Slacker BlackBerry Storm Streaming Radio Client Released

Like it or love it, there are a whole lot of people out there looking at two years with their new BlackBerry Storm, so they may as well have some streaming entertainment to occupy them.  Slacker have announced a version of its free internet radio app for the touchscreen RIM smartphone, complete with 100 expert-programmed Slacker stations, over 10,000 artist stations or umpteen custom stations.  Interestingly, you can listen to music even without a network connection, thanks to Slacker's station caching.

Slacker station caching, which is exclusive to BlackBerry devices, allows you to store your favorite stations on a memory card – rather than stream them over whichever network connection you're using – and as such have access to them even when there's no signal to hand.  It also saves on battery life: Slacker claim it reduces battery consumption by as much as 5x.

A free download, the app gives you artist bios, album reviews and artwork, and has both portrait and landscape interfaces suiting the Storm's rotating GUI.  You can get the Slacker for BlackBerry Storm app by visiting www.slacker.com/ on your handset; you'll automatically be offered the download link.

Press Release:

Slacker Announces Availability of Mobile Radio Application for the BlackBerry Storm Smartphone

Free Slacker Personal Radio Mobile Application Features Touch Screen Navigation and Station Caching

SAN DIEGO, CA – February 4, 2009 – Slacker, Inc. today announced the availability of the free Slacker Mobile application for the BlackBerry® Storm smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM). BlackBerry Storm users* can now listen to their favorite Slacker radio stations anywhere they go, whether they are connected to a wireless network or not – a Slacker Mobile feature exclusive to BlackBerry® smartphones. The application, which is optimized for the handset's unique touch screen, is available as a free download by visiting Slacker.com from your BlackBerry Storm.

The Slacker Mobile application provides BlackBerry Storm smartphone users in the U.S. with a personalized music discovery and listening experience, pulling from over 100 expert-programmed Slacker stations, over 10,000 artist stations or a nearly unlimited number of the listener's own custom-created stations. Features include vertical as well as horizontal modes, an intuitive interface optimized for touch operation, as well as "peek ahead", allowing the listener to see a preview of the next artist and album in their stations' rotation.

Slacker station caching, an exclusive feature for BlackBerry smartphones, enables listeners to store favorite stations on a memory card, allowing the Slacker Mobile application to play without a network connection, reducing battery life consumption by up to 5 times that of a streaming playback, and enhancing application performance. In addition, BlackBerry smartphone enthusiasts can enjoy Slacker Personal Radio while doing other tasks such as emailing, instant messaging or web browsing.

The Slacker application for the BlackBerry Storm smartphone includes detailed artist bios and album reviews for each song, providing the ultimate resource for music discovery. The Slacker Mobile application works with the free Slacker Basic Radio service, along with Slacker Radio Plus and Slacker Premium Radio subscription offerings.

"The Slacker Mobile application for the BlackBerry Storm offers an engaging and intuitive mobile listening experience that takes full advantage of its unique features," said Dennis Mudd, CEO of Slacker. "With an intuitive touch screen interface as well as station caching, BlackBerry Storm owners can now easily enjoy their favorite music wherever they go."

Slacker Personal Radio, available online at www.Slacker.com, enables listeners to personalize over 100 professionally programmed stations or create, edit and share their own Personal Radio stations. Slacker listeners also have easy access to artist profiles, album reviews and cover art on the web, with the Slacker G2 portable and now on the BlackBerry Storm smartphone.

Slacker Mobile for the BlackBerry Storm offers:

• Free music library featuring millions of songs

• Optimized for Storm Touch Screen operation

• Vertical and Horizontal modes

• High-quality stereo playback from cached stations and all streaming wireless connections

• Over 100 professionally programmed genre stations

• Create custom artist stations

• Station caching for music playback anywhere, greatly improved battery life and accelerated application performance

• Multi-tasking – listen to music while doing email

• View artist biographies and photos

• View album art and reviews

• "Peek Ahead" artist and album preview

• Pause and skip songs

• Rate songs as favorites

• Ban songs and artists you don't like

Pricing and Availability

The Slacker Personal Radio Mobile application for the BlackBerry Storm smartphone is available immediately as a free download by visiting Slacker.com from your BlackBerry web browser or visit www.slacker.com/blackberry for more details.