Slate app - free or subscription?

[atx_ev]

I think the closer is the key here. Not including an infotainment/radio/whatever you choose to call it will turn away large swaths of buyers. Sure there is a small portion of people who enjoy the sound of road noise, or install their own on every vehicle, but Slate needs to make it easy to install one. The whole "bring your own iPad" notion is... silly at best.

If the slate is 5K cheaper than the next cheapest mini truck, that buys a lot of stereo.

Some people will say the same thing about paint, that it is mandatory. I have no interest in wrap or paint and always buy the color that hides dirt the best (silver or gray).

Slate is essentially making it all optional

 

[Letas]

There are now Expansion Speakers that I hadn't seen in the Maker before. They're apparently cleverly designed to look like HVAC knobs.

Ha! Cool to see that are adding options. This is surprisingly encouraging, as long as it is integrated well. Reminds me of the new 4runner speaker.

Somehow methinks they used the incorrect picture here....

 

[AZFox]

Somehow methinks they used the incorrect picture here....

I think the picture just shows the accessory rail.

If the Expansion Speakers have batteries I don't think they'd survive well where I live because car-interior temperatures above 160F degrees are kinda hard on rechargeable batteries.

 

[Letas]

I think the picture just shows the accessory rail.

If the Expansion Speakers have batteries I don't think they'd survive well where I live because car-interior temperatures above 160F degrees are kinda hard on rechargeable batteries.

“Side rail” and “surround sound” lead me to believe it’s in the door, but only time will tell. The dash would make sense to give it power (while in the car).

I wonder how the removable speakers in the late gen 4Runners does in heat. I’d assume it’s accommodated for, but you know what they say when you assume…

 

[AZFox]

On the bright side they appear to be paying attention to making sure people's audio needs will be met.

I'm still thinking this would work pretty well.

• Single- or double-DIN head unit
• 2-way speakers in the doors
  • Mid/bass drivers down low
  • Tweeters up high near the A-pillars
• Powered subwoofer behind the seat

SUV variant would add some rear speakers and the subwoofer would move to behind the rear seat (and be bigger).

 

[phidauex]

Are there double-DIN offerings out there that don't look like they were a holdover from 2010? People keep saying "put in any stereo you want!" but I'm just not sure there is much of a market for modern-feeling single or double-DIN products...

 

[AZFox]

Are there double-DIN offerings out there that don't look like they were a holdover from 2010? People keep saying "put in any stereo you want!" but I'm just not sure there is much of a market for modern-feeling single or double-DIN products...

I think even modern single-DIN units have screens that are.... well, modern.

 

[phidauex]

I think even modern single-DIN units have screens that are.... well, modern.

I'm probably just being spoiled here, but while that does look pretty practical, it does look like a real throwback too - wide bezel, rows of badges proclaiming DVD and DIVX compatibility, inexplicably triangular buttons, etc... It looks a lot like the stereo I had in my 2006 WRX, but with a bigger screen. I mean, I think it would be fine, but interested to see if other options present themselves.

 

[AZFox]

It looks a lot like the stereo I had in my 2006 WRX, but with a bigger screen. I mean, I think it would be fine, but interested to see if other options present themselves.

That might not have been a good example.

See many other examples here:
https://www.crutchfield.com/shopsearch/single_din_touch_screen.html

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Volume knob + bluetooth is all I need

 

[phidauex]

That might not have been a good example.

See many other examples here:
https://www.crutchfield.com/shopsearch/single_din_touch_screen.html

True, there are a few slightly more appealing choices. This one has some mixed reviews, but at least conceptually gets closer (floating screen, no CD/DVD player, Carplay, and HD radio (which actually works great where I live). https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130DMT7600/Pioneer-DMH-WT7600NEX.html

 

[Letas]

True, there are a few slightly more appealing choices. This one has some mixed reviews, but at least conceptually gets closer (floating screen, no CD/DVD player, Carplay, and HD radio (which actually works great where I live). https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130DMT7600/Pioneer-DMH-WT7600NEX.html

If Slate never sells a car, they will have achieved one thing.

Given me an appreciation for infotainment systems in cars! It is easy to criticize legacy manufacturers design choices, and I’ve done it many times (looking at you, Subaru, or Honda Prologue). But going aftermarket has shown me how crappy the options are, and how nice the integrated ones really do look.

Seems like the aftermarket is 5-8 years behind!

 

[KevinRS]

The local radio station I listen to when driving recently changed frequencies, but the quiet part is they changed transmitter locations as well, and possibly went to a lower power. It is now noticeably lower quality sound, with a background static. This is making me even more ready to abandon FM radio and choose one of the bluetooth options. I am wondering though if any of those options include handsfree calling.

 

[beatle]

If Slate never sells a car, they will have achieved one thing.

Given me an appreciation for infotainment systems in cars! It is easy to criticize legacy manufacturers design choices, and I’ve done it many times (looking at you, Subaru, or Honda Prologue). But going aftermarket has shown me how crappy the options are, and how nice the integrated ones really do look.

Seems like the aftermarket is 5-8 years behind!

It's sad. Aftermarket options have gotten fewer as more and more vehicles have infotainment systems that can't be replaced. There are a few integrated options for particularly high volume vehicles like the F150, but without standardization, an aftermarket company can't justify the resources into developing a unit that fits just one model, especially if the factory unit acts as the phone-home / telemetrics hub.

There are still a few good looking aftermarket options for single- and double-DIN, but you'll pay for them:

Modern infotainment systems also process the hell out of the signal - sometimes before it even leaves the unit, so there's no way to get a "clean" signal. They do this to work around the limitations of inexpensive speakers, amplifiers, and the cabin's effect on the sound. At some level that makes sense to get the most from the minimum in hardware. As a whole, factory stereos are now generally better sounding than they've ever been, but you're kind of already at the end of the road if you ever want to upgrade at almost any cost.

I look forward to building a nice stereo in the Slate. For less than $2k, I was able to put a system into my old Ridgeline that blew the factory system in my Rivian away. While that's not chump change, the fact that it was possible at all was a great thing about older, simpler vehicles.