With the multitude of brands and models available today, choosing a portable audio device that best suits your preferences can be a difficult task. Feel obligated to buy an MP3 player and make use of all that downloaded music, yet can't bear to part with the idea of having hundreds of satellite radio channels at your fingertips? Stop biting your lip; now you can get a taste of both worlds in one convenient device. Satellite radio has collided with MP3 capability to bring the next big innovation in portable audio — the Samsung Helix XM2go. Perched at the pinnacle of satellite radio technology, the Helix's portability, teamed with its ability to record live XM content and play MP3s, makes it a strong contender on the market. As an iPod? addict, I was curious to see how this new gadget would compare. The Helix left me thirsty for better signal reception, but I remained hopeful that its cool features could wash away the glitches to quench my cochlear desires.

Meet the Helix

Why buy the Helix? First off, its portability distinguishes it from other satellite radios, which must remain docked to receive reception. I was excited to have a satellite radio that I could take with me when I left my car or apartment. I simply popped the Helix out of its cradle and I was ready to go, with live XM content at my fingertips. The Helix is lightweight and comparable to the iPod in size, so it's easy to carry in hand or slip into your pocket. It comes with a carrying case/holster, which proved to be very handy when I was on the move. When you're holding the Helix, make sure you keep the antenna exposed to the sky — unfortunately, it's very easy to lose the XM signal while indoors. I had trouble maintaining a strong signal while seated at my desk (which isn't close to a window). I recommend using the home docking system whenever you want to listen to your Helix indoors — if you mount the home antenna outside, you can receive a much stronger signal than if you rely solely on the Helix's built-in antenna, especially if you're not sitting near a window.

Cool, a portable XM radio. What else can it do?

Not only does the Helix grant you access to over 170 XM channels, it also allows you to store and play your favorite MP3 and WMA files. By the simple touch of the "mode" button, I could alternate between live satellite radio and my stored music. The Helix boasts 50 hours of storage for recorded XM content, and you can use just under half of this amount to store your favorite MP3 and WMA files. So not only could I hear a great variety of music, keep up-to-date on the news, and listen to my favorite sports teams kick butt, I could also store almost 25 hours of my own MP3s. All in one compact, handheld device.

Display

Physically, the Helix is striking. Comparable to a cell phone in size, the Helix is black with metallic silver trim. It's thin enough to slip into your pocket and small enough to carry comfortably in hand. The Helix's 1.7" illuminated color display is easy to read, even in the dark or in bright sunlight. A thin bar at the top of the screen provides helpful information such as the time, available memory or signal strength, battery charge, and current mode ("XM" or "My Music"). The XM channel name, playlist name, or MP3 genre always appears on the screen, along with the channel number, song title, and artist name. Press the up and down arrows to browse through the list of XM channels (color-coded according to genre). You can hit the display button to view the channel list by current song or artist on air (rather than by channel name), which makes finding your favorite music a breeze.

Directly under the screen, you'll find eight, easy-to-use buttons.

Here's a breakdown of each button and its function:

• Mode: press to switch between live XM content and stored music.
• Play/pause
• Display: press to change what appears on the screen — you can choose to view a scrolling artist/song ticker or a stationary readout. I preferred the stationary readout as it enables you to instantly see what's playing (instead of waiting for the artist/song name to inch across the screen). You can also choose to display the sports or stocks ticker with this button.
• Arrows: press to select menu entries or change channels. The left arrow also acts as an "exit" or "back" button.
• XM button: press to access channels, playlists, and menus, as well as to confirm selections.

Two more important control keys are located on the ride side of the Helix:

• Power/Hold: simply slide it down to turn the Helix on or off. Slide the power button upwards to put the Helix in "hold" mode — this locks all the buttons.
• Volume Control: located under the power button.