Ford Helps Owners Tune into ‘Slacker Radio’
One of the many advantages of the award-winning Ford SYNC AppLink system is that it allows owners to access and control compatible smartphone apps via voice-recognition technology, also allowing them to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. Another benefit? Ford has now added Slacker Radio to that growing list of apps, becoming the first automaker to integrate the new listening service into its connectivity/infotainment
system.
Building on the foundation of a music catalog that’s some 10 times larger than its leading competitor, Slacker Radio puts a new spin on the online listening experience. As explained by Steve Cotter, senior vice president for business development at Slacker Radio: “Slacker listeners can create their own custom stations by selecting their favorite artists and songs, or listen to any of more than 150 stations curated by expert DJs who love the music they play.
“When they’re not in the mood for music, Slacker listeners can tune in to a wide variety of personalized talk content including personalized comedy, ABC News and ESPN Radio stations.”
By harnessing the power of SYNC, Ford drivers can further enhance their enjoyment of Slacker Radio with the ability to use voice or audio-system controls to select stations, skip songs, set favorites and even prevent certain songs or artists from being played in the first place. Significantly, SYNC also can ensure uninterrupted listening pleasure even in areas with limited/no data connectivity, thanks to functionality that can store content directly on paired smartphones.
“Customers now have so many options for accessing music and information. Ford SYNC AppLink allows us to not only keep pace with what they are listening to, but how they are listening to it,” said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford Connected Services. “With its huge music library, Slacker Radio dramatically increases the content options for Ford drivers.”