BroadbandInstruments
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Official Slacker player pics
The upcoming Slacker player from Broadband Instruments is never gonna win any fashion shows -- it's not ugly, per se, but that big ol' screen makes for a device the size of a late 90's PDA -- so we're more interested in hearing about the functionality than watching it strut its stuff in front of the cameras. Still, the innovative features and copious storage options mean that this chunkster is likely to make some waves in the market, so we're sure that those of you considering a purchase want to peep all the angles. With that in mind, Cnet's got a bunch of press shots of the satellite radio-playin', internet radio-streamin' DAP; hit up the Read link if you think you might be interested in getting your slack on sometime.
Slacker: music device and service via web, WiFi, and satellite
Remember the mysterious San Diego startup called Broadband Instruments, which pulled executives from Diamond / Rio, MusicMatch, and iRiver, and promised "a new type of integration with online radio stations"? Well, that company now has a product and a plan: Slacker will provide a internet radio network that won't just reach you via browser, but will also stream to a Slacker portable by way of WiFi and -- get this -- satellite service. (On the Ku-band, if you're really interested.) It's all a little complicated, but it'll go something like this: at launch (i.e. now) users will be able to get Pandora-like streaming internet radio for free (the caveat is you only get to skip six songs per channel per hour), with a $7.50 per month plan around the corner that kills the ads and skipping limitations. The Slacker player, which will feature a massive 4-inch screen with scrolling touch strip and debut this summer in varying capacities between 2, 4, and 8GB up to 120GB for between $150 and $350, will have track metadata via AMG, and gobbles up and plays back audio content via WiFi and USB (with tracks purchasable for $1). The satellite part comes into play with a docking station at home or in the car, so you can get Slacker content while on the move or if you're out of range of internet access. Sounds a lot like the WiFi iTunes experience people have been asking for since, well, forever, but definitely with an internet radio bend to it. What we're really dying to know, however, is whether this satellite radio service of theirs will provide enough competition in the market to help the Sirius and XM merger get its wheels greased.[Via Mashable and Wired]
Startup claims to be working on a, um, Zune-killer
For those music lovers out there who were eagerly awaiting entry into "the social" only to find out that the Zune's WiFi-enabled sharing feature was gimmicky at best, all hope is not lost: according to Wired News, a San Diego-based startup is poised to release a DAP that will not only let users get their share on, but actually enable direct-to-device downloads as well. While this as-yet-unnamed product sounds an awful lot like the promising-but-flawed MusicGremlin, the industry vets behind Broadband Instruments -- former Diamond Multimedia (makers of the Rio) boss Jim Cady, former MusicMatch CEO Dennis Mudd, and former iRiver America chief executive Jonathan Sasse -- may have enough experience and clout among them to ensure a successful implementation where others have previously faltered. Besides the wireless features, the BI device is also said to offer "a new type of integration with online radio stations," although so far details on this and other functionality remain under wraps. What we do know for certain is that "traditional USB connections will (only) play a minor role in getting content to your device," and that this content will come from a proprietary service, reflecting the Apple- and Microsoft-led trend to develop vertically integrated ecosystems. So when will we learn more? Wired claims that all the pertinent details will be revealed within the next two months, so if you're in the market for a new DAP, see if you can't hold out just a little longer (or buy from an outfit with a very lenient return policy).
