by Demian Russian
Sirius XM (NASDAQ: SIRI) subscribers and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) computer users are in for a real treat with the new release of Rouge Amoeba’s Pulsar 2.0 app. The original Pulsar app brought Apple and Sirius XM together to create magic. Apple computer users could finally stream Sirius XM’s Premium Online content the way it should be done. Pulsar did it right! For starters, a browser wasn’t required. The interface was clean, elegant and easy to use. A third-party app wasn’t required to make it work. Users only had to enter in their username and password once. Best of all, the music wouldn’t stop playing with annoying timeouts.
The new Pulsar 2.0 now brings amazing features to what was already an incredible app. Users can now pause, play, rewind and fast forward through their favorite Sirius XM content. Pulsar 2.0 even allows for skipping around on a song by song basis. If you hear your new favorite song, you can jump back in time and hear it over and over again. If you get a phone call, you can pause what you are listening to for up to 3 hours and come back to it exactly where you left off.
Pulsar 2.0 integrates easily with Rouge Amoeba’s Audio Hijack Pro app, so users can even record their favorite Sirius XM content for later listening through iTunes or for downloading to a portable device for on-the-go listening. With Rouge Amoeba’s Airfoil app, users can even stream Sirius XM around their home utilizing a WiFi network. Airfoil will stream Sirius XM content to iPhones, iPod Touches, Apple TV’s, Macs and PCs.
Pulsar 2.0 boasts some other welcome, new features as well. The interface has been updated with a new, sleek look. Favorite channels can now be sorted with drag and drop ease. The mini-mode has also been improved to allow quick access to user-defined favorite channels. Pulsar’s controls can now be accessed from the background via command-clicking, with basic AppleScript commands being supported. Last.fm scrobbling is also supported.
Rouge Amoeba’s Pulsar 2.0 has brought Sirius XM’s Premium Online content to Apple computers the way it should be done. I spent some time with Pulsar 2.0 and it worked flawlessly. I was impressed with the clean interface and amazed with its ease of use. After using Pulsar 2.0, it’s hard to imagine going back to Sirius XM’s clunky online streaming platforms. Pulsar 2.0 is compatible with both Sirius and XM online subscriptions, whether users have a U.S. or Canadian account. Pulsar 2.0 is available for $20 from Rogue Amoeba’s website, www.rogueamoeba.com, or you can get Pulsar 2.0 for free with the purchase of any of the company’s other Mac OS X products.
An exclusive Playground Radio interview with Rouge Ameoba CEO Paul Kafasis can be heard at the following link:
Playground Radio — Special Guest: Paul Kafaris, CEO of Rogue Amoeba
Position: Long SIRI
Contact the Author: demianrussian@satelliteradioplayground.com
FYI: Pulsar is not the *only* Sirius XM media player for Mac computers.
I have been using Starplayr by Nicemac for quite a while. Frankly, it’s extremely user friendly & works outside of the browser.
Whenever there’s something that I really want to listen to but it doesn’t fit into my schedule, I set my computer to start-up with Starplayr as a login application & then use iCal to shut everything down at the end of the show. Upon opening, Starplayr begins to record & when it shuts down — it sends it to my iTunes. Which, I later sync to my phone or iPod for listening to on-the-go.
In a nutshell, I love my Starplayr enough that I don’t *need* to look elsewhere.
Holden,
You have an older version of Starplayr that is no longer distributed, updated or supported.
Actually, Starplayr gets updated with each new Mac OS.
I have downloaded it as recently as this week. It works great!
I might would note that the folks at nicemac.com maintain a support forum & are at the ready to discuss and answer questions.
http://nicemac.com/
Holden,
Ok, the older, original version of Starplayr supported both Sirius and XM accounts in the same app. The recording feature was then removed and updates were discontinued for that version. After some time had passed, newer individual versions of Starplayr for Sirius and XM were released. Channel artwork logos were removed from the newer versions.
The recording feature was then added back to the Sirius Starplayr app,, but not the XM Starplayr app – thus the confusion. I had downloaded the XM Starplayr app, but not the Sirius Starplayr app, and was unaware that the recording feature had been added back to the Sirius Starplayr app. As a result, I assumed you had the older version because of this.
I have now downloaded both Starplayr versions. I always liked the recording feature on the original Starplayr app, so I was pleased to see that feature return, but why not on the XM version? Pulsar has some cool features that the Starplayr apps don’t have, including the timeshifting feature and colorful artwork.
Nice to have choices eh?