Pandora One- Better than the Free Version
We have covered Pandora since its launch — the technology behind the company’s ability to ferret out only music that you will like is second to none. That’s our opinion, anyway, based on years of heavy usage. It’s uncanny how Pandora can take what it knows about songs you like and find many, many songs that are similar enough to always stream music you want to hear. It is the single best way I find new music and artists.
The company has been in financial trouble for some time, with the music industry hammering it with royalties for dishing out tunes for us. Pandora instituted a voluntary donation of $36 per year awhile back to try to stay afloat. The free accounts still work — there are just some ads to tolerate. Recently, it launched the new Pandora One service, which basically is the same paid service with some other bells and whistles.
The same $36 per year now gets you a sweet Air-based desktop app (Mac and Windows) that is very similar to the iPhone app released earlier. It is now easier than ever to listen to Pandora with this app; plus, the ads are gone. Paid users also get a better quality stream. I ponied up my fee this morning, and I have been enjoying the new app all day. I hope my contribution can keep Pandora in business for a long time. I would miss it terribly if it went away.
Love the site, love the RSS, but please for one moment imagine that you have readers from outside the US. I was an early fan of Pandora, but quickly cut off in my prime, because (horror of horrors) I don’t live in the US. So for me, and not your fault, it’s just not relevant. And so it goes for many other issues.
When the whole community, and industry, gets to grips with this fact, then maybe we’ll start to see some progress. I’m really tired of the fact that the whole industry turns around global adoption (let’s face it, that’s what brings the dollars, upturn or downturn) but at the end of the day you need to be relevant to a much wider audience!
Best regards…
I hear what you’re saying and I understand where it’s coming from but we cover a wide range of topics here and that can’t change. If this had been the only post today then you’d have a beef. We have covered a lot of different topics today (and every day). Not every topic will be interesting or pertinent to everyone but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t cover any one topic at all. I believe you are understandably frustrated that you can’t enjoy Pandora and that sucks. But that doesn’t mean we should never mention it (or other topics that may be regionally restricted). Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
However, I do live in the US and found the read very usefull. Trying to please everyone by writing about things that ONLY apply to the world as a whole would limit the discussion to things like air and water.
you win some you lose some (Kind like how every friggen phone worth writing about is always released over seas first… that ticks me off, but its just the way things are.
I started on Pandora and like it alot, but I also use Slacker and for me anyway, Slacker seems to play a better variety that seems in “tune” (hehe) with what I want to hear.
ok, Jk. On your word I will upgrade now
Jk..Have you found a way to make this app full screen?
Nope, but why? It’s optimized for the small window.
Hmmm… I thought Adobe Air apps worked with Linux, too.
Hope it’s better than the bulky Adobe Air client they released last year:
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2008-06/pandora-launches-adobe-air-desktop-client/
And wonder if the $36 extends to Sonos and Squeezebox devices.
Look at the screen above Dave and it’s obvious it’s not the same.
The free version was great until two days ago – they limited the amount of skips you can make drastically. They will have to add more variety per station and unlimited skips – I would pay $100 dollars a year for that.
I’m using Pandora on my Viliv and it would be nice to see the album art full screen.
I believe the skip limit is removed in Pandora One.
Pandora One offers unlimited skips on a daily basis, but you’re still limited to six skips within a given hour. The hourly limit is due to licensing constraints. For me, that’s essentially unlimited because the service is so good at picking music once it gets to know you.
Does a Pandora One account give higher quality streaming to the Windows Mobile app? I’d really be interested in it then.
Can some one help me. I am told with the new Livio radio I can purchase a modem so I could listen to the new radio in another room or outside on my deck. Is this correct and what modem, model would I need to buy? I love Pandora and I hope this is true.
Thanks
Is this an unbiased free review?
I notice your blog is sponsored by many products.
As James pointed out, he paid for the yearly service: “I ponied up my fee this morning.” He bought it, he likes it and he shared that info with the readers.
Sales and editorial are totally walled off here. Sales doesn’t know what we’re writing about (until after it’s written) and we don’t know who will be advertising here (until after we see the ads, the same as you).