CES 2009 - Sandisk Slot Radio

http://www.thetechstop.net/?page_id=2282

I've made no secret of the fact that I don't like DRM. It just seems so counter to the digital lifestyle. If you BUY a piece of digital entertainment, be it a piece of music, a movie or a video game, you should be able to do anything with it that is in line with the law.

So when I heard that Sandisk was coming out with a line of Sansa players that would play DRM'd memory cards, I was more than a little skeptical. It seemed to be a backward step for a manufacturer that has made some great players that are unique from iPods in their celebration of their "non-DRM'ness."

However, once the concept was explained to me... and when I realized that they would give me 1,000 songs on a $40 memory card, I started to warm to the idea!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• CES
• 2009
• sandisk
• flash
• music
• slot
• radio
• ipod
• iphone
• sansa

[itowedin]

Further, I would think that someone without time / apptitude to research musical artists, would want to be turned on to something new. I get the feeling that licensing is being traded as a vested interest to companies losing money to the download community. I get a sneaky huntch there are some major lables behind this "idea".

[gadgettts]

itowedin,

Interesting point... but I would think that a concept like "Slot Radio" is very much the ANTI-Billboard model. Sure there will probably be some hits from the industry's most popular/profitable artists, but the vast majority of the 1000 songs are going to be from artists you've never heard before / genres you've never considered.

.

Peace,

Fr. Robert

[speedsk8r010]

So.. its pre-loaded with songs that never change? or does it somehow connect to a radio with different stations..

I dont get why you would use this over a radio -.-

[gadgettts]

speedsk8r010,

Thanks for your comment, I understand your puzzlement, because it's the same thing that I thought when I first heard about the concept... A few things...

It DOES have an FM radio... though I don't think you'll be using it much.

EACH card comes pre-loaded with 1,000 songs rom several different genres.The idea is that you listen to a Slot Radio card, hear something you like, then buy the Slot Music album. It's a convienence thing.

[gadgettts]

Also remember that you''re getting 1,000 pieces of music for less than $40. AND if you buy the Slot Music album you get NON-DRM, HIGHER-BITRATE music for less than the equivilant download.

It's not meant to eliminate downloaded music, nor is it meant to replace FM radio, but it definitely IS a different model than what we currently have... and me... I like competing models of business... that tends to be good for us critical consumers.

[cpucrash0]

But do you get to Choose what songs you want on the card? Sounds good but I don't think it will catch on though because with fast internet speeds now it just takes about 1 min or 2 and I can download a full album and you don't have to drive to the store.

[gadgettts]

There are many who will look at Slot Radio / Music and say "this is stupid, why would I want to go BACK to physical media" (hey... I used to be one of those people) but the bottom line is that this gives you another legitimate choice in buying your media... and who can argue against choice?

.

Peace,

Fr. Robert

[johnsmdm]

the only problem is they don't offer hard rock....or stuff like led zep metallica.....acdc....van halen....they limit ....

[dumptruck320]

I agree with 808gamerhawaii, the concept is cool....but I DO NOT like the fact that there's no way of skipping through the songs. It's played IN SEQUENCE!!! No repeat or nothing. Other than that, it's cool.

[808gamerhawaii]

the idea is pretty cool, just literally plug and play, but i dont like that i dont kno the songs on the card, if i knew just some of the songs on the card was going to be i would probably get it

[itowedin]

This device makes the assumption that just because someone is not internet savvy, or has a hectic lifestyle that their musical tastes are Billboard oriented. It's enforcing the already redundant mindset of hear the same 11 songs at work all day, hear the same 11 at a club, then spending your downtime downloading the same 11 songs to your ipod. We need to encourage versatility to get away from the huge corporate formulas that kill music. That's what's great about the internet.

[joeythegeek1942]

The cards are just Micro-SD cards. The artists are big known (sony records, Warner Music Group, etc...) You can get the player alone for 20 bucks at walmart, or at least htats what i payed for mine at walmart.

[corndog5595]

I would just like to say/ask a few things

I'm guessing the card is 8gigs? or is it 16

the cards aren't locked are they (can we put them into a card reader, and add/delete media?

is there any sort of interface, or is it just a few buttons to navigate the player?

how can sandisk manage to sell 1000 songs for only 40 bucks? are they all Indy artists, or are they actual artists

Does the $99 starting price include a 1000 song card?

usb plug? (firmware updates etc.)

[poembyhardkatze]

I like sansa's idea of making easy-to-use devices, they really know how to "plug&play"