The Squeezebox

So interestingly enough, I found a new invention with the help of Pandora's advertisements. The squeezebox is a small electronic device that can be hooked up to your stereo to play music from the Internet. From what I understand, it works really well with Pandora because it will actually play the stations you select from Pandora. The squeezebox also has a remote control, so you can sit anywhere -- you don't necessarily need to be at your computer anymore -- and switch stations, or give the songs ratings. The other perk of this invention is the fact that you can access Pandora even when your computer is off.

In a recent article, David Pogue of the New York Times reviews the Squeezebox. The article explains the device, and also mentions Pandora. I thought one line of the article was particularly interesting for this case study. He writes, "[The Squeezebox] offers all the new-music serendipity of Internet radio, with the personal touch of your own CD collection. Again, with the help of the Internet, we are seeing a huge influx in personalization. Now that we have access to it (Pandora, the squeezebox) we are increasingly getting more involved in things that cater to each one of us individually. Unlike the radio which generally strives to please a general public, Pandora is trying to please each individual person's taste. This feature probably enables Pandora to reach a much wider audience, and this is why Pandora is such a groundbreaking creation.