Slacker iPhone/iPod Touch Application Released Today (Ver. 1.0
- Thread starter lronglien
- Start date
To my ears it does sound better, but then when you can play something directly on a dock vs having it go to the device via a headphone jack usually it will sound better.
I am not sure if these wifi devices pull a higher bitrate file or not. I know that they said it would pull the same files as the web player and that has been confirmed to play 128kp MP3 files. So, I am not sure and maybe we can get a confirmation from Slacker support on that question specificially.
It could be 40kp AAC+ as that codec rocks on the G1/G2.
is that for every firmware update
and as i said over at orbitcast SIRI/XM are now
doomed to fail
No not every update do they charge for. Those where they added functionality and new features yes.
I do not feel Sirius XM is doomed, buy clearly this does not play in their favor for sure.
ipod sounding slightly better than g1, to my ear.
wider sound range.
and more volume available.
To clarify it cost me 9.95 to upgrade my touch right after it came out. google maps ect.
Then 9.95 again to upgrade to 2.2 firmware so I could use the slacker app, which was free.
Wierd,
I was just listening to a big audio dynamite mp3 on my touch and then switched to the slacker app...and first song slacker played was by big audio dynamite...?:clueless:?
wider sound range.
and more volume available.
To clarify it cost me 9.95 to upgrade my touch right after it came out. google maps ect.
Then 9.95 again to upgrade to 2.2 firmware so I could use the slacker app, which was free.
Wierd,
I was just listening to a big audio dynamite mp3 on my touch and then switched to the slacker app...and first song slacker played was by big audio dynamite...?:clueless:?
I don't dispute that at all and I have said for a very long time they have failed to capitalize on the Internet via their SIR service. They could add channels that they have removed and even add a lot of niche programming. The SL2 is certainly capable as a SIR streaming device, plus they could release other radios even some that are purse SIR streaming devices. However, they just can't seem to thinking outside the box that is sat radio.
The ONLY reason I'm still with Sirius today is Howard. Once he's gone, I'm gone. I fell in love with first Pandora and now with Slacker. Bottom line is with Sirius/XM it is THEIR music THEIR way. With Slacker/Pandora it's YOUR music YOUR way.
It doesn't hold any stations... its just like the web player, it STREAMS only! The music doesn't download to the iPhone/Touch at all, thus no storage issues, but that means you have to be on WiFi or have cell coverage for it work. Kind of bummed about that, but like I said on the other thread I doubt Apple will ever allow ANY app to download music since the iPod is Apple's cash cow.
In my brief testing (using the wife's iPod Touch) the Slacker app worked great, nice job on UI with heart/ban, artist info, etc. Sound quality was as good as the G2 Player too. It would play music thru the USB/dock connector to my Pioneer car radio when tuned to the iPod source, however it defaults to iPod songs so you have to exit out of that every time, go back to the home screen and launch the Slacker App, then it plays your Slacker station.
Also noticed there is a "Buy on iTunes" option that automatically searches the iTunes Store for the album your playing... so its got that little bonus.
I did a chat with Slacker support and here is what I was told.
They support variable bitrates depending on your connection. The better your connection the more likely you will stream at the full 128kbps MP3's. Currently that is what the iPod Touch connected via Wifi is actually streaming as it streams from the web interface.
Now if you have an iPhone and you are on Edge or G3 connection you are likely to get a lower bit rate and probably it would be a 40kbps AAC+V2 format file. Though he didn't specify the 40kbps just said it would be lower.
They support variable bitrates depending on your connection. The better your connection the more likely you will stream at the full 128kbps MP3's. Currently that is what the iPod Touch connected via Wifi is actually streaming as it streams from the web interface.
Now if you have an iPhone and you are on Edge or G3 connection you are likely to get a lower bit rate and probably it would be a 40kbps AAC+V2 format file. Though he didn't specify the 40kbps just said it would be lower.
Not sure, but I listen on wifi with my i pod touch and I get good sound.
I think it is streaming at 128kb MP3 just like the web player, that is what I got from my conversation with support. Now what that would break down to in exact bandwidth, I am not smart enough to figure that out. But I have unlimited access so I don't care! 
I had lot's of issues with my iphone Slacker app today. After EVERY song the app would crash and then it would tell me that my username and password were incorrect. then I would click sign in again and it would work. this went on throughout my entire workout at the gym. Not a good scene. I tried hard resetting the iphone as well as uninstalling the Slacker app and then reinstalling with same lousy results. I had 4 bars of 3G.
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I got the unknown error one time a couple of hours ago and prior to that it just stop playing and was sitting there saying it was buffering, but I shut down my iPod as it had been days since I had. It restarted and then I started the Slacker application and it took it a little longer than usual to buffer the channel, but once it started its not given me any more problems. It has been running now for a couple of hours without issue.
I think they have under estimated the number of folks who got the Blackberry and Apple iPhone/iPod Touch applications and are now streaming music directly from their servers. I am connecting via Wifi, not 3G.
I think they have under estimated the number of folks who got the Blackberry and Apple iPhone/iPod Touch applications and are now streaming music directly from their servers. I am connecting via Wifi, not 3G.