Lab Exercise 14

Functions of Skype
•On Phone: You can chat but can’t do video chat, you can call people, you can view the call history, you can view your contacts, and you can see if people are online.
•On desktop PC: You can chat and can do video chat unlike on a cell phone, you can call people, you can view the call history, you can view your contacts, and you can see if people are online. There are also options for free video calls, sending instant messages and files unlike on the phone where you can’t send files.
•On Laptop PC: You can chat and can do video chat unlike on a cell phone, you can call people, you can view the call history, you can view your contacts, and you can see if people are online. There are also options for free video calls, sending instant messages and files unlike on the phone where you can’t send files. On the lap top, there is more access for portability than with a desktop PC.

Functions Compared to Other Technologies
•Skype is free to other Skype services, but when you use a cell phone there are often limitations or excess charges. Other technologies may charge you to use their services.
•Gmail chat allows you to chat, but you have to be online (Mozilla browser, or other browser up), whereas with Skype, you can just have Skype up.
•On your phone, you have to open and run the Skype application in order to receive Skype messages and phone calls.
•On Mac books you can use Ichat which only has video and not the chat function, unlike Skype which has both.
•Skype seems to be more convenient and more accessible, it stream-lines everything in relation to other technologies.
oSkype allows you to send text messages directly from Skype.
oSkype allows you to forward a call to your mobile.
oSkype allows you to set up an online number.
oSkype allows you to set up a Skype credit or subscription for your convenience.
The rates start at $.021 a min, or you can do $18 for 3 months, or $60 for 12 months with an online number.
If you are offline and want calls forwarded to your phone, then that costs $.021 per min.
There are also Unlimited or Pay-as-you-Go plans for phones and mobiles
•An innovative technology that has come out in recent years and is utilized by Skype and a few other technology companies is the ability to make free video calls and video chats.
•Skype allows you to send and receive instant messages and files.
•You can make free calls Skype to Skype.
oHowever, it seems much easier to just pick up a cell phone and call someone than to access Skype to make a phone call.
oAlthough, it can be cheaper to use Skype instead of a cell phone, especially if you are communicating oversees where the rates become more expensive.
•Some difficulties in using video chat are the different qualities of cameras that are used.
•In certain areas, you might lose reception and have a call dropped because of your connection to the internet.

**Note you gave us an exception for putting it in a report because the bullet points are well clarified. Thank you :)

Midterm

Comm 230-502 9/2/09
Reading: Grant and Meadows Ch 1, 2, 3
Chapter 1
• Hardware
• Things that encourage/discourage you to use software
• Internal and external forces that drive you to use the technology or neglect it
• Enabling/Limiting: something that is part of the technology; you either can or can’t do something b/c of these factors
• Motivating/Inhibiting: you are encouraged or discouraged to do something b/c of other factors; driven by things outside of the technology
o Ex: special deal on getting a phone (save $), people around you complaining about a certain phone so you are less inclined to get it
• What are some examples of these factors?
o Limiting
 Can’t get more that 100 channels b/c that’s all that your analog cable can hold
 Ease of use… (esp. for elderly)
 Speed of modem (dial up)
o Enabling
 Ease of use…qwerty key board phones
 Speed of modem (fast internet)
o Motivating
 The FCC sets a deadline to change everything over from regular antenna to cable, satellite, or buy a converter box
o Inhibiting
 FCC antenna: if you have an antenna after the cutoff date then you can’t watch TV
Chapter 2 **won’t be a lot covered on tests**
• Covers lots of statistics (most likely won’t need to know these)
• Overview/ general history of technology
o Look at timeline
• First fax machine, 1840
• Pg 34: according to one study, they devised the term “super-communicators” for teenagers
o Cell phones, texting, Facebook, email, etc.
Chapter 3
• Various theories that have been used in the study of comm and technology
o Information society and control revolution
 We are more an information society now than a manufacturing one…we don’t make stuff as much as we used to
 Control revolution: search engines; how can you do certain things easier?
o Diffusion of innovations
 Not how often our technology is update, but more so, how do people know about these innovations?
 Adoption:
• Innovators: people that will try things first, even the buggy ones like the 1980’s cell phones…these are the people that waited in line for the IPhone
• Early Adopters: a step up from innovators, they waited a few months to make sure the IPhones work then they buy one
• Early Majority: they buy the 3G IPhone b/c they know it works
• Late Majority: parents…they are the last ones to jump on the bandwagon, hesitant to update to newer technology
• Lagers: slow to change over and update to new technology…almost refuse to adopt
o Critical Mass
 There is a certain amount/mass of people that have to adopt the new product for it to become influential; the tipping point
o Social Information Processing
 The way we think of media and technology is in part subjective and socially constructive
• What’s going on around you, your social circle
o Uses and Gratifications
 What can they do with it?
 Why do they use it?
 What are they getting from it?
o Media System Dependency
 How dependent are you on your media/how dependent is the media on you?
• Symmetrical
• Ex: you need the networks to put shows on TV, they need you to watch it to have a reason and means to produce it
o Modeling and Social Cognition
 Ex: Grand Theft Auto
• People don’t actually just go out and do this b/c they see it…that’s the social cognition part of it
o Economics
 Long Tail: last a long time, will stick around, more beneficial
• This is what companies should look to do
 Hit: gets a bunch of money at once then goes away

Reading: Grant and Meadows Ch 4, 5
Chapter 4
• 2 different ways that affect organizations
o Hardware
 Production
• Making the products, assembling the computers, cameras, etc.
• High Tech equipment such as what news stations use ($45,000 camera)
 Consumer
• CPE: Consumer Premises Equipment; industry jargon for equipment
o Software
 Creation/Duplication of product
 Distribution to consumers
• This is constantly changing b/c people want nearly instant gratification
o Ex: movie releases
• Risk: buying too much of the product, then not being able to sell it all
• Diffusion Threshold:
o Companies, People to make microchips, Distribution chains, Trucks to deliver, Stores to sell them, etc.
 You must achieve all of this to be truly successful
 This is why so many companies use vertical integration
 Vertical Integration
• You own all of the steps from production, duplication, distributing, and maybe even down to owning the store where it is sold.
 Horizontal Integration
• You want to control all of one aspect…such as all of duplication
o Often times broken up b/c they are viewed as monopolies
 Apple/ITunes: #1 music store in country
• Advertising
o Product Placement on shows
o Online videos, introduction or short bits during show
o Selective advertising, you have the option to close it
o Targeted advertising, what ads would you want to see?
Chapter 5
• History
• Examples of policy
• First Amendment:
o Cable television (ESPN, Fox Sports, what you get if you pay for it) vs. network television (NBC, CBS, everyone gets it through an antenna)
 Cable can get away with a lot more…they have fewer rules
 If you don’t like what’s on the tv, don’t pay for it
o Network Neutrality: idea that the internet should be free in terms of what can be posted
 Ex: Comcast- has limited the use of bandwidth if they noticed that you were sharing files/music or downloading torrents
 Issue is: where would you draw the line at what can be regulated?


Chapter 6
• FCC transition
o set date: Dec. 36; Feb 17 was the deadline set after complaints
o target populations through advertising/explaining
 Hispanic
 Elderly
o Why do you think the FCC decided to continue with transition (targeted for Feb), even though 15% of American households could not/ would not convert?
 70% of people using antenna would decide to use converter box
 Only 10% that couldn’t get digital TV actually decided to switch over to cable or satellite
 20% of people that had an antenna ditched TV all together
 What kind of people do you think were in these households?
• Minorities
• Rural households
• Low income
o FCC initially allocated 2 coupons per household (so could get converter boxes for 2 TVs)
 FCC initially allocated $990 M ended up spending $1.5 B
o One of the main criticisms of how the project was handled
 Didn’t advertise until close to switch date
o Why did we decide to go with digital TV?
 Japan used HDTV in 1986
 We (our class) didn’t really hear about it until the last 2 years or so
• HDTV
o Interlaced scanning (I): you have screen with lines of data, first it scans the odd lines on the TV really quickly, then it comes back and scans the even ones to create the full video every 1/30th of a second; creates digital artifacts/pixels (not great quality); more spectrum efficient
o Progressive scanning (P): creates a full picture every time it scans on one pass; creates better picture quality
o 13.7-35% have TV’s that are HDTV capable
• The effect that mobile/wireless video can have on TV
o It’s convenient for when you’re not by a TV, but you aren’t likely to switch entirely to watching shows just on your phone
Chapter 7
• Cable TV: majority of Americans use
o Began in the 1950’s as a way for rural communities to get TV
o 1970’s series of deregulations which allowed people to install cable anywhere
 Satellite communications were also deregulated
• Private companies could have satellites in space (not just gov’t anymore)
 Major cable channels arise
• HBO: 1st paid service
• ESPN
 Cable became a way to get more channel than just the 3 or 4 previously broadcast
o 68% of TV users have cable
 Largest provider: Time Warner
 #8: Suddenlink
• Pay Per View/ Video on Demand
o Pay for boxing, MMA, UFC, movies, etc
• Premium Channels
o Showtime and HBO
o Largest provider: HBO and Cinemax (they are joined together)
• Satellite
o Largest provider: Dish Network
• Current FCC push for regulations
o Al A Carte regulation: pick and choose which channels you want to view
o Oct 31, 2008 regulation to prohibit multi domain users (MDU’s)
 Multiple people in one building/complex were having to use the same company

Chapter 8
• Internet Protocol (IP)- the address assigned to every computer/device that is hooked up to the internet
o Can go to LAN and get the IP address
• Triple Play: bundling services from TV, internet, and phone…all broadband
o Ex: Suddenlink, Verizon
• Streaming Media: first offered in 1995 by Real Media
o Media players began to come out (like Windows)
o Apple, 1999, Quick Time streaming video
o Flash
• Before broadband became as widespread as it is now, streaming video wasn’t very popular b/c it took so long on dial up
o BROADBAND IS KEY leading to streaming video
• Streaming video on way
o Types
 Live: big events, like presidential inauguration, sporting events, etc
• Will become more widespread
• Takes more equipment to watch it
 On demand: more common on the internet
• Less equipment needed (stored on the web page)
o Progressive download- download video to your hard drive and then watch it at your own convenience
o Most popular streaming video site: YouTube , in July over 7 million videos were streamed by over 100,00 viewers according to en-us.Neilson.com
 Issues: copyright laws
o Podcasting: basically like radio shows through the internet
 Called podcasts because you can download them to your IPod
o Becomes more popular= bad reactions
 Andrew Keen wrote The Cult of the Amateur, says that since it is so easy to make and post videos it is going to destroy the culture of film, TV, and books b/c people will just watch YouTube
Chapter 9
• Interactive Television- TV that you can manipulate
o Ex: Mediaroom by Microsoft
 Remote record, multi-view, DVR, parental controls, etc
o DVR


Chapter 10: Radio Broadcasting
• Where do you listen to the radio primarily: your car
• HD Radio
o Better quality, but not easily accessible to everyone
o Note: someone said it’s only better on commercials, not really music quality
• Satellite Radio
o Ex: XM radio made a deal with GM
o Ex: Sirius radio made a deal with Ford
o Perks: you can hear it all around the country
o Truckers are a big market for satellite radio because they travel all around the country
• AM v FM radio
o AM: amplitude modulation – changes the strength of the signal
 Was the standard for a very long time
o FM: frequency modulation
 Created in 1933 by Edwin Armstrong
WAS WORKING ON CLASS COUNCILS STUFF…DIDN’T GET NOTES 
• Clear Channel
• Telecommunications Act of 1966
• Absenteeism: large corporations take control of radio, but aren’t really present
BACK TO PAYING ATTENTION!!!
• Low-power FM stations: similar to the independent stations; they broadcast in a very limited area, only within a few miles of the antenna; mainly very popular with community groups and churches; more cost effective (it’s a lot cheaper when you just use it once a week or something)
• Internet radio
o Ex: Pandora
WAS WORKING ON CLASS COUNCILS STUFF…DIDN’T GET NOTES 
• DRM
• RRAA



Ch 12 Notes
Video Games
• Have been growing enormously in popularity over the last few years
o Ex: Halo 3 made $170 million on first day release (makes more money than largest movie opening)
 Video gaming is very successful economically
• Ralph Baer
o Considered Magna Box Odyssey 1972, first home video console
• Pong: first (successful) video game released in 1970
o Company: Atari
o Owner: Nolan Buschnell
o Mostly became popular when it was offered at Sears in their catalogue for the Christmas season
• Atari 2600 released in 1977, first console to let you trade out games
• Colecovision was one of the first big competitors to Atari
• Active Vision was the first company made to create games for other people’s systems
o 3rd party system
• Early 1980’s (’83.’84) video game industry crashed
o Atari spent too much money and flooded market with too many games
o ET game basically responsible for crashing market
• NES and first Sega system come out in mid 1980’s, resurgence of home console system
• Nintendo
o Duck hunt and robot game
o Then later Mario
• Portable game systems of late 1970’s/80’s
o Mattel Electronics football (70’s)
o Atari Lynx (80’s)
o Nintendo Game Boy TETRIS WAS THE SH**
• Nintendo has been the leading system for a long time
• Play Station 3, X Box 360 and Wii are the new technologies
• Gaming on cell phones (IPhone)
• Legislation against video games
o Parental outrage over violent games
 Mortal Combat (mid 90’s) fighting game that featured very violent fatalities (ripping head off and spine out)
o Hilary Clinton and senator Job Liberman supported movement against video games/gaming
o Govt then created VG rating system ESRB entertainment service ratings board
 Not same rating as movie system
 Created to provide parents with as much info as they can
 Must have ID to buy some mature rated games
o Attorney from FL Jack Thompson fighting for banning of some violent video games, until he was disbarred
• New trend: a game station as an entertainment hub
o Play games
o Watch movies
o Get online
• MMO RPGs : Massively Multi Player Online Role Playing Game
o Ex: War of Warcraft and Evercraft
• Xbox Project Natal
o Using your bosy and/or your own objects (like a skateboard) instead of a controller to play the game
o insannnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeee

• Home video
o Widespread adoption of
o From late 70’s to early 80’s
• 97% of households with tv’s with some sort of video recording device
o Color added in 1953, ability to broadcast color
 But didn’t see many color tv shows until 1960s
 People didn’t see need in upgrading their black and white tv to a color one
• Most popular tv channels (recent polls)
o ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Discovery, ESPN, History Channel, PBS
 People especially want to keep broadcast
o Increase in channels with cable led to home video
o Cable can offer so many more channels b/c of the co-ax cable
• Two competing VCR formats
o VHS (Jvc)
 Attraction: porn movies
o Beta Max (Sony)
 Higher quality, better technologically
 Faced initial limitations: could only record for one hour
• Rentals started to decline once DVDs were released
o DVDs became a direct sell industry instead of when using VHS rental company had to spend like $100 for a VHS tape from the studio and rent it out
 Cheaper, more efficient, more effective
 Direct sell benefits companies like Netflix
• TV screen size
o b/t 32 inches and 48 inches
o Take the distance from the location of your viewing point in inches, and the tv location. Divide it by 2 and then by 3, and the size of the tv should be in that range.
• In the future, are we going to use hi-def blue ray discs or just downloads?
• Blue Ray (Sony)
o Blue ray beat out Hd DVD, so even though they lost the VCR battle they won this time

• DSC (digital still camera)
o Dycam introduced in 1990 (professional)
o Apple’s quick take 100, introduced in 1994 (mass market)
• Are most of your pictures one prints or on computer?
o Depends on what you want to do with it
o
• Digital picture frames
o Marketed around Christmas and Mother’s day especially (good gifts for people who aren’t tech savvy…preload the pictures for them)
• Digital Photography Advances
o Carnegie Mellon Clip Art (PCA: Photo Clip Art)
 Start with a picture, then add stuff to it (like a scenic picture that you add people to)
• Ex: University advertisements
• Personal purposes
• Marketing purposes
• NOTE: taboo in journalism
o Scene Completion
 Start with a picture…say there are some buildings in the way that you want to get rid of…crop those out, look through other pictures from that area, and then place them where the buildings used to be
• Marketing purposes
• NOTE: taboo in journalism
o Spellbinder
• Camera Phone
o Do you actually use the camera? (about once a week or less)
• Privacy issues related to digital photography
o How do you feel when you find pictures taken of you online?
 Ex: Facebook
• Employers and universities can look at your pictures, they can decide not to hire you or allow you to be admitted because of pictures such as underage drinking


HOPE THIS HELPS!!!

Lab Exercise 13

I went into the console gaming forum on http://lesbiangamers.myfreeforum.org/index.php to find three discussion threads. I went to this site because I am straight and would not normally visit a lesbian gaming website. Below are the links to the gaming discussion threads I found:

Discussion #1) http://lesbiangamers.myfreeforum.org/LGBT_Gamer_Stories_about391.html
Discussion #2) http://lesbiangamers.myfreeforum.org/Games_with_lesbian_content_characters_roleplay_options_about21.html
Discussion #3) http://lesbiangamers.myfreeforum.org/Mac_or_Windows_games_with_female_player_characters_about55.html


For the first discussion, there is a Site Administrator that posted the initial forum discussion, but her title does not say moderator. The topic for this discussion was asking people to post personal stories or incidences where the fact that they are lesbian gamers became an issue. The administrator’s objective is to compile these stories into a book about the need for lesbian acceptance in the gaming world. There were a few different perspectives taken. Some people did have stories to share, and were upset by how others treated them. Some people thought that the topic was stupid and no one should comment on it. Some people remained indifferent and tried to keep the conversation civil and casual. There was not really an agreement met or a solution resolved. People just stuck to their opinions and the conversation fizzled out eventually.

For the second discussion there was not a Site Administrator or Moderator, someone simply just posted the first discussion and it went on from there. The topic was surrounding ideas for new games that incorporate lesbians into the characters, role play actions, content, and etc. Some of the discussion points noted in a friendly manner that there are already games that allow you to play lesbian characters. Other posts throw out ideas for what they would like to see happen in games to come out in the near future. There were some bloggers that seemed annoyed that more people didn’t already know of games that have lesbian characters in it, and that this made those people ignorant. Since this was not a debate, there wasn’t really an agreement met or solution resolved. The conversation eventually ended, not to say that there are contentious points left unresolved. What can be taken from it is that there are several options for lesbian gaming available now, and more to come as well.

For the third discussion there was not a Site Administrator or Moderator, but someone just posted a question hoping that other people would have answers for them. The question posed was about what games are produced by Mac or Windows that have female characters as the lead. People posted back and forth with games that they have played where women were active roles in the scenario. Since this was just a black and white question, there are not any sides to be taken, as it is not a debate by any means. However, a good number of people contributed their posts about what games they have played, noting whether or not they enjoyed them as well. There was not any disagreement in the forum, some people however did choose to say they agreed with another blogger’s posting choices. The comments eventually ended, giving the original poster plenty of answers to their question.

Lab Exercise 12

Kelly:
Console game: Super Mario Kart, can be classified as a “racing game” because you maneuver cars through an obstacle course. The publisher was Nitendo. 3 other games in same genre by Nitendo: “Cruisin’ USA”, “Diddy Kong Racing”, “Nascar 2000”
Mobile: Spider Solitaire, “card game” genre. The publisher is “AstraWare Solitare”. 3 games: “free cell”, “klondikes”, “pyramid”
Online: Counter-strike, “MMORPG ACTION genre” because it is a massive multi-player role playing game involving war action, Publisher: Valve, 3 games: “battlefield 2: complete collection”, “operation flash point: dragon rising”, “NBA 2K10”

Bre:
Console: Wii Sports, “fitness genre” because it encourages the user /player to be active and promote sports, publisher: Nitendo, 3 other games: “Wii Fit”, “My Fitness Coach”, “Jillian Michael’s Fitness Ultimatium 2009”
Mobile: Paper Toss, “entertainment” because it does not require any particular skill, it is merely for fun!, publisher: Backflip Studios, 3 games: “Ragdoll Blaster”, “Paper Toss:World Tour”, “Harbor Havoc”
Online: Text Twist, “puzzle and board game” genre because it is a time consuming, challenging game that requires you to tease your brain!, publisher: gamehouse, 3 games: bejeweled 2, little shop memories, burger shop 2

Stephanie:
Console: Call of Duty 4, “action/historical/war-time” genre because it incorporates all three of these subjects, publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc., 3 games: Call of duty 1-3
Mobile: Hangman (iPhone), “puzzle/board game” genre because ” it is a time consuming, challenging game that requires you to tease your brain! (like Text Twist!), publisher: MobilityWare, 3 games: Pyramid, Match-it, Apple Tree
Online: Jewel Quest, “puzzle/board game” ” genre because it is a time consuming, challenging game that requires you to tease your brain!, publisher: IWIN from Flash Games, 3 games: alphabets room excaspe, oligarchy, blockular

Rose:
Console: UFC Unleashed, “fighting” genre because it promoted the ‘sport’ UFC, publisher: THQ, 3 games: WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010, Streetfighter 4, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007
Mobile: Tap Tap Revenge 2, “entertainment genre” because…, publisher: Tapulous, 3 games: tap tap revenge, tap tap revenge 3, Christmas with Weezer
Online: Red Remover, “puzzle/board” ” genre because it is a time consuming, challenging game that requires you to tease your brain!, publisher: Gaz, 3 games: super stacker 2, that’s all!

Report:
Networking was possible, especially on the Xbox and the Wii, but we did not participate in networking while playing our console games.
The mobile system was quick, easy, and portable, unlike the online and console games.
Wii Sports was the most active gaming experience, unlike other games, particularly online and mobile gaming. Puzzle and entertainment games are enjoyable for when you’re either bored or seeking a good brain teaser. Mobile games are the most accessible and convenient to use because you can play them in class, on the go, etc. Whereas online and console games require being stationary.

Lab Exercise 11

Picture 1:



Citation for Picture 1:

This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made during the course of an employee's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.
See http://www.defenselink.mil/multimedia/about.html.

Picture 2:



Citation for Picture 2:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gbaku/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Picture 3:



Citation for Picture 3:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/euthman/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Picture 4:



Citation for Picture 4:

This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1923. See this page for further explanation.

Picture 5:



Citation for Picture 5:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/someonesomewhereslife/ / CC BY 2.0

Photography video:

http://www.archive.org/details/Photogra1946

This video archives the history of photography. It highlights different forms of photography, and some of the advances made. It also specifically talks about the sales industry of photography.

Lab Exercise 10

Part I: 3 sources for free, legal music that can be downloaded onto an iPod Touch:

1. Ringtone Source: http://www.mytinyphone.com/ringtones/country/
Song: Big Green Tractor
Artist: Jason Aldean

2. "New Music" Source: http://www.ilike.com/
Song: Good Girls Go Bad
Artist: A N G E L E V O

3. "Public Domain Music" Source: iTunes (WAS free)
Song: Symphony No. 9
Artist: Beethoven


Part II: 3 free streaming music sites concerning women’s music and can be listened to on an iPod Touch:

1. Source #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z04r_tlWdRs
Song: Something to Talk About
Artist: Bonnie Raitt

2. Source #2: http://www.theinsider.com/videos/1020880_Underneath_Video_by_Alanis_Morissette#
Song: Underneath
Artist: Alanis Morissette

3. Source #3: Lastfm.com
Song: Christmas in America
Artist: Melissa Etheridge

Lab Exercise 9

Shakira (Pop Latino):
Pandora
1. Te Llevare Al Cielo by Mana
2. Say It Right by Nelly Furtado
3. Te Aviso Te Anuncio by Shakira
4. Labios Compartidos by Mana
5. Poker Face by Lady Gaga
Last FM
1. La Oreja de Van Gogh by Rosas
2. Say It Right by Nelly Furtado
3. Nada puede cambiarme by Paulina Rubio
4. Volverte A Ver by Juanes
5. Canela by Fey
When typing in “Shakira,” The recommendations on Pandora and Last FM are very similar probably because we were attempting to find Pop Latino music on American sites. There might not be much of a variety for this type of music on these sites. The same song, “Say It Right” by Nelly Furtado was chosen on both sites.

George Strait (Country):
Pandora
1. George Strait – Ocean Front Property
2. Brooks and Dunn – Neon Moon
3. Alan Jackson – Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow
4. Garth Brooks – Friends In Low Places
5. Tracy Lawrence - Alibis
Last FM
1. George Strait – Check Yes Or No
2. Mark Chesnutt – She Was
3. John Michael Montgomery – The Little Girl
4. Tracy Lawrence – I See It Now
5. Brooks and Dunn – Neon Moon
Juanes (Rock Latino):
Pandora
1. Juanes – La Camisa Negra
2. Shakria – Estoy Aqui
3. Mana - Si No Te Hubieras Ido
4. Bacilos – Caraluna
5. Juanes – Nada
LastFM
1. Juanes – Que Pasa
2. Reik – Noviembre sin ti
3. Julieta Vengas – Andar conmigo
4. Bacilos – Caraluna
5. Fonseca - Arroyito
Both of these sites offered similar results for each of the artists. They were both consistent and reliable, providing other songs that had a relevant theme or genre.

The Go-Go's (punk/rock):
Pandora
1. Pat Benatar “Love is a Battlefield”
2. Blondie “Call Me”
3. Duran Duran “Hungry Like The Wolf”
4. Belinda Carlisle “Mad About You”
5. The Go-Go’s “Tonite”
Last FM
1. Animotion “Obsession"
2. Romeo Void “Never Say Never"
3. Altered Images “Insects”
4. Belinda Carlisle “Heaven Is A Place On Earth”
5. The Romantics “What I Like About You”
On Pandora you can say what you do and do not like, and you can create various playlist stations, and you can also purchase the music. On LastFM I feel like they just gave you a wide variety of artists, but you couldn’t personalize them a lot. However, they do give you the option to share the track, tag the track, or purchase it. LastFM offers similar options, but you have to have the patience to learn about the sites options.

Pandora gave me a bunch of artist suggestions that were popular and I already knew. I am not a big Go-Go’s fan per-say, but I recognized all of the artists, and I liked the music the site suggested. If you just want to create a fun playlist of your favorite bands/genres, this is a good site to use.

LastFM gave me an interesting variety of choices. Many of these artists I had not heard of, but when I listened to them I liked their suggestions for the most part. I appreciate that they showed me music I wouldn’t normally have found. If you want to discover new or less-known artists, this might be a better option.

Beyonce (Pop):
Pandora
1. Irreplaceable (Beyonce)
2. Miss Independent (Ne-Yo)
3. Obsessed (Mariah Carey)
4. Bootylicious (Destiny’s chilid)
5. Naughty Girl (Beyonce)
Last FM
1. If I were a boy (Beyonce)
2. Pon de Replay (Rihanna)
3. Obvious (Le Toya)
4. Comeback (Kelly Rowland)
5. Emotion (Destiny’s Child)
Searching the artist Beyonce on Pandora and Last FM brought back meaningful results. On Pandora I was suggested two songs from beyonce herself, “irreplaceable” and “naughty girl”. Also three other female artist were suggested, all which are considered to be R&B or hip hop, but all the songs of the artist would be considered hip hop. The other three artists were Ne-Yo with “Miss Independent”, Mariah Carey with “Obsessed”, and Destiny’s Child with “Bootylicious”.

On Last FM my search for beyonce only contained on song from her, which was “If I were a boy”. The other four suggestions were all R&B artist and all females. The only difference in the suggestions from Last FM was one of the suggested artist was highly known in the U.S. but is from another country, making her an international artist, this artist was Rihanna with “Pon de Replay”. The other three artists were Kelly Rowland with “Comback”, and two others which are related. Destiny’s child with “Emotion”, and Le Toya with “Obvious”, who was originally a member of destiny’s child.

Lil Wayne (Rap):
Pandora
1. Mr. Carter- Lil Wayne
2. Rubber Band Man – T.I.
3. Swagga Like Us – Jay-Z & T.I.
4. Lollipop Remix – Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne
5. Pussy, Money, Weed – Lil Wayne
Last.FM
1. Bust It Baby Part 2 (feat. Neyo) –Plies
2. Cali Love – Tyga
3. S.A.N.T.A.N.A. – Juelz Santana
4. Long Lap Dance – T-Pain
5. Dope Boy- Gorilla Zoe
“Personalization Options” Comparison:

Pandora allowed the listener to adjust volume, pause, or forward their music to the next recommended song. I felt like Pandora was lot more “beginner friendly” because it displayed a clean, organized layout. It also featured the ability to create a new station, share music/stations with friends, edit your current station, like or dislike a song, purchase and/or bookmark a song, explore music through your mobile phone or a video series, and read about the artist and/or type of music you were listening to.
Last.FM featured a lot of the same personalization options as Pandora, such as the ability to start a new station, like or dislike a song, forward to the next recommended song, adjust the music volume, share, tag, or buy a track that you were interested in, and research artists and their music. However, Last. FM did a more extensive job at listing artists, stations, and events related to the music station the listener created. Last.FM also allowed users to post comments and/or slideshows about certain tracks. I felt that one could not use Last.FM without any previous experience with “internet radio”.

“Recommendations under LIL WAYNE” Comparison:

Pandora’s recommendations consisted of more mainstream music and repeated a lot of the same artists, including the searched artist (Lil Wayne) himself. Last.FM, however, suggested a lot of off-the-wall artists and songs that I had never heard of before. It seems like Pandora matched a lot of popular music with my artist search whereas Last.FM dug into a deeper, “less well-known” song and artist library. I think it would depend on the listener’s personal preference as to whether or not he or she would like to hear the artist(s) they searched for and related popular songs or whether they would wish to explore a variety of different and less popular artists and songs.