Archive for the ‘news’ category

Spotify: The Next Generation

April 27th, 2010

Spotify: The Next Generation

Huge announcement today as Spotify unveils their so-called ‘ Next Generation’. It’s all about social interaction. We may share our songs with friends and our facebook pages without exiting the program. The number of news features is huge . Here is a brief list of the most important ones.

Social:

It’s all about your friends and yourself. You can like or share a tracklist, a song, an album… You can also send those to friends as there is an inbox for that. Beware that all your playlists and favourite songs will be shared on your Facebook wall so you should check what you want to appear public or not.

Library:

From now on, Spotify will check local files and add them to your stream, comparing those to their own database so you can access the artist info online. Spotify wants to become your only source of music from now, it seems. The one feature I probably love is ‘Gracenote’ wich lets you modify your own music metadata comparing it with Spotify’s info. Also, for Premium users, their own music can be transfered directly to their mobile Spotify applicacation, wich is a huge bonus (no more cables!)

Check this video for a quick look at the newest features:

I believe this is going to be a key moment in the success of Spotify and his bussiness model. They are going social all the way, wich will let them advertise their platform with minimal costs. If they succeed and also the get to pull their american adventure (when it comes), this may change the music industry once and for all.

Spotify’s new update will come automatically to users in the next days, but you can download it now yourself here.

(source: The Spotify Blog)

(UPDATE) Related links:

- Major update from Spotify introduces new social features (TechCrunch)
- Spotify TNG (The Pansentient League)
- 11 things to know about the next-gen Spotify (techradar.com)
- Spotify goes all socual media with spanky relaunch (Fast Company)
- Shiny Review: the new Spotify features – do we like them? (Shiny Shiny)

Here come The Spotties! The first Spotify Community Site Awards

February 22nd, 2010

The Spotties - Spotify Awards

Afront from The Pansentient League is hosting the Spotties, a series of awards to the best Spotify related sites and apps. Yours truly is there!! (who would have thought) Anyway, you can go and vote to any of your favourite sites there. Spotinotes is featured in the Best News/Music Finder list if anyone is considering a vote, remember that just for voting you can win a 3 month Spotify Premium subscription.

These are the seven categories:

  • Best Playlist Sharing Site
  • Best News or Music Finder Site
  • Best Playlist Generator or Converter
  • Best Remote Control App
  • Best Spotify URL Tool
  • Best Other Site or App
  • Best Overall Site or App

Go vote for your favourite site now!!

Spotify first TV Commercial

October 27th, 2009

It has only been aired in Sweden (and that’s why you probably won’t understand a thing).

This is a quick and dirty translation I stole from the comments page by some mr.blixt (thanks!) at the Spotify blog:

Your favorite songs – and the favorites you didn’t know existed. They exist: in Spotify. And now our world of music has just become bigger. On your computer – and in your mobile phone. And with our new flying mode, you never have to stop listening. For only 99 kronor (SEK) per month, you get Spotify.

(via Twitter and The Spotify Blog)

Related links:
- Spotify.com

UK Conservative Party to launch Spotify ad campaign

October 16th, 2009
Spotify Politician

First political campaign to appear on Spotify. Beginning next wednesday, a 40 second ad will appear on Spotify clients in England. Featuring the party’s chairman, Eric Pickels speaking about debt (I guess the countries debt, not his own). Rigt after the message users will be asked to vote Tory on next elections.

Apparently, it’s not legal to advertise on TV or radio outside the election period, so I guess this could have a relatively short life if someone decides to legislate against internet publicity outside the established period. I believe this it’s also done to draw some media attention in expense of Spotify’s credit.

Do you care if fed with political propaganda while listening to your favourite music? Maybe this is just the definitive  reason to go premium ;)

 Related links:
- Tories to launch Spotify ad campaign (The Guardian)
- Advertise in Spotify (Spotify.com)

Spotify is hiring

October 15th, 2009
Now Hiring

Most of the positions are for developer roles based in Sweden. If interested, ask them at the jobs section here. For better or worse, it’s not a google style offer. Thought it would be fun to know if that would have been a music trivia based puzzle. :P

Here’s what they are looking for:

  • Outstanding work in a previous role
  • A top-notch education from an impressive institution
  • World-class computer science or programming skills
  • A huge network of great contacts
  • Or that ever so difficult to define “star quality”

I think I’ll pass ;)

Related links:

- Jobs at Spotify.com