Pandora And Facebook Land On Android

Android users in Europe are still reeling from the launch of Spotify on the platform, but now there's a musical sop for their US cousins.  Pandora have released their eponymous personalized radio station application for the Google open-source platform, supporting the creation of custom playlists, rating of individual tracks and streaming over cellular or WiFi connections.

Meanwhile Android owners on both sides of the pond have a new native Facebook app to play with, offering access to comments, statuses, news and wall posts.  While not yet being given the Facebook "official" stamp of approval, word is that the developer is in the Facebook employer network, so this looks to be as official as things get for the moment.

The Pandora app, like Spotify, supports background playback, so you can continue to use your Android phone while listening to music.  However unlike Spotify it isn't intended to offer tracks-on-demand; instead it creates a playlist of tracks similar to an initial artist seed you input.  There's also no monthly subscription fee: Pandora is free to download and use.

Meanwhile Facebook for Android is also free, though early feedback isn't quite as glowing.  There's no messaging or chat support, and photo viewing shunts you into the browser to the mobile version of Facebook's site.  However, it does offer access to Facebook phonebooks, courtesy of a live folder on the homescreen.

[via Android Community]