Comments on: The Slacker Dilemma http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:24:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: If RIM Bought Dash for $8.3M, Why Bother Building Hardware? http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-956075 If RIM Bought Dash for $8.3M, Why Bother Building Hardware? Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:54:01 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-956075 <p>[...] failure mean doom for all specialty hardware companies hoping to build devices for the web? Are Slacker radios or the Kindle destined to [...]</p> [...] failure mean doom for all specialty hardware companies hoping to build devices for the web? Are Slacker radios or the Kindle destined to [...]

]]> By: Seek http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92933 Seek Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:48:49 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92933 <p>Who knows? Maybe the halo of Austin will guide them past all these obstacles.</p> <p>Always interesting to see a new approach – but there isn't a whole lot I'm missing from my iPod/iTunes experience -- at least not that last.fm didn't fulfill.</p> Who knows? Maybe the halo of Austin will guide them past all these obstacles.

Always interesting to see a new approach – but there isn’t a whole lot I’m missing from my iPod/iTunes experience — at least not that last.fm didn’t fulfill.

]]> By: Music Interfaces » Blog Archive » Slacker player pics - hit by the ugly stick? http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92935 Music Interfaces » Blog Archive » Slacker player pics - hit by the ugly stick? Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:45:18 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92935 <p>[...] Om Malick takes a pessimistic view of Slacker’s chances on GigaOm. Share this post: Filed under Hardware, Miscellaneous having Leave a [...]</p> [...] Om Malick takes a pessimistic view of Slacker’s chances on GigaOm. Share this post: Filed under Hardware, Miscellaneous having Leave a [...]

]]> By: Music Interfaces » Blog Archive » Slacker: wireless iTunes + radio http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92937 Music Interfaces » Blog Archive » Slacker: wireless iTunes + radio Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:26:42 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92937 <p>[...] Om Malick takes a pessimistic view of Slacker’s chances on [...]</p> [...] Om Malick takes a pessimistic view of Slacker’s chances on [...]

]]> By: Mongo http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92931 Mongo Sat, 17 Mar 2007 17:26:24 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92931 <p>As a Sirius employee, I can say that they are definately in line with the modern market, and will stand more and more of a chance as time passes. The only issue, as with any entertainment service, will be gaining the necissary capital to provide the service completely and at a low price point. I wish them the best of luck, and who knows, maybe they'll earn a place on our service :P</p> As a Sirius employee, I can say that they are definately in line with the modern market, and will stand more and more of a chance as time passes. The only issue, as with any entertainment service, will be gaining the necissary capital to provide the service completely and at a low price point. I wish them the best of luck, and who knows, maybe they’ll earn a place on our service :P

]]> By: laddie http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92907 laddie Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:23:01 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92907 <p>Granted there are a lot of players in the digital music market. Yes many of those players are giants – folks that have been around the block and swing a wide berth with their established profile. The thing is, it seems, none of them has found the “magic formula” for digital music broadcasting. I mean, the whole subscription based, niche market satellite services just don’t appeal to me – they don’t have the simple low maintenance appeal as just turning on my FM radio and having access to a free and wide range of public air waves. Podcasts are cool, but again, they require some real work to get to. I mean, if there really was something that truly worked – the magic formula, would there be so many players in the market? So, yea, lots of guys scrambling to get it right. Hopefully, the new kid on the block will pick up the slack.</p> Granted there are a lot of players in the digital music market. Yes many of those players are giants – folks that have been around the block and swing a wide berth with their established profile. The thing is, it seems, none of them has found the “magic formula” for digital music broadcasting. I mean, the whole subscription based, niche market satellite services just don’t appeal to me – they don’t have the simple low maintenance appeal as just turning on my FM radio and having access to a free and wide range of public air waves. Podcasts are cool, but again, they require some real work to get to. I mean, if there really was something that truly worked – the magic formula, would there be so many players in the market? So, yea, lots of guys scrambling to get it right. Hopefully, the new kid on the block will pick up the slack.

]]> By: Ben Marklein http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92929 Ben Marklein Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:34:14 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92929 <p>Re: "The Web music royalty fiasco is only just getting started."</p> <p>That's not an issue for these guys. They have licensing deals with the labels. The royalty rates only apply to companies that are using the statutory license available under the DMCA.</p> <p>For anyone who might not be aware, the DMCA says that webcasters who follow certain rules (e.g., you can't play more than 4 songs from a given artist in a 3 hour period) qualify as a "non-interactive" service and are entitled to a statutory license at fixed rates. But you're always free to negotiate separately with the labels. In Slacker's case I don't think they even had the option to use the statutory license because they're a satellite service. They probably also wanted to do some things that would qualify them as "interactive" under the DMCA.</p> Re: “The Web music royalty fiasco is only just getting started.”

That’s not an issue for these guys. They have licensing deals with the labels. The royalty rates only apply to companies that are using the statutory license available under the DMCA.

For anyone who might not be aware, the DMCA says that webcasters who follow certain rules (e.g., you can’t play more than 4 songs from a given artist in a 3 hour period) qualify as a “non-interactive” service and are entitled to a statutory license at fixed rates. But you’re always free to negotiate separately with the labels. In Slacker’s case I don’t think they even had the option to use the statutory license because they’re a satellite service. They probably also wanted to do some things that would qualify them as “interactive” under the DMCA.

]]> By: Martin http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92927 Martin Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:33:17 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92927 <p>I LOVE IT! that's true entrepreneurship when you "screw" the VC thinking of focusing on 1 single very focused product, and just go with your thoughts and what you think is best.</p> <p>All the best to the boys, and if they fail they are still high up on my list.</p> I LOVE IT! that’s true entrepreneurship when you “screw” the VC thinking of focusing on 1 single very focused product, and just go with your thoughts and what you think is best.

All the best to the boys, and if they fail they are still high up on my list.

]]> By: Brad http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92926 Brad Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:02:55 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92926 <p>Sorry Om, they do have some technical staff in Austin, but are based in SD.</p> Sorry Om, they do have some technical staff in Austin, but are based in SD.

]]> By: Brad http://gigaom.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92925 Brad Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:15:03 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/the-slacker-dilemma/#comment-92925 <p>definitely an uphill battle, but don't discount the impact of offering something people want. sure there are all the competitors you mentioned, but maybe none of those satisfy me and slacker does. curious to see where it goes.</p> <p>minor note, the company is Broadband Instruments, not Slacker Inc. and it's out of San Diego, not Austin.</p> definitely an uphill battle, but don’t discount the impact of offering something people want. sure there are all the competitors you mentioned, but maybe none of those satisfy me and slacker does. curious to see where it goes.

minor note, the company is Broadband Instruments, not Slacker Inc. and it’s out of San Diego, not Austin.

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