Pandora and other radio apps.

[sakura-panda]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

What's the benefit of a subscription to Google Play Music as opposed to the freebie version I'm using? (I'm sure Google would be happy to tell me, but I always dismiss those notifications)

https://play.google.com/intl/all_us/...sic/index.html

I didn't use it much before I purchased the subscription, so I don't really know which features I use are included in the free.

The main reason I have a subscription is because I can call up any album and listen to just that. It doesn't start a playlist with similar songs (although it can do that too) or only allow me to listen to the album with the songs shuffled. I also like that I can access my own music, and the ones they stream, all in the same app.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by sakura-panda

https://play.google.com/intl/all_us/...sic/index.html

I didn't use it much before I purchased the subscription, so I don't really know which features I use are included in the free.

The main reason I have a subscription is because I can call up any album and listen to just that. It doesn't start a playlist with similar songs (although it can do that too) or only allow me to listen to the album with the songs shuffled. I also like that I can access my own music, and the ones they stream, all in the same app.

It sounds like you have access to more music as a subscriber, but they are couching it in weird terms. It says "Enjoy unlimited listening to millions of songs." Since you can also stream music for free, I have to assume that means there are more songs available as a paid member.

I just got an email from Pandora saying that Pandora Premium is now available. I currently subscribe to Pandora Plus. The email says I can get Pandora Premium for 6 months at no extra charge. It says the Premium service includes:

• Search and play all your favorite songs
• Create playlists on your own, or powered by Pandora
• Download all the music you want for offline listening
• No ads

After the 6 month trial it will cost $9.99 + tax per month.

I signed up for the upgrade since I will get Pandora Premium for $4.99 + tax per month for the first 6 months.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I just got an email from Pandora saying that Pandora Premium is now available. I currently subscribe to Pandora Plus. The email says I can get Pandora Premium for 6 months at no extra charge. It says the Premium service includes:

• Search and play all your favorite songs
• Create playlists on your own, or powered by Pandora
• Download all the music you want for offline listening
• No ads

After the 6 month trial it will cost $9.99 + tax per month.

I signed up for the upgrade since I will get Pandora Premium for $4.99 + tax per month for the first 6 months.

There are several free trial offers available depending on your current Pandora status.

Pandora's $10 Spotify rival opens up for anyone to join

Pandora Premium, a $10-a-month service that lets you listen to any song without ads, had been available since last month by invitation only.

Online radio giant Pandora opened the gates Tuesday for anyone to join its long-planned Spotify-style music service, after inviting some listeners to test it last month.

Pandora Premium, a full-fledged, on-demand music subscription, will compete with faster-growing rivals like Spotify and Apple Music. Premium costs $10 a month, though the company is offering several free trials (see below).

Pandora is offering a variety of discounted or free trials for Premium. Current Pandora Plus subscribers who signed up directly on Pandora's website (as opposed through an app store) will get six months of Premium at the price they currently pay, no matter what that price is. They also must have a payment method all set up.

The length of a free trial depends on a few factors:

• 60 days free for people who aren't already paid Pandora subscribers of some sort, who set up a payment method and who sign up for Premium directly through Pandora.
  
• 30 days free for people who aren't already paid Pandora subscribers, who set up a payment method and who sign up indirectly, such as through an app store.
  
• 30 days free for existing Plus subscribers who signed up indirectly and have a payment set up.
  
• 30 days free for non-paying Pandora listeners who've already taken 30 days free of a Plus or Premium indirect trial and who become direct subscribers.

[CWatkinsNash]

Coming in late but internet radio is one of my loves.

Though my library of owned tracks is over 23,000 now (and constantly growing, just added some box sets a couple days ago), I do use internet radio often, and I only use the free versions. Pandora, TuneIn, IHeart, Slacker, Accuradio, and then there are direct stream links I get from Shoutcast / Icecast directories that I then use in JRiver MC and my Grace Mondo's custom station list. I'm likely forgetting some but I think I covered most of them, at least. Sometimes I grab the stream URLs directly off of web sites. Takes a few tricks but I can usually get it.

I used to use Live 365 before they closed and then re-opened under a new model. All of my favorite DJs disappeared in the meantime. I miss Vegas Vic's and a couple of others I used to listen to on there.

I also listen to the Prime Stations now and again, but they have a habit of sticking the worst possible cover in the middle that completely throws it off. Far worse than what Pandora occasionally does on my stations there.

I got the email for Pandora Premium but... I'm not lacking in free options at the moment so it's not very enticing to me.

I should note that I don't listen to any contemporary music on any of these services, so while it's harder for me to find the "right" stations on them, they tend to be more consistent once I do.

One of these days I'm gonna use an old tabletop radio and a Pi to make an awesome internet radio. Heck, I might use an old cell phone as the brains instead of a Pi - no programming or extra assembly needed, and I could replace the speakers with pre-wired units, so it wouldn't need an amp... Ha! I know what I'll be looking into this afternoon!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

Coming in late but internet radio is one of my loves.

Though my library of owned tracks is over 23,000 now (and constantly growing, just added some box sets a couple days ago), I do use internet radio often, and I only use the free versions. Pandora, TuneIn, IHeart, Slacker, Accuradio, and then there are direct stream links I get from Shoutcast / Icecast directories that I then use in JRiver MC and my Grace Mondo's custom station list. I'm likely forgetting some but I think I covered most of them, at least. Sometimes I grab the stream URLs directly off of web sites. Takes a few tricks but I can usually get it.

I used to use Live 365 before they closed and then re-opened under a new model. All of my favorite DJs disappeared in the meantime. I miss Vegas Vic's and a couple of others I used to listen to on there.

I also listen to the Prime Stations now and again, but they have a habit of sticking the worst possible cover in the middle that completely throws it off. Far worse than what Pandora occasionally does on my stations there.

I got the email for Pandora Premium but... I'm not lacking in free options at the moment so it's not very enticing to me.

I should note that I don't listen to any contemporary music on any of these services, so while it's harder for me to find the "right" stations on them, they tend to be more consistent once I do.

One of these days I'm gonna use an old tabletop radio and a Pi to make an awesome internet radio. Heck, I might use an old cell phone as the brains instead of a Pi - no programming or extra assembly needed, and I could replace the speakers with pre-wired units, so it wouldn't need an amp... Ha! I know what I'll be looking into this afternoon!

I love internet radio too. I have a Grace radio that I used to listen to all the time. But now, it rarely gets played. My go to internet radio now is the Amazon Echo. My favorite stations are Pandora and TuneIn.

Thanks for the heads up on Live365. I didn't realize that they were back in business. I'll have to check them out again.

I still have a large Radio Shack shortwave radio that I listen to. It's great not having to rely on the web. Old school OTA FM radio still rocks for me. I have numerous devices to use: my shortwave, no contract Android phones, Sansa Clips, and some small pocket radios.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I love internet radio too. I have a Grace radio that I used to listen to all the time. But now, it rarely gets played. My go to internet radio now is the Amazon Echo. My favorite stations are Pandora and TuneIn.

Thanks for the heads up on Live365. I didn't realize that they were back in business. I'll have to check them out again.

I still have a large Radio Shack shortwave radio that I listen to. It's great not having to rely on the web. Old school OTA FM radio still rocks for me. I have numerous devices to use: my shortwave, no contract Android phones, Sansa Clips, and some small pocket radios.

My Grace lives in the kitchen now - the Echo is in my bedroom, so I generally use that there or just play through my computer. I also have a media hub tablet (just a cheap Android with the relevant apps installed) connected to an audio distribution amp feeding a pair of compact studio monitors. Because part of the joy of being a musician is having loads of random equipment you're not actually using to make music.

The tablet and the Grace also connect to my home music server, so that's nice, too.

I really want to get a decent shortwave radio. I have one of those little ones but the tuning just isn't accurate enough and the scale is poor for really zeroing in on stuff. I sometimes use an alligator clip to hook it up to the TV antenna and I can get some stuff but it's just a battle to stay on frequency. So I want a bigger, better one, and then a more appropriate antenna for it. I managed to catch a numbers station for about a minute one time but then it was gone and I couldn't pull it in again.

Originally Posted by jswinden

I just got an email from Pandora saying that Pandora Premium is now available. I currently subscribe to Pandora Plus. The email says I can get Pandora Premium for 6 months at no extra charge. It says the Premium service includes:

• Search and play all your favorite songs
• Create playlists on your own, or powered by Pandora
• Download all the music you want for offline listening
• No ads

After the 6 month trial it will cost $9.99 + tax per month.

I signed up for the upgrade since I will get Pandora Premium for $4.99 + tax per month for the first 6 months.

Well I've had the Pandora Premium 6 month trial now a couple of months. I'm not that happy with it. For one thing it plays way too many live recorded albums/songs. I prefer studio recorded songs. Second it repeats artists and songs way too often. I like Fleetwood Mac every once in a while, but not every 4th song! Arrrgggghhh! I'm going to make a switch. I haven't tried Spotify yet, but I suspect that is the one I will end up with. I like being able to create my own playlists and radio stations. Too bad Pandora shanked that option. I might try the Apple Music free 3 month trial, but I've never cared for iTunes that much and from what I hear it doesn't let you create your own playlists and stations.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Well I've had the Pandora Premium 6 month trial now a couple of months. I'm not that happy with it. For one thing it plays way too many live recorded albums/songs. I prefer studio recorded songs. Second it repeats artists and songs way too often. I like Fleetwood Mac every once in a while, but not every 4th song! Arrrgggghhh! I'm going to make a switch. I haven't tried Spotify yet, but I suspect that is the one I will end up with. I like being able to create my own playlists and radio stations. Too bad Pandora shanked that option. I might try the Apple Music free 3 month trial, but I've never cared for iTunes that much and from what I hear it doesn't let you create your own playlists and stations.

I could have warned you about the live.
Every 4th. On one station every other song seems to be one or more of the Beatles.

I've been trying out the Apple Music free trial for a few hours tonight. Its a suckfest. I was afraid it would be. No way to create your own playlist or radio station, as far as I can tell anyway. Their For You tab is clunky and rather useless, unless you just want to explore. I'll keep testing it, but it seems to be really lame. To Love a song takes at least three clicks. Pretty stupid when all the others I've tried have a Thumbs Up button right next to the song so you don't have to fish through menus. Also it appears the interface was written for the iPhone and so most of the screen is wasted on the iPad. So far I rate it below Pandora in usability. I haven't used it long enough to see how it does at not repeating songs and artists too often. I plan to sign up for Spotify tomorrow to test it out.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I've been trying out the Apple Music free trial for a few hours tonight. Its a suckfest. I was afraid it would be. No way to create your own playlist or radio station, as far as I can tell anyway. Their For You tab is clunky and rather useless, unless you just want to explore. I'll keep testing it, but it seems to be really lame. To Love a song takes at least three clicks. Pretty stupid when all the others I've tried have a Thumbs Up button right next to the song so you don't have to fish through menus. Also it appears the interface was written for the iPhone and so most of the screen is wasted on the iPad. So far I rate it below Pandora in usability. I haven't used it long enough to see how it does at not repeating songs and artists too often. I plan to sign up for Spotify tomorrow to test it out.

Don't they have an iPhone app?

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Don't they have an iPhone app?

Yes, but the iPad app basically displays the same screen you see in the iPhone app placing it in the right 1/3 of the iPad screen. The left 2/3 of the screen looks pretty but doesn't really do much. I'll post screen captures tomorrow.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Yes, but the iPad app basically displays the same screen you see in the iPhone app placing it in the right 1/3 of the iPad screen. The left 2/3 of the screen looks pretty but doesn't really do much. I'll post screen captures tomorrow.

Sorry bout that, I meant iPad app

That's not a very good app if it doesn't use the entire screen.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Sorry bout that, I meant iPad app

That's not a very good app if it doesn't use the entire screen.

I knew what you meant! Well it occupies the entire screen, but it just wastes space. Basically they expanded the iPhone app's look and feel, but added no additional functionality. After I finish breakfast I will post some screen captures.

Here are some side by side comparisons of the Apple Music app with the iPad app on the left and the iPhone app on the right. (See the attachments.)

My observations and thoughts:

The For You tab is where they keep the lists of various Playlists they created for you, hence the title. These include Genres, once a week Saturday Playlist supposedly based on your preferences, Saturday's Albums also based on your preferences, Artist Spotlight Playlists, new releases, and connect posts which I think or similar to postings by various authors and probably social media like. I renamed it the Up Yours tab. The old "take what we give you and be happy with it" attitude we see with several companies like Apple, Amazon, etc. My opinion is that it is way too cluttered and was designed more for exploring what it out there rather than getting to what you want to hear in short order. I hate this tab.

The other tabs, well I hate them more. They are all cluttered and not quickly navigable. A really bad entanglement of pretty looking pictures that don't really help get you to what you want to play. Clearly the app was designed to take you on a tour of what is available rather than letting you spend a few moments listening to what you want to listen to.

The lack of custom made radio stations is a deal killer for me. However, as I was putting together the screen captures for this post I noticed that there is a Create Station menu option. I will explore that and post more. But I've read in the reviews that you cannot create custom stations, so I'm not sure about this yet.

Over all opinion: It is pretty and pleasing to look at, but difficult to navigate, and the options for creating radio stations and playlists or very limited. Form over function, which Apple is known for, comes to mind. Pretty, but not very useful to my style of listening to music.

ETA 1: Songs that were playing during screen captures were just random--not necessarily my cup of tea so to speak.

ETA 2: Clicking the Create Station apparently just creates a station based on the song that is playing. I say apparently because it simply returned me to the Playing screen. That is not useful for me. I care nothing about listening to a bunch of songs from one performer/band, or a set of similar songs. I want to create a custom radio station which includes many performers, genres, etc. In other words, a great mix tape.

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