pandora

When Opera released its widget software development kit last year, there was little doubt that some cool applications would make their way to the company's browser. More than a year later, they indeed have.

I've been sifting through hundreds of Opera widgets that all work with the Opera browser for your Mac, Linux box, or PC. I've found 10 that stand out from the others. Opera users should definitely try these out.

Brainkrieg Brainkrieg is a fun game that does its best to "exercise your brain." The tool gives you a variety of games to play that test your memory and help you think. The point of the game is to decrease your brain age. It's somewhat similar to Brain Age on the Nintendo DS, but the latter is a bit more sophisticated.

Dotoo Dotoo is a to-do list widget in your Opera browser. You can create a host of to-do lists and access them all from within the widget. Adding tasks is as simple as pressing the "+" button under your list and inputting your task. It's not a sophisticated widget, so you won't be able to track your progress. But if you want to quickly add a few tasks, you should be happy with what you find.

Facebook Notifier Facebook Notifier gives you a listing of all your friends' recent status updates. You can't update your profile in the application, but you can easily access your profile with the links in the widget. It might not be the most useful app, but if you want to see what your friends are up to while you're browsing outside Facebook, it's a fine choice.… Read more

For this week's Crave giveaway, we have the Livio Radio, a Wi-Fi Internet radio optimized for listening to Pandora without a PC. Our reviewer Matthew Moskovciak said this about the product: "The Livio Radio is the first Wi-Fi radio we've tested that is designed completely around the Pandora service, offering all the standard functions--like 'thumbs up/down'--right on the front panel. The gorgeous design is outstanding for the price; it's easy to use and you won't find anything that looks this good until … Read more

We all like to share songs with friends, and we all have songs that share meaning with loved ones. Perhaps that's why there are so many music social networks out there. These sites combine both, and make music exploration and enjoyment something that you're not doing on your own.

From the well-known to the obscure, I've been exploring a variety of music social networks that you'll definitely want to check out:

Buzznet is a great way to connect with other music lovers. You can write status updates and view an activity feed that shows what your friends are listening to. You can also tell all your friends what your "song of the moment" is and post it to a profile that can be completely redesigned and themed using built-in tools.

Buzznet has some songs from major artists, but I would have liked to see more tracks. That said, the site makes up for it with music videos from YouTube. That adds a bit more value, as long as the recording quality is good..

Flotones isn't the best looking site in this roundup, but it does a nice job of connecting indie artists with fans. You can choose to sign up as either a fan or an artist. If you're an artist, you can upload music, post to a blog, give out your contact information to schedule gigs, and more. As a fan, you can find artists, follow their updates, and review their music. You can also send them private messages. Not all musicians put their music on the site, but quite a few do.… Read more

Whether you're BBQ'ing, lazing by the pool, or showing those (un)fortunate souls all of your summer vacation photos, this episode has a little something for everyone.

Livio Radio review: Pandora streaming, with a high-end look

Bose unveils SoundDock Series II for iPod–and iPhone

Sharp’s sun-powered phone almost beach-ready

Powerbrella juices up your gadgets while you lay in the shade

Pico projector roundup… Read more

The iPod may have killed AM/FM radio for the latest generation of music fans, but the classic version of Apple's ubergadget only lets you listen to your own music collection--there's no hipster DJ introducing you to your new favorite band. Music fans still crave new sounds, and personalized Internet radio services such as Pandora and Last.fm have filled the "music discovery" gap by taking note of your music preferences and playing songs they'll think you'll like. Pandora's a great service, but--portable devices notwithstanding--it's not easy to listen to away from … Read more

In this episode of the MP3 Insider, Donald and Jasmine weigh the benefits and drawbacks of the rumored iPod camera. Plus, Jasmine has a pair of Editors' Choice earphones, Donald rates the Samsung U5 $40 MP3 player, Pandora goes premium, and touch-screen MP3 players band together to challenge the iPod Touch.

Listen now: Download today's podcast |  Subscribe in iTunes |  Subscribe in RSS |  Watch on CNET TV… Read more

Pandora's free, ad-supported Internet radio service has attracted millions of registered users, and spawned one of the more popular iPhone Apps. On Tuesday, May 19, Pandora announced the launch of Pandora One, a premium version of its popular, free, Internet radio service.

For a yearly fee of $36, Pandora's power users can upgrade to the Pandora One service, which offers ad-free playback, higher-quality audio (192Kbps), extended playback time, and a dedicated desktop player. The announcement of Pandora One comes hot on the heels of news that the company will soon add lyrics to its radio feeds using Gracenote … Read more

Starting today, 2010 Ford Fusion, Ford Mustang, Mercury Milan, and Mercury MKZ owners can download an upgrade from the SyncMyRide Web site that will let their Sync radios receive traffic information.

The upgrade enables Sync to "deliver voice-in, voice-out traffic updates and navigation cues plus weather, stock and news reports similar in some ways to OnStar," according to an article appearing in Twice.

Although there is no screen, the upgrade offers many of the features available in the Sync system with Sirius Travel Link service, such as traffic updates along navigation routes and weather, stock, and news updates. … Read more