McDonald’s: Serving Fast Food around the World Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in 1955 in the United States. He offered a limited menu of high quality; moderately priced food served fast spotless surroundings. McDonald’s QSC&V (quality, service, cleanliness, and value) was a hit. The chain expanded into every state in the nation. By 1983 it had more than 6,000 restaurants in the United States, and by 1995 it had more than 18,000 restaurants in 89 countries. In 1995 alone, the company. Big Mac, Burger King, Fast food 1594 Words 5 Pages.
- Al Hamnik: Mariners Strive For 'mac Attack Model
- Al Hamnik Mariners Strive For 'mac Attack Model'
- Al Hamnik Mariners Strive For 'mac Attack Model
Divided Introduction to Management in the Hospitality Industry, Tenth Edition, into six primary sections encompassing everything from students’ concerns about their role in the industry and operational issues to the function of management. Captain Baker said he saw the El A2 jumbo at dbe same height; 33,000ft, while. Business News, page 17 Kadar attack rights campaign litterino offence. _ J are always meetings between sides S«,i quie 5y of 1C 113 1 1 Ml either striving. Ipswich were sud- denly deprived of Beattie, Mariner and Work and lost 2—1. One of the changes made by the act was to make a Federal crime to attack and damage a private computer system. 'including Hezbollah, HAMAS, the Abu Nidal organization, and Bin Laden's al-Qa.
McDonalds The second largest cause of death in our country is obesity because you know what they say, “Everything is bigger in America.” Just about anyone can drive a mile from his or her house to find some sort of fast food restaurant and there’s a good chance that the first one you would see is a McDonalds. Being located at every exit as well as many in your hometown makes in very hard to get away from McDonalds. This is because McDonalds controls almost 50 percent of the fast food market. Fast food, Fast food restaurant, McDonald's 1422 Words 4 Pages. That comes to mind when you hear the words “golden arches?” McDonalds should be your answer and it is very clear why people get this question right. Not only is McDonalds everywhere, but is also an Americanized icon that has become known all across the world.
This fast food empire has been growing rapidly ever since the first franchise was opened on April 15, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois. Ray Kroc, a local salesman who helped the McDonald brothers open up the first franchise, became interested in. Burger King, Drive-through, Fast food restaurant 1520 Words 4 Pages. 1275765 What opportunities and threats did McDonald face How did it handle them What alternatives could it have chosen? Answer: Opportunities 1) 'Going green' - energy management, improving packaging efficiency, environmentally friendly refrigerants, and partnering with Greenpeace for rainforest protection Charity - The Ronald McDonald House provides a cheap or free place to stay for parents of sick children. Over 250 worldwide in 48 countries.2) New store looks/styles - McCafe coffee shop. Burger King, Chicken, Fast food 1650 Words 5 Pages.
Environmentally friendly refrigerants, and partnering with Greenpeace for rainforest protection 2) New store looks/styles - McCafe coffee shop, and 'forever young' Charity - The Ronald McDonald House provides a cheap or freeredesign place to stay for parents of sick children. Over 250 worldwide in 48 countries. 3) McDonald's has f maintained an extensive advertising campaign for decades. For popularity they use media (television, radio, and newspaper), the company makes significant use of billboards. Burger King, Chicken, Fast food 1865 Words 5 Pages. Recipe” Discussion Questions: 1) McDonalds has a mixed global marketing strategy that combines Globalization and the ability to act local. Globalization refers to developing a marketing strategy as if the world is a single entity and to sell the same product with same promotion, same packaging all over the world regardless of geographic, demographic, political, social and cultural differences.
McDonald’s global marketing strategy refers globalization in many terms but also takes into consideration. Big Mac, Big Mac Index, Fast food 2349 Words 7 Pages. At the head of the pack in all areas of business.
In this summary, I would like to share many different aspects of the company, as well as what sets them apart from the rest of the restaurant world. Information covering the history of the company will be shared and I will also discuss the franchise logistics and corporation statistics of the company.
Lastly, I will share the leadership strategy of the McDonalds Corporation. Introduction In this module I have learned a vast amount of information. Big Mac, Business model, Franchise 1332 Words 4 Pages. Introduction The McDonald’s is the global fast food giant, introduced in 1940, in San Bernardino, California by Dick and Mac McDonald of Manchester, New Hampshire.
It places its headquarters in Oak brook, Illiona US. Their introduction of “Speedee Service System” in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast food restaurant. It revolutionized the American restaurant industry by imposing discipline on the production of hamburgers, French fries, and milk shakes.
The McDonald’s Corporation’s. American way, Burger King, Fast food 2120 Words 6 Pages. Procter and Gamble has made its way to a successful career and is now a globally recognized business to business firm that distributes several products around the world. Bob McDonald is the current President and CEO of the firm. He has held this difficult job since 2009 and has also contributed to recent success of the firm. The reason why this position is so difficult is due to the very diverse and complicated activity of the firm.
Nevertheless Bob McDonald has done a lot for the firm and has kept. Brand, Brand management, Cincinnati 1431 Words 4 Pages. Extended families are making a comeback in many countries around the world. What are the benefits and drawbacks of living in an extended family in the Maldives?
Family is one of the most valuable and irreplaceable things that one is blessed with in a lifetime. A family is the foundation to everyone’s life. The outcome of your life is dependent on your family. Morals and values are obtained from your family circle.
There are many types of family that exists in today’s society, each important to. Extended family, Family, Father 1169 Words 3 Pages. Profitable in the fast food industry.
That company is McDonalds. The question though however is how McDonalds separated itself from companies like Wendy’s and Burger King to become the world’s most successful fast food restaurant. How did McDonalds start as one restaurant in 1948 to become today’s largest fast food chain in the world?
1 McDonalds surpassed its competition with innovative thinking in restaurant management and operations, through successful marketing, and simply being able to adapt with the. Burger King, Drive-through, Fast food 2306 Words 6 Pages. Few know that the country most hated, main supplier of arms, and protagonist of innumerable wars constitutes also the most caring and compassionate world. United States boasts the largest number of charitable institutions and with the greatest amount of rich and poor citizens who contribute the largest number of donations in the world. Generosity does not form part of U.S. Law, but it forms an inherent part of the culture of this country.
Americans evidence their generous through companies, foundations. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Charitable organization 1339 Words 4 Pages. 2014 Education Around the World Many children and young adults either have the opportunity to go to school to receive an education or do not have the opportunity to go school for an education. For the children who go to school on a daily bases probably go against the reasons why they go to school.
Then, for the children who do not go to school will go as far to put their own life in danger to have the right for an education. Education is a right given to people in different countries and some countries. Education, Homework, Learning 960 Words 3 Pages. Stephanie York English 1101 27 September 2013 Cheerleading Worlds: A Dream for Many Loud music, big bows, smells of sweat and perfume and thousands of screaming fans is not a football championship.
Electricity and tension fill the air while anxiously waiting for the next team to take the blue-taped off mat to compete for the pride and trophy of being the next world champion in the highly competitive sport of cheerleading. This competition is unknown to a large percent of the population. Cheerleading, ESPN, Minnesota Golden Gophers Spirit Squads 1004 Words 2 Pages. Been possible without the kind support and help of many individuals and organization we chose which McDonald is. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of them. We would like to express my deepest appreciation to our lecturer Miss Nur Izatul Irani Bt. Selim whose contribution in stimulating suggestions and encouragement, helped us to coordinate our project especially in completing this assignment.
We are highly indebted to McDonald for their guidance and constant supervision as well. Big Mac Index, Bukit Bintang, Burger King 1342 Words 5 Pages.
Poverty all around the world. People can eliminate poverty if we work together to fight it and avoid selfishness.
Rich countries often give financial aid to poor countries, but it does not solve poverty. People always say they feel sorry for poor people and the rich love them, but they never do their part. People do not prevent themselves from buying things that are not necessary to them.
That money could be donated to people who are in need of it. There are many people in rich countries living a luxurious. Country classifications, Cyprus, Developed country 1666 Words 5 Pages. Donald's Products and Services. McDonalds is the world's leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 restaurants in 118 countries serving 46 million customers each day. McDonalds is one of the world's most well-known and valuable brands and holds a leading share in the globally branded quick service restaurant segment of the informal eating-out market in virtually every country in which they do business. Serves the world some of its favorite foods - World Famous French Fries, Big Mac, Quarter.
Caesar salad, Fast food, Food 834 Words 3 Pages. Little do they know that over 33,000 McDonalds are operating worldwide, one of which holds fifteen hundred people. Not only a “symbol of U.S. Culture” (Macionis 121), but it has become a theory of sociology, unknown to most, conveniently named the “McDonaldization Theory”. The McDonaldization of Society is based off the findings of George Ritzer (1993), in which he found four basic principles that our society correlates with the McDonalds Empire; those four principles are efficiency, predictability. A Great Way to Care, Big Mac, Hamburger 1360 Words 4 Pages.
Gestures Around the World General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose Statement: To inform my audience of the different meanings of specific gestures in certain countries or cultures. Central Idea: The thumbs up, v sign, and other gestures common in western culture may be offensive or not depending on where they are used. Method of Organization: Topical Introduction Imagine 20 years from now and you have finally achieved your childhood goal of becoming President of the United States. Cold War, Gesture, Gestures 1245 Words 4 Pages.
Background of McDonald's (Size, Employees, Reputation) McDonalds was founded in May 15, 1940. The founders of McDonalds are: Maurice McDonald, Richard McDonald and Ray Kroc. McDonald's added 212 restaurants abroad the previous year, but its commanding lead left it still at the top in international presence between American based fast-food chains. The team which is leading McDonald’s in the UK: Jill McDonald, Richard Forte, Paul Pomroy, Nick Hindle, Jez Langhorn, Lauren Cody, Henry Trickey.
Burger King, Drive-through, Fast food 1925 Words 6 Pages. Hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries across 35,000 outlets. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald. In 1948, they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using production line principles. Businessman Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent in 1955.
He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers and oversaw its worldwide growth. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Decision support system, Decision theory 1547 Words 8 Pages. McDonalds 2012 Kanika Markland McDonalds SIC # 5812 NYSE: MCD Revenue 2011: $27,006M McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948 they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using production line principles. Appeal, Burger King, Fast food 1972 Words 6 Pages. Small family owned burger establishment founded back in 1948. McDonalds is not only a giant in the food industry, but has also grown to be one of the largest real estate holding companies in the world.
McDonalds owns a considerable number of the properties that the McDonald’s stores reside on, leasing them out to the franchisees. McDonalds has expanded its operations to over 30,000 establishments located all over the world in over 118 countries. Being the largest restaurant in the world’s, has not come. 2007, Asset, Balance sheet 1076 Words 4 Pages. As a husband and Father of two children, I’d like to say I’m an expert on McDonalds, especially the modern day McDonalds which is a lot different than when I was a kid. Today, McDonald’s is practically everywhere in the world and is a part of their cultures.
The explanation of McDonald’s success can be derived from many things, but the ones that stand out are first their branding. They have been around for over sixty-five years and that certainly helps with branding. As of today, McDonald’s. Coffee, Fast food restaurant, Management 1222 Words 4 Pages. In 1948, the McDonald brothers opened their redesigned restaurant and their fast food restaurant chain is the world’s largest. History The first “ McDonalds” restaurant was opened by brothers Dick and McDonald in 1940 on Route 66 in San Bernadino, California.
The menu had about twenty five offerings and the “carhops” (workers who take food to vehicles) served people waiting in their cars. McDonald’s success thrives on adapting to consumer demands. McDonalds first started. Burger King, Chicken, Fast food restaurant 2531 Words 7 Pages.
The Effects of Economic Globalization on Cultures Around the World Dawson College 300-303-DW Section 2 Abstract This paper attempts to explain the possible effects of economic globalization on cultures around the world. It concludes that there is a possibility for American culture to be spread all over the world, and become the dominant culture of the globe. In doing so there is a possibility for the loss of culture in all nations and it being replaced with American culture.
This paper also discusses. Americas, Canada, Culture 2661 Words 7 Pages. SWOT analysis of McDonalds. Having one of the most favorite burgers in the world, McDonalds is a brand which will hardly be missed by anyone. The SWOT of Mcdonalds discusses the reasons that the firm has been able to achieve this height of fame, and why, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, people may prefer the local McDonalds STRENGTH Brand Equity world-wide 42% of US fast-food hamburger business Consistency of food Successful items: Fries, Happy Meal, Big Mac, Egg McMuffin, Promotions Overseas.
Burger King, Fast food, Fast food restaurant 911 Words 5 Pages. Introduction: McDonalds is one of the biggest fast food companies in the market share today. It has been running in over 119 countries, as well as they have acquired over 31,000 restaurants in the world now. McDonald’s brand mission is to be customers’ favourite place and way to eat, they are aligned around a global strategy called the ‘Plan to Win’, they also committed to continuously improving their operations and enhancing their customers’ experience. As we all know that McDonald’s had successfully. Burger King, Fast food, Hamburger 1979 Words 7 Pages.
Young children to educate themselves throughout their lives, but schools in third world countries do not have this opportunity. The third world education system needs first world help. However, the first world is not fulfilling their global responsibilities to help these countries. Children in third world counties, such as Haiti and Papa New Guinea, deserve a better education and more support. Education in the third world faces challenges, because of the lack of resources, making the schools struggle.
First World, Second World, Third World 788 Words 3 Pages. McDonalds - the 90th largest economy in the world - feeds about 1 percent of the world’s population a day. That’s 68 million people! It hires more than 1 million workers in the US per year and is the world’s largest toy distributer. McDonalds also created the Ronald McDonald House charity, which houses more than 6000 families a year in Australia alone.
However, this Illinois-based company is undeniably threatening the ‘global village’. It is doing so in a lot of ways, including the damage it inflicts. Big Mac, Fast food restaurant, French fries 2261 Words 7 Pages. Most successful soccer team” What country has the most effective national soccer team in the world? You might be asking yourself this question every time you’re watching soccer World Cup or a national soccer Olympic game, maybe even when your friends are talking about a particular soccer team. Most people already know the answer to this simple and very famous question, but are yet to really believe it’s true. If I was to give you the basic stats of a team and their domination in the world of soccer.
Association football, Brazil national football team, CONMEBOL 1514 Words 4 Pages. History Term Paper Outline World Civilizations Thesis: The United States government chose not to fully investigate the known increase in terrorist activity prior to 9/11/01. Introduction A. The United States government chose not to fully investigate the known increase in terrorist activity prior to 9/11/01.
There were many instances of terrorism that were directly related to larger terrorist cell organizations but these organizations were not held responsible. 2003 invasion of Iraq, Al-Qaeda, Baghdad 1366 Words 4 Pages.
Distribution Strategy of McDonald - March 26th, 2011 McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving more than 58 million customers daily. In addition to its signature restaurant chain, McDonald’s Corporation held a minority interest in Pret A Manger until 2008, was a major investor in the Chipotle Mexican Grill until 2006, and owned the restaurant chain Boston Market until 2007. A McDonald's restaurant is operated by either a franchisee, an affiliate. Burger King, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Fast food restaurant 1455 Words 5 Pages. Michael Porter Theory of McDonalds 2013 A paper Presented to the Faculty Economy of President University Indonesia In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Final Exam of Service Management By Trecy Emerald 67 International Business 3 Introduction McDonald is, originated in California, USA, 1954, has become one of the most recognized and respected brands in the world.
Al Hamnik: Mariners Strive For 'mac Attack Model
The success achieved includes. Burger King, Fast food, Fast food restaurant 1976 Words 6 Pages. Great efforts and contributions from all. Canada and the third world are examples of countries which are experiencing poverty, yet each differ in different ways. Once seeing the multitudes of condominiums, expensive restaurants, and streets jammed with cars, one would never see Canada as a place suffering from hunger, lack of food or clothing.
Yet poverty exists. Poverty in Canada cannot be compared to that of a 3rd world country, since many of the poor have access to transportation and television. First World, Poverty, Poverty in the United States 1809 Words 5 Pages.
IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON MCDONALDS INDIA McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants serving nearly 70 million people every day, MacDonald’s is now proud to have become one of the world's leading food service retailers in more than 119 countries, with more than 35,000 restaurants including Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Central and South America, Australia, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, even Russia and China. It has the fastest growth rate in the fast-food. Fast food restaurant, French fries, Hamburger 1854 Words 6 Pages. Infiltrated different market economies around the world. McDonald’s first established in 1948 in San Bernardino in California, over 50 years, this cooperation has able to expand itself into 119 countries throughout the world. How did it become so successful?
It took the smart approach and researched the taste and need in each country before entering the market. McDonalds is one of the biggest fast food chains around the globe. It has located itself in 119 countries over the past 50 years since it has. Burger King, Chicken, Fast food 2747 Words 7 Pages. Online and search the many different types of coffee Starbucks has to offer.
You can filter out which kinds of coffee you do not like and the website will show you exactly what you are looking for and show you the exact price. While on the McDonald’s website there is just a list of different products you can choose from and that is it. There is no way to specialize the coffee you order. Differences domestically and internationally between the two businesses differ greatly.
McDonalds has a much larger. Coffee, Coffeehouse, Espresso 1967 Words 5 Pages. Anti Religion Today we have many different cultures, societies, and religions spread around the world. Most of these cultures and religion originated in the past, ancient world to us. The religions and cultures were spread through different ways by each country or religion, some used teachings and education, while others used violence and enforcement of religion.
Religion in cultures and society is made important, of its effects of teaching morals, values, spirituality, and a guided path of life. Christianity, Crusades, Culture 1293 Words 4 Pages. Influence University of South Florida Abstract This essay seeks to explain the link between McDonalds advertisement and the effect on the average consumer. McDonalds is one of the most popular fast food chains in the United States and is also criticized for their unhealthy foods. In my analysis I will analyze the history of McDonalds and how their advertising and publicity has affected the public mindset. I will also analyze how their ads and marketing are appealing.
Advertising, Billboard, Fast food restaurant 1757 Words 6 Pages. Why are Some Countries Richer than Others? Poverty is still the biggest problem the world faces from day to day. Every country suffers from it to some degree, however certain places are greater effected than others. This is because the level of economic growth differs from country to country.
The greater amount of growth the less room there is for poverty. This is simple reason why some countries are richer than others. If countries fail to move forward than it can present many problems. Capital, Communism, Country classifications 1495 Words 4 Pages.
In the late 1940s, Dick and Mac McDonalds were searching for a way to improve their little drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. They invented an entirely new concept based upon speed service, low prices, and big volumes.
Word of its success spread quickly and in 1952 they had more than 300 franchising inquires a month from all over the country. McDonald's is now the largest and best-known foodservice retailer and one of the two best-known and powerful brands in the market. Big Mac, Burger King, Drive-through 1615 Words 4 Pages. Child Prostitution Around the World Young innocent children in various parts of the world find themselves engaged in commercial exploitation with an older males or sometimes females. Often the children find themselves in this situation after being sold by a relative for money as a result of intense poverty, “other young people are recruited into prostitution, pressure from parents, or through deceptive agreements (justice.org).
I am very determined to fight this growing problem by educating. Child pornography, Child sex tourism, Child sexual abuse 1083 Words 3 Pages. Introduction: George Cohon was a young lawyer in 1968 when Ray Croc, the founder of McDonald’s, offered him exclusive perpetual rights to McDonalds in eastern Canada.
Just eight years later at the Montreal Olympic Games, Cohon decided to bring McDonald’s to Russia. It took him 14 years to open up the first store in the heart of Moscow’s Pushkin Square. The opening of the store was a grand affair and was covered in the international news. Cohon eventually opened up another 25 stores in Russia before. Currency, Demographics of Russia, Estonia 1832 Words 5 Pages. SayMcDonald's?The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California.
Their introduction of the 'Speedee Service System' in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. The original mascot of McDonald's was a man with a chef's hat on top of a hamburger shaped head whose name was 'Speedee', which was eventually replaced with Ronald McDonald in 1968. The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised. Burger King, Fast food, Fast food restaurant 1998 Words 7 Pages. States is McDonalds holding up to business ethics?
Business ethics focuses on what constitutes right or wrong behavior in the business world and how moral and ethical principles are applied by business persons to situations that arise in their daily activities in the workplace (Ethics, 2006). Ethics in the Fast Food industry has been identified as one of the most important factors in a fast food business such as McDonalds. In this paper we researched whether Fast Food companies like McDonalds behave. Applied ethics, Business ethics, Corporate social responsibility 1856 Words 5 Pages.
By Tan Kabra April 29th, 2009 Why Countries Go To War There are many reasons why countries go to war. One country may want to go to war to take revenge on something that another country or countries did to them. Germany, for example, wanted to take revenge on the rest of the European nations after they all unanimously agreed that the responsibility for the First World War should be laid upon Germany. Countries also go to war for another reason, territorial expansion. Adolf Hitler, Europe, Great Depression 1127 Words 3 Pages.
Al-Qaeda around the World By: Kenneth Higgins Al Qaeda Terrorism that has affected the world on a large scale for centuries by many different people groups; over the past century there has been an increase in the frequency and devastation of terrorism attacks. There has also been a concentration in both the target of terrorist attacks and the groups committing these attacks involve innocent peoples. When most people think “terrorism” the first thing that comes to mind for. 2248 Words 13 Pages. Watson and mcdonalds Watson, J. (2000, May/June).
China’s Big Mac attack. In Berndt & Muse (Eds.) Composing a civic life (pp. NY: Pearson / Longman.
Summary: According to Watson in China's Big Mac Attack (2000), fast food restaurants have made significant inroads in Chinese culture; therefore, he asks the question: 'Is globalism - and its cultural variant, McDonaldization - the face of the future?' 360) - an important question as we initiate our study of western influences. Democracy, Fast food, Global citizens movement 2045 Words 7 Pages.
Is consumer culture destroying cultural difference around the World? In recent global affairs it appears there’s no question that any sombre theory in contemporary society cannot ignore the importance of consumption. The World Wide Web is an emblematic example of how the global society has accessed the modern world (Ritzer, 2001). Globalisation had been described as the “worldwide diffusion of practices, expansion of relations across continents, organisation of social life on a global scale.
Anthropology, Consumerism, Cultural studies 2457 Words 7 Pages. Mcdonalds Mcdonald’s are Multinational company who have expanded dramatically. They are a company who’s policy is based on globalisation, by the fact that Macdonald’s and its franchises growth is remarkable they have over 21000 restaurants in over 101 countries, and territories in all parts of the world including Argentina, Cuba, Singapore India.
And worldwide sales exceeded $30 billion dollars and the net income crossed 1.5 billion Mcdonalds have achieved their recognition and status. Business model, Franchise, Franchising 1325 Words 5 Pages. Strategy Since opening in 1955 McDonald’s is one of the most successful fast food chains in the world. McDonald’s has over 33,000 fast food restaurants in 119 countries.
With locations around the globe, McDonald’s continues to manage a strong supply chain. “We work hard, together with our suppliers and independent restaurant franchisees, to strive toward a sustainable future – for our company and the communities in which we operate,” ( McDonalds, 2012). McDonald’s suppliers must meet high quality standards.
Fast food restaurant, Management, Procurement 973 Words 3 Pages. Abstract McDonalds declared its first profit lost in the history of its outstanding performance in the fourth quarter of 2002. This led the company to investigate the key components which caused this to happen. Upon review the company realized there was a need to improve its Talent Management to align with the company’s business goals and strategies. This process was needed to achieve long term growth and success for the company.
This case study gives an overview of the initiatives that McDonalds implemented. Employment, Human resource management, Knowledge 1949 Words 6 Pages. Does McDonalds have a competitive advantage over other fast food restaurants? Introduction The aim of this enquiry is to investigate whether McDonalds outlets have a competitive advantage over other fast food stores, in particular Burger King restaurants. If this is true then I will evaluate what their competitive advantages are and how exactly they help McDonalds to achieve their success. To aid me with my investigation I will carry out two forms of research. My primary research will.
Burger King, Drive-through, Fast food 1718 Words 5 Pages. Contents 1.0 Objective 2 2.0 Introduction 2 3.0 History of McDonald in Malaysia 2 4.0 Type of Services Provided 3 5.0 Conclusion 4 Referencing 5 1.0 Objective This report will discuss about the facts regarding to McDonald. Hence, the report will focus on its history, concept as well as the service provided. 2.0 Introduction First and foremost, we have a look about the history of McDonald.
The story of McDonald began with Raymond Ray Kroc. Ray Kroc was the exclusive distributor. Burger King, Fast food restaurant, Foodservice 726 Words 3 Pages. Third World Country is a term used for developing countries, and least developed countries. These countries are economically underdeveloped. Characteristics of a third world country are poverty, agriculture economy, disease, high birth and infant mortality rates, over population, poor infrastructure, unstable governments, no health care, environmental problems, non educated, starvation, and death.
Those characteristics are the first thing that comes to someone's mind about a third world country. City, Country classifications, Demography 884 Words 3 Pages. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT III MCDONALDS INTRO McDonald's fast food restaurant is one of the largest franchises in the United States as well as aboard. Their top menu items include: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, McNuggets, and French fries. They are also known for one of their popular desserts: the apple pie and their breakfast sandwich: the Egg McMuffin.
There are more than 32,000 McDonald's restaurants serving in 117 countries. More than 75% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated. Burger King, Fast food, Fast food restaurant 1593 Words 5 Pages. Strategy of Mcdonald’s Jing Han School of Economics, Yunnan University No.2Green lake north Road, Kun Ming, Yunnan 650031, China E-mail: hanjing0928@hotmail.com Abstract As one of the most successful fast food chain in the world, throughout the development of McDonald’s, we could easily identify many successful business strategy implementations. In this paper, I will discuss some critical business strategies, which linked to the company’s structure and external environment. This paper is organized.
Chicken McNuggets, Fast food, Fast food restaurant 2149 Words 7 Pages.
I can't say just how long I have wanted a streaming service that offered lossless audio (real CD quality). I first started using streaming services years ago with Rhapsody.
When MOG announced 320K streaming, I switched from Rhapsody. Then MOG was purchased by Beats and I had to find a new streaming service. To be honest, none of the 320k streaming services completely filled the void left by MOG.
As a result, I tried, even though they were using lower bitrates. It was, by far, the most fully realized service and if it streamed 320k, it would be the replacement. Guess what, (which I was carrying for sound quality).
I was really in love with all the features offered by Rdio when came out yesterday. However, Tidal is lossless and Rdio isn't. Is that enough to switch streaming vendors? Well, a comparison is in order. SOUND QUALITY.
I have several around my house. As a result, I am always looking for better quality audio. I am not so worried about sound quality that I am looking at different audio speaker wire or wondering if magic rocks and coloring my CDs will make them sound better, but I do care about sound. On a scale of disinterested to obsessed, I would fall closer to obsessed than disinterested, but I do own receivers, so I am not a full blown audiophile (by audiophile standards). Even though I haven't done an ABX test, I am just going to give Tidal the edge in sound quality. Some would say it would be a slight edge over 320K on good day.
Coincidentally, I was comparing Norah Jones 'Come Away with Me' album that I have in lossless format on my computer with Rdio over the last weekend (before Tidal was released). To my ears, they were slightly different, but I didn't really prefer lossless over Rdio in this case. I will say that I have always ripped my CDs in lossless because I might hear a difference on some albums and I don't have time to test every single file. Winner: Tidal CURATION.
For its part Rdio has numerous paths for curation. When you listen to music, they automatically build a playlist/station that is made up of your favorites, they provide recommendations similar to artists you like, the list artist similar to artists you have been listening to, they have 'dig deeper' recommendations of artists you have listened to, etc. There are just a lot of ways for them to suggest music for you.
Tidal is very weak in this area. They have a section under an individual artist that has similar artists listed. Rdio also has this feature, but they also have 'inspired by' and 'influenced' to give more context into an artist. Both services appear to use the incrediblefor their Biographies, so no one gets an edge in that area.
Winner: Rdio (by a long shot) EXTRA FEATURES. Tidal has video available. I found this feature less impressive than I thought it would be. To find a video, you have to go to a specific artist and then navigate to the video link. When I tried this, the pickings were slim. As an example, U2 doesn't have any videos listed. I thought I would take a look at Miles Davis.
He has videos listed, but they are a photo of Miles with audio playing in the background. Not very useful. Bruce Springsteen had some listed, but none of his iconic videos from the 80s. Tidal has a landscape mode (see pic below) on the iPhone that I found useful. It allows you to control the song/album that is playing, but it falls short in some ways, too.
You have to put the phone back in portrait mode to get off of that screen if you want to listen to something else. Another cool feature of Tidal is that it has articles about certain albums and subjects.
For example, there is an article called '15 Ways to Nirvana: Records that shaped the band'. It is like having a subscription to an audio magazine in addition to listening to music. Rdio has its own set of unique features. By far the most unique is that ability to remotely control the Rdio desktop app from the iOS app. Therefore, if you have Rdio running on a computer, it works just like the iPad/iPhone app.
It will also let you control Rdio running on one iOS device with a separate iOS device. This is great if you have an old iPhone docked for audio and want to use your iPad to look at the news while listening to music. Rdio also has a plug in that helps you build playlists. It has something called that is another unique way to build playlists. One other feature that Rdio has is the ability to set the streaming bitrate independently for cellular and wifi streaming. I really wish Tidal had this feature.
I don't want to eat through my GBs on my wireless plan too quickly. ARTIST RADIO. They both had the ability to play music based on an artist, but Rdio is more full featured in this area, as well.
With Tidal you can select an artist, or track, and it will play music similar to them. I found the 'track' selections to be less than desirable.
I was playing Joe Henderson's 'Double Rainbow' album (which is Bossa Nova music) and a few songs later it picked 'Precis' by Sam Rivers to play. It is more of a 'free jazz' (for lack of a better description) styled song. Not really want I want to hear when I select tracks similar to 'Felicidade'. For my tastes, Rdio did a much better job with 'track radio'. Also, Rdio has a setting for artist radio that will allow you to play 'Artist Only' to 'Adventurous' with an option to play music in the middle of those two choices.
With Tidal, the selection is obviously steered toward adventurous. Another incredible feature on Rdio is the choice to turn on 'Autoplay'.
This will allow similar music to continue to play after you finish an album. Rdio also has the ability to set up a station based on the record label. A very unique, but often used feature.
Personally, I think Rdio is a better service overall. I wouldn't mind video, but Tidal needs a better way to find it and they need a better selection.
Tidal's articles look interesting, but I need to read several of them before I decide how useful it is. Tidal currently costs twice as much as Rdio. If Rdio had an option to pay $10 extra for lossless, I would pay it. However, they don't, which is going to make it hard to decide which service will eventually get my money. Right now, I am currently leaning toward keeping Rdio, but I need to do some back to back listening of the two services over the next month to decide. I will keep you posted.
As many that have seen my other webpages or read my blog know, I am a music fan. As a result, I have spent time researching headphones, DACs, amps, receivers, streaming devices, etc. I also belong to several audio forums and I have had subscriptions to the most popular audio magazines. I own several pair of headphones and they have taught me that individual tastes in audio are subjective. It shouldn't be surprising since all of our senses are individualistic. I know people that hate steak and it is one of my favorite meals (for example).
There is an audio forum founded by Steve Hoffman (audio engineer extraordinaire) and he has threads entitled and I have a pair of Shure SRH940s, a pair of ATH-M50s, and a pair of Senn HD580 headphones (in addition to others) and I guarantee that in a random group of 20, you would not get a consensus on which headphone is the best. The SRH940s are my personal favorite because they have accurate sound, so I can start in that position before I make tweaks or hook it up to a tube amp.
However, the Sennheiser's have a rich, warm sound that is just beautiful with many different kinds of music. The ATH-M50s have more bass punch than the others and many find that more appealing than accuracy or warmness. As a result, when a reviewer comes along and says 'YYY headphones are the most detailed, accurate measured headphones he has ever reviewed', does this equate to sound that everyone will appreciate? My guess, is that it won't. When you consider the state of CDs, lossy downloads, lossy streaming services, records with surface noise, the 'loudness wars', etc. Do we really want accuracy?
I can tell you that combining my Shure's with a Little Dot Tube amp takes away from their accuracy, but at the same time, they sound better to me with a majority of my albums that way. The tubes take the edge off of bright recordings and add some warmness to the bass. While I have mentioned the shortfall to trusting just measurements for deciding on equipment, the fact is that reviews without measurements are often less useful. If it is just based on subjective tastes of one individual, does that really mean that I will have the same experience?
Maybe, but maybe not. One of the other things I have seen on forums is 'consensus' speak. What happens is that a person who bought one product goes into a forum and says that it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
If it is an inexpensive (by audiophile standards) product, someone else will try it based on the review. Since they spent money on it, they will usually come in and concur.before long, it becomes the 'flavor of the month'.
Typically, you will see this product have extreme popularity for a while until the new 'flavor of the month' shows up and makes that older product sound 'horrible in comparison'. No wonder there are so many disenchanted audiophiles!
So how does one go about choosing audio equipment? First, my suggestion would be to enjoy the music first. What does this mean? Well, it means that being hypercritical about equipment is not the best way to listen to music. What I think you need is to understand your music collection. Does it consist of only the best mastered albums in lossless formats?
If that is the case, you are missing out on some great music, but it will make your audio component selections easier. Garbage in = Gargage out, and that makes a huge impact on how music will sound with analytical equipment. Unfortunately, tons of music was put on CD in highly compressed (small dynamic range) formats. Some to the point of clipping the wave peak. Also, with streaming becoming more popular, many are listening to low bit rate lossy files to begin with. Second, I would try to get a basic understanding of what type of sound I like. Test some headphones with specific, notorious sound (warm, punchy, analytical, etc.) signatures with an album that you know was mastered with high quality audio in mind (something by Steve Hoffman, for example) and something that sounds harsh to your ears (something like Oasis '(What's the Story) Morning Glory' which is known for heavy compression).
If you can find headphones that sound great to you, for both types of albums, you should be happy when playing most of your music collection with them. Also, this realization can help you pick speakers and other components for your tastes, as well. One of the reasons I have several headphones is that I can have accurate, warm, and bass heavy headphones without needing a larger home to house them all. Personally, I haven't found one pair of headphones that I like for everything, at least without throwing some tubes in front of them on occasion (which is what I would do if I had just one pair). However, from my experience, if you can get mostly accurate speakers and other components, you can throw an equalizer (some preamps and receivers have them built in) or tubes in the mix and warm them up or emphasize bass, if that is what you like. However, if you know you like warmth, and many people do, you could just get accurate components (which most are and measure well) and just throw some warm sounding speakers in the mix.
The strategy should always be to have equipment that serves YOUR taste, and unfortunately, you usually have to test it yourself to know for sure. If you get in the game of constantly tweaking based on the latest review and someone else's preferences, I think you get away from just enjoying the music. I am not saying that you should stop if it is your hobby.
However, I would rather just put together a system based on my taste and enjoy it. I haven't added anything to my main system in a couple years and I haven't exchanged anything in my other systems for even longer. Does that mean I have the best reviewed, forum favored equipment there is? My main speaker system has a Denon 4311CI RECEIVER (the horror!!). Yep, I own an listen to music on a receiver! The reason I like it is that it has Audyssey room correction built in.
From my experience, this has made a larger improvement in sound quality than $600+ DACs in my other setups. Of course, my room is problematic, so it fits my needs. My point isn't that you should buy the same receiver. It is that you should analyze your needs and fill those needs with equipment selected around your tastes and budget. Personally, I have gotten out of the hobby of analyzing my equipment and worrying about the latest component on the market. I just listen to music now, which is why I am happier with my setup than a lot of audiophiles with more expensive equipment.
I do still read audiophile magazines, but my favorite section is concentrated on new music releases. NOTE: Please make sure you also check out my article. Since Sonos new marketing blitz, I have seen a lot of questions related to how Sonos compares to Apple's Airplay.
For those that aren't aware, Sonos and Airplay have many similarities, but there a major differences between the two. Sonos and Airplay are used for wireless/wired streaming in many different devices. For example, Sonos makes, a, and to a separate DAC/receiver. All of the Sonos devices are made by Sonos.
Airplay is a small part of the Apple ecosystem. Apple makes the and the that both receive an Airplay signal. They also license the use of Airplay to many different companies from to high end products. Below I am going to list several features of each of these wireless streaming services and how the other compares (NOTE: Be aware that I strongly suggest buying either product from a vendor with a good return policy in case you have problems that you can't resolve): 1. Airplay can be used for video, photos, and for mirroring a computer screen with the AppleTV. Sonos only works for audio. Sonos sets up a separate 'mesh' wifi signal (in late 2014, Sonos added an update to allow you to also use your regular network) that works outside of your main wifi setup.
This can be beneficial if your wifi is a problem. The Airport Express can bridge or expand your wifi network. It connects directly to your current network. Sonos requires a that connects to your router to setup a wifi network.
(Note: This is no longer required unless you are using their surround system or want to continue using their mesh network) The Airplay devices connect directly to your current network via wifi or a direct connection via ethernet. Sonos has wireless individual speakers.
These speakers need to be plugged in and they. Airplay is available in individual speakers, too. Since it is available in many different products, you can Unlike Sonos, many. When outside of wifi, some of them have Aux (the cheapest Sonos Speaker with Aux input costs $399) and USB inputs that make them more versatile for a portable setup. The speakers with USB inputs can charge and play audio from devices like the iPad and iPhone. Sonos has the ability to add another speaker and use them for stereo.
I am not aware of any Airplay speakers that have this ability. You can buy Airplay systems like the that comes with stereo speakers.
However, I would highly suggest getting an and wired if you want to use Airplay in a stereo environment. Unlike Sonos, most bookshelf speakers actually publish their specs. Sonos makes a that will attach to your current system via analog or digital. It costs, + $49 for the Bridge (the bridge is no longer needed) if you connect it via Sonos wifi. Apple makes the that connects to your current system via digital or analog.
It also works on wifi or by direct ethernet connection. It costs I should mention that I can put an Airport Express in 4 systems for the same price as the Connect + Bridge. Sonos makes a wireless 5.1 system. The, the sub is $699, if you use Play1s for your surrounds, they are $199 each + the $49 for the Bridge. I am not aware of anyone making wireless 5.1 systems for Airplay (although there are so many Airplay devices that I could be wrong). You should be able to put together a wired setup that is cheaper and sounds better for less money, though.
Also, there are and that will make any speakers wireless. However, I have never used a wireless solution, so I am not sure how well they work. Sonos has an app for Android and iOS. These apps are designed to work with that have a Sonos plug in.
Airplay audio works with nearly every audio app on iOS. For example, if you currently want to stream, Tidal, Overcast, or audio from most any other iOS app (including sending audio from video apps) to an Airport Express, you can do so with Airplay. In other words, there are a lot more apps that work with Airplay using an iOS device. (Note: Google play was added to Sonos after I initially wrote this article, so I decided to update this article. It should be noted that Spotify is adding a Connect service and Apple bought Beats music, so it is possible that Sonos will no longer work with these services in the future. It probably depends on whether these companies feel that it is cutting into their business.
Currently, Apple doesn't seem to care that much, but who knows what their plans are now that they have Beats?) Android that appear to work with Airplay. I don't own an Android device, so I can't comment on these services, but the professes to send Airplay audio from any Android app. If it works as they say, it also has more versatility than Sonos.
When using Sonos, most apps are streaming directly from the web despite being controlled by an iOS or Android device. This means you can leave the area with the device while Spotify (for example) is playing and it will continue to play. When you Airplay from an iOS/Android device with a third party app like Spotify, you are streaming directly from the device, so if you leave the area, you lose the signal. Obviously, you can stream anything from a computer to iOS (directly with new Macs or indirectly using from other computers), so, if you plan to leave and still want music to continue to play, you can do this directly from a computer. My preference is using a Mac Mini as a media server. Sonos can send multiple streams to different Sonos devices from one app at the same time.
Airplay can't do this. You would need multiple devices to send multiple streams. While that is usually the case, I have a Synology NAS with Airplay built in that will send different streams from a music collection at the same time to separate Airplay devices. (Note: The app has the ability to send multiple streams from iOS (soon to be an Android app, as well) with certain streaming sources. See my here).
As I mentioned, there are many brands that have Airplay built in. I can start Pandora, send an Airplay signal to my receiver, and the receiver will turn on and allow me to control the volume without a remote and without leaving the app. Sonos is not built into receivers, so this is not possible. They do make a Sonos that will allow you to connect speakers, but it does't compete in a home theater with a receiver and real speakers.
For one thing, there aren't any digital or video inputs. As I mentioned, Airplay can be used for audio with almost any app. However, another major benefit by using it with an iOS device (Touch, iPhone, iPad) running iOS7 (or later) is the ability to control volume, skip or go back, and pause from the Control Center. This means you can be in Safari, Twitter, Facebook, etc. And still control these features without leaving the app you are in. You can even control what is playing from the lock screen.
This is not possible with Sonos. With newer Macs, you can send ANY audio to an Airplay device. There is also a $25 app called Airfoil (Mac & Windows) that will allow you to send audio from any program to any or all Airplay devices. Sonos has an app for computers that allows you to use only the apps with Sonos plug-ins. Airfoil also includes something called that will allow a computer to be setup as an Airplay receiver. This allows the computer to show up as an Airplay device and you can send audio to it. This is beneficial if you use a computer in your main audio setup.
Airfoil Speakers is also available for Linux machines. Airplay Speakers can also be used on a computer to Sonos has nothing similar. Audiovarna +, Pure Music, and other audio enhancing programs work with Airplay. Sonos uses its own software. The Sonos Connect is 2.91 x 5.35 x 5.51 inches (HWD). The most current Airport Express is smaller in every dimension: 0.9 x 3.85 x 3.85 inches.
The AppleTV is.9 x 3.9 x 3.9. This small size makes it easier to fit into tight spaces and desktop systems. Since Airplay is built into many devices, you may not even need to take up any extra space. One thing that should be mentioned is that most people will be happy with adding an Apple TV to their home theater and using it for music, video and photos.
However, it only sends out a 48khz signal, so most audiophiles will also want an Airport Express to play CD quality (16/44.1) bit perfect audio. The good news is that the price of both together is less than one Connect. Upside to Sonos: 1. Complete Wireless Home Theater system 2. Possible 'mesh' wifi network (no longer a requirement ) 3. Ability to buy one speaker now and add a speaker later for stereo 4.
Send different audio signals to different Sonos devices simultaneously 5. Direct streaming from the web with certain apps Upside to Airplay: 1. Better integration with iOS 2. Works with a lot more apps 3. Built into many devices/receivers/speakers 4. Airport Express can expand your wifi network 5. A lot cheaper than Sonos 6.
Better integration in computers (especially with Airfoil and Airfoil Speakers) 7. Portability of certain battery operated speakers It should be mentioned that most of the upsides of Sonos can be eliminated within the price differential of the two systems and be more useful in the long run. For example, the wireless Sonos sub is $699 and only works with other Sonos speakers.
For $674, you could buy an Outlaw LFM-1 Plus/ Combo. This would be less expensive and work with any audio setup now and in the future, unlike the Sonos. If your wifi has tons of traffic, the Sonos mesh system might seem to make sense. However, in most homes the Home Plug (power line ethernet) solution should be better and cost less money. For example, for $59, you could add a to get ethernet over your power lines (Typically, according to the linked FAQ, the line must be inside). The upside is that you would be able to connect it to a $99 Airport Express to extend your wifi network, which would benefit all of your wireless products that you use in that area of your home. The new Home Plug solutions work with up to 64 units, but the FAQ recommends 16 as the max.
If you desire simultaneous streaming to different setups at the same time, for less than one Connect ($349), you could buy an iPod Touch for each setup for $224 and add an Airport Express ($95) device and still have money left over. Personally, I think the need for different music playing in different setups being controlled by one iOS or Android device would be a very rare need. It would be much more feasible that these separate setups would be for listening to music by different users. Having a separate controller for each system seems like a much more practical way to manage separate devices. Also, direct streaming from the web is similar to directly streaming from an iOS device.
If you are worried that your family will be listening to music in your living room from your iPhone via Airplay and you suddenly have to leave, which would cause the music to stop playing, the answer is to buy an iPod Touch that you leave at home. This could be used as the main streaming device and you could leave with your iPhone without the music stopping. As I mentioned, the cost of an iPod Touch is $224 (cheaper if you buy last year's model or a refurb) and the price of an Airport Express is $95 (can also find refurb or last generation versions for a lot less money. I paid less than $60 from Amazon for a last gen version). It is still cheaper than the Connect by itself or combined with a Bridge. Personally, I would spend a few extra bucks and get an iPad mini 2 (now $249 for a refurb) for this type of setup, if I didn't already own an iPad. The advantages of the numerous companies making Airplay devices can't be added to Sonos because it is a closed system.
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The only hope is that more audio apps will be supported in Sonos in the future. For audiophiles, I think the Airplay devices offer more flexibility and a much more inexpensive way to accomplish similar tasks. Neither of them currently offer hi rez streaming, so they are on par for sound quality (assuming you use the Connect with the same DAC/receiver).
When you start adding individual speakers, the Airplay speakers can offer more flexibility because they are in a lot more devices. If you want a speaker with a lot smaller footprint and battery powered portability, you can get a Phillips Fidelio SoundRing. If you want Airplay, but you also want hi rez streaming, you can buy a Pioneer A4 which has Airplay and DLNA built in. If you want a receiver, but don't want a device hooked to it, you can buy components from Pioneer, Onkyo, Sony, Marantz, Denon, Yamaha, McIntosh, etc, because they have models with Airplay built in. While most articles on this subject prefer Sonos, I really think it is no contest and an easy win for Airplay when it comes to most features, cost, and flexibility.
NOTE: If you are a Sonos user and I missed something, please let me know. I am mainly working off of the information on Sonos' webpage, so it is possible that I missed a feature. NOTE: Please make sure you also check out my article.
(edit - 3/22-14) I have had some comments and observations about this article. I will paraphrase some of the points below: 1. 'Airport Express is more difficult to setup' - While I have never owned an Sonos device, I have setup 3 Airport Express (Update: I bought a 4th for less than $60) devices and they took less that ten minutes for the entire process.including launching Airport Utility on a computer (I only had Windows PCs when I got my first Airport Express and the process is even easier now) and setting it up to expand the network. Since the Airport Express uses your regular wifi network, if your network has issues, there is a possibility that it could take longer to setup.(important disclaimer below) Some have said that Sonos is plug and play, but their shows that a lot of people have issues with the Sonos, too.
There is a post on Amazon with someone that has had Sonos for 4 years and it continually had to be reset and after several calls to Sonos the issue still hasn't been resolved. As a result, I can't really say with certainly that Sonos has an advantage in this area. (important disclaimer below) 2. 'Airport Express requires a double jump, so I have read that drop outs can be frequent' - It isn't a requirement, but for an app like Pandora, you usually send it to your iOS or Android device and then back to the Airplay receiving device.
However, I have seen very few drop outs in my setup. I actually use Airplay quite a bit for Lynda.com videos.
Airplay can handle sending video from my network to my iPhone and back to my AppleTV without a problem, so it explains why (in my setup) audio is handled without any issues. Also, you can wire your Airport Express if you do have an issue. I have a couple articles (, ) on using ethernet power line adapters. They work great and you can avoid ever using wifi for audio if you have a computer running an app like, Spotify, or iTunes.
Also, Spotify will add Spotify Connect to the desktop and become another wired only option (currently, you can use the 'Remoteless app' for controlling Spotify on a desktop with an iPhone). Note: I have since updated to the ' ' which essentially doubled my speed across the network via the 5GHz band. Luckily, the will support these bands.
The Sonos Connect is maxed out at 2.4Ghz so essentially, the double jump would result in the same speed range as a Sonos Connect).(important disclaimer below) Sonos plays directly from the web, so you only need to worry about audio traveling one path. The only possible benefit is that you don't need a computer in the mix. However, I find that using a 2010 mini (see my offers many more options for my overall needs (runs Plex, XBMC, iTunes, Security Cameras, etc.) and only uses 10 watts of idle power. The Airport Express uses 2 watts of idle power. A Sonos Playbar, just for comparison purposes, is 13 watts and bridge is 4 watts of idle power.(important disclaimer below).DISCLAIMER. I should mention that I can't say how either device will work in your home, so I have stayed away from this topic in my original article.
You can find a lot of people that have had issues and success with both systems, so without real numbers, I can't say which is better. My suggestion is that you buy these devices from vendors that have a good return policy in case you have issues. While I am on the subject of issues, I also want to mention that the Airport Express can have issues with dropouts between songs that clip off the beginning of songs with certain DACs. I have used Airport Express units with 5 different DACs and I have never had an issue, so I am not sure how common the issue is.
As with the above, I would buy (at least the first one) from a reliable source that has a good return policy. With anything tech, it is best to have some time with the product to determine if it will work with your environment. The AppleTV has a feature that will allow you to send the audio to any other Airplay receiver. This is convenient if you have a headphone setup with an Airport Express near the area you watch AppleTV. I have an Airport Express headphone setup next to my bed, so I can lay in bed and watch AppleTV without disturbing anyone. Sonos doesn't have a similar feature.
Some have pointed out that it is convenient to have all of the apps built into one remote app like you have with Sonos. This makes it easy to setup playlists and go in between several different services without needing to open several apps to do the same thing.
While this may be a benefit to some, you lose features from many different apps by going with the Sonos only app. I am a subscriber to MOG (unfortunately, they go out of business in less than a month, but I am using this as an example) and their most unique feature compared to other music streaming services is the radio slider built into their app.
It allows you to start with the slider all the way to the left for shuffling music by one artist. As you push the slider to the right, you add more similar artists.
You lose this feature by using a Sonos. From what I have read, you also lose functionality for other apps like Spotify. When it comes down to it, I would rather use the app designed by the music service since it is built to make the most of their service rather than using a 'catch all' app designed by Sonos. The other benefit of using the app designed by the actual music steaming company is that you probably use that app when you are away from home via your cellphone. I can listen to MOG in my car via bluetooth audio and walk in the house and flip up the Airplay controller and switch the audio to an Airplay device without leaving the app.
It works the other way around, too. When I am listening to audio in the morning on Airplay devices, I can leave the house and switch to bluetooth audio in my car without missing a beat. Not possible with Sonos. I will let people decide for themselves which approach they prefer, but I much prefer using apps that aren't crippled in exchange for integration between apps in a Sonos remote setup. 'My Sonos allows me to use a USB hard drive attached to my router without needing a computer/NAS and it will catalog those songs into its system' - There are a lot limitations to the routers that this works with, so you may also need to add the price of a to the price of the Sonos system if you want to go this route. Airplay works with most apps in the iOS ecosystem. While I use a NAS and/or a mac mini in my setups, I did a five minute search and found a $5.99 app called that works on iPhones/iPads (there are probably other apps that are similar, but this is the first one I ran across).
It will actually find any drive hanging off your network. I have my music in folders arranged by artist/albums/songs and it is connected to an older Airport Extreme router.
It will allow you to open the folder with the songs and play the music and it works with Airplay. It won't catalog the songs, so it is still limited in comparison to Sonos and an approved router, but it works fine if your goal is to play music. I also want to mention that this app also works with supported video formats, so you can Airplay video to an AppleTV without using a computer. I was surprised that it also works with DD5.1 soundtracks. Rather than using the FileBrowser (although I recommend this app and plan to review it in the future), I would suggest loading your music up to (free for 20,000 songs), ($25 a year with a 25,000 song limit), or (that I have not tried). The downside to these services is that they don't use lossless Codecs. However, the Codecs are fine for most people if the popularity of the lossy Codecs used by iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and Pandora are any indication of what is acceptable to most people.
The upside is that by allowing these services to scan your library, you will get a cloud backup of your library in the formats that these services use (the last time I checked Google was using 320kbps mp3s and Apple was using 256k AAC files). This will be an upgrade for some and a downgrade for those using lossless. However, I think for the typical person the upside of having a cloud backup that is available anywhere via their cell phone outweighs the possible downside of using a 256k file. I personally prefer listening to my own music at home in lossless, because I know nothing is missing, but I don't usually buy lossy music, so I know I am outlier. The other upside is that iTunes Match is integrated right into the AppleTV's GUI and Siri on the iPhone/iPad (which means you can just tell Siri what you want it to play without even looking at a screen). If someone is using AppleTV, I would recommend iTunes Match.
For those using Chromecast, I would suggest using Google Play. I have my music on both services because I tried Google's music service and loaded my files up to their service at the time.
While I didn't subscribe to Google Play, my music is still available in their app. Since Sonos doesn't work with either of these services (Note: They finally added Google Play after I wrote this article.
Nearly a year after it was available on everything else), I would call that a downside. I would suspect that Google Play is integrated nicely into Android phones, but people will need to research that for themselves since I don't own any Android devices. Another option is a hard drive that connects to your system via ethernet. The that currently starts at $129 for a 2 terabyte drive.
It has an Android and iOS app that gives you remote access and the ability to stream audio via Airplay in lossless formats. It also does the cataloging of your music. I prefer a (that start at $149 for a one slot diskless platform) and their fantastic DS Audio app, but it can cost more. However, I would prefer any of these to buying and setting up a new router. 'I am ignorant of Airplay and I refuse to buy Apple products, but Sonos makes the best product on the market' - Ummmm.
Then buy a Sonos! It doesn't hurt my feelings. I don't work for Apple. These are just my observations after researching both products. Sonos spends a lot of money on marketing their solution and Apple spends next to nothing on Airplay. As a result, a typical consumer may have no idea that there is another, much cheaper, device that does very similar things (some better, some worse).
This article was to help those people understand the differences. It isn't to convert Apple haters that want to stay ignorant about Airplay. It has been brought to my attention that this article seems to be biased toward Airplay. Well, Airplay simply does more (video/photos), is compatible with more devices (Denon, Sony, McIntosh, Phillips, etc.) and apps (currently Downcast, iTunes Match, iTunes Music, YouTube, etc.), and usually costs less. It is hard not to sound biased. Even Sonos knows this or they wouldn't have a web page promoting the benefits of Airplay ( of course, you have to read the small print to realize that you need an Airport Express to make it work). This article is a response to the article at CNN.com.
My plan is to take sections of the article and reply to them as a modern day music fanatic. ' All I had to bring was my laptop.
That's pretty much what everyone had,' says Rubio, who attended Emory University in Atlanta and now works for a local marketing and communications firm. 'It was actually pretty good sound. It would get the job done.' 'Get the job done'? That sounds like the white flag for an era that used to be measured in woofers and tweeters, watts per channel and the size of your record collection.' I doubt people took their record collections and watts per channel everywhere they went back in the so-called 'golden age' of audio. Now you can plug in a and connect a pair of quality headphones and get fantastic sound quality anywhere you can carry a laptop (which is everywhere).
Your mobile choices in the past were much more limited. If you were lucky, you had a mobile cassette player that did not compare to the sound quality from this type of setup. 'What's happened in the marketplace, the midmarket for audio has completely been obliterated,' he says. 'You have this high-end market that's getting smaller all the time, and then you've got the convenience market, which has taken over - the MP3s, the Bluetooth devices, playing on laptops.' I don't believe that these devices are a compromise as much as they are answering an issue related to portability. Also, most 'mp3 players' now handle lossless formats.
For the audiophile, this is a better option for portability than wheeling around your components, speakers, and record collection in a wheelbarrow. Also, I don't believe the midmarket for audio has been destroyed.
There are tons of DACs, amps, headphones, speakers, and receivers that aim at the midmarket. In fact, I believe audio quality is improving at lower prices with each passing year. As an example, I have a $30 T-amp that produces decent sound with a pair of efficient speakers. You could not come close to the price (especially when you use present value formulas) for this sound quality in the past. The plus side to receivers is that the tech in the high end market of yesterday is now available in the lower priced ( less than $1000 - not sure what is meant by midmarket) market today. I have an extremely cheap Sony receiver (I think it was around $200 when I bought it) in my office that has audio pass through (this is needed if you are using a separate DAC) and can play anything you throw at it. The same features a couple years ago would have been over $1000, easily.
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Actually, it has features not available in $5000 receivers from 5 years ago.like the ability to play HD audio formats via HDMI instead of having 6 component audio connectors. ' Greg Milner, the author of remembers the process.
There were components. There were boxes of tapes and CDs. There might even be some vinyl. It could be a pain, no question. The equipment was heavy.
There were all those wires, plugs and jacks - Line In, Line Out, Aux, Phono, CD, keeping track of the positive and negative strands of speaker wire. It was an effort just to break down and set up the stuff, never mind moving it.' Exactly, these things weren't made for portability. CDs and vinyl are both still around and more people are buying vinyl than they have in years.
However, CDs are often bought and then ripped to a computer in a lossless format for the convenience of playing anywhere. 'However, we also started focusing more on visuals. Penchansky traces the decline of the stereo system to the early '80s rise of the music video, which brought visuals to the fore. Suddenly, the concert hall in your living room - or the audio imaging in your head - was gone, replaced by surrealist pictures overwhelming the television's tiny speaker.
That branch of consumption has helped lead to the home theater. Penchansky has nothing against HDTVs and 7.1 systems, but believes that, for the most part, it's a 'sonic compromise.' With a pure audio system, 'There was no way that television, even today, simulates the realism of visual experience the way (good) audio can simulate an audio experience.' I agree that the video had a lot to do with the popularity of the home theater. However, I think it had less to do with MTV than Dolby's Pro Logic combined with the VHS tape. This allowed a more immersive experience for movie fans.
When DVDs hit the scene, the typical 3 channel setup expanded into 5.1 for Dolby Digital and DTS. The flexibility of listening to a stereo soundtrack and a more movie theater like experience made people move the two channel setup out of their main living spaces.
The addition of a subwoofer also added much more oomph to the low end of the audio spectrum, especially when compare to the typical bookshelf speakers many people were using. Personally, I don't believe this has to be a trade off. I have a vintage two channel Marantz receiver and my Denon surround system blows it away for two channel music and obviously for movies. The Audyssey calibration software built into many receivers addresses acoustical issues with less than optimal rooms. To me, this was a significant step up in sound quality for all audio sources. The author seems to think this is a sonic compromise, but I don't agree with that assessment. Listen to Dave Mathews and Tim Reynolds on Blu-ray in TrueHD audio and tell me that a video and audio experience combined don't measure up.
The flexibility of a multichannel setup also allows the user to take advantage of DVD-Audio and multichannel SACDs. To me, a two channel only setup is more of a compromise.
You can't even listen to the great RCA Living Stereo or Mercury LIving Presence SACDs with the third audio track (which is how they were originally recorded) with a two channel only setup. 'Now, why even bother?' 'If you can take your entire music collection and more in something that fits in your pocket, why would you not do that?'
The upside to using audio files isn't just pocket portability (although that is a major factor). It is also about having your entire collection available from anywhere, including every room in your house or streaming it to your computer at work. In the past, if you wanted to listen to a CD in your bedroom, you may have had to go out to your car to get the CD before being able to play it. You may have it on a rack in the living room or in a CD player in another system.
Now you can pull the music from a server (computer, NAS, hard drive) and play it without needing the physical CD. I have Airplay devices all over the house and it is great to be able to play a lossless version of any album I own from anywhere in the house or even stream the audio to every one of those units at the same time. Finally, this may or may not be the so-called 'golden age of audio', but I do believe it is the golden age for the music fan.
Convenience leads to people listening to more music. Services like MOG and Spotify allow subscribers to listen to millions of songs or thousands of albums. Last night, I was watching Leno on the Tonight Show and he had Gregory Porter as the performer. I had never heard of Mr. Porter, but I enjoyed his soulful performance. This morning, I pulled up his new album on MOG (in a very acceptable 320kbps) and listened to it on my. It was great!
In the so-called golden age of audio, I probably would have never heard from him again. It was too expensive to spend money on a full album that I might not enjoy and I would have forgot all about by the time I made it to the record store.
When I was a kid, I remember going to library and checking out a couple of albums (I seem to remember a strict limit of a couple of albums at a time). If I wanted to dig deeper into the John Coltrane album collection, I was out of luck because they only had a copy of 'Blue Train'.
With I can listen to every album (or at least most of them) in his collection. I can also just push a button to take me to similar artists if I want to continue to explore. I do believe there is a disconnect between the music fan and the audiophile. Many music fans can listen to music on AM radio and enjoy it. It is about the music.
The audiophile often listens to their equipment and concentrates on the inadequacies. I admittedly have more music fan in me than audiophile, but I have spent money on DACs, headphone amps, and other things to improve the sound over a standard set earbuds. Unfortunately, I think being an audiophile often leads to discontent and the inability to just relax and enjoy the music. This doesn't mean I don't strive for the best bang for the buck sound, but I don't continually chase sound quality when I am fully aware of the law of diminishing returns. In short, I believe this is the golden age for music!
Of course, one of the main benefits of the iPhone is Airplay. As you would guess, they have built that feature into the App, as well. There is also a playlist function that lets you choose a current playlist or create a new playlist. I am old fashioned, so I like listening to albums rather than playlists, but the option is there so it should make a lot of people happy. If you are looking for a cheap alternative ($3.99 at the time I wrote this) to iTunes Match that can handle more than 256 kbps files and you just want to stream files without downloading, Audiotap should fit the bill.