Mobile Apps
Winner: MOG
Spotify:
Spotify’s mobile app shares the same simple look as the computer version. Browsing options include new releases, top tracks, and a news feed that incorporates Facebook posts from both you and any of your friends who also happen to be Spotify users. There’s a search function, and you can add tracks to playlists on the fly. But the big plus here is the app’s offline mode, which lets you move streamed tracks from Spotify’s library (up to a 3,333 maximum) to your portable for situations where a Wi-Fi or cellular connection isn’t available.
MOG:
Like Spotify, MOG’s mobile app has a clean interface that’s easy to work with. You can browse playlists, check out new releases and editor’s picks, and it has a play queue showing a (potentially extensive) list of recently played albums/songs. (This feature is great in that it lets you backtrack later to hear any songs that caught your attention when listening in Radio mode.) Another feature MOG’s app shares with Spotify’s is the ability to download songs for offline playback, except here’s there’s no limit — you can download as many tracks as your device’s built-in memory can handle.
Library Depth
Winner: MOG
Spotify:
When it comes to obscure stuff, Spotify’s library is pretty impressive. It didn’t matter whether I was searching for U.K. noisemakers Skullflower, American post-punk weirdos Chrome, or hippie-era folksters The Incredible String Band (also from the U.K.) Spotify had me covered. Checking for less-obscure indie artists, I looked up two faves: The Chills and Tom Verlaine. Spotify had ‘em both, but its Verlaine selection proved more limited than MOG’s. The real shocker here, though, turned out to be Spotify’s limited classic rock offerings. Other than the post-Roger Waters live album Pulse (allmusic guide rating: two stars), my Pink Floyd search turned up no offerings. Bob Dylan? Forget it: Spotify only had one compilation in its catalog, and a crap one at that.
MOG:
Like Spotify, MOG delivered on my requests for obscure stuff (Chrome, Skullflower, and The Incredible String Band were all strongly represented). Searches for indie/alternative artists (The Chills, Tom Verlaine, etc.) also showed MOG to be well stocked. But the key area where MOG had an edge on Spotify was its classic rock selection: when I typed “Pink Floyd” in the search window, the band’s complete works popped up, and the same thing held for Bob Dylan.
weird - only a month later and I get a fairly complete catalog of Pink Floyd on Spotify...????
@bullmoon - That is weird, when I look at Spotify all I can find is the live album Pulse from 1995. MOG has that plus all of the studio albums.
@Al - There's something else besides European sophistication that Spotify has - a pretty robust free version that let's you try it without a credit card. MOG just recently allowed free 14-day trials through Facebook, but if you go directly to their site, they are still asking for a credit card. And is you don't sign-up after 14 days, you're done.
After hearing about Spotify for years, I tried the free version and liked it so much I bought a paid subscription. Now that I've been able to sample MOG, I may switch, and it's been here all along. Another advantage for MOG is built-in AirPlay streaming with the just-released Mac app.
Good article, thanks.
Thank you. Mog's new Airplay streaming feature is a great add. Yet another reason for me to keep my sub going.
I think this review needs updating already. Also, I dont think the winner is as clear as the writer here makes it seem.
For anyone who has moved over to the new facebook timeline look, spotify is definitely a much better experience than MOG and much more integrated. Also, the sharing on facebook etc. is there in spotify too just the same as MOG. I think spotify has the lead in that category now.
Also, for mobile, you have to put them head to head in a realistic setting, MOBILE not on wifi in your home. In my car streaming, MOG had horrid 64kbit sound quality when compared to 160kbit spotify in my car. 4G network requirement for MOG to have good sound, but 4g isnt anywhere near me along with more than half the country on top of the few people with 4G phones out there..
In the first category, the lack of a radio mode was killing spotify, well that is now part of the app with another system soon to be in place comparable to apples genius.
What I liked most about spotify was how fast the songs start, just a bit faster than MOG on average which matters a lot to me.
As far as mobile devices go, spotify has a much better syncing system built in..
I tried MOG, paid for 2 months and recently went to spotify, I havent looked back yet.
There's something else besides European sophistication that Spotify has - a pretty robust free version that let's you try it without a credit card. MOG just recently allowed free 14-day trials through Facebook, but if you go directly to their site, they are still asking for a credit card. And is you don't sign-up after 14 days, you're done.
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