| This week's F8 Developer Conference showcased | | | | easy way to see them. And the more they sculpt |
| many upcoming changes for Facebook, including the | | | | their stations and preferences, the more reason they |
| introduction of the social network's Open Graph API. | | | | have to stick with Pandora for their online (and, |
| Open Graph has already spurred some surprising new | | | | increasingly, device-based) radio listening." |
| partnerships, the most exciting being between | | | | It's a win-win for Pandora and its listeners; Pandora |
| Facebook and Pandora, the Internet's leading music | | | | increases and solidifies its user base, and listeners |
| streaming service. With the power of Open Graph | | | | have new and better ways to find and listen to |
| and Facebook behind it, Pandora is quickly | | | | music. |
| transforming from a simple online music service to a | | | | This new partnership may also provide an |
| powerful and exciting social network. | | | | opportunity for Pandora to open its doors to |
| This partnership is a perfect fit for Pandora's mission | | | | international users, as the service is currently limited |
| of music discovery. Prior to Facebook's integration, | | | | to users in the United States. Because Facebook is |
| users could discover music based on their own | | | | such an international network – Facebook says |
| tastes, not those — including friends and family | | | | that about 70 percent of its users reside outside the |
| — around them. Now, listeners can find new music | | | | US – Pandora certainly has an incentive to |
| based on their friend's likes and interests, too. Current | | | | provide its services to a global audience. With last |
| Pandora users with existing Facebook accounts can | | | | year's introduction of its paid service, Pandora One, |
| opt to have Pandora pull music interests from their | | | | Pandora could also gain a significant amount of |
| user profile, as well as sites that users have "Liked" | | | | revenue by going international. |
| on Facebook and across the Web. The process of | | | | Pandora's founder, Tim Westergren, said in a blog |
| discovering and listening to music becomes | | | | post announcing the new features that, "it really |
| interactive, allowing users can share their findings with | | | | brings a wonderful new human dimension to the |
| friends in a fun and social way. | | | | listening experience." At a time when it feels like |
| Wired's Eliot Van Buskirk pointed out how much more | | | | technology is taking the place of human interaction, |
| useful Pandora's own features will become now that | | | | Pandora and Facebook have... |
| they feature social integration, saying, | | | | To read more about Facebook and Pandora, go to |
| "One side effect of this new feature will likely be to | | | | Sparxoo, a digital marketing, branding and business |
| encourage Pandora users to add more tracks to their | | | | developer blog. |
| favorites, because now, other people have such an | | | | |