Introducing Pandora One

[DAB]

Introducing Pandora One

We wanted to let you know that we've added some new features to the subscription version of Pandora. We're calling the new service Pandora One. As a subscriber, your Pandora account will remain 100% ad-free, and you'll get all of the new features of Pandora One. Here's what's new:

Enjoy very high audio quality on the web (192 kilobits per second)
All new Pandora One Desktop - no browser required
Personalize Pandora on the web with your choice of skins

Addictional Pandora One Subscription Benefits...

* The Pandora Mini Tuner in a much smaller web browser window for listeners who want a small form factor but not a separate application.

* No daily "skip" limit (although the hourly skip limit still applies).

* A five-hour time-out value between listener interactions for Pandora One on the Web.

Pandora One is $36 for a one-year subscription (credit card required). Click here for instructions on how to upgrade to Pandora One.

Note: Upgrading to Pandora One does not change our licensing restrictions. The inability to hear a song "on demand," the hourly "skip" limit of six skips per hour on a particular Pandora station, the absence of a rewind or replay button, and the requirement to play no more than four songs by a particular artist in a three-hour time period are identical in all types of Pandora accounts.

NOTE: Certain mobile devices on the AT&T network require a separate subscription through your cellular carrier for access to Pandora. Rates are set by your cellular carrier, and are billed directly through your carrier. However, you will still receive all of the Pandora One features should you choose to participate in these carrier-billed subscription services. Note that the iPhone and BlackBerry are fully covered by Pandora One, and no additional fees or subscriptions are required.

 

[Jon]

Note: Upgrading to Pandora One does not change our licensing restrictions. The inability to hear a song "on demand," the hourly "skip" limit of six skips per hour on a particular Pandora station, the absence of a rewind or replay button, and the requirement to play no more than four songs by a particular artist in a three-hour time period are identical in all types of Pandora accounts.

Why can Slacker do unlimited skips and they can't? I like the cheaper price with Pandora, but it seems like you get more for your money with Slacker.

 

[DAB]

Why can Slacker do unlimited skips and they can't? I like the cheaper price with Pandora, but it seems like you get more for your money with Slacker.

Apparently Pandora and Slacker have different agreements with the Record Companies. I would imagine it is cheaper if you limit the skips vs having unlimited skips.

What is weird is that in all the months I've had both Slacker and Pandora, I don't recall skipping but maybe a half dozen times. I understand there are those that want to skip every song then even remotely don't like, but Pandora's license clearly doesn't allow for that.

In regards to which is a better value, I would agree with you on Slacker. However, with that said there are some new age / meditation stations and music that I've been able to create on Pandora that has NO equal on Slacker simply because the music is just NOT available. I've requested this music till I am blue in the face and NOTHING! So, I paid my $36 and I am enjoying not having the ads and these extra benefits. The SQ is better than Slacker now too, though most probably wouldn't notice that either. I've always said I felt Slacker should have given Premium members another benefit and higher quality sound would perhaps make me consider paying the higher sub fee next time around, but as of now, I plan to cancel and go with plus only.

 

[Jon]

True, but then Slacker has World/African music which Pandora doesn't seem to have. Both have outstanding iPhone apps, when the money is right I might sign up for Pandora One and see if it's comparable with Slacker Plus. I'll say also between the $36 a year for Pandora One and the $48 a year for Slacker, that should make SiriusXM squirm in their seats. Maybe they will start lowering their rates to compete?? Phfft, what am I saying?

 

[mrpacs]

Wow Pandora has dropped the ball on this BIG TIME IMO. 6 skips/hour for $36/year FUH-GET-IT. I'm glad I'm a Slacker!

 

[digital100]

... and just the other day, Napster changed their price for $5 per month for unlimited streaming with 5 free downloads. I like Sirius but mostly because it factory installed in my car. When I get home and turn on the Sonos, it is just another digital music service.

But Pandora One sounds good to me. I am in for $36 to get the higher bit rate.

 

[DAB]

There is no doubt they both have their pluses and minuses in terms of what they offer. In terms of applications they both offer a very decent application and I think for Pandora really making a solid offering for the Pandora One may just get them some paying subs, which is what they need. They talk driving 1 million plus subscribers with the iPhone app, but none of them was paying a thing. Advertising is one thing, but I think if they don't grown a subscriber base they are going to be in trouble. Slacker was smart in doing both almost from the beginning.

While musically Slacker/Pandora compete with SiriusXM, that is about where it ends. Slacker and Pandora will never take the place of that service as they currently are and given that they are worth a lot less subscription wise. Sirius XM is a pure subscription based service like cable/sat tv so I doubt they'll ever have a free advertiser supported version like Slacker and Pandora.

The limited skips really aren't that big of a deal, the higher sound quality is money well spent (Right now they are sounding better than Slacker at the higher bitrate (works on the iPhone/iPod Touch too! The base Pandora desktop software player is a WINNER for me and works great under Win 7 RC.

 

[digital100]

I actually think that the 1 million subscribers added through iphone added a lot of cost because they pay royalties per track. But maybe the iphone app and the related publicity set them up for converting a significant portion into paid subscribers with Pandora One.

 

[DAB]

I actually think that the 1 million subscribers added through iphone added a lot of cost because they pay royalties per track. But maybe the iphone app and the related publicity set them up for converting a significant portion into paid subscribers with Pandora One.

I think you make a very good point and I had not thought about it that way, but you would be correct. I often think about how many people just leave these things playing while they aren't even listening to them.

Anyway... maybe they'll be able to get many of them to subscribe with the better sound quality. I do agree with mrpacs if they had been able to provide unlimited skips this would have been a no brainer for a lot of potential subscribers. This issue may cause many not to subscribe even though for me as I said it really isn't an issue, I just don't use the skip feature.

 

[digital100]

The bad news is that the Pandora 192kbps stream is not available to Sonos partners. It is only available on the web. So you can't get the higher quality stream on devices like Sonos and Squeezebox. So you can only get the high quality stream through a low quality DAC?

The only advantage is that you won't hear advertisements. But I can only recall one ad in the past year. It was about a year ago, I heard a 5 second ad for Bose.

 

[xan_user]

no buffer cache?
no thanks.

 

[DAB]

The bad news is that the Pandora 192kbps stream is not available to Sonos partners. It is only available on the web.

The only advantage is that you won't hear advertisements. .

Well that seems crazy to me! I wonder why they are restricting those services to just the standard high quality and not the Pandora One Premium?

I've been well pleased with it on my iPod Touch! Though in all honesty I still listen to Slacker a lot more. By the way I don't consider the iPod Touch or iPod Phone a low quality.