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Rated “X” for XBox

Released last month, the sci-fi adventure “Mass Effect” (Microsoft for the XBox 360) hasn’t created as much of a stir as, say, the pornographic minigame Hot Coffee in “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” but it still has authorities buzzing.

No free samples

Sampling has always been the de facto beat-creation process for hip-hop producers, but as the music has exploded in popularity, copyright laws have been enforced more regularly and the stakes—and money—involved in the sampling business have risen accordingly.

Nintendo and Apple Platforms Are Gaming Each Other

Two of the hottest tech companies - Nintendo and Apple - appeared headed for a showdown after Nintendo moved to patent its tilt sensitivity on its best-selling portable system, Nintendo DS, essentially to turn it into a mobile Nintendo Wii.

Sony Plans PSP Phone
Embattled Sony is making a move to reverse extremely disappointing sales of its PSP game system. The electronics giant has filed for a patent to add a cellphone to the next generation of PSPs.

iChallengers

Due later this month, the AT&T-exclusive iPhone has Verizon and the other major carriers going through the stages of grief.

Apple Fanatics Line Up

Fans are checking when their current cellphone deals run out - and many are opting for Cingular to be eligible for the iPhone.

Risky Business

Apple CEO Steve Jobs gambles brand rep with iPhone 2.0.

Satellite radio is becoming more popular every day—more than 13 million people tune into it. Here’s why it should be on your radar.

Satellite radio is similar to the AM/FM radio you’ve always listened to, but with a few added perks. First, it has far fewer commercials—only a few minutes per hour—compared to 15 minutes per hour on traditional radio. It also offers more than 150 stations, many more than available on the AM/FM signals. And, because of the variety of channels and non-Top 40 playlists, your family can hear a wider selection of music, interviews and talk shows. Channels like Discovery Channel Radio and Fox News Channel can make listening to the radio more educational—and more fun.

There are two satellite radio providers: Sirius and XM. Sirius has about 180 stations and specializes in talk radio and personality-driven content. XM has more than 200 stations and boasts a variety of music coverage and excellent national sports reporting.

The downside to satellite radio is that it’s not free: You have to buy special equipment (often pre-installed in new cars), as well as a subscription to the service. Sirius and XM subscriptions cost the same price: $12.95/month. Both providers offer free three-day trials through their websites, sirius.com and xmradio.com—and no special equipment is necessary for the tryout.

GETTING EQUIPPED
To listen to satellite radio, you must purchase at least one satellite radio unit (compatible with the provider you chose). The type of unit you buy depends on whether you want to listen in the car, around the house or on the go.

–CAR RADIOS: Two dozen car companies, including General Motors and Ford, now equip their standard vehicles with satellite radios. (XM and Sirius have exclusive agreements with certain manufacturers, so you may get a Sirius- or XM-enabled car without “choosing” one service or another.) Not in the market for a new vehicle? You have two options. You can have your car dealer install a high-end radio for a few hundred dollars (depending on your car’s make and model). Or, you can buy a low-cost unit and install it yourself. Basic units, such as the XM Delphi Roady XT and Sirius Starmate Replay, start at $79.99. Easy to set up, they are available at most electronic stores and can be played through your traditional car radio via a tiny, separate antenna that comes with the unit.

–HOME UNITS Satellite radios for the home are available as well, starting at around $250. The best reception, however, requires a small antenna (which cost $29.95 and up). While most people only need to purchase and place an antenna near a window, homeowners who live in a deep valley or a secluded area may require a professional to install a more sophisticated antenna on the roof or the side of the house. (Check with your local radio installation professional for pricing.) For maximum flexibility and minimal cost, “plug-and-play” units can be moved from the car to the house. These no-frills units are usually $100 or less, but have to be plugged into a traditional stereo system when at home.

–PORTABLE PLAYERS Most convenient but also most expensive, portable units come with headphones and go where you go. They have limited recording capability, and some play MP3s as well. XM has travel units from Pioneer and Samsung, while Sirius makes its own model, the Stiletto. From $129.99 to $349.99, they are cheaper than the average iPod and make a great gift for your teenager—or even for yourself.

PLAYING IT SAFE
While Sirius and XM have channels dedicated to kids and teenagers, both carry a handful of stations with adult language. Check online channel listings to see which stations have explicit content, then contact Sirius (888-539-SIRIUS) or XM (800-XM-RADIO) and request that a the station be removed from your radio signal. Alternatively, a handful of home satellite radio units, like the Sirius Conductor at $149.99, can block certain channels with the flip of a switch.

FC TIP:
If you only plan on listening at home—and you have a good pair of computer speakers—subscribe to an Internet-only version of XM radio for $7.99/month (xmradio.com).

The annual Consumer Electronics Show brings more than 100,000 geeks to Sin City (the overlapping Adult Entertainment Expo helps, too). Here’s the music tech you should be bumping this year. – Damon Brown

*iPhone (June, $499 for 4 GB and $599 for 8 GB) – Apple blew away the show (as usual) with its tiny smartphone. The device is all screen: 3.5” of full-color touchscreen goodness, complete iPod compatibility and Blackberry-like keyboard functionality. The Safari web browser keeps you online, while Visual Voicemail allows message organization without listening to every saved voicemail. The quad-band GSM format provides extensive coverage worldwide. The 2 megapixel camera flows into iPhoto. At press time Cingular was the only provider. We suggest you get in line now.

*Boynq Vase USB Speaker (Available now, $29 and up) – Don’t give your compact laptop some clunky speakers. Try the Boynq line of sleek sounds, the best looking being the curvy vase design. It’s USB powered, so no AC plug is required, and emits a pink or amber glow when on.

*Altec Lansing inMotion iMV712 (Available now, $349.95) – Video iPods are great, but suck battery life quicker than an episode of Scrubs. The iMotion station has an 8.5” high resolution LCD panel, neodymium (e.g. powerful) speakers and a built-in subwoofer. The small size fits easily into any crib.

*Altec Lansing PT7031 (Available now, $599.95) – If these speakers are any indication, regular surround sound is officially old-school. One slim wireless bar, carrying the left, right and center speakers, fits on your TV. The other bar goes behind your head. The whole package is clean, efficient and powerful.

*Repose Wireless Sound Seat (Available now, $599) – Entertainment seats come a dime a dozen, but this one supports your music and your video games. Five 2.1 surround sound speakers, including a subwoofer below, and a USB and iPod connector come standard. The velvety cover and cup holders complete the laziness.

*Atlantic EGO Waterproof iPod Case (Available now, $199.99) – Take your iPod to the beach or in the shower with this fully self-contained package. Batteries keep the four embedded speakers running for about 30 hours. And the sturdy case is actually made of bulletproof glass, which might help if you get shot at.

*MOTOMING (Availability and price TBD) – Looks like the iPhone has a little competition. This thin bad boy is all touch-screen operated – no keys – and sports FM radio, Real Player and multiple music format support. A removable microSD memory card makes storing additional tunes easy.

*Coby PMP-4330 (Available now, price TBD) – The PMP should be renamed the P.I.M.P. The small device plays almost any media, including text documents and FM radio, connects to home theater systems and packs a 30 GB hard drive. The 4.3” widescreen LCD doesn’t hurt, either, and data management is a snap.

*Sonos Digital Music System (Available now, $999.00 and up) – Pump your favorite Internet, PC or Mac music throughout the house without drilling holes or running wires. Mix and match the ZonePlayer 80 and ZonePlayer 100 speakers, wirelessly connect them throughout and control it all via remote.

*Delphi SkyFi 3 XM Satellite Radio (Available now, $220) – Miss your favorite XM program? The portable SkyFi 3 TiVos your satellite radio shows as you listen and can rewind them up to 30 minutes. It also holds up to 600 songs on its microSD card – the first satellite radio to pack removable memory.