It seems strange that a site dedicated to Satellite Radio would even consider reviewing a Digital Audio Player that has nothing to do with satellites. But that's just the thing, the Slacker G2 isn't a Digital Audio Player in the common sense - so let's not look at it like that - and maybe it's time to abstract the way to look at "radio" as well.
The Slacker G2 is a "radio," just without the reception problems.
The songs you hear on a Slacker aren't the songs you've ever heard
before. Or maybe they are. Just like radio. Unlike an iPod,
where you're guaranteed to have heard the songs you've downloaded at
least once - the G2 is driven entirely by the Slacker service. Their "stations" - each intuitively labeled as pre-selected genres of music - are programmed by radio professionals, but remain customizable to your tastes to an infinite degree. It's a combination of engineering and human intuition that works remarkably well.
So I embarked down Orbitcast's Long Term Review of the Slacker G2 from the point of view of the casual radio listener, not the iPod user.
Pros:- Small, rugged and ergonomically superior to original Slacker Portable
- Convenient "radio" with no reception issues
- Infinitely customizable channels without the hassle of an iPod
- Stock headphones are lame
- Screen susceptible to minor scratching
- No car dock capabilities (yet)
First off, the Slacker G2 feels lightyears ahead of the previous Slacker Portable in terms of ergonomics. The device fits snuggly in your hand, with it's rounded corners and egg-ish shape. The non-slip rubber coating adds to level of comfort, though makes it more difficult to slide the device in and out of your coat pocket. The coating also adds a built-in layer of protection for when you drop the device (I'll admit it, I did drop the review unit, and it continued along without skipping a beat - literally).
While the previous generation device had an awkward "touchstrip," the new Slacker G2 has a toggle-wheel similar to the BlackBerry or other SmartPhones. Pushing on the toggle-wheel selects, while pressing the "Home" button brings you back up within the menu system.
The screen is large and bright for viewing cover art, as well as for
reading the library of information behind each album and artist you're
listening to (a feature that I absolutely love - it's one thing to
listen to new music - it's another to learn about it). 
Unfortunately, the holster/case provided with the Slacker G2 doesn't protect the screen, so it's likely to fall victim to minor scratches. It does, however, add some extra protection along the sides (something that drop-prone users like myself apparently need).
The button placement is ALMOST entirely intuitive. I say "almost"
because on the top of the device you press on the left to "love" a
song, but push the button on the right to turn the volume up. Seems
backwards. Overall it's a good setup and not hard
to figure out right out of the box (I didn't bother to read the
directions - I never do).Headphones provided with the device are sub-par. They're not terrible, but you can get far better ones for marginally more. While the stock headphones are the in-ear/noise-blocking kind (with three different sized inserts for comfort), they don't nearly have the range of other headphones. At first I thought it was the Slacker G2 that had a wacky equalizer, but swapping in some cheap Sony headphones quickly fixed the issue. My advice would be to get nicer headphones and ditch the stock versions.
So I like the Slacker G2, but I have two problems with it though.
The first is the lack of a cardock. If Slacker is to truly penetrate and affect the way we listen to "radio" then it needs to have a more seamless integration with the car. Right now, automobiles are the last bastion of hope for terrestrial radio (and, arguably, satellite radio). The majority of radio listening is done while on the road. So Slacker needs to figure out how to bring its personalized radio experience into the vehicle as effortlessly as possible. I'm not talking about an entanglement of wires and FM transmitters, but a simple cardock that the user can snap right into and instantly continue listening.
I'm told that one such solution is on the way.
There were plans to have a cardock for the original Slacker Portable, one that provided station updates directly to the device via satellite (Ku-Band). But those plans appear to have been shelved. Slacker's goal is to remain delivery-agnostic, and they're staying true to that. But I still want it in my car. So I'll wait for the cardock solution.
My other problem with the Slacker G2 isn't necessarily about the device, but the listening experience behind it.
If Slacker is "radio" - no matter if its cached/time-shifted/whatever - then it still feels somewhat... lonely. With terrestrial and satellite radio, there's a some sort of sense of community. Callers requesting songs. DJs giving insights about an artist or upcoming concerts. Humorous bumpers between songs. These all come together to give you the feeling that you're not only one listening. And I'd love to see something like incorporated into the Slacker listening experience, delicately.
It doesn't need to be annoying like terrestrial but, let's face it, much of regular radio's "personality" is pre-recorded anyway. So it's not much effort apply similar techniques of voicetracking to Slacker. And if the listeners don't like it, they can just "ban" the DJ and move on. The best of both worlds.
The Verdict:
Overall, it's a great device, but the lack of news/talk programming could be a deal-breaker for many satellite radio listeners. If you're mostly a music-listener, it poses as a viable alternative and the fact that there's no need to pay a monthly fee is icing on the cake. (Though, the Premium service really does help make the experience superior.) The choice between 25 or 40 channel versions really is just a matter of how much music you want to have on the go (the test unit was 25 channels - and more than enough for me).
If you're an iPhone or BlackBerry owner, then I would advise on holding out for the apps that are on the way. I'm told by the Slacker folks that an iPhone app is "in the works" - so if you don't want to carry around multiple devices, you'll be happy.
But for everyone else, it's worth taking a serious look at.
But for everyone else, it's worth taking a serious look at.
It looks like a great device. I sometimes listen to it online. But I agree that it lacks "personality". I would also like to see a radio classics channel added. The lack of car and home docks (boombox) are also a downside for me. Nice review overall.
The Slacker does lack live info and talk, but as far as a device for someone to workout with or take for a walk for example it's perfect. Thanks for the review Ryan.
I've had my Slacker for about a month and REALLY dig this service. The ability to create/modify your own stations is fantastic. The sound quality is much better than XM (and I'm an XM fanboy). The device is very nice....I have mine covered with a screen protector I cut to fit. True, no car dock makes it a bit awkward, but I have to say that I have not listened much to XM lately when it comes to music. The recent changeover to the Sirius mentality is disappointing; however, Slacker is great. I even stream it from my computer to various stereos in the home.
I have to disagree on the DJ front. One thing I enjoyed about XM was the minimization of blather...the only channel on which I liked DJs was Deep Tracks because those guys added to the music experience. I don't listen to channels with request lines....not my thing.
I'd suggest that you give the free service a try. It's fantastic.
Wow... Slacker G2 is a world away from the first generation Slacker. Very cool. What is the monthly subscription price for the basic service? Clearly it must be at parity to Satellite Radio.
Good write-up, I've been waiting for a more "radio" focused review on the slacker player. I listen to a few slacker stations during my workday and notice that slacker does have djs (or somebody) introducing artists and talking about songs on some of the staitons.
I heard on one of the forums that these slacker players are at best buy now, is that right?
Nice review. My friend got his a couple days ago and I was surprised at how small it is.
Also, interesting that the picture has Black Sheep on it since that is obviously audience Sirius doesn't care about anymore. Apparently Slacker does.
[quote] (Though, the Premium service really does help make the experience superior.) The choice between 25 or 50 channel versions really is just a matter of how much music you want to have on the go (the test unit was 25 channels - and more than enough for me).[/quote]
i think you meant 40 station versions they dont make a 50 station version
Sounds like the Slacker is slacking and lacking a lot. Why would you pay $200 for a "radio" unit and have it lack talk or sports programing?
I guess Ryan has no answer for why he keeps plugging the Slacker products....i'm guessing its to shut up all the jackasses that keep populating these boards who still can't get over their precious XM service making changes.
Ryan,
This is a great review. I've had Slacker for a couple of months now and I absolutely love it. Your review was accurate and, white the device is not perfect for all listeners - like those without a cassette or aux-in - it has worked well for me.
I haven't tried the "premium service" yet, but the "free service" has been terrific - I haven't heard one ad yet. I do agree that sometimes a voice would be good to hear, but apparently you cannot have everything.
Good Review - SIRI XM watch out.
There currently is one station called Today's Hits that does have a DJ presences. She only breaks in about one time an hour. But I do agree that for those that like the DJ's and station ID's there needs to be more of this. I do feel the service feels rather empty without this. However, there are many out there that will appreciate the service for not having the DJ's and station ID's.
I also want to second the request for a car dock as well as a home dock. I think these are necessary to bring the Slacker to the next level if it plans to compete with Sat Radio and even iPods. The bottom connector on the Slacker G2 is active as I have seen the bottom connectors being used on displays at Best Buy. This appears to provide power and audio out.
I have been using the Slacker G2 for about a month now and I am really enjoying it. I really think one of the big advantages that it has over sat radio is the not having to worry about reception, but also the sound quality. The G2 content used the AAC+ codec at 40kbps and on the web interface it is 128 kbps AAC+. Much better sound quality than sat radio.
If they could add some talk programming, then I think this could indeed be a valid replacement for sat radio. It certainly already is in terms of the music.
Thanks Ryan for the review, i have been looking at the slacker since the XM station dump.
http://digg.com/gadgets/Radio_s_future_in_your_pocket
Everyone has there own tastes of course, I prefer to have no DJ's at all. I used to love Music Choice on Directv just because i didn't have to listen to someone ramble on between songs like Meg on The Spectrum. Having Dj's talk over songs annoys the hell out of me.
@Kent: Thanks for catching that, a typo on my behalf that I've fixed. Thanks again.
In short, how does it work? Is is as esay to "hook up" & start listening like my SkiFy was?
Do you have to download or start listening right out of the box?
I was looking at this to augment my Sirius & XM subs yet I was disappointed that it is not offered in Canada. Furthermore, there is no way to trick it (as their is with XM & Sirius) as it uses IP address tracing to determine where you are.
the reason slacker doesnt have talk programming slacker is
1 music service
2 licensing issues
yes best buy now carries the slacker player
as well does xmfanstore.com
How long do you think it will be before they release the G3, with the home and car dock? I'm seriously thinking about getting one, but it'd be a lot better if it had the home dock at least.
Once again, great review, Ryan.
Once again, I thought this was a site about satellite radio. Must have gotten a freebie in the mail, huh?
Interesting but not a great alternative for classical and opera fans. It lacks the ability to choose full length works like symphonies and complete operas. Instead you get the "greatest hits" approach-individual movements and arias. It's definitely geared for the pop market which I admit is where the majority of customers come from. Alas, a little more attention to the classical fan would be welcome.
"It seems strange that a site dedicated to Satellite Radio would even consider reviewing a Digital Audio Player that has nothing to do with satellites."
Perhaps "strange" to those who have yet to grasp that satradio has become a service for suckers and newbs and that satradio is a fad on it's way out. But for the rest of us who see Slacker, HD Radio and other net based services as the future of radio it's seems Ryan and Orbitcast have finally woke up and have seen the future of radio does NOT include siriusxm.
Sirius has fucked up Satellite so badly that I'm Seriously thinking of dropping Satellite radio and going with Slacker.
Thanks Ryan!
I am going to cancel one of my subscriptions from XM and give a chance to slacker.
Lets not forget if you buy the premium subscription you do have the option to turn the DJ feature off. So for those of you that just can't stand DJ's you would have that option. But for those of us that do like them, then I think they could certainly jazz it up a bit.
In regards to Ryan pluggin the Slacker, he doesn't have to provide an answer. Like the Digital Radio Central Forum, Orbitcast will need to expand it reach beyond just sat radio, which is a no brainer.
There is a lot of discussions about The Slacker at DRC, along with many individually created channels. Plus the Slacker Support teams comes over to answers a lot of support questions as well. So check it out at http://www.digitalradiocentral.com/pandora-slacker-aol-radio-shoutcast/
I hope you get a cookie for this review because I just bought one from Best Buy. I canceled my XM sub after the merger, if this is as great as everyone says, the Sirius one will be next.
I think the benefit of Slacker is apparent if you're only interested in SiriusXM's music lineup.
The fact that I can cancel my TV subscription (at about $50/month), and listen to CNN/Fox/financials/Howard Stern/Comedy/all the sports that I don't get on tv for a mere $12.95 a month is a HUGE savings. Plus, I don't have to sit in front of a tv to get the information, I can multitask while using less power than a TV. If I want to watch a TV show I can goto hulu.com, or another site and watch it for free.
I'm trying out slacker online, because I'm a heavy SiriusXM listener (over 8 hours a day) and I do hear repeats. Unless they have get sports/news I don't think SiriusXM has much to worry about.
Just listening to the free player and am wowed by the Alt-Country station, reminds me of the prime of X-Country and the numerous artists played, it's where I found some of my favorites (Cross Canadian Ragweed, Reckless Kelly, Etc).
I'm holding out for an app for the iPhone/iPod touch. Even if it doesn't have the capabilities that Slacker does (caching, etc) it'd be nice to stream the stations, and ban/love songs. The selection of music online is awesome, and I've heard nothing but good things at the Slacker Forums about the sound quality on the portable player. I would like to see the G2 in person to see how small it is, and what the functions are like. But overall, good review and very informative.
As for this site (blog?) being satellite radio exclusive, it's only a select few fanboys who are complaining. I like know about other alternatives out there since Satellite radio has crapped the bed. Whether satellite radio lives or dies because this isn't a SDARS exclusive site isn't a cross Ryan should have to bear.
This could be a nice accompaniment to my iPod, as satellite radio once was.
There is no comparison between this product and satellite radio. It's definately no substitute either. One might try one, but it would never replace satellite radio, which has much more to offer in many different respects.
As long as Sirius XM has Stern & O&A and the sports, they will always have an audience.
I got XM mainly for sports, but those are only on for a few hours a day. The rest of the time I listened to some talk and some music. Now Sirius has fucked up the music channels so badly that I'm going to look into Slacker.
So... I am a online listener of Slacker and love it. I'm actually surprised there isn't a in depth review of the custom station creation feature. I love a few of the stations like Blues, Classic Rock and Adult Alternative that Slacker has created. But I have really specific tastes. I've created my own stations and was totally blown away by the artists and tracks Slacker has on tap. It goes from popular to completely fringe and everything in between. Once the G2 came out I got a newsletter and immediately bought one. There are a couple quirks like it starting up slowly and it taking a long time to sync the first time... but the service blows me away. I don't use my ipods anymore... ever. And for me I have a simple AUX input in my car so the car use was super simple. I use my old Motorola SLVR car charger and it works great. The bass really was impressive too. What I have recently discovered is that you can "edit" any station and tell it to have a DJ or not. Some channels have a more personal DJ voice and others are just "you're listening to Slacker" type messages. Perhaps there's more to be discovered here. My only wish is that they include talk radio like NPR. They do have a spoken word Comedy station. But NPR would make Slacker my only source for audio entertainment.
Exactly Anonymous, and there are plenty of other people out there that do remain nameless that agree with you. woot.com has the first gen 2 gig for $55 with shipping today. I just wish that Satrad would have kept on providing what a lot of went to XM for in the first place. A solid music line up that doesn't have a great deal of repetition.
Have had this for a month and am keeping my xm inno sub going. It's a pain to refresh if you don't have wi-fi at home. No matter how much I tweak and fine tune my preferences online, I still have to listen to a heck of a lot of junk and use my skip and ban buttons. The same songs come up over and over and over. There's no weather, traffic, or talk. Yes, it refreshes and reloads new songs but I can't believe that there is any human intelligence behind the selections - a blind and deaf mute in a record library could have done better. Songs might fit a genre but they never seem to fit a "set" or collection of songs that vary in pacing and mood. This thing plays songs not sets. Initial download took four hours at a coffee shop!
I get tired of pushing "love it" and "ban it" buttons. I just want to listen and enjoy. But this requires that you get involved or your investment will have gone down the toilet. After a month, the only thing I use this for is to listen to techno while driving. Once home, I am back on my xm-sirius, listening to chill, escape, spa, siriusly sinatra, and the 60's.
HD radio the future if radio? Surely you jest. That's a train that never left the station despite all the hype of its backers and the NAB.
Great little service but they lost me a few months back after i got so mad in the car trying to change stations and FF through songs.
No Dock, No Remote = Me no Pay!
Thanks Jim for the heads up! Just but a slacker G1 for $55. Saved me 150 from buying the new one. Thanks!
Wow, I wish I did more research before buying the G1. This piece of garbage doesn't play the same music as the G2. They renegotiated the music license contracts so the G2 will have more artists and better music than the G1.
Say what you will about SiriusXM, but at least none (not 1) of their radios has become OBSOLETE. They may not get the best of packages, but the radios still work perfectly.
This review should mention how they messed up early adopters by changing the contracts. Ryan, please try to confirm with the company if this is true or false.
http://forums.slacker.com/g1-vs-g2-licensing-t1500.html
Thanks for the heads up. If they offered an underground house station (RIP The Move!) then I'd totally be on board. Still, I'm due to upgrade my phone -- I may hold off to see what's up with the IPhone/blackberry apps.
BTW, Pandora is available on Iphone.
Excellent review.
I wrote Slacker and got information back from their CTO saying that they have indefinitely postponed plans for the Ku-band car kit. Instead Slacker is focusing all its efforts on the handheld's WiFi capabilities for music delivery, so it will seamlessly find free Hot Spots and manage password-protected Hot Spots so it will always be downloading music.
I can tell you, after Sirius screwed over our XM content, I happily went and purchased a Slacker. I'm extremely happy with the unit, the sound quality is superb and the music is excellent.
There's is some fine tuning involved with the stations, but it's very personalized. It does lack a car mounting kit and remote.
I have already dropped my XM sub, thanks Slacker! Mel K, go screw yourself.
I just did! After 4 years of Sirius, I switched to Slacker.