[Engine]

I am just curious how an app like this is actually free? Commercial free streaming radio that puts up some really awesome songs. How are they able to do it? They making money off of the carriers or something?

[brinky]

Yes it does have ads, although not very many. They also have a paid subscription for like $36 a year that give you some benefits and no ads.

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[doctorlove316]

The paid version has no ads and unlimited skips I think. I'm not sure about what else it has though. I'm fine with the free one. Minimal ads, and I don't care anyways if that's how I get it free.

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[brinky]

Even the paid version is limited to 6 skips and hour per station.

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[yeahman]

The free version has a 12 skips per day limit too. The paid version does not.

And now there's the 40 hour per month limit on the free version.

The only reason I use it is because OpenPandora for Windows lets me use my keyboard's multimedia keys. Otherwise, I'd ditch Pandora completely. Slacker only has the 6 skips per hour limit and it has a much better Blackberry app and the paid version lets you save songs. I don't know why everyone hasn't ditched Pandora for Slacker yet.

[brinky]

The free version has a 12 skips per day limit too. The paid version does not.

And now there's the 40 hour per month limit on the free version.

The only reason I use it is because OpenPandora for Windows lets me use my keyboard's multimedia keys. Otherwise, I'd ditch Pandora completely. Slacker only has the 6 skips per hour limit and it has a much better Blackberry app and the paid version lets you save songs. I don't know why everyone hasn't ditched Pandora for Slacker yet.

I keep pandora becuase for me Slacker has issues connecting in weaker coverage areas where Pandora does not. I lose the network in about 3 places each way on my commute and slacker will sometimes refuse to start streaming again.

[digitalb0y]

Slacker's slower, more bloated, doesn't do a fraction of what Pandora does in terms of learning your tastes, and all the music I can find on Slacker in genres I like is mainstream crap. If you like underground music there's no comparison at all.

The only two things I miss on Slacker are the comedy stations and the caching feature. Otherwise, never looked back. If you take the time to build smart stations on Pandora's non-mobile site, the experience blows Slacker out of the water IMHO.

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[classc1]

The free version has a 12 skips per day limit too. The paid version does not.

And now there's the 40 hour per month limit on the free version.

The only reason I use it is because OpenPandora for Windows lets me use my keyboard's multimedia keys. Otherwise, I'd ditch Pandora completely. Slacker only has the 6 skips per hour limit and it has a much better Blackberry app and the paid version lets you save songs. I don't know why everyone hasn't ditched Pandora for Slacker yet.

Huh? Only 12 skips per day? Since when? Up until a week or so ago Pandora for free was 6 skips during an hour per station. Since you can create multiple stations, IMHO this is no big deal.

[yeahman]

Huh? Only 12 skips per day? Since when? Up until a week or so ago Pandora for free was 6 skips during an hour per station. Since you can create multiple stations, IMHO this is no big deal.

FAQ

Listeners to the free Pandora service are limited to 12 total skips per day, across all stations.

[yeahman]

Pandora Pros

Faster app.
Better at picking songs.
Quick Mix.

Slacker Pros

No monthly skip limit.
No monthly listening limit.
Offline listening.
Better audio quality (at least on the mobile version).
Paid version lets you save songs you like to listen to anytime.

There are people for whom Pandora will be a better choice but for most Slacker is better.

[iPhone4s79]

I know the Pro version is 196k, is that for the blackberry app as well or only the desktop player?

[Engine]

Going to have to look into slacker.

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[Tripster]

I have the paid version of Pandora which has the highest quality sound and yes it has a 6 song skip limit. I prefer Pandora cause I've been with them since they came out, don't remember when. Slacker I've never liked at all, plus pandora doesn't eat up my battery life. I can listen to Pandora for like 6 hours and be down to 60% batt life. It is more reliable also compared to Slacker.

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[Strakerhc]

[Slacker has] better audio quality (at least on the mobile version).

Is this based simply on your subjective hearing, or does it actually stream at a higher bit rate?

[Tripster]

Pandora streams at 192 bit rate or 198? I forgot but only with paid version that I have.

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[Nitsuj85]

Pandora plays alot of the same songs a little too much for my liking but I dont have that problem with Slacker. Pandora does pick up better in lower signal areas however and makes better mixes closer to what you were searching for.

[digitalb0y]

Pandora plays alot of the same songs a little too much for my liking but I dont have that problem with Slacker. Pandora does pick up better in lower signal areas however and makes better mixes closer to what you were searching for.

Yeah, but it does stop doing that if you give your stations more input. It's trying harder to play specifically what you like than Slacker does, so it will repeat stuff it knows you like. If a station you're working on has dozens and dozens of tracks and artists as seeds, and a couple hundred tracks that got the thumbs up or down, you don't really get repeats anymore. It takes a little bit more user input to get a good station, but the suggestions it makes for you as it learns your tastes get better and better.

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