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== Recent copyright developments ==
== Recent copyright developments ==


Due to recent RIAA rulings that increase fees and ask for licensing guarantees, the Pandora service is no longer available in most countries outside the [[United States]], [[Canada]] and the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite news
Due to recent RIAA rulings that increase fees and ask for licensing guarantees, the Pandora service is no longer available in most countries outside the [[United States]], and the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite news
| title = Breaking Pandora's Heart...
| title = Breaking Pandora's Heart...
| url = http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/05/breaking_pandor.html
| url = http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/05/breaking_pandor.html
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| date = [[2007-05-03]]
| date = [[2007-05-03]]
| accessdate = 2007-05-07
| accessdate = 2007-05-07
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| title = Canada
| url = http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/05/canada.html
| publisher = Pandora Blog
| date = [[2007-05-14]]
| accessdate = 2007-05-15
}}</ref> These rulings affect all internet-based radio stations (terrestrial radio is not affected). This has prompted a series of [http://capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/issues/alert/?alertid=9631541 online petitions] to save the future of online radio and streaming music.
}}</ref> These rulings affect all internet-based radio stations (terrestrial radio is not affected). This has prompted a series of [http://capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/issues/alert/?alertid=9631541 online petitions] to save the future of online radio and streaming music.


Revision as of 15:14, 15 May 2007

Template:Otheruses2

Pandora
File:Pandora (music service).png
Screenshot of Pandora homepage
Type of site
Internet radio
OwnerPandora Media, Inc.
Created byThe Music Genome Project
URLhttp://www.pandora.com/
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional

Pandora is an automated music recommendation and internet radio service created by The Music Genome Project. The service has two subscription plans: a free subscription supported by ads, and a fee-based subscription without these ads. Users begin by entering a song or artist that they enjoy, and the service responds by playing selections that it thinks are musically similar. Users are then able to provide feedback on the individual song choices — approval or disapproval — which the system takes into account for future selections.

Over 400 different musical attributes or genes (see List of Music Genome Project attributes) are considered when selecting the next song. These 400 attributes are combined into larger groups called focus traits. There are 2,000 focus traits. Examples of these are rhythm syncopation, key tonality, vocal harmonies and displayed instrumental proficiency.

The Pandora media player is based on Open Laszlo, allowing for simple cross platform portability. Pandora can be listened to through any Slim Devices' products. MSN Radio stations now run off Pandora.com and use Pandora accounts rather than Windows Live IDs.

Due to recent RIAA rulings that increase fees and ask for licensing guarantees, the Pandora service is no longer available in most countries outside the United States, and the United Kingdom.[1][2] These rulings affect all internet-based radio stations (terrestrial radio is not affected). This has prompted a series of online petitions to save the future of online radio and streaming music.

Access from denied nations can be made using proxies.[3]

Using and tuning

Choosing one artist results in all that artist's catalogued styles being used as a starting point, which may include those which may not be considered representative. Selecting representative tracks by the artist may give results closer to what was intended.

Each track played can be responded to in 4 ways:

  • Thumbs up - Play more like this
  • No response - No change in preference
  • Thumbs down - Do not play this track again, play fewer that are similar. Also skips if any skips are left
    • A second negative response to the same artist will ban that artist from the selected playlist unless that artist has been manually added to the playlist or has received one or more positive votes.
  • Zzzz - You may choose to not play a track for one month if you are tired of hearing it

Users can also bookmark songs and artists, read information about them (Backstage options) and buy music.

Limitations

The content licensing imposes a number of restrictions:

  • Currently only licensed for USA registration. This is enforced by requiring that the user enter a U.S. ZIP code at registration. However, starting May 3, 2007 Pandora began restricting their service by checking users' IP addresses.
  • Rewind or repeat is not possible.
  • Only 6 skips per hour are allowed, including those resulting from a thumbs down response. Previously, if at least two music stations had been created, switching from the current playing station to a different one and back allowed skipping past the built-in limitation. However, this has been changed so that when the user switches back, the same song from the current station will still continue.
  • Play of a single artist is limited.
  • People who use the Opera internet browser for the Nintendo Wii do not have access to play Pandora.
  • Pocket PCs using Flash 7 for Windows Mobile, and other such devices cannot use the Pandora tuner.
  • The Music Genome Project contains no classical music and very little foreign music.

Hacks

Despite concerns of violating the Music Genome's rules and breaking copyright law, a few hacks for Pandora have sprung up to enhance the functionality and ease of use already present. For example:

  • Wrappers for the Pandora Tuner
  • OpenPandora
  • Pandora's Jar
    • Pandora's Jar also acts as a wrapper for the Pandora tuner, but includes much more functionality alongside. Pandora's Jar runs in a browser as well and provides integration into Last.fm, as well as CDDB. Pandoras Jar's main attraction and feature is the ability to extract the music files you are listening to in the tuner at the time.
  • PandoraFM
    • PandoraFM allows listeners of Pandora custom radio to record their listening habits to their Last.fm profiles. It also allows you to tag tracks in order to build radio stations within Last.fm's interface. Within PandoraFM's interface it displays Pandora's "genome description" of the track, the Last.fm biography of the artist, and links to photos, videos, groups and other stations that are relevant to what is being listened to.
  • FoxyTunes
    • FoxyTunes is a Firefox extension that displays currently playing Pandora song information on browser status-bar, along with volume controls and a button that finds and raises the Pandora player window or tab. The extension also supports the PandoraFM site and many additional media players and music services

Categories used by Pandora to determine musical matches

Main article: List of Music Genome Project attributes

According to Pandora, there are "hundreds of musical attributes" used to categorize and match songs.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Breaking Pandora's Heart..." Pandora Blog. 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2007-05-07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Canada". Pandora Blog. 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2007-05-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Lifehacker: How to access Pandora from outside the U.S.
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