No more Slacker hardware

[JMII]

Shocked this wasn't posted here already:

Slacker phases out hardware business, focuses on other devices

Given the popularity of the iPhone/Touch this makes sense, no reason to have yet another "box" just to access the service. However if you can't cache the music (like you can on the G2) then the G2 unit is still going to be popular for long trips/airplanes when you don't have WiFi or cell service.

 

[DAB]

I have been saying this for months now this is what they were going to do. Seems Pandora was a lot smarter about this than Slacker was as they never got into the hardware business. They thought about it, but decided against it and focus on phones and other devices. Smart move!

This is also why I think Sirius moving to phones and other devices is a smart move, because that is simply where we are headed. People don't want to have to lug around multiple devices anymore.

 

[Jon]

Very smart move on their part and should have been done in the first place. Also would be a good move for SiriusXM although that would piss off a lot of people who invested up to thousands in the hardware.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Very smart move on their part and should have been done in the first place. Also would be a good move for SiriusXM although that would piss off a lot of people who invested up to thousands in the hardware.

Thousands? Which receiver did you buy? Even the priciest are only $300-400.

I think it is a good move to augment your hardware offering. I have never been a fan of putting all your eggs in any one basket.

 

[DAB]

Very smart move on their part and should have been done in the first place. Also would be a good move for SiriusXM although that would piss off a lot of people who invested up to thousands in the hardware.

Thousands? I have probably bought more sat radio software than most and I can honestly say with me generally selling my old stuff when I got new, I never spent thousands. If there is someone that paid thousands then they have more money than sense.

I think it is a good move to augment your hardware offering. I have never been a fan of putting all your eggs in any one basket.

The trend is clear though most of these companies are going with doing the music players, phones and other devices. I too see this trend for Sirius and it is why I believe you won't see anymore new portables by them. I think they'll have some PNP devices, but the XMP3 and Steletto is likely the end of the line. However, I premise that to say provided that the stream apps and XM Skydock proves to do well. Which I think it will because I don't know anyone who is purchased one say they didn't like it. Word of mouth alone with sell a bunch of these.

Having a single device that provides a variety of content is the way of the future in my opinion! Get use to it!

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

The trend is clear though most of these companies are going with doing the music players, phones and other devices. I too see this trend for Sirius and it is why I believe you won't see anymore new portables by them. I think they'll have some PNP devices, but the XMP3 and Steletto is likely the end of the line. However, I premise that to say provided that the stream apps and XM Skydock proves to do well. Which I think it will because I don't know anyone who is purchased one say they didn't like it. Word of mouth alone with sell a bunch of these.

Having a single device that provides a variety of content is the way of the future in my opinion! Get use to it!

I don't see them not selling SL2s and XMP3s in the future. They may never design an SL3 but they will continue to offer SL2s.

I have no problem with a single device as long as it is portable (not requiring WiFi), can listen to pre-recorded satrad signal, and does not start with i. So far for me that device does not exist.

 

[DAB]

I don't see them not selling SL2s and XMP3s in the future. They may never design an SL3 but they will continue to offer SL2s.

I have no problem with a single device as long as it is portable (not requiring WiFi), can listen to pre-recorded satrad signal, and does not start with i. So far for me that device does not exist.

I would love to know how many of these devices they have actual sold. I bet we'd be shocked at how few they have actual sold. For them making this stuff just isn't worth it and I foresee that they will keep what they have, but will not release any other portables. In fact if they release software and docks that work like it does for other type phones, I'd predict a phase out all together of their own portables.

Portable for most doesn't mean the ability to necessarily listen to live sat radio, but actually listen via Wifi. That is where we are, so because you don't like it personally is about your personal preferences, but rest assured Sirius is pushing forward with this idea. iPod Touches and iPhones was the exact right place to start and eventually branch out beyond that so that folks like you that just can't stand any product that begins with an i can have a choice too.

 

[TOM C.]

These all in one devices are not made for everyone, Some of us do not have a cell phone bill due to work providing the phone, don't need to go out and get a phone bill just to get slacker or Sirius.

 

[DAB]

I agree all in one devices are not for everyone. Technology is generally created to meet the desires of the majority.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I would love to know how many of these devices they have actual sold. I bet we'd be shocked at how few they have actual sold. For them making this stuff just isn't worth it and I foresee that they will keep what they have, but will not release any other portables. In fact if they release software and docks that work like it does for other type phones, I'd predict a phase out all together of their own portables.

Portable for most doesn't mean the ability to necessarily listen to live sat radio, but actually listen via Wifi. That is where we are, so because you don't like it personally is about your personal preferences, but rest assured Sirius is pushing forward with this idea. iPod Touches and iPhones was the exact right place to start and eventually branch out beyond that so that folks like you that just can't stand any product that begins with an i can have a choice too.

So how do I get a WiFi signal walking down my street? And who pays for it again?

As much as I like Sirius XM, we part ways when I need to buy an iPhone or spend $$$$$/mo on my celphone to listen to them.

 

[mrpacs]

So how do I get a WiFi signal walking down my street? And who pays for it again?

As much as I like Sirius XM, we part ways when I need to buy an iPhone or spend $$$$$/mo on my celphone to listen to them.

I'm sure you already know this but you don't need WiFi in order to listen to Slacker on the iphone. works perfectly over 3G.

 

[DAB]

So how do I get a WiFi signal walking down my street? And who pays for it again?

As much as I like Sirius XM, we part ways when I need to buy an iPhone or spend $$$$$/mo on my celphone to listen to them.

You can't and my point is that there are millions of subscribers that don't have this ability now and it just isn't that important to most. It is to "YOU" but even if they lost you in order to push forward with these phone apps and docks that is what they will do. You can continue to use your SL2 now, but it what happens once it goes. 50 million iphones for potential subscribers vs maybe several thousand portables and with even a lot of them not really using it as a live portable away from a home or car dock. What you do at that point will be up to you. In my opinon when you can cut your operating cost by reducing your hardware cost, then that is what you do.

Seems we are discussing this same thing in about 3 places now!

 

[Jon]

You can now get Wifi as an option in any GM vehicle or in Dodge Ram trucks. My iTunes collection and Slacker/Pandora/The Usual over Wifi have all but replaced terrestrial and satellite radio. If I listen to terrestrial anymore, its usually on the iPhone to listen to WEEI during baseball season to hear Red Sox talk. Or WLW, or the local yokels when they do decide to focus on news.

If SiriusXM knows what is good for it, it will jump on this bandwagon right away so they aren't left behind like they were with iPods.

 

[machpost]

I guess the concept of delivering station updates to a Slacker device via satellite has long since gone out the window.

 

[DAB]

I guess the concept of delivering station updates to a Slacker device via satellite has long since gone out the window.

I think that was initially said to compete head to head with Sat Radio. However, they found a lot of unsatisified sat subscribers switched anyway even without a live sat delivery system. Honestly it was really never needed and so that concept went right out the window in short order. The money and time they would have spent to get something like this up and running would have added to their operating cost. So it was a wise move to drop that early on.

 

[Jon]

I remember hearing about that, and not liking the idea of having to hook up more equipment to an already crowded car dashboard. They made the right decision not going that direction, and are making the right decision eliminating hardware.

 

[topcats69]

4g and wimax will make the wifi stuff a mute point in a few years then we can can have internet everywhere and in any device. And Sir can then lease out the sats and just send it out to the internet

 

[xan_user]

if the apps wont buffer stations like the g1 / g2, its a non starter for me.
slacker with no cacheing means no reason for me to keep slacker. (once the g1 dies its back to the trusty nomad i guess)

 

[Jon]

4g and wimax will make the wifi stuff a mute point in a few years then we can can have internet everywhere and in any device. And Sir can then lease out the sats and just send it out to the internet

We're almost there now if you think about it. Sprint is running 4G and has their device for wifi in the car. AT&T isn't too far behind, since I'm to the point where I can listen to Slacker anywhere in my town and do it on 3G the whole trip. I've listened to a lot more of it with the upgrade and the installation of the dock in my car. No more regular radio for me. :buttrock::ter:

 

[Kryptonite]

We're almost there now if you think about it. Sprint is running 4G and has their device for wifi in the car. AT&T isn't too far behind, since I'm to the point where I can listen to Slacker anywhere in my town and do it on 3G the whole trip.

Yeah, 4G and wimax in the cities...but what about in the sticks?

It'll be a long, long time until 4G and wimax are everywhere.


Listen to live radio where/when you can, but you'd better have a lot of programming saved up for those long trips. (I'm looking at Nebraska, the Dakotas, Kansas, Oklahoma, etc.) Hell, even parts of Ohio still don't have basic cell phone service, but a lot of that area is covered by some combination of trees and/or small mountains.