Slacker vs. Pandora.

This is a quick update before I leave to start studying for my cRaZy commutative algebra final tomorrow — my last final, and the last time I have to think about commutative algebra for at least a week.

So, on my blackberry curve, I’ve been using slacker radio for a while.  I usually turn it on when I’m in the shower or if my ipod runs out of batteries, since I don’t like wasting the battery on my bberry.  Up until now, I’ve had it because, well, there were absolutely no alternatives that measured up.  There was that really crappy “listen to the radio” program that gives you a static-filled choppy broadcast of some local stations, but that really wasn’t doing it for me.  The great thing about slacker was that you could make your own stations to listen to — within reason.

A lot of the artists I put in returned no results, which is fine — I can’t expect everyone to stay up on all music all the time.  In addition, you can only have stations that featured artists similar to one artist.  As in, my Okkervil River station will feature Of Montreal and NMHotel, but it’s not that varied as far as artists go.  If I want to hear something a little different, I have to make an entirely new station.  And this is fine, because it holds up to 10 recent stations if you have the free version (and why would you ever get the paid version?  the only difference is less commercials, and, honestly, I’ve never actually heard one of the commercials on slacker.) but it’s annoying to switch back and forth.  I’m not sure if this is just my bb or if it’s everyones, but there’s a significant lag between choosing anything on slacker and going between menus.

Turning it off is also annoying, since you have to go through this “do you want the paid version?” screen, and you need to click, “naw.”  Now the most annoying thing in the world, but after seeing it 50 some times, you feel like you’re talking to your psycho ex or something: “NO, I don’t WANT the paid version.  Leave me alone!”

But, like I said, it’s the best that was out there.

Until.

Pandora radio got a bb app.

It’s no secret that I like pandora.  They know virtually every artist I throw at them, they allow you to create custom stations by inputting virtually any number of artists into a “station” which uses some crazy algorithms to figure out what music is similar to at least one of the things you picked.  This is great, since sometimes I just want something that sounds folk-y, so I pick my folk mix, but other times I want something that’s very similar to, say, Mward.  So I can make an Mward station and not add anything else to it.

To give an analogy, Slacker radio lets you make an ice cream sundae and have ONE topping.  Pandora radio lets you make an ice cream sundae and have ANY NUMBER OF TOPPINGS YOU WANT. 

And, pandora doesn’t ask you to pay for it.  You can customize your stations on the website, and it’ll transfer right over to your bb.  And if you’re not on your bb, you can download their (albeit somewhat clunky) desktop app and listen to it from your desktop, or simply listen to it from your browser window.

Maybe I’m missing something.  More music, more customizability, quicker, smoother, better access to the music — why the hell would anyone choose slacker over pandora?

Oh.  If you have T-mobile.  Sorry, guys.

But really, is there something I’m missing here?  Maybe there’s some hidden terms in pandora that make me their bitch? 

But either way, I’m keeping pandora.  Sorry, Slacker, but I like my Bright Eyes mixed with a little Ting Tings.