How ironic: Perhaps the biggest news to emerge over the weekend in consumer electronics wasn't announced at the CES in Las Vegas, but at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Yesterday, DaimlerChrysler
Yes, it's bigger news than you're probably thinking. At a base price of $175 plus installation, as many as three million new cars this year may have iPod accessibility through their car stereo systems, complete with steering wheel selection controls and in-dash radio displays.
There are already plenty of people who are tuning in to their iPods as they drive around -- 16 different automakers support the iPod. But this is the first time that an American manufacturer is offering installed kits with seamless iPod integration at the dealership level.
Still not impressed? OK, let's say you walk into your local Chrysler dealer and you're angling for a Sebring convertible. For now, the only way to upgrade your radio listening experience is to pay $195 for a Sirius Satellite Radio
Satellite radio will be just fine. The early adopter process has moved above and beyond the new car market. Of the nearly 900,000 new subscribers that XM Satellite Radio
Congratulations, Detroit, on landing this significant shift in aural entertainment. Now let's see what else it will take to drive auto sales higher in 2006.
XM Satellite Radio is a recent recommendation of the Motley Fool Rule Breakers newsletter service.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz thinks that an Apple a day will help keep the short sellers away. He does not own shares in any of the companies in this story. The Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.