Example: EXFM

EXFM is a website and a mobile application that allows its users to access music from anywhere. The application is accessible from the user’s web browser, mobile device (iOS App Store and Google Play Store), and it can be integrated in an actual website.

The computer application is based in the browser. The application has a few options depending on the browser the user is using. Like most web applications EXFM is accessible by going to the website. If the user is running Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari there are custom built extensions that provide controls on any website the user is using. 

If the user doesn’t wish to install the browser extension they can still play music while surfing the web. The EXFM user just needs to keep the website open in a tab or window and choose the music they want. 

According to the EXFM it was founded in March 2010. EXFM entered a market that has competition like RDIO, Spotify, and Last.fm. These services allow their users to select their favorite music, show trending songs, and access to music under copyright in a legal manner.  All of the services have a way to favorite music, buy music, and create a queue. 

EXFM’s competitors are better known, especially Spotify and Last.fm. This leads to their ability to have a larger user base lending to a larger social network that gives better information on trending music. Having the larger user base allows these services to provide more playlist information on the user’s friends. When I joined EXFM there was only one facebook friend using the service.

I like EXFM over these other services because of how the music is presented to the user. The interface is clean and it doesn’t get in the way of the music. If I am surfing the web I can access the music I’m playing by using the built in extension. I also like the ability to see trending music. The trending music is presented as album art in a top 20 list. And the music can be played directly from the top 20 list. And like most of its competitors playing music from the top 20 list will play all of the music in the list.

EXFM is not perfect. Music cannot be searched directly in the extension. Whenever the user searches for music they are redirected to the website. From there the user selects what they want to hear. Another issue in the extension is when the user clicks the name of the song, it will send the user to the website instead of playing music. It is possible these may be ways to send the user back to the website or it may have been overlooked when the extensions were created.