Slacker Radio has pulled an Rdio and has given its mobile line a redesign. But whereas Rdio stuck to Android and iOS, Slacker has branched out, releasing a native BlackBerry 10 app and promising a Windows Phone 8 app as well.
The new design is flat and simpler, with a cyan colour scheme that feels clean and modern. The music tiers are the same: $3.99/month for access to ad-free radio and $9.99 for on-demand playback, plus Canadians can listen to an ad-supported version for free.
While the design is consistent throughout the various operating systems, Slacker missed a couple opportunities here. First, the Android version does not support expandable notifications so, unlike Rdio, you can’t control your music from the status bar. Similarly, the BlackBerry 10 version does not plug into the play/pause button, so you must be in the app to control the music.
Slacker Radio supports many specialty channels, including ESPN and ABC News, and hosts a number of “Spotlight” stations that make discovering new music easier and faster.
While I’m not sure it will sway me from my Rdio allegiance, it’s definitely worth a download, if only for the free ad-supported radio service.
Download Slacker for Android, iOS and BlackBerry 10.
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