

The new Pandora: Slick new HTML5 design - stuti90
http://techcrunch.com/2011/07/12/new-pandora/

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w1ntermute
If anyone wants a way to avoid the Flash site now, be sure to check out
pianobar[0] and/or Pithos[1]. I've been using them for years in my attempts to
completely avoid Flash usage (VLC for YouTube, Vimeo, etc.).

0: <http://6xq.net/projects/pianobar/>

1: <http://kevinmehall.net/p/pithos/>

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speg
youtube and vimeo both offer html5 solutions now anyway..

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jrockway
For Some Value Of HTML5.

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parfe
News like this annoys me. Pandora has the feature and I can't have it. I see
the announcement and go to check out the feature and can't opt in. Tomorrow
when I get back to work I'm going to completely forget about it and three
weeks from now when they release it to my account I'll never know.

~~~
rglover
You make a good point. There's no utility in announcing that you're _going to
redesign something_. When it's ready, launch it and then get feedback. It's
2011, screenshots don't cut it anymore.

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a2tech
The new HTML5 layout looks incredibly slick. Whats even more amazing than the
layout is the fact that they were able to pull this off while going through an
IPO and without making a mess of their current service.

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petebrowne
I don't have access to the new design...but does anyone know if they abandoned
Flash completely? Meaning, are they actually using HTML5 <audio> or using
Flash to play the music?

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invisible
It is almost certainly flash. They would be creating an unsolvable security
problem if they used the audio tag unfortunately.

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parfe
Security problem or DRM problem? I've never heard the audio tag was a security
issue.

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radley
Checking out the "old" Flash site, any experienced Flash developer could have
prevented that prolonged 10 second delay. It's not the tool, it's the talent.
That delay must have been a business decision (i.e. make it all load up front
no matter what).

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silverlight
Is there a way to start using this now? For Pandora One subscribers, even?

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sorbus
Email them and ask politely? According to the second paragraph of the article,
they're doing a gradual transition over the next few weeks, beginning with
Pandora One subscribers. There doesn't seem to be a way to opt-in to get it
immediately.

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ary
For reasons that are entirely based in my own personal tastes the Pandora UI
has always been a turn-off. The service has been great (aside from hearing the
same Home-Depot ad 5+ times an hour). Tip of the hat for the great work on
this new design.

Now, why can't I use it right now? The current site scales just fine. They
know how to scale the service. What's holding it back? Is it not ready?

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winsbe01
thank goodness! I was honestly preparing to write an article on why and how a
multi-billion dollar valued tech company could have a site that wasn't crisp
to use or nice to look at. but it looks like pandora beat me to the punch, and
that's a good thing!

~~~
city41
On the other hand, Pandora is a lot like Twitter in that the actual website
isn't as important as the service they provide. I use the Pandora Air app,
their app in Boxee, the Pandora iPhone app, etc, and basically never go to the
site itself.

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winsbe01
yeah, that is the nice thing about it. but still, to someone just signing up,
a flash box doesn't scream 2011.

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pacomerh
Once again using HTML5 as code for Javascript. Somehow I like that people do
that, makes my job more misterious.

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i2o
_yawn_ still US only, no service in Canada. Back to Grooveshark or Rdio. Carry
on.

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radarsat1
Will the slick new design allow me to use the service in Canada again? :(

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eru
A proxy will.

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sjs
Or just use Grooveshark.

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windsurfer
Grooveshark is nice, but it's recommendation system is nowhere as good as
Pandora's.

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sjs
Yeah, I love Grooveshark but their recommendations are bad. I'd love to try
Pandora. Not having much choice I'm happy with iTunes on desktop, Double Twist
and Grooveshark for mobile. I've dipped my toe in Google and Amazon music but
I had to jump through proxying hoops just like I would have to w/ Pandora, so
none of those pan out till they really service Canada.

We have last.fm in Canada too, I forgot about them. I hear there are other
choices but I haven't heard of any. Would love to hear if anyone reading this
knows of them.

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windsurfer
I live in Ottawa and listen to Pandora a lot, actually ;)

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jechen
Mad respect for Pandora, been an avid One user for years, this is great.

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bryanlarsen
Note to Rdio & Grooveshark: this would be enough of a reason for me to jump
ship to Pandora, if Pandora was available in Canada.

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thecombjelly
Grooveshark is already available with HTML. They use flash behind the scenes
to play back the audio, but that's it. Pandora will most likely be very
similar.

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bryanlarsen
Didn't know that, thanks. When I go to grooveshark.com I get "We had a problem
loading Flash." on a mostly blank screen, which is pretty much exactly what I
get on RDIO.

