Slacker announces caching for the iPhone

[JonE]

Slacker announces caching for the iPhone | CES 2010 - CNET

Oh, I'm sorry...I can't hear you over the deafening chorus of angels singing "Hallelujah!" Yes, it's true: the iPhone and the iPod Touch are one step closer to subscription music and I'm pleased as punch about it. Slacker, which released an app for the devices earlier this year, is about to roll out an update that will allow for caching and over-the-air refreshing of stations.

While the new capability isn't a huge deal for the iPhone, it's a big win for iPod Touch owners because it means you won't need to be connected to Wi-Fi in order to enjoy Slacker Radio. The only time you will need to hop on is when you're ready to refresh content on the stations, which is a blissfully easy process, thanks to Slacker's excellent onscreen interface.

Actually, the news is great all around, as playing from a cached station takes significantly less of a toll on the battery than streaming.

In addition, Slacker will be launching apps for Palm and Android devices, as well as updating the Blackberry app. All the new goodness should be available in the next two or three weeks.

 

[mike123abc]

I really would like to see this, then I can get rid of my small slacker radio and just use the iphone.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

same here. I love slacker!

I was shown this the other night at the Showstoppers event in Las Vegas, its very cool!

 

[Peter Parker]

I guess that we should have seen this coming when Slacker stopped production on their own mobile devices.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Slacker announces caching for the iPhone | CES 2010 - CNET



In addition, Slacker will be launching apps for Palm and Android devices, as well as updating the Blackberry app. All the new goodness should be available in the next two or three weeks.

Cool, but there already is an Android app. I have had it since the Moto Droid came out. Hopefully they will update it too.

 

[JonE]

same here. I love slacker!

I was shown this the other night at the Showstoppers event in Las Vegas, its very cool!

What's the caching speed like, was it over 3G or Wifi? I'm looking forward to this definitely.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I guess that we should have seen this coming when Slacker stopped production on their own mobile devices.

They wanted to do it before but Apple wouldn't let them. However now Apple has opened up things more and now allows the storage of music on the phone outside of itunes.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

What's the caching speed like, was it over 3G or Wifi? I'm looking forward to this definitely.

Dont know, didn't see it downloading the cache.

I can't wait for this update though.

 

[JonE]

They wanted to do it before but Apple wouldn't let them. However now Apple has opened up things more and now allows the storage of music on the phone outside of itunes.

Maybe it was Apple opening up for storage on the phones (Rhapsody and Spotify, which also do it are fairly new) but Slacker caching has been a Blackberry exclusive fo 1 year, since CES 2009, and couldn't be done on any other smartphone platform, Apple for otherwise. That comes straight from the Slacker forums. So it wasn't Apple's opposition so much as it was a signed exclusive with Blackberry. Much like the iPhone is exclusive to AT&T (for now!)

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Last year when I met with Slacker they told me that they submitted a caching version to Apple and it was denied which is why they went instead with a streaming only version.

Anyways I am glad to see it coming to the iPhone. Slacker is the best audio streaming service out there!

 

[JonE]

Last year when I met with Slacker they told me that they submitted a caching version to Apple and it was denied which is why they went instead with a streaming only version.

Anyways I am glad to see it coming to the iPhone. Slacker is the best audio streaming service out there!

I had heard from someone over at Slacker that they signed a deal with Blackberry for exclusive caching, but who knows. Just glad its here, finally.

 

[Peter Parker]

They wanted to do it before but Apple wouldn't let them. However now Apple has opened up things more and now allows the storage of music on the phone outside of itunes.

I know. What i meant was that perhaps Slacker gave up on their own devices because they are finally getting somewhere in terms of caching on non RIM platforms.


BTW that is pure specualtion on my part.

 

[Peter Parker]

What's the caching speed like, was it over 3G or Wifi? I'm looking forward to this definitely.

You are capped in terms of data transfers on 3g (uneless your phone is jailbroken) at i believe either 5 or 10 MB per download so I would guess that ot is intended to work on Wifi----and it would certainly be faster that way.

 

[JonE]

You are capped in terms of data transfers on 3g (uneless your phone is jailbroken) at i believe either 5 or 10 MB per download so I would guess that ot is intended to work on Wifi----and it would certainly be faster that way.

99 times out of 100 I use Wifi at my house. That's where I'll be doing all my caching. 3G is good for the listening experience (in certain places more than others), but that won't be a concern anymore.