Today I am a fan of Spotify.

Internet radio is not new.  Spotify is new. It is currently only available as an invite-only beta (let me know if u want an invite ...)

What is new is the dimension of choice. I have a Canadian friend who always says if you have cheese, you have choice. I have no idea what he is talking about, but there is certainly nothing cheesy about Spotify.

Spotify is, however, rather cheeky. On the download page it states cleary that Spotify is supported in Windows and Mac operating systems. However, under the "other platforms" tab it says that "if you want to go ahead and download the windows or mac application for now we’ll keep quiet about it." So I did. And it worked oh so easily. I'm running Spotify via Wine in my Ubuntu installation (oh how did I live without Wine?)

My favourite part of Spotify is the collaborative play lists. From across continents I can share my favourite music with my friends.  Yet another way to feel connedcted in this lonely digital world.

Ofcoarse there are the occasional adverts. For 9.99 per month with the "premium" version you can have advert-free music.

Asside from some occasisonal inexplicable freezes which may have more to do with my wireless network than Spotify I am impressed by this new form of internet radio. All I need now is better speakers for my computer ...