most investors on these companies are really just hoping for a buy out and get rich quick, that's why profits don't usually matter.
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Pandora Acquires 'Key Assets' and Employees From Rdio for $75 Million
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most investors on these companies are really just hoping for a buy out and get rich quick, that's why profits don't usually matter.
It has been a while since I've used rdio, but I remember liking their UI. If Pandora doesn't use it maybe Apple can buy the UI design and use it for Apple Music.
Shocked? Why? Pandora has always served up better music for me than Apple Radio or Spotify. And to get to either Spotify or Apple's radio I have to download an app, something not a lot of people can do at work.
I don't want 'greater control over the music I love' I want greater control of the music I can't stand. Too much garbage is offered up.
This absolutely sucks for those rdio employees who aren't moving to Pandora, along with any "second level" investors (such as employees who had stock, stock options, etc.) Pandora isn't acquiring the company, they're acquiring the "assets and employees." The company rdio will fold with zero money. Employees will be laid off without severance, and investors (other than those at the top of the list who get the profit from the sale of assets,) will get zilch.
I was employed at a dot-com in the boom that died this way. A slow attrition, until a bigger company (that is still around,) just bought out the intellectual property, and hired a couple of the employees. All my stock and options (I was a "paper millionaire" for all of one week, of course, I couldn't sell the stock during that time,) became worth literally nothing before I had the opportunity to sell it. I was even one of the schmucks who actually *BOUGHT* stock. ("If you buy it now, your cost basis when we go public will be very advantageous - you'll make a big profit on it, and not owe much in taxes!")
I was employed at a dot-com in the boom that died this way. A slow attrition, until a bigger company (that is still around,) just bought out the intellectual property, and hired a couple of the employees. All my stock and options (I was a "paper millionaire" for all of one week, of course, I couldn't sell the stock during that time,) became worth literally nothing before I had the opportunity to sell it. I was even one of the schmucks who actually *BOUGHT* stock. ("If you buy it now, your cost basis when we go public will be very advantageous - you'll make a big profit on it, and not owe much in taxes!")
Pan-who!?!
Seriously though; If these people want to make themselves known as competition, they need to work in the rest of the world. i.e. Europe and Asia.
![Capture_2015_11_17_10_02_38.png]()
Pandora only targets 8.1% of the world, whereas Spotify is available to about 79.5% of the world. You work out the maths.
And then lets talk about functionality.
- You can't select songs on Pandora. You can on Spotify.
- Pandora's library size is about 1 million. Spotify is 30 million.
- Pandora has limits on music skips. Spotify doesn't.
- You can't create playlists on Pandora. You can on Spotify.
- Audio quality is crap on Pandora (64-192kbps). Spotify goes up to 320kbps.
- You can't download music for offline use on Pandora. You can with Spotify.
The list goes on and on. I've no idea why Pandora still exists!
Seriously though; If these people want to make themselves known as competition, they need to work in the rest of the world. i.e. Europe and Asia.
Pandora only targets 8.1% of the world, whereas Spotify is available to about 79.5% of the world. You work out the maths.
And then lets talk about functionality.
- You can't select songs on Pandora. You can on Spotify.
- Pandora's library size is about 1 million. Spotify is 30 million.
- Pandora has limits on music skips. Spotify doesn't.
- You can't create playlists on Pandora. You can on Spotify.
- Audio quality is crap on Pandora (64-192kbps). Spotify goes up to 320kbps.
- You can't download music for offline use on Pandora. You can with Spotify.
The list goes on and on. I've no idea why Pandora still exists!
How do you know Apple Music is profitable? Would it be able to stand alone without Apple's billions bankrolling it or would it struggle like the rest?
There are people who drive small basic compact cars and there are those who drive huge fully loaded customized SUVs.Pan-who!?!
Seriously though; If these people want to make themselves known as competition, they need to work in the rest of the world. i.e. Europe and Asia.
![Capture_2015_11_17_10_02_38.png]()
Pandora only targets 8.1% of the world, whereas Spotify is available to about 79.5% of the world. You work out the maths.
And then lets talk about functionality.
- You can't select songs on Pandora. You can on Spotify.
- Pandora's library size is about 1 million. Spotify is 30 million.
- Pandora has limits on music skips. Spotify doesn't.
- You can't create playlists on Pandora. You can on Spotify.
- Audio quality is crap on Pandora (64-192kbps). Spotify goes up to 320kbps.
- You can't download music for offline use on Pandora. You can with Spotify.
The list goes on and on. I've no idea why Pandora still exists!
Everyone has their preferences and clearly some use Pandora (just like some drive basic compact cars).
I'm not sure what Pandora really gets out of this. It seemed like Rdio was nothing but music covers. If the RIAA companies are negotiating in bad-faith so that Rdio or other "streaming radio" companies can't operate to push them back towards iTunes or buying physical CD's or LP's or whatever else is more profitable, it will just push people back to piracy, and cutting out the "streaming"
I'm pretty sure iAds or admob, or whatever else the ad-supported streamers are using get paid pennies, and a user would have to have seen 5,000 ads per month to make up the subscription cost.
I feel the same, except I *did* go over to Rdio after the Apple Music trial ended. I liked their apps and the music selection was good enough for me. I don't know what I'll wind up doing now. Probably back to apple music and their crappy frankentunes setup. Sigh.
I always preferred Pandora's random radio feature over everyone else.
I always preferred Rdio's UI.
I still prefer Spotify's playlists.
Apple Music really need to step it up, but knowing Apple, we won't see any changes until iOS 10. Once Apple has made their choices for an OS, that's it. I wish they would continually update and improve, but nope.
I always preferred Rdio's UI.
I still prefer Spotify's playlists.
Apple Music really need to step it up, but knowing Apple, we won't see any changes until iOS 10. Once Apple has made their choices for an OS, that's it. I wish they would continually update and improve, but nope.
Rdio was the best. Quality usually seems to prevent profit in today's debt-based economy.
I agree, I was a long long time user of Pandora but it seemed like in the late 2000 they just stopped doing anything. Adding new non top 40 music, fine tuning the algorithms. There's just too much missing from Pandora's catalog these days, hopefully the Rdio acquisition will help them fix this.
Rdio is still the only service that can generate a station off a song or artist and not repeat the same five songs over and over (spotify; tidal) or just randomly quit streaming every 5-50 minutes (apple music). I don't want to curate playlists and I don't want other people's playlists - I am more than happy to let the network algorithm suggest music for me based on what I've said I like.
Really, I'd happily pay $10 a month to whoever can get it right. I hope someone figures it out when Rdio shuts down.
I used spotify for a very long time, and the radio streaming just kept getting worse and worse. That just does not appear to be a feature they care very much about. And heaven help you if you hate a particular artist that spotify thinks should be in your stream (e.g. I want a Judas Priest station. Spotify thinks KISS should be in there, too. No thanks.) You'll have to downvote every single song that artist released, and that still won't always do the trick.
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So as an Rdio subscriber, I guess the question now is should I jump ship today and go to something else (probably Apple Music), or wait until they shut it down? It kind of makes no sense to have Rdio's algorithms working to give me good music when they'll just shut down anyway. Makes no sense to create playlists there either. I guess it's best to start up again with something else.
It's really crap. After a while, Rdio knows me pretty well. Now I need to get some other place to know me again. Sigh.
It's really crap. After a while, Rdio knows me pretty well. Now I need to get some other place to know me again. Sigh.
shocked? SHOCKED?
are you also shocked people still use Google Maps? Microsoft Office? Flipboard?
Some of us look for 'best of breed', not whatever Apple shoves down our throats
I wish apple would send me one like that and get rid of the useless mini remote that came with my atv3.
Have had it for several years and like it, I also like pandora.
I got the sub and kept it until time to renew, but only listened to it one day. I much prefer pandora and yes I have to use a vpn to listen to it.
You think maybe this might have something to do with it? There's a whole world out there hidden from those that choose not to see it.
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Yup this is the sole reason it's my current favorite. Apple music likes to assume I want to step outside of my mood to much, causing me to hit skip a lot
I agree. Pandora plays what I like and with apple music you never know what is coming. It's terrible a.t least for mexican music.
I never have that issue, either.
I was a big Rdio fan before Apple Music came along. Siri was the main deciding factor when I left Rdio back in July.