Getting your tunes in a different subscription

[grexia]

Is there any other way where I can have new tunes on my player which wont require me to log on a PC and buy a song online?

Something in which tunes are delivered to your players, maybe weekly or monthly.

[Constantine]

Yes there is. By using this all new subscription MP3 players, you can experience a different way of enjoying your favorite tunes in your players.

If you're not living in an Apple-centric musical world, the chances are good that you get your tunes from an online subscription music service. But what about when you're not at your PC? Slowly but surely, manufacturers are rolling out portable media players to work with these services so you can enjoy an on-the-go listening experience. Rhapsody and Slacker have recently released innovative PMP companions that are worth a look if you're a fan of either service. If you're not familiar with them, Rhapsody is subscription-based and you pay a monthly fee for tunes (instead of by the song). Slacker is a free Internet radio site that programs stations for you based on your musical tastes. For a $7.50 per month upgrade, you can get unlimited song skipping and avoid the occasional commercial you'll hear in between tunes with the free version.

[Constantine]

Slacker Portable, designed to work exclusively with the Slacker online service, is finally available. Essentially, every time the player finds a Wi-Fi connection it can use, it will refresh your "stations," which are similar to playlists, but based on artists, not specific songs. If you buy it directly from the company, Slacker will even send the device preloaded with your stations—and there's no need to pay for the premium service in order to use the player.

The Haier Ibiza Rhapsody uses Wi-Fi to connect to Rhapsody to load your entire account—from your stations to your favorite rated songs—directly to the device. Virtually everything you can access on Rhapsody from your PC is also accessible on the Ibiza. Sure, it looks a little clunky and has some issues if you decide to load it up with your own content, but shortcomings aside, the device is still a cool and unique toy if you're a Rhapsody fan.

[Constantine]

Here are some photos of the two players mentioned earlier.

Haier Ibiza Rhapsody



Slacker Portable