Spotify vs. Pandora

As promised, TheTravTest is back - relaunching alongside Spotify! Spotify is a successful music program that is now available in the United States. There are currently 2 approved methods of joining Spotify: get invited or pay! LifeHacker can tell you more about that. Whether you're in or not, you're probably like the many people wondering how Spotify is any different from Pandora, right?

Spotify and Pandora are similar, yet not. That totally makes sense... not! Pandora plays music similar to something you like and keeps suggesting music it thinks you'll like. Spotify is more like iTunes where you tell it want you want to hear, but everything is free and streaming, not downloaded. Let's say you wanted to listen to something like all of Ari Herstand's music, Spotify can do that. However, if you wanted to listen to Ari's music AND music similar to Ari's music that you may or may not know about, Pandora can do that.

I think it will get down to individual preferences and vary depending on your task. Right now, I'm listening to a Pandora station I created that plays music similar to Ari Herstand, Jay Brannan, Terra Naomi, Ellis, Pink, Alanis Morissette, and Adele (Listen here, if interested) because I just want some background music that I know I'll like. So far, every song it's served me has been great - exactly what I like. If I wanted to hear just Adele like now I do, I'd switch over to Spotify.

One last thing: Spotify has an application so you don't need the website, Pandora does not unless you pay for Pandora One. Since I do most of my work on a personal computer, I prefer having applications. Again, though, this is just a personal preference.

Spotify & Pandora both pass The Trav Test with a B.

 • Category: Products, Music
 • Location: N/A
 • Cost: Free - unless you chose to subscribe!
 • Ease of use: Easy
 • The Trav Test grade: B

The Return of The Tonight Show

Tonight marked the return of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno!  The real Tonight Show!  While I don't typically watch late night talk shows, I tuned in for Jay's return.  The intro was fantastic!  They did a play on The Wizard of Oz complete with the amazing Betty White.  The new set seems to be a hybrid of the old Tonight Show set and the Jay Leno Show set.  It's a bit wonky, but it will work.  I love the guest chairs, but Jay's new desk is not my style.  It looks like something I could find on the set of "Hairspray" the movie.

Jay's first guest back, Jamie Foxx, was intense to say the least.  Since he was extremely happy and not at all depressive, I'm thinking he was high on cocaine.  I guess I should say "allegedly" incase he stumbles across this.  I enjoyed Jamie on Oprah last Friday, but tonight I wanted him to sit down and shut up!  Lindsey Vonn was interesting, but I think she forgot the rest of her dress backstage.  Perhaps she was in a hurry.  She didn't say anything unexpected so if you missed it, no biggie.  Jay's musical guest was Brad Paisley.  I hate country music for the most part so I was not into it.

Overall, the show was good, but "underwhelming" as my friend Andrea put it.  I won't be setting my DVR to catch every show, but if I'm sitting around at 10:35pm, I'll tune into The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The Tonight Show passes The Trav Test with a B

• Category: TV, Talk Show

• Location: TV

• Cost: Free

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: B