unless it isn't.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 1:47 PM, multi007 wrote:

  @siriuslyrick - EXCELLENT !

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 2:25 PM, TMFZahrim wrote:

  Maybe I'm biased. My dentist lets me pick a Sirius station to enjoy while doing terrible things to my mouth. That's certainly a net positive for SIRI, but makes me associate the service with root canals. Sorry about that.

  No but seriously, I wasn't even bashing Sirius this time. It's an edgy headline, but my conclusion is that market forces will decide and automotive infotainment is simply becoming important for Harman. It would be kind of cool if y'all could read the article before jumping to conclusions.

  Anders

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 2:58 PM, gasboy48 wrote:

  OK Anders, I must admit I quit listening after the first sentence in the last paragraph. Guess it must be I'm programmed to hear mostly negativity from analysts. And judging from the responses, I'm not alone. Upon a more careful read of the article, I do agree that the market will determine the company's fate. It's just hard to sit by and watch the company trashed so often by others with their own agenda and very little factual information. I also think that there were some very good points brought up by others in the discussion here.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 4:20 PM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  Anders, I did read the article and, if your point is as you've claimed in your post above, why even mention Sirius at all, let alone the issue of a "threat" to Sirius?

  Perhaps Harman could be as much of a benefit to Sirius' streaming side as it might be to Pandora et al., whatever that benefit may be.

• Report this Comment On February 04, 2011, at 7:06 PM, ItAintCool wrote:

  TMFZahrim wrote:

  Maybe I'm biased. My dentist lets me pick a Sirius station to enjoy while doing terrible things to my mouth. That's certainly a net positive for SIRI, but makes me associate the service with root canals. Sorry about that.

  No but seriously, I wasn't even bashing Sirius this time. It's an edgy headline, but my conclusion is that market forces will decide and automotive infotainment is simply becoming important for Harman. It would be kind of cool if y'all could read the article before jumping to conclusions.

  Anders,

  No, you are heavily biased, even with all your joking aside. I haven't read one article by you mentioning SIRI that doesn't try to paint it in the negative. In fact, except for Rick Aristotle Munarriz, every writer covering SIRI at MF has been continuing an agenda of pumping Pandora and Internet Radio in general and trying to take down SIRI (I'm sure you're looking forward to Pandora's IPO). Whether it's through mentioning underdeveloped and/or imaginary threats, or using hyperbole without facts (or mentioning the truth that internet radio is not free). It's almost sad because for as long as you have been writing about the threats and why this stock is a risk for new investors, people have been making money on it hand over fist who have invested in it. You didn't even need to get into the stock 2 years ago the make $. Two weeks ago it was at 1.50, today it's at 1.75 (a 17% gain). Back in December it was at 1.32 (a 33% gain), if you invested back in May you could have bought shares for .88 cents (a 99% gain). But somehow these gains by SIRI are dismissed by almost every MF writer. You always seem to missing the opportunities that SIRI has been offering new investors. What happens when the stock goes over $2.00 after the conference call? You still going ignore the missed opportunity while still touting all the great threats to Satellite Radio?

• Report this Comment On February 05, 2011, at 6:26 AM, PokerRon wrote:

  To Siriuslyrick. SiriusXM is already available in the home. Stick that little antenna on the side of the house, bring it into a receiver, and play it through your audio system. I agree that Sirius has not pushed 'in the home' listening. I don't understand why.

  As far as this article is concerned, it's the usual MF drivel - trying to capitalize on 'scare' headlines. And Sirius is their favorite target. I think MF gets a kick out of rattling the bars of Sirius fans cage.Look at all the comment response they get. Long Sirius.

• Report this Comment On February 05, 2011, at 12:38 PM, doubting wrote:

  Anders,

  You are talking apples and oranges. There is no even basis for argument. However, on the threat side in general since you cannot get off your "sirius being threatened by anyone" high ground, let us wait another ten days for siri announcement. I have every reason to believe that their results will blow away all these "here is my dime about another siri threat posters" . The question is whether you will admit it. Aren't you guys tired of keeping discrediting yourselves? Don't you see that the wind is blowing in your face with your own... you know what? Just get out of the way of this huge train that will run over you.

• Report this Comment On February 05, 2011, at 1:23 PM, multi007 wrote:

  Here's another dentist analogy - if you dont go, your teeth will fall out - and - people with better dental hygene live longer than those who dont. Therefore - if you dont listen to Sat radio, you will die!

• Report this Comment On February 05, 2011, at 3:09 PM, siriuslyrick wrote:

  PokerRon, if you read the posts near the top, you will see that I already listen to Sirius at home, and I didn't even have to put the antenna outside - just on the ledge of a south-facing window. What I am talking about is integrating a Sirius receiver with stereo receivers/home theatre systems the same way they are integrated into car stereos. Some manufacturers are already "Sirius-ready," but still require that a Sirius receiver be added on. That's the market I am talking about.

• Report this Comment On February 05, 2011, at 4:29 PM, trevino27 wrote:

  To the writer,

  You ask us to read the whole article and not jump to conclusions. But you have jumped to the conclusion that we didn't read the whole piece.

  The article was 6 paragraphs long and took less than two minutes to read. It contained a recap of Harman's recent performance and repored that Harman is "whipping" up an R & D and manufacturing plant in China, and then opined that this could be a future threat to Sirius.

  Your lack of more specificity and the article's brevity are probably the reasons for the tone of the comments that you see here. You seem surprised by the readers' reaction. I think your level of reporting has elicited a commensurate response.

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