Mosoto turns Facebook into a live chat service
Unlike the glorified message board that is Facebook, Mosoto enables you and your friends to interact live. The interface is reminiscent of Meebo, with hierarchical buddy folders, and features that let you set your online status and check buddy information. The chat windows themselves give you Facebook-centric options like poking, viewing user profile, sending a message through Facebook's e-mail, and adding people as a Facebook friend. You also have the option to check out users' shared media folder to view their content. As a Facebook user I can see the use of Mosoto, but I wouldn't necessarily pick it as a replacement for iTunes and Trillian (the two apps I use for chat and music). I see elements of Mosoto fitting in as widgets, or something to be added to Facebook as a feature. Mosoto still ties into your Facebook universe, but in a way it feels somewhat distant and removed. Despite this,Mosoto is still slick and a smart application of Facebook's API, not to mention it's the first real IM for Facebook users. It will be interesting to see whether people will use it instead of their chat and music apps.Mosoto is currently in private alpha, with the intent on a public launch next month. In the meantime, you can sign-up for Mosoto testing here.
Monday, March 23, 2015
More problems reported with Apple's MobileMe Mail
More problems reported with Apple's MobileMe Mail
Apple continued to have problems with its new MobileMe service over the weekend and into Monday, with several users unable to access their e-mail.The Unofficial Apple Weblog has a summary of complaints from its readers up on its site, and I've been hearing from some CNET readers as well about problems accessing e-mail accounts that were once known as .Mac, and now fall into the MobileMe service. Apple's discussion boards are filled with angry MobileMe customers who haven't been able to access their e-mail all weekend.Apple's MobileMe status page has a note up at the moment that says "1% of MobileMe members cannot access MobileMe Mail. We apologize for any inconvenience." It's just the latest in a series of problems that has plagued the launch of MobileMe, a $99-a-year service that lets you access contacts, calendars, and other files from one computer on other Macs or PCs, as well as your iPhone.Apple provided 30 free days of service as a result of the launch issues that also waylaid Apple's iTunes servers and disrupted the iPhone 3G launch. The company reports its third-quarter earnings later Monday, and it will be interesting to see if analysts push Apple on the problems it seems to have having with its Web infrastructure. An Apple representative did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment on what might be causing the problems.
Apple continued to have problems with its new MobileMe service over the weekend and into Monday, with several users unable to access their e-mail.The Unofficial Apple Weblog has a summary of complaints from its readers up on its site, and I've been hearing from some CNET readers as well about problems accessing e-mail accounts that were once known as .Mac, and now fall into the MobileMe service. Apple's discussion boards are filled with angry MobileMe customers who haven't been able to access their e-mail all weekend.Apple's MobileMe status page has a note up at the moment that says "1% of MobileMe members cannot access MobileMe Mail. We apologize for any inconvenience." It's just the latest in a series of problems that has plagued the launch of MobileMe, a $99-a-year service that lets you access contacts, calendars, and other files from one computer on other Macs or PCs, as well as your iPhone.Apple provided 30 free days of service as a result of the launch issues that also waylaid Apple's iTunes servers and disrupted the iPhone 3G launch. The company reports its third-quarter earnings later Monday, and it will be interesting to see if analysts push Apple on the problems it seems to have having with its Web infrastructure. An Apple representative did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment on what might be causing the problems.
More iPhone OS 3.1 beta improvements discovered
More iPhone OS 3.1 beta improvements discovered
A new, improved security feature for pass-locked phones prompts for a PIN the first time an iPhone is attached to a new computer for syncing. The phone won't connect without the PIN being entered first. iTunes already had this feature, but the protective measure now works in more apps, including PhoneView.Improved security for pass-locked iPhones.Copy and paste for videos has been improved, allowing you to capture and share bigger files. The limit now appears to be 15MB for photos and videos, according to WhenWillApple, which posted the below video demo of this cut-and-paste feature:Some smaller additions to iPhone OS 3.1 beta include:Live HTTP streaming has failover support that allows the content provider to make available multiple playlists in a queue, so that if one fails to load properly you can easily switch over to another. Third-party applications are supported by Bluetooth audio recording.New iPhone SDK APIs allow developers access to the iPhone camera, which has started people talking about augmented-reality apps.If you've seen and used this latest update, please tell us in the comments about any other discoveries you've found.
A new, improved security feature for pass-locked phones prompts for a PIN the first time an iPhone is attached to a new computer for syncing. The phone won't connect without the PIN being entered first. iTunes already had this feature, but the protective measure now works in more apps, including PhoneView.Improved security for pass-locked iPhones.Copy and paste for videos has been improved, allowing you to capture and share bigger files. The limit now appears to be 15MB for photos and videos, according to WhenWillApple, which posted the below video demo of this cut-and-paste feature:Some smaller additions to iPhone OS 3.1 beta include:Live HTTP streaming has failover support that allows the content provider to make available multiple playlists in a queue, so that if one fails to load properly you can easily switch over to another. Third-party applications are supported by Bluetooth audio recording.New iPhone SDK APIs allow developers access to the iPhone camera, which has started people talking about augmented-reality apps.If you've seen and used this latest update, please tell us in the comments about any other discoveries you've found.
More iPhone apps you can't have- Newber and iCall
More iPhone apps you can't have: Newber and iCall
Both Freedom Voice and iCall say they've invested about $500,000 each in developing their apps, and are wondering what to do next. The companies together have started a petition, titled "Support developers with faster app store response and approval," and the companies are working on alternative versions of their products. Newber is beta testing a Blackberry version and has an Android app in development. iCall has various PC- and Web-based VoIP apps. Certainly, it would be more fair for Apple to simply say no to Newber and iCall than to leave these products in limbo. I expect the reality is that Apple/AT&&T politics are behind the confusion. Either that, or Apple is developing its own suite of enhanced telephony services, and--as was the case with the over-the-air podcast downloader Podcaster, which offered a service that Apple later released in iTunes--it doesn't want competitive products in its store in advance of the release of its own updates.Update: 2:35 p.m. PST: I'm waiting to hear back from Apple after arequest for a comment.Click here for more Macworld Expo coverage from CNET News.Previously:Apple to Podcaster: No App Store for youGoogle admits breaking App Store rulesApple kills iPhone app, claiming API violation
Both Freedom Voice and iCall say they've invested about $500,000 each in developing their apps, and are wondering what to do next. The companies together have started a petition, titled "Support developers with faster app store response and approval," and the companies are working on alternative versions of their products. Newber is beta testing a Blackberry version and has an Android app in development. iCall has various PC- and Web-based VoIP apps. Certainly, it would be more fair for Apple to simply say no to Newber and iCall than to leave these products in limbo. I expect the reality is that Apple/AT&&T politics are behind the confusion. Either that, or Apple is developing its own suite of enhanced telephony services, and--as was the case with the over-the-air podcast downloader Podcaster, which offered a service that Apple later released in iTunes--it doesn't want competitive products in its store in advance of the release of its own updates.Update: 2:35 p.m. PST: I'm waiting to hear back from Apple after arequest for a comment.Click here for more Macworld Expo coverage from CNET News.Previously:Apple to Podcaster: No App Store for youGoogle admits breaking App Store rulesApple kills iPhone app, claiming API violation
Mophie Juice Pack touches the iPod 2G
Mophie Juice Pack touches the iPod 2G
If you've been waiting for the Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3G, it's still not out yet. However, you can now get Mophie's latest Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G that the company announced on March 19.The new Juice Pack gives iPod Touch owners twice as much time to use their player for music, video, or surfing the Internet. According to Mophie, the pack will give the iPod Touch 2G up to an additional 42 hours of music playback and up to 7 hours of video playback.The Juice Pack is certified by Apple to work as a battery extender and as a protective case. It sports an ergonomic design with a soft-touch, nonslip rubberized finish, and it comes fully charged and ready to go out of the box.Similar to the original Juice Pack for the iPhone 3G, the new Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G has a pass-through design. This lets you simultaneously charge and sync with iTunes via a USB cable (included) without having to remove it from the Juice Pack. Mophie's Juice Pack for iPod Touch 2GSee full gallery1 - 4 / 6NextPrevThe pack features advanced battery technology that intelligently instructs the iPod Touch to drain the Juice Pack first before tapping its own battery. It uses a highly condensed lithium polymer battery with built-in overcharge, short circuit, and temperature protection.The back of the Juice Pack has four LED lights that let you know how much juice is left, and it also displays how much time remains during the charging process.The new Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G is available now for $99.95.
If you've been waiting for the Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3G, it's still not out yet. However, you can now get Mophie's latest Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G that the company announced on March 19.The new Juice Pack gives iPod Touch owners twice as much time to use their player for music, video, or surfing the Internet. According to Mophie, the pack will give the iPod Touch 2G up to an additional 42 hours of music playback and up to 7 hours of video playback.The Juice Pack is certified by Apple to work as a battery extender and as a protective case. It sports an ergonomic design with a soft-touch, nonslip rubberized finish, and it comes fully charged and ready to go out of the box.Similar to the original Juice Pack for the iPhone 3G, the new Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G has a pass-through design. This lets you simultaneously charge and sync with iTunes via a USB cable (included) without having to remove it from the Juice Pack. Mophie's Juice Pack for iPod Touch 2GSee full gallery1 - 4 / 6NextPrevThe pack features advanced battery technology that intelligently instructs the iPod Touch to drain the Juice Pack first before tapping its own battery. It uses a highly condensed lithium polymer battery with built-in overcharge, short circuit, and temperature protection.The back of the Juice Pack has four LED lights that let you know how much juice is left, and it also displays how much time remains during the charging process.The new Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G is available now for $99.95.
Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 3G to slim down
Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone 3G to slim down
This is getting old, but if you have an iPhone 3G, you definitely need an external juice pack. And I have some good news.Mophie, the maker of the popular and long-lasting original Juice Pack for iPhone 3G announced Wednesday its new and much slimmer version of the accessory, appropriately called Juice Pack Air.The new juice pack is equipped with a 1,200-mAH lithium polymer battery housed in an ultra-thin case and designed to double the amount of time you can work on your iPhone 3G.To put this in numbers, the Juice Pack Air is said to provide up to 270 additional hours of standby time, 4.5 hours of talk time or Internet surfing, 20 hours of music playback, or 6 hours of video playback. These numbers are about half of what the original juice pack can provide. However, the Juice pack Air is more than 50 percent thinner than the original.The Juice Pack Air features a "standby mode" that allows you to control when to use the additional battery and when to use the Juice Pack Air purely as a protective case. Like the original pack, it has four LED charge-status lights that indicate how much juice is remaining in the external battery.You can charge both the Juice Pack Air and the iPhone 3G and sync the phone with iTunes at the same time, using an included USB cable. The Mophie Juice Pack Air will be available this spring in black, white, and purple versions and will cost $79.95. You can actually preorder it now.
This is getting old, but if you have an iPhone 3G, you definitely need an external juice pack. And I have some good news.Mophie, the maker of the popular and long-lasting original Juice Pack for iPhone 3G announced Wednesday its new and much slimmer version of the accessory, appropriately called Juice Pack Air.The new juice pack is equipped with a 1,200-mAH lithium polymer battery housed in an ultra-thin case and designed to double the amount of time you can work on your iPhone 3G.To put this in numbers, the Juice Pack Air is said to provide up to 270 additional hours of standby time, 4.5 hours of talk time or Internet surfing, 20 hours of music playback, or 6 hours of video playback. These numbers are about half of what the original juice pack can provide. However, the Juice pack Air is more than 50 percent thinner than the original.The Juice Pack Air features a "standby mode" that allows you to control when to use the additional battery and when to use the Juice Pack Air purely as a protective case. Like the original pack, it has four LED charge-status lights that indicate how much juice is remaining in the external battery.You can charge both the Juice Pack Air and the iPhone 3G and sync the phone with iTunes at the same time, using an included USB cable. The Mophie Juice Pack Air will be available this spring in black, white, and purple versions and will cost $79.95. You can actually preorder it now.
Monocle launches Monocle Weekly- Small talk, big issues
Monocle launches Monocle Weekly: Small talk, big issues
Yes, we live (again) in the "age of conversations." There is something reassuring about listening to smart people having cultured conversations. When I was young, I would listen for hours to music-free radio programming that sounded like black-and-white movies. Today, Monocle Magazine brought some of that magic back by launching Monocle Weekly, a 30-minute audio podcast. Hosted by editor in chief Tyler Brûlé, the short-form show extends the publication's monthly print content by offering fresh angles on stories in current and past issues, discussions, previews, field reports, and interviews. The light conversations on serious issues are entertaining and informative, and the old-fashioned stereo split of voices evokes the coziness of good old vintage radio.Highlights of the first issue include FT markets correspondent Rachel Morarjee revealing why 'under the mattress' has become a favorite place to keep your savings (at least in the UK), and philosopher Alain de Botton explaining why happiness will be more important than watching your salary in 2009: "There is no wealth but life, so concentrate on your portfolio of life, and not your portfolio of cash."Well said. Although this may not be the most effective response to someone who just lost his or her job, the longing for new meaning in private and public life ("why exactly do we work?") will likely be an overarching theme in the forthcoming year. This presents a huge opportunity for brands of all kinds and industries: they are the arbiters of meaning.Listen yourself: http://monocle.com/The-Monocle-Weekly/ (also available on iTunes)
Yes, we live (again) in the "age of conversations." There is something reassuring about listening to smart people having cultured conversations. When I was young, I would listen for hours to music-free radio programming that sounded like black-and-white movies. Today, Monocle Magazine brought some of that magic back by launching Monocle Weekly, a 30-minute audio podcast. Hosted by editor in chief Tyler Brûlé, the short-form show extends the publication's monthly print content by offering fresh angles on stories in current and past issues, discussions, previews, field reports, and interviews. The light conversations on serious issues are entertaining and informative, and the old-fashioned stereo split of voices evokes the coziness of good old vintage radio.Highlights of the first issue include FT markets correspondent Rachel Morarjee revealing why 'under the mattress' has become a favorite place to keep your savings (at least in the UK), and philosopher Alain de Botton explaining why happiness will be more important than watching your salary in 2009: "There is no wealth but life, so concentrate on your portfolio of life, and not your portfolio of cash."Well said. Although this may not be the most effective response to someone who just lost his or her job, the longing for new meaning in private and public life ("why exactly do we work?") will likely be an overarching theme in the forthcoming year. This presents a huge opportunity for brands of all kinds and industries: they are the arbiters of meaning.Listen yourself: http://monocle.com/The-Monocle-Weekly/ (also available on iTunes)
MobileMe rumors grow- Could half of iPad 2's appeal be in the cloud-
MobileMe rumors grow: Could half of iPad 2's appeal be in the cloud?
While everyone has been wondering what exactly the new and probably imminently announced iPad 2 will look like and be made of, rumors continue to grow about a MobileMe update allowing streaming media to iOS devices.The latest rumor from Cult of Mac, via MacRumors.com, claims that an Apple staff member has said a MobileMe update announced tomorrow will indeed allow music, TV shows, and even movies purchased via iTunes to be streamed over the cloud. CNET's reported on this likelihood before, and we'll see if it finally comes to fruition on Wednesday.A music-streaming cloud service has long been expected, ever since Apple acquired Lala back in 2009. In fact, Lala did exactly that for owners of music: scanning one's library, then enabling streaming from an already existent library without the need for uploading. It seems, at least to me, that a MobileMe update would be more likely to offer streaming in this manner than a literal uploading/hosting of one's actual media library. For video, this would be a big deal for iOS device users, especially iPad owners. Getting 1 and 2GB files on and off an iPad is a cumbersome process, and, frankly, it's what drives me to use Netflix or Hulu instead of thumbing through my archive of purchased movies sitting on an external hard drive.While the iPad 2 will likely make some important strides in terms of hardware, in the long run, better cloud-based software and content support is the most important key to the iPad's success. Do you agree?We'll know for sure tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
While everyone has been wondering what exactly the new and probably imminently announced iPad 2 will look like and be made of, rumors continue to grow about a MobileMe update allowing streaming media to iOS devices.The latest rumor from Cult of Mac, via MacRumors.com, claims that an Apple staff member has said a MobileMe update announced tomorrow will indeed allow music, TV shows, and even movies purchased via iTunes to be streamed over the cloud. CNET's reported on this likelihood before, and we'll see if it finally comes to fruition on Wednesday.A music-streaming cloud service has long been expected, ever since Apple acquired Lala back in 2009. In fact, Lala did exactly that for owners of music: scanning one's library, then enabling streaming from an already existent library without the need for uploading. It seems, at least to me, that a MobileMe update would be more likely to offer streaming in this manner than a literal uploading/hosting of one's actual media library. For video, this would be a big deal for iOS device users, especially iPad owners. Getting 1 and 2GB files on and off an iPad is a cumbersome process, and, frankly, it's what drives me to use Netflix or Hulu instead of thumbing through my archive of purchased movies sitting on an external hard drive.While the iPad 2 will likely make some important strides in terms of hardware, in the long run, better cloud-based software and content support is the most important key to the iPad's success. Do you agree?We'll know for sure tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
Missing 'Find Duplicates' feature in iTunes 11 to be restored
Missing 'Find Duplicates' feature in iTunes 11 to be restored
This development perhaps throws some light on the implementations of this feature elsewhere in Apple's products. Cover Flow originated in iTunes but has since been put to use in the AppleTV and the OS X Finder for quickly previewing files in a folder. If its original use in iTunes has not met Apple's expectations, then this may indicate changes to come for its use in OS X and elsewhere.Ultimately, even though some have been quite vocal about the loss of Cover Flow, it appears Apple will not be bringing it back.The second missing feature is iTunes DJ, which has been replaced with a more global implementation of the Up Next feature. While not the same as iTunes DJ, Up Next does offer some of the same features such as managing a live playlist from different library sources. Unfortunately, this does not exactly replace iTunes DJ which has left a number of people disappointed. However, while there are differences between iTunes DJ and Apple's new approach, Up Next is freshly out of the door so it is likely that popular features from the old service may make their way into the new one.A final issue with iTunes 11 is the removal of the Find Duplicates feature, which allows you to locate duplicate songs and manage them so you do not end up with a bloated library. The removal of this feature was apparently an oversight, and Apple claims it will be coming back in an upcoming minor update to the program to fix some outstanding bugs and other issues with the initial release.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
This development perhaps throws some light on the implementations of this feature elsewhere in Apple's products. Cover Flow originated in iTunes but has since been put to use in the AppleTV and the OS X Finder for quickly previewing files in a folder. If its original use in iTunes has not met Apple's expectations, then this may indicate changes to come for its use in OS X and elsewhere.Ultimately, even though some have been quite vocal about the loss of Cover Flow, it appears Apple will not be bringing it back.The second missing feature is iTunes DJ, which has been replaced with a more global implementation of the Up Next feature. While not the same as iTunes DJ, Up Next does offer some of the same features such as managing a live playlist from different library sources. Unfortunately, this does not exactly replace iTunes DJ which has left a number of people disappointed. However, while there are differences between iTunes DJ and Apple's new approach, Up Next is freshly out of the door so it is likely that popular features from the old service may make their way into the new one.A final issue with iTunes 11 is the removal of the Find Duplicates feature, which allows you to locate duplicate songs and manage them so you do not end up with a bloated library. The removal of this feature was apparently an oversight, and Apple claims it will be coming back in an upcoming minor update to the program to fix some outstanding bugs and other issues with the initial release.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Minecraft hits iOS tonight
Minecraft hits iOS tonight
One could say Mojang's Minecraft is a building and exploring game.However, on the verge of its iOS release at 8 p.m. PT tonight, the simple (yet incredibly complex) game is poised to become much more. Minecraft has become a multiplatform cult title that recently sold 4 million copies while in beta; eclipsed a staggering 2 million fans on Facebook; and is about to be the center of a two day sold-out convention in Las Vegas. MineCon will also be the launchpad for the first non-beta release, which will be known as version 1.0.MojangFans of the title remember the Android version, which debuted exclusively for the Xperia Play some months ago and then eventually came out on other phones using the operating system. Unfortunately, the $6.99 iOS version isn't much different, and only supports local multiplayer over Wi-Fi. iPad owners will be delighted to see that the app is universal, and will scale accordingly to their larger screen.Diggers will only be able to explore randomized worlds in creative mode with 36 different kinds of blocks.We hope that development will eventually bring it up to par with the desktop version, as this mobile experience sadly does not include survival mode. From my observation, developer Notch has let few people down so far with the evolution of the game (which has an incredible modding community).As the hours pass, Minecraft for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch will become available for all countries on iTunes. It is already available in New Zealand, as seen in the official link.Builders will only be able to explore randomized worlds in creative mode with 36 different kinds of blocks.Mojang
One could say Mojang's Minecraft is a building and exploring game.However, on the verge of its iOS release at 8 p.m. PT tonight, the simple (yet incredibly complex) game is poised to become much more. Minecraft has become a multiplatform cult title that recently sold 4 million copies while in beta; eclipsed a staggering 2 million fans on Facebook; and is about to be the center of a two day sold-out convention in Las Vegas. MineCon will also be the launchpad for the first non-beta release, which will be known as version 1.0.MojangFans of the title remember the Android version, which debuted exclusively for the Xperia Play some months ago and then eventually came out on other phones using the operating system. Unfortunately, the $6.99 iOS version isn't much different, and only supports local multiplayer over Wi-Fi. iPad owners will be delighted to see that the app is universal, and will scale accordingly to their larger screen.Diggers will only be able to explore randomized worlds in creative mode with 36 different kinds of blocks.We hope that development will eventually bring it up to par with the desktop version, as this mobile experience sadly does not include survival mode. From my observation, developer Notch has let few people down so far with the evolution of the game (which has an incredible modding community).As the hours pass, Minecraft for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch will become available for all countries on iTunes. It is already available in New Zealand, as seen in the official link.Builders will only be able to explore randomized worlds in creative mode with 36 different kinds of blocks.Mojang
Microsoft wants to start a bromance
Microsoft wants to start a bromance
The free app promises to curate men's lifestyle content from magazines and Web sites. Onit, as in "Bro, we are so on it," plans to offer auto reviews, workout tips, sports highlights, and fashion advice. The folks at the Windows Phone 7 app-watching site marketplacebrowser.com, using what appears to be Microsoft-written marketing copy, gush that "MSN Onit brings you a weekly dose of beautiful women, financial tips, the gadgets you need, the technology you lust after, and local news."Clearly, Microsoft wants to tap the 18-34-year-old male demographic, a lucrative market if ever there was one for mobile advertising. That's why, in addition to all the Maxim-like offerings, the app will also promote local activities for guys to hit, presumably as they trawl for action. And Onit will also offer tips for picking beers. (Who knew that was a such a challenge?) Those suggestions could lure restaurant advertisers.Just as Microsoft is playing catch-up with the iPhone with its Windows Phone 7, so too is it coming from behind with men's lifestyle apps. The iTunes store already offers apps such as iGentleman, a self-proclaimed men's style guide, and The Men's Book, which describes itself as "the ultimate resource for the stylish, affluent man."Whether or not men will turn to Microsoft to sort out their dude-needs remains to be seen. Then again, if you're even thinking about downloading the app, chances are, it couldn't hurt.
The free app promises to curate men's lifestyle content from magazines and Web sites. Onit, as in "Bro, we are so on it," plans to offer auto reviews, workout tips, sports highlights, and fashion advice. The folks at the Windows Phone 7 app-watching site marketplacebrowser.com, using what appears to be Microsoft-written marketing copy, gush that "MSN Onit brings you a weekly dose of beautiful women, financial tips, the gadgets you need, the technology you lust after, and local news."Clearly, Microsoft wants to tap the 18-34-year-old male demographic, a lucrative market if ever there was one for mobile advertising. That's why, in addition to all the Maxim-like offerings, the app will also promote local activities for guys to hit, presumably as they trawl for action. And Onit will also offer tips for picking beers. (Who knew that was a such a challenge?) Those suggestions could lure restaurant advertisers.Just as Microsoft is playing catch-up with the iPhone with its Windows Phone 7, so too is it coming from behind with men's lifestyle apps. The iTunes store already offers apps such as iGentleman, a self-proclaimed men's style guide, and The Men's Book, which describes itself as "the ultimate resource for the stylish, affluent man."Whether or not men will turn to Microsoft to sort out their dude-needs remains to be seen. Then again, if you're even thinking about downloading the app, chances are, it couldn't hurt.
Microsoft unveils Xbox Music
Microsoft unveils Xbox Music
Microsoft has unveiled a revamped music service, called Xbox Music, as it looks to better compete against the likes of Apple's iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify.Related storiesMicrosoft unveils Smart Glass, a multiscreen entertainment platformXbox throws down gauntlet to Apple TV (and Wii U) at E3E3 2012: Complete coverageThe company unveiled the service as part of its press conference at the E3 gaming event today. Microsoft said the service will include 30 million tracks available on the Xbox, as well as Windows 8 devices such as PCs and tablets. The announcement is part of Microsoft's effort to turn the Xbox video game console into the entertainment hub of the home. It also likely signals the death of its Zune Music service, with the company all but completely abandoning the music player. The service, which CNET first reported on, could give the music labels another high-profile distribution channel. While the Zune never made much of an impact with consumers, the Xbox already comes with a large installed base of users. The service is also expected to work with phones as well. Microsoft is following the path of Sony, which has also brought music to many devices, including the PlayStation and multiple mobile devices.
Microsoft has unveiled a revamped music service, called Xbox Music, as it looks to better compete against the likes of Apple's iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify.Related storiesMicrosoft unveils Smart Glass, a multiscreen entertainment platformXbox throws down gauntlet to Apple TV (and Wii U) at E3E3 2012: Complete coverageThe company unveiled the service as part of its press conference at the E3 gaming event today. Microsoft said the service will include 30 million tracks available on the Xbox, as well as Windows 8 devices such as PCs and tablets. The announcement is part of Microsoft's effort to turn the Xbox video game console into the entertainment hub of the home. It also likely signals the death of its Zune Music service, with the company all but completely abandoning the music player. The service, which CNET first reported on, could give the music labels another high-profile distribution channel. While the Zune never made much of an impact with consumers, the Xbox already comes with a large installed base of users. The service is also expected to work with phones as well. Microsoft is following the path of Sony, which has also brought music to many devices, including the PlayStation and multiple mobile devices.
Microsoft tunes up Windows 8 Xbox Music app
Microsoft tunes up Windows 8 Xbox Music app
Microsoft has tweaked its Xbox Music app with a few audible enhancements.The app now lets you add and sync your songs from your local library to the cloud so they're available on your other Windows 8 or RT devices. You can also automatically add any matched songs from your library to the cloud.You have more options when listening to an album. You can tell the app to repeat as well as shuffle songs. You can turn on a Smart DJ feature that tries to create a playlist based on songs you may like. Finally, Xbox Music offers its own dedicated volume button through the appbar. So you no longer need to navigate all the way to the Windows 8 Settings panel to adjust the volume.Like certain other Windows 8 apps, Xbox Music continues to feel rough around the edges. Microsoft has tried to create one app that ties together your local music, music in the cloud, and a store in which to buy music. That's hardly unique. Most music players and apps are set up that way.But navigating around Xbox Music is still clumsy, even when compared with iTunes, Amazon Music Player, and other music apps. The update smoothed some of the app's rough spots, so I hope Microsoft keeps playing with it to fine-tune it even further.Windows 8 and RT users should receive a notice inviting them to download the update the next time they open Xbox Music. They can also launch the Windows store and download the update from there.
Microsoft has tweaked its Xbox Music app with a few audible enhancements.The app now lets you add and sync your songs from your local library to the cloud so they're available on your other Windows 8 or RT devices. You can also automatically add any matched songs from your library to the cloud.You have more options when listening to an album. You can tell the app to repeat as well as shuffle songs. You can turn on a Smart DJ feature that tries to create a playlist based on songs you may like. Finally, Xbox Music offers its own dedicated volume button through the appbar. So you no longer need to navigate all the way to the Windows 8 Settings panel to adjust the volume.Like certain other Windows 8 apps, Xbox Music continues to feel rough around the edges. Microsoft has tried to create one app that ties together your local music, music in the cloud, and a store in which to buy music. That's hardly unique. Most music players and apps are set up that way.But navigating around Xbox Music is still clumsy, even when compared with iTunes, Amazon Music Player, and other music apps. The update smoothed some of the app's rough spots, so I hope Microsoft keeps playing with it to fine-tune it even further.Windows 8 and RT users should receive a notice inviting them to download the update the next time they open Xbox Music. They can also launch the Windows store and download the update from there.
Microsoft to release further Zune services in Australia
Microsoft to release further Zune services in Australia
Microsoft is looking to expand its Zune services in Australia, but we're not getting the full deal.While video rental is already possible for Xbox Live users in Australia, Microsoft has committed to video purchases and rentals across the Xbox Live, Windows Phone 7 and Windows platforms this spring, bringing the services to light just in time for coming Windows Phone 7 devices.Much like iTunes does for Apple's products, the Zune software will act as the synchronising client for Windows Phone 7 devices, and has also been updated to support streaming of high-definition video to Windows PCs. Content is tied to a Windows Live account, with the ability to transfer content between Windows Phone 7 handsets and Windows PCs. This includes being able to play content on either phone or PC, switch devices and then resume playback on the other device.Australian's, however, will not get access to music purchases, nor to Microsoft's monthly music subscription service called "Zune Pass", with purchases and subscription expanding only into the UK, France, Italy and Spain, and purchases only into Germany.The new Zune services will offer "forthcoming integration with ... Kinect for Xbox 360", allowing media control through the motion control system.
Microsoft is looking to expand its Zune services in Australia, but we're not getting the full deal.While video rental is already possible for Xbox Live users in Australia, Microsoft has committed to video purchases and rentals across the Xbox Live, Windows Phone 7 and Windows platforms this spring, bringing the services to light just in time for coming Windows Phone 7 devices.Much like iTunes does for Apple's products, the Zune software will act as the synchronising client for Windows Phone 7 devices, and has also been updated to support streaming of high-definition video to Windows PCs. Content is tied to a Windows Live account, with the ability to transfer content between Windows Phone 7 handsets and Windows PCs. This includes being able to play content on either phone or PC, switch devices and then resume playback on the other device.Australian's, however, will not get access to music purchases, nor to Microsoft's monthly music subscription service called "Zune Pass", with purchases and subscription expanding only into the UK, France, Italy and Spain, and purchases only into Germany.The new Zune services will offer "forthcoming integration with ... Kinect for Xbox 360", allowing media control through the motion control system.
Microsoft readying cross-platform Xbox music service, report says
Microsoft readying cross-platform Xbox music service, report says
Microsoft is planning to unveil a new music service at the E3 Gaming Expo in June, a new report claims.The offering, currently codenamed "Woodstock," will take on the Xbox branding, and allow people to stream music to Windows 8, Android, iOS, and the Xbox, according to The Verge, citing sources. The tech blog says the offering will "integrate deeply with Facebook" and not require any browser plug-ins to work.CNET initially reported on Microsoft's plans to launch a new music service back in February. At that time, Microsoft's negotiations with music labels were in their preliminary stages, but sources told CNET that the offering was slated to launch at some point this year.According to The Verge's sources, Microsoft's service will also include a "scan and match" feature, similar to iTunes Match, which will let users find songs from their current library within the platform.Related storiesMicrosoft mulls plan for new music service (exclusive)Spotify brings free music streaming to any Web site or blogHTC reportedly working on streaming music serviceMicrosoft has tried its luck in the music-streaming space before with Zune Music Pass and Urge, but its success has been limited, to say the least. By jumping into the streaming fray with this new offering, Microsoft will be forced to compete with a host of entrenched competitors, including Spotify and Pandora. In other words, the barriers to success seem somewhat high.It's not immediately clear when Microsoft might launch the streaming service or how much it will cost. CNET has contacted Microsoft for comment.
Microsoft is planning to unveil a new music service at the E3 Gaming Expo in June, a new report claims.The offering, currently codenamed "Woodstock," will take on the Xbox branding, and allow people to stream music to Windows 8, Android, iOS, and the Xbox, according to The Verge, citing sources. The tech blog says the offering will "integrate deeply with Facebook" and not require any browser plug-ins to work.CNET initially reported on Microsoft's plans to launch a new music service back in February. At that time, Microsoft's negotiations with music labels were in their preliminary stages, but sources told CNET that the offering was slated to launch at some point this year.According to The Verge's sources, Microsoft's service will also include a "scan and match" feature, similar to iTunes Match, which will let users find songs from their current library within the platform.Related storiesMicrosoft mulls plan for new music service (exclusive)Spotify brings free music streaming to any Web site or blogHTC reportedly working on streaming music serviceMicrosoft has tried its luck in the music-streaming space before with Zune Music Pass and Urge, but its success has been limited, to say the least. By jumping into the streaming fray with this new offering, Microsoft will be forced to compete with a host of entrenched competitors, including Spotify and Pandora. In other words, the barriers to success seem somewhat high.It's not immediately clear when Microsoft might launch the streaming service or how much it will cost. CNET has contacted Microsoft for comment.
Microsoft presses play on Xbox Music for iOS, Android apps
Microsoft presses play on Xbox Music for iOS, Android apps
Microsoft is expanding the reach of its Xbox Music streaming service with the launch of apps for the iOS and Android mobile platforms and free streaming on the Web.Previously available only to users of Windows-powered devices, the service now allows users of Android and iOS devices to subscribe to receive unlimited access to their preferred music via the Xbox Music Pass, which costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. The Web player is available on an ad-supported basis or ad-free with a subscription. The tech titan said users of the free Web service will have on-demand access to 30 million songs."Xbox Music now, more than ever, powers music experiences between Windows 8, Xbox, Windows Phone, and now iOS, Android and the Web," Xbox General Manager Jerry Johnson said in a statement.The expansion comes less than a year after the company revamped its Zune Music service to better compete against Apple's iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify.Like rival Sony, Microsoft has been trying to turn its game console into the entertainment hub of the home.Originally announced last year at the E3 gaming expo, the offering was baked into the Xbox 360 and Windows 8. While Microsoft promised a year ago it would make Xbox Music available on iOS and Android, this appears to be the first time the company has made one of its entertainment services available on the rival platforms.
Microsoft is expanding the reach of its Xbox Music streaming service with the launch of apps for the iOS and Android mobile platforms and free streaming on the Web.Previously available only to users of Windows-powered devices, the service now allows users of Android and iOS devices to subscribe to receive unlimited access to their preferred music via the Xbox Music Pass, which costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. The Web player is available on an ad-supported basis or ad-free with a subscription. The tech titan said users of the free Web service will have on-demand access to 30 million songs."Xbox Music now, more than ever, powers music experiences between Windows 8, Xbox, Windows Phone, and now iOS, Android and the Web," Xbox General Manager Jerry Johnson said in a statement.The expansion comes less than a year after the company revamped its Zune Music service to better compete against Apple's iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify.Like rival Sony, Microsoft has been trying to turn its game console into the entertainment hub of the home.Originally announced last year at the E3 gaming expo, the offering was baked into the Xbox 360 and Windows 8. While Microsoft promised a year ago it would make Xbox Music available on iOS and Android, this appears to be the first time the company has made one of its entertainment services available on the rival platforms.
Microsoft prepping Xbox Music for the Web
Microsoft prepping Xbox Music for the Web
Microsoft is preparing a version of Xbox Music that will offer access to its subscription, storage, and track-purchasing service beyond its current Windows 8 and game console iterations."A Web version for Xbox Music will launch next week," a Microsoft spokeswoman said. "We will have more details to share then."The news of the Web version was first reported by The Verge.Related storiesMicrosoft tunes up Windows 8 Xbox Music appMicrosoft bakes Xbox Music into Windows 8Xbox Music is an impressive but largely Windows 8 experienceMicrosoft baked Xbox Music into Windows 8, when the operating system debuted in October. The company used the leverage of its dominant operating system to help spark the service's business as it competes with iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and others.The Web version of Xbox Music is likely to offer music streaming though a browser. Microsoft had said that it will create versions of the service for rival platforms, such as Apple's iOS and Google's Android mobile operating systems, to be available sometime this year. It's unclear, though, if that will be part of next week's announcement.
Microsoft is preparing a version of Xbox Music that will offer access to its subscription, storage, and track-purchasing service beyond its current Windows 8 and game console iterations."A Web version for Xbox Music will launch next week," a Microsoft spokeswoman said. "We will have more details to share then."The news of the Web version was first reported by The Verge.Related storiesMicrosoft tunes up Windows 8 Xbox Music appMicrosoft bakes Xbox Music into Windows 8Xbox Music is an impressive but largely Windows 8 experienceMicrosoft baked Xbox Music into Windows 8, when the operating system debuted in October. The company used the leverage of its dominant operating system to help spark the service's business as it competes with iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and others.The Web version of Xbox Music is likely to offer music streaming though a browser. Microsoft had said that it will create versions of the service for rival platforms, such as Apple's iOS and Google's Android mobile operating systems, to be available sometime this year. It's unclear, though, if that will be part of next week's announcement.
Microsoft planning a Zune-centric entertainment store-
Microsoft planning a Zune-centric entertainment store?
Microsoft may be putting together an "entertainment marketplace" tentatively named Zune VideoX, ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reported Wednesday. In other words, it's yet another digital content store trying to take a bite out of Apple's iTunes.Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Devices and Entertainment eHome division, is reportedly spearheading the project. But it goes without saying that as with any of these "iTunes killers" that seem to pop up like mushrooms after rain, well, it's going to be an uphill battle even for Redmond.Creating a solid digital download store is something that Microsoft has tried repeatedly, and hasn't gotten right yet. Its Zune Marketplace hasn't exactly been a resounding success. There has also been chatter about something called "eLive," a marketplace of digital download content--music, video, games--for Zune digital media players, Windows-based PCs, Xbox gaming consoles, and Windows Mobile smartphones."eLive was renamed and recrafted to Zune VideoX," a source told Foley, "and the eLive vision scaled down to focus on Zune." Really? That's too bad. The Xbox has been a much more resounding success than the Zune, and it already has the successful Xbox Live Marketplace as a starting point.That said, there's reportedly a third-generation Zune coming next year. And on another note, can somebody please outlaw the term "iTunes killer?"
Microsoft may be putting together an "entertainment marketplace" tentatively named Zune VideoX, ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reported Wednesday. In other words, it's yet another digital content store trying to take a bite out of Apple's iTunes.Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Devices and Entertainment eHome division, is reportedly spearheading the project. But it goes without saying that as with any of these "iTunes killers" that seem to pop up like mushrooms after rain, well, it's going to be an uphill battle even for Redmond.Creating a solid digital download store is something that Microsoft has tried repeatedly, and hasn't gotten right yet. Its Zune Marketplace hasn't exactly been a resounding success. There has also been chatter about something called "eLive," a marketplace of digital download content--music, video, games--for Zune digital media players, Windows-based PCs, Xbox gaming consoles, and Windows Mobile smartphones."eLive was renamed and recrafted to Zune VideoX," a source told Foley, "and the eLive vision scaled down to focus on Zune." Really? That's too bad. The Xbox has been a much more resounding success than the Zune, and it already has the successful Xbox Live Marketplace as a starting point.That said, there's reportedly a third-generation Zune coming next year. And on another note, can somebody please outlaw the term "iTunes killer?"
Microsoft opens online mobile Marketplace
Microsoft opens online mobile Marketplace
Windows Marketplace for Mobile debuted in October as Microsoft's answer to smartphone app stores. As with Google's Android Market, Windows Mobile 6.5 users could initially only find and purchase apps from the device. Now Microsoft has published an online catalog to mirror its mobile storefront.As with iPhone's app store in iTunes and BlackBerry's online App World, Windows Marketplace for Mobile site lets you find apps by browsing, searching, or discovering programs from lists of what's most popular or new. App screenshots, ratings, and version details are accessible from product pages. Like BlackBerry's App World, you can pick apps from the online catalog to install via Marketplace for Mobile on your smartphone.In addition to discovering new applications to download, the online mobile Marketplace has a management window for you to track your download history and tweak your account settings.Developers will see a separate portal that contains community resources, blog posts, and lists of upcoming events. Although Microsoft has been the tardiest of the major mobile platform developers to implement an app store solution, it's to Microsoft's credit that the company is quickly rounding out its storefront with an online catalog. Now Microsoft just needs to open up the Marketplace to phone owners using older versions of Windows Mobile operating systems.
Windows Marketplace for Mobile debuted in October as Microsoft's answer to smartphone app stores. As with Google's Android Market, Windows Mobile 6.5 users could initially only find and purchase apps from the device. Now Microsoft has published an online catalog to mirror its mobile storefront.As with iPhone's app store in iTunes and BlackBerry's online App World, Windows Marketplace for Mobile site lets you find apps by browsing, searching, or discovering programs from lists of what's most popular or new. App screenshots, ratings, and version details are accessible from product pages. Like BlackBerry's App World, you can pick apps from the online catalog to install via Marketplace for Mobile on your smartphone.In addition to discovering new applications to download, the online mobile Marketplace has a management window for you to track your download history and tweak your account settings.Developers will see a separate portal that contains community resources, blog posts, and lists of upcoming events. Although Microsoft has been the tardiest of the major mobile platform developers to implement an app store solution, it's to Microsoft's credit that the company is quickly rounding out its storefront with an online catalog. Now Microsoft just needs to open up the Marketplace to phone owners using older versions of Windows Mobile operating systems.
Microsoft launches iOS, Android apps for remote PC access
Microsoft launches iOS, Android apps for remote PC access
Microsoft has launched Microsoft Remote Desktop, a pair of apps compatible with every version of Windows that supports Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for remote PC access.It's a little fiddly to set up; first, you have to make sure RDP is enabled on your desktop machine and then you have to enter your computer's IP address (which you can find by searching Google for "IP address") and log-in credentials.One you're in, though, you can access your entire desktop PC from your Android or iOS phone or tablet.This means that you can get into all your data and applications through a connection that uses RDP's secure Network Layer Authentication. Of course, it'll shrink everything right down, so it might not be the best thing to be viewing a 1980x1080p screen on an iPhone's 4-inch display, but if you have a tablet, it can be an indispensable way to access, say, your work machine from home or a conference room.Both apps have been optimised to support a multi-touch interface, support high-quality video and sound streaming and can connect to external monitors or projectors for presentations.Microsoft Remote Desktop is free and can be picked up from the iTunes Store and Google Play.
Microsoft has launched Microsoft Remote Desktop, a pair of apps compatible with every version of Windows that supports Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for remote PC access.It's a little fiddly to set up; first, you have to make sure RDP is enabled on your desktop machine and then you have to enter your computer's IP address (which you can find by searching Google for "IP address") and log-in credentials.One you're in, though, you can access your entire desktop PC from your Android or iOS phone or tablet.This means that you can get into all your data and applications through a connection that uses RDP's secure Network Layer Authentication. Of course, it'll shrink everything right down, so it might not be the best thing to be viewing a 1980x1080p screen on an iPhone's 4-inch display, but if you have a tablet, it can be an indispensable way to access, say, your work machine from home or a conference room.Both apps have been optimised to support a multi-touch interface, support high-quality video and sound streaming and can connect to external monitors or projectors for presentations.Microsoft Remote Desktop is free and can be picked up from the iTunes Store and Google Play.
Microsoft goes after Mac on price in new ad
Microsoft goes after Mac on price in new ad
You will feel a tickling sensation in several parts of your anatomy when you hear that Lauren succeeds in her quest for budget-conscious joy. She wanders into a place that looks remarkably like Best Buy, where the choirs are singing and the choices are plentiful. She settles on a Hewlett-Packard PC that fulfills all her wishes. It even offers to drive her home. Well, not quite. The HP is such a bargain that she pays cash. Is it because she happens to have about $700 in her purse, as all average female consumers do? No, because a helpful producer hands her the money.This is perhaps Microsoft's most aggressive declaration of an advertising war against the Mac in a long, long time. What fun that the company and its ad agency, Crispin, Porter and Bogusky, have chosen an overt price war. It will be interesting to see just how many cash-unconscious Americans will be persuaded to accept their own lack of sidewalk credibility and venture toward the PC.And it will be interesting whether someone might be a little upset over the clear implication that Macs cost twice as much as PCs. After all, last week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer suggested that the Apple logo costs only $500.And now, back to the other March Madness.
You will feel a tickling sensation in several parts of your anatomy when you hear that Lauren succeeds in her quest for budget-conscious joy. She wanders into a place that looks remarkably like Best Buy, where the choirs are singing and the choices are plentiful. She settles on a Hewlett-Packard PC that fulfills all her wishes. It even offers to drive her home. Well, not quite. The HP is such a bargain that she pays cash. Is it because she happens to have about $700 in her purse, as all average female consumers do? No, because a helpful producer hands her the money.This is perhaps Microsoft's most aggressive declaration of an advertising war against the Mac in a long, long time. What fun that the company and its ad agency, Crispin, Porter and Bogusky, have chosen an overt price war. It will be interesting to see just how many cash-unconscious Americans will be persuaded to accept their own lack of sidewalk credibility and venture toward the PC.And it will be interesting whether someone might be a little upset over the clear implication that Macs cost twice as much as PCs. After all, last week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer suggested that the Apple logo costs only $500.And now, back to the other March Madness.
Microsoft axes handful of Zune Music features
Microsoft axes handful of Zune Music features
Microsoft announced today it will phase out some Zune Music features this week in advance of the launch of Xbox Music later this year.Mixview playback and channel playlists will be eliminated Friday, as well as the ability to stream or purchase music videos through desktop software, the software giant told Zune Music users in an e-mail (see below). Users will also lose many of the social features of the service, including the ability to send and receive messages, invite friends, and share songs, albums, and playlists.Also, users will no longer be able to redownload previously purchased music videos when users upgrade their computers.However, Microsoft assured Zune Music Pass users that the changes will not affect their ability to stream or download music or music purchased from Zune Marketplace.Unveiled at an E3 gaming event in June, the new Xbox Music service will be a revamped music service designed to better compete with Apple's iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify. Microsoft said the service will include 30 million tracks available on the Xbox, as well as Windows 8 devices such as PCs and tablets.
Microsoft announced today it will phase out some Zune Music features this week in advance of the launch of Xbox Music later this year.Mixview playback and channel playlists will be eliminated Friday, as well as the ability to stream or purchase music videos through desktop software, the software giant told Zune Music users in an e-mail (see below). Users will also lose many of the social features of the service, including the ability to send and receive messages, invite friends, and share songs, albums, and playlists.Also, users will no longer be able to redownload previously purchased music videos when users upgrade their computers.However, Microsoft assured Zune Music Pass users that the changes will not affect their ability to stream or download music or music purchased from Zune Marketplace.Unveiled at an E3 gaming event in June, the new Xbox Music service will be a revamped music service designed to better compete with Apple's iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify. Microsoft said the service will include 30 million tracks available on the Xbox, as well as Windows 8 devices such as PCs and tablets.
'Mew Mew Tower'- iPhone gets greatest cat game ever
'Mew Mew Tower': iPhone gets greatest cat game ever
Build a tower of Japanese cats of varying sizes, while using the iPhone's accelerometer to ensure they don't topple to their demise. Game concepts don't come much simpler, more cute, or more addictive.Mew Mew Tower (iTunes link) from B3 United is the latest cat-themed game to hit the iTunes App Store, and for $1.70 it might well be the best money you'll spend in January. We've been playing it for the last 24 hours, gleefully cheering as the ever-growing tower of cats meow in delight as another chubby puss is piled on to the apex. Using your finger, it's simply a case of pulling a cat from a hot air balloon, strategically placing it atop your cat tower, then returning to the balloon for a fresh cat. Our record is currently a tower of cats about 23 feet high. It's like Jenga, only with cats. The kitten physics leave something to be desired, but as stacking 20 cats on top of each other is as good as impossible in real life, you'd have to be a buffoon to complain that Moggy McFat-Paws didn't plummet to his doom quite realistically enough. What are you, a sadist? Get off our Web site! You can buy the game from the App Store now for $1.70, for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and you really, really should--even if just for the insanely awesome sound effects and hand-drawn kitties. Once you play, let us know what you think of the game in the comments below. (Via Crave UK)
Build a tower of Japanese cats of varying sizes, while using the iPhone's accelerometer to ensure they don't topple to their demise. Game concepts don't come much simpler, more cute, or more addictive.Mew Mew Tower (iTunes link) from B3 United is the latest cat-themed game to hit the iTunes App Store, and for $1.70 it might well be the best money you'll spend in January. We've been playing it for the last 24 hours, gleefully cheering as the ever-growing tower of cats meow in delight as another chubby puss is piled on to the apex. Using your finger, it's simply a case of pulling a cat from a hot air balloon, strategically placing it atop your cat tower, then returning to the balloon for a fresh cat. Our record is currently a tower of cats about 23 feet high. It's like Jenga, only with cats. The kitten physics leave something to be desired, but as stacking 20 cats on top of each other is as good as impossible in real life, you'd have to be a buffoon to complain that Moggy McFat-Paws didn't plummet to his doom quite realistically enough. What are you, a sadist? Get off our Web site! You can buy the game from the App Store now for $1.70, for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and you really, really should--even if just for the insanely awesome sound effects and hand-drawn kitties. Once you play, let us know what you think of the game in the comments below. (Via Crave UK)
Merge your Gmail and iPhone contacts
Merge your Gmail and iPhone contacts
Once the iPhone contact information has been added to your Gmail contacts, open the Gmail contacts list and click More actions > Find & merge duplicates. Any redundant entries the scanner locates are displayed with links for more details. Click Merge to combine all the duplicates at once.Use Google Contacts' automerge function to clear duplicate entries prior to syncing the list with you iPhone contacts via iTunes.Screenshot by Dennis O'ReillyAfter the duplicate entries have been excised, review the contact list to spot any double (or triple or quadruple) entries that automerge may have missed. In my case, 23 duplicate entries were merged automatically but about a half-dozen other dupes remained. To merge these manually, check their entries in the main contact list and click More Actions > Merge Contacts.When you're satisfied that the Google contacts are in order, return to iTunes and run the contact-sync option again to copy the newly trimmed list to your phone. The contact entries in Google and on your iPhone will then be identical, or as close to identical as the two systems allow.
Once the iPhone contact information has been added to your Gmail contacts, open the Gmail contacts list and click More actions > Find & merge duplicates. Any redundant entries the scanner locates are displayed with links for more details. Click Merge to combine all the duplicates at once.Use Google Contacts' automerge function to clear duplicate entries prior to syncing the list with you iPhone contacts via iTunes.Screenshot by Dennis O'ReillyAfter the duplicate entries have been excised, review the contact list to spot any double (or triple or quadruple) entries that automerge may have missed. In my case, 23 duplicate entries were merged automatically but about a half-dozen other dupes remained. To merge these manually, check their entries in the main contact list and click More Actions > Merge Contacts.When you're satisfied that the Google contacts are in order, return to iTunes and run the contact-sync option again to copy the newly trimmed list to your phone. The contact entries in Google and on your iPhone will then be identical, or as close to identical as the two systems allow.
McCartney available on iTunes--Beatles next-
McCartney available on iTunes--Beatles next?
The Beatles legend has a new solo album coming out next month titled "Memory Almost Full," and if you want a digital copy the only place you'll find it is at the iTunes Store, Apple announced Tuesday. With McCartney on board, and an agreement reached over litigation with Apple Recordsin February, the stage seems set for the long-awaited release of the Beatles' music on iTunes.CEO Steve Jobs is clearly a Beatles fan (of course, so is just about anybody under the age of 65 that likes rock music). "We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks," Jobs said in a statement when Apple announced the resolution of its litigation with Apple Corps, of which Apple Records is a division.With the new album, McCartney will have released 25 albums after the breakup of the Beatles, and the rest will become available on iTunes later this month. Those who order the album through iTunes in North America will get a free download of a video starring Natalie Portman for one of the songs, "Dance Tonight." Outside North America, you just get an acoustic version of that song. One single, "Ever Present Past," will be immediately available to everyone who preorders the album.
The Beatles legend has a new solo album coming out next month titled "Memory Almost Full," and if you want a digital copy the only place you'll find it is at the iTunes Store, Apple announced Tuesday. With McCartney on board, and an agreement reached over litigation with Apple Recordsin February, the stage seems set for the long-awaited release of the Beatles' music on iTunes.CEO Steve Jobs is clearly a Beatles fan (of course, so is just about anybody under the age of 65 that likes rock music). "We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks," Jobs said in a statement when Apple announced the resolution of its litigation with Apple Corps, of which Apple Records is a division.With the new album, McCartney will have released 25 albums after the breakup of the Beatles, and the rest will become available on iTunes later this month. Those who order the album through iTunes in North America will get a free download of a video starring Natalie Portman for one of the songs, "Dance Tonight." Outside North America, you just get an acoustic version of that song. One single, "Ever Present Past," will be immediately available to everyone who preorders the album.
McAfee- A million 'scareware' victims a day
McAfee: A million 'scareware' victims a day
In an interview (scroll down for podcast), McAfee's director of security research, Dave Marcus, said such programs are "actually worse than useless...It doesn't find what it says it finds and certainly doesn't clean what it doesn't find, the only thing it exists for is scaring you into making this purchase." "They're very clever in their social-engineering tactics,"he said. They often have a "slick Web page" that appears to be from a legitimate company.Marcus said that McAfee offers a free program called Stinger that helps determine if a program is a fake antivirus program. CNET's Download.com also offers several other free virus scanners.On a company blog, McAfee recommends the following:• Before downloading any security software from the Web, get a recommendation from someone you trust who is savvy about Internet security software.• Investigate the company before purchasing its software.• Be careful when responding to pop-up ads.Of course the company also recommends you install reputable anti-malware software and keep it and your other software up-to-date.PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
In an interview (scroll down for podcast), McAfee's director of security research, Dave Marcus, said such programs are "actually worse than useless...It doesn't find what it says it finds and certainly doesn't clean what it doesn't find, the only thing it exists for is scaring you into making this purchase." "They're very clever in their social-engineering tactics,"he said. They often have a "slick Web page" that appears to be from a legitimate company.Marcus said that McAfee offers a free program called Stinger that helps determine if a program is a fake antivirus program. CNET's Download.com also offers several other free virus scanners.On a company blog, McAfee recommends the following:• Before downloading any security software from the Web, get a recommendation from someone you trust who is savvy about Internet security software.• Investigate the company before purchasing its software.• Be careful when responding to pop-up ads.Of course the company also recommends you install reputable anti-malware software and keep it and your other software up-to-date.PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
Mario in the App Store- It's-a-me, Monino!
Mario in the App Store: It's-a-me, Monino!
Wishing Nintendo had its games available in Apple's App Store? Well, sometimes it does--even if they're buggy and, seemingly, completely without Nintendo's consent."Monino."Screenshot by Scott Stein/CNETA game called Monino has suddenly appeared in the App Store. At 99 cents, it looks like it's pretty close to a clone of Mario, not-so-cleverly renamed. And, upon download, we discovered that even the Mario music had been ripped off, too (a badly recorded soundtrack that sounded like it was pulled directly from the old NES game).Monino, as you can see, looks quite a bit like an Italian plumber of note. This rip-off doesn't exactly capture the essence of classic Nintendo gameplay, though: the virtual control pad is abysmal. Even more underhandedly, the name of the app in question isn't actually written in English, although the app's name shows up as "Monino" when downloaded. This might help a game like this from easily showing up in App Store searches.These types of games make their appearance in the App Store with some frequency: in fact, some time ago, near-perfect copies of Nintendo's Game and Watch LCD games appeared and were shortly pulled. Despite Apple's reputation for being sticklers in the approval process, games like these still manage to get through.As for Monino, we imagine he'll be gone before most people can even click on the iTunes link.(Via TUAW)
Wishing Nintendo had its games available in Apple's App Store? Well, sometimes it does--even if they're buggy and, seemingly, completely without Nintendo's consent."Monino."Screenshot by Scott Stein/CNETA game called Monino has suddenly appeared in the App Store. At 99 cents, it looks like it's pretty close to a clone of Mario, not-so-cleverly renamed. And, upon download, we discovered that even the Mario music had been ripped off, too (a badly recorded soundtrack that sounded like it was pulled directly from the old NES game).Monino, as you can see, looks quite a bit like an Italian plumber of note. This rip-off doesn't exactly capture the essence of classic Nintendo gameplay, though: the virtual control pad is abysmal. Even more underhandedly, the name of the app in question isn't actually written in English, although the app's name shows up as "Monino" when downloaded. This might help a game like this from easily showing up in App Store searches.These types of games make their appearance in the App Store with some frequency: in fact, some time ago, near-perfect copies of Nintendo's Game and Watch LCD games appeared and were shortly pulled. Despite Apple's reputation for being sticklers in the approval process, games like these still manage to get through.As for Monino, we imagine he'll be gone before most people can even click on the iTunes link.(Via TUAW)
Managing missing windows after using multiple displays
Managing missing windows after using multiple displays
Keep in mind that windows may still appear to be out of sight after being rearranged this way since the system may wedge them in a corner or against the edge of the screen with only a few pixels of the window showing. Additionally, the Dock may be covering a window if it was placed under it during the automatic rearrangement, so try hiding the Dock to expose an area of the window for movement.Finally, as one additional option you can use Expose and Spaces to locate and move "lost" windows to a working desktop area. Invoke spaces and activate Expose at the same time, and you should see all open windows on all available desktops, and be able to drag any from one desktop to another. If an extended desktop is being used even though a monitor is not active or connected, then you can use this to locate windows on that desktop and move them where you can use them.Update: While a "Gather Windows" button may be available in the system preferences for multiple-monitor setups, if windows are missing and the system does not detect multiple monitors attached then this option will not be available. Nevertheless, if it is present then it should also help locate missing windows.Questions? Comments? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Keep in mind that windows may still appear to be out of sight after being rearranged this way since the system may wedge them in a corner or against the edge of the screen with only a few pixels of the window showing. Additionally, the Dock may be covering a window if it was placed under it during the automatic rearrangement, so try hiding the Dock to expose an area of the window for movement.Finally, as one additional option you can use Expose and Spaces to locate and move "lost" windows to a working desktop area. Invoke spaces and activate Expose at the same time, and you should see all open windows on all available desktops, and be able to drag any from one desktop to another. If an extended desktop is being used even though a monitor is not active or connected, then you can use this to locate windows on that desktop and move them where you can use them.Update: While a "Gather Windows" button may be available in the system preferences for multiple-monitor setups, if windows are missing and the system does not detect multiple monitors attached then this option will not be available. Nevertheless, if it is present then it should also help locate missing windows.Questions? Comments? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Man who says 'Glee' ripped him off rips off 'Glee' rip-off
Man who says 'Glee' ripped him off rips off 'Glee' rip-off
When people steal your jokes, your haircut, or your music, the instinct is to fight back.It's hard, sometimes, to know how. Anger can be so bestial.But as Kotaku reports, Jonathan Coulton seems to have lighted on an excellent wheeze.Coulton, you might remember (or not), created a cover of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back," which then seemed to appear in all its blessed entirety (lyric changes included) on the popular musical psychology show "Glee."He doesn't seem to have got very far with appealing to such exalted entities as the producers of "Glee" or the lawyers of "Fox."Indeed, he says he was told he "should be happy for the exposure." Those with remaining hearts might wish to point out that the only exposure came from the media, rather than from "Glee," which didn't actually credit him at all.So Coulton has foxily tossed up on iTunes his own version of the song and titled it "Baby Got Back (In the Style of Glee)." He terms it "my cover of Glee's cover of my cover."Hee. Hee. Glee.Because all indy artists like Coulton have a soul, he is sending all the proceeds of this fine piece of music through February to charity.It seems, though, that Coulton feels less charitable toward the "Glee" people. For he has placed a very subtle image of himself on iTunes offering the "L" sign upon his forehead. I am fairly confident he is not expressing love.GleeSeason4Songs/YouTube Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET
When people steal your jokes, your haircut, or your music, the instinct is to fight back.It's hard, sometimes, to know how. Anger can be so bestial.But as Kotaku reports, Jonathan Coulton seems to have lighted on an excellent wheeze.Coulton, you might remember (or not), created a cover of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back," which then seemed to appear in all its blessed entirety (lyric changes included) on the popular musical psychology show "Glee."He doesn't seem to have got very far with appealing to such exalted entities as the producers of "Glee" or the lawyers of "Fox."Indeed, he says he was told he "should be happy for the exposure." Those with remaining hearts might wish to point out that the only exposure came from the media, rather than from "Glee," which didn't actually credit him at all.So Coulton has foxily tossed up on iTunes his own version of the song and titled it "Baby Got Back (In the Style of Glee)." He terms it "my cover of Glee's cover of my cover."Hee. Hee. Glee.Because all indy artists like Coulton have a soul, he is sending all the proceeds of this fine piece of music through February to charity.It seems, though, that Coulton feels less charitable toward the "Glee" people. For he has placed a very subtle image of himself on iTunes offering the "L" sign upon his forehead. I am fairly confident he is not expressing love.GleeSeason4Songs/YouTube Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET
Man says he saved bird with iPhone app
Man says he saved bird with iPhone app
It's hard out here for a chaffinch.People are putting up more and more houses. And then there's those solar panels that seem to have come out of nowhere. You bang into them and your head hurts more than when you've had eight pints of fertilizer.So who is going to help you? Well, someone with the right iPhone app, it seems.For here is the story of bird-loving tree surgeon, Leon Timms who, on discovering an injured chaffinch, operated on it with an iPhone app.The Sun records how Timms believed the bird was fighting for its life."I went to have a look and saw this chaffinch lying dazed on the ground -- it must have flown into the solar panels on the roof or one of the upstairs windows," he told the Sun.Timms says he began to stroke it. But then he had the magical idea of grabbing his iPhone and finding an app that offered the sound of a chaffinch.This is how I know this tale cannot be a publicity stunt for the app: it isn't named at all."It definitely responded to the sound of another chaffinch -- my wife was impressed that I had had the idea of using my mobile," said Timms. It must be good to be a man who not only impresses bird lovers everywhere, but also moves his wife.If only one could use this method for all flying things. I would dearly love it, when an airline is late or merely incompetent, to wave an app with the sound of another airline in order to breathe it back into normal service.
It's hard out here for a chaffinch.People are putting up more and more houses. And then there's those solar panels that seem to have come out of nowhere. You bang into them and your head hurts more than when you've had eight pints of fertilizer.So who is going to help you? Well, someone with the right iPhone app, it seems.For here is the story of bird-loving tree surgeon, Leon Timms who, on discovering an injured chaffinch, operated on it with an iPhone app.The Sun records how Timms believed the bird was fighting for its life."I went to have a look and saw this chaffinch lying dazed on the ground -- it must have flown into the solar panels on the roof or one of the upstairs windows," he told the Sun.Timms says he began to stroke it. But then he had the magical idea of grabbing his iPhone and finding an app that offered the sound of a chaffinch.This is how I know this tale cannot be a publicity stunt for the app: it isn't named at all."It definitely responded to the sound of another chaffinch -- my wife was impressed that I had had the idea of using my mobile," said Timms. It must be good to be a man who not only impresses bird lovers everywhere, but also moves his wife.If only one could use this method for all flying things. I would dearly love it, when an airline is late or merely incompetent, to wave an app with the sound of another airline in order to breathe it back into normal service.
Make playlists social with Songvote
Make playlists social with Songvote
For contest creation, Songvote provides a variety of parameters that allow you to tweak things to your liking. Along with the title, description, and contest end date, you can set an event date as well as allot the number of votes you would like each person to get (from 1 to 100). You may also specify whether people can comment or invite others, as well as decide who can vote: anyone in the world, only those you invite, or anybody with a VIP code. (The VIP code function allows you to share access via mediums other than e-mail, such as Facebook.) If you just feel like participating, you may simply visit the site and vote on any public contests, such as the one in the screen grab above. Completed public playlists are also easily accessible on an archive page and offer a handy iMix shortcut button for iTunes users.Songvote is not without a couple of limitations that I'd like to see addressed in the future. For instance, although you can limit nominating ability to just yourself as the contest organizer, you cannot limit the total number of songs nominated, which can cause a never-ending vote page. I would also like to see more of a grid layout on the voting page to cut down on some of the scrolling required, but this is a minor gripe. The number one missing feature for me is the option to export the mixes as M3U files, which are compatible with a variety of music jukeboxes beyond iTunes.Still, Songvote is quite an awesome service--and it's free to boot. I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone planning an event with music. I certainly plan to use it for my next one.
For contest creation, Songvote provides a variety of parameters that allow you to tweak things to your liking. Along with the title, description, and contest end date, you can set an event date as well as allot the number of votes you would like each person to get (from 1 to 100). You may also specify whether people can comment or invite others, as well as decide who can vote: anyone in the world, only those you invite, or anybody with a VIP code. (The VIP code function allows you to share access via mediums other than e-mail, such as Facebook.) If you just feel like participating, you may simply visit the site and vote on any public contests, such as the one in the screen grab above. Completed public playlists are also easily accessible on an archive page and offer a handy iMix shortcut button for iTunes users.Songvote is not without a couple of limitations that I'd like to see addressed in the future. For instance, although you can limit nominating ability to just yourself as the contest organizer, you cannot limit the total number of songs nominated, which can cause a never-ending vote page. I would also like to see more of a grid layout on the voting page to cut down on some of the scrolling required, but this is a minor gripe. The number one missing feature for me is the option to export the mixes as M3U files, which are compatible with a variety of music jukeboxes beyond iTunes.Still, Songvote is quite an awesome service--and it's free to boot. I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone planning an event with music. I certainly plan to use it for my next one.
Major music exec admits to being an audiophile
Major music exec admits to being an audiophile
Every year, the major record companies produce more miserable-sounding recordings. I'm not surprised by this. The labels know most folks listen to music with iTunes or streaming audio, and sound quality is a low priority for most music listeners. My weekend poll is ample proof of that. Lyor Cohen, CEO of recorded music for the Warner Music Group, cares about sound, at least at home. He admitted, in so many words, to being an audiophile on the pages of the September 20 New York Times Sunday magazine. The media has been alerted! It's like learning that a fast-food bigwig is a wine snob.Cohen was Run-DMC's road manager in the 1980s, and he now works with Jay-Z, Madonna, and the Beastie Boys. In the article, Cohen said his hi-fi is his "favorite possession." The Clearaudio turntable pictured in the article is a very high-end German model that "won a gold medal at a consumer technology convention a few years ago." Cohen's producer friend Rick Rubin, who I know is a hard-core audiophile, turned the Warner exec onto good sound. Cohen even went so far as to say vinyl is his favorite music media. That's cool; I'm sure Warner's income from vinyl is infinitesimal, so it's especially nice to hear the man in charge say something such as that. Yes, just because Warner's top guy is an audiophile doesn't mean his company makes good-sounding music, but at least the top guy is aware of good sound. He sounds like an interesting man.
Every year, the major record companies produce more miserable-sounding recordings. I'm not surprised by this. The labels know most folks listen to music with iTunes or streaming audio, and sound quality is a low priority for most music listeners. My weekend poll is ample proof of that. Lyor Cohen, CEO of recorded music for the Warner Music Group, cares about sound, at least at home. He admitted, in so many words, to being an audiophile on the pages of the September 20 New York Times Sunday magazine. The media has been alerted! It's like learning that a fast-food bigwig is a wine snob.Cohen was Run-DMC's road manager in the 1980s, and he now works with Jay-Z, Madonna, and the Beastie Boys. In the article, Cohen said his hi-fi is his "favorite possession." The Clearaudio turntable pictured in the article is a very high-end German model that "won a gold medal at a consumer technology convention a few years ago." Cohen's producer friend Rick Rubin, who I know is a hard-core audiophile, turned the Warner exec onto good sound. Cohen even went so far as to say vinyl is his favorite music media. That's cool; I'm sure Warner's income from vinyl is infinitesimal, so it's especially nice to hear the man in charge say something such as that. Yes, just because Warner's top guy is an audiophile doesn't mean his company makes good-sounding music, but at least the top guy is aware of good sound. He sounds like an interesting man.
Mailbox e-mail app signs up 1 million users
Mailbox e-mail app signs up 1 million users
Dropbox's Mailbox app for iOS has just picked up its 1 millionth user.The free app hit the iTunes store on February 7, where iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users can download it. But access to the actual service has been doled out on a first-come, first-served basis via a reservation system.As of yesterday, 1 million of those reservations have been filled, according to a blog from the Mailbox team. But there are still a fair number of people in line.Filling out a reservation today, I learned that around 445,500 users are ahead of me. The folks at Mailbox seem to take a second on average to fill each reservation. So if my math is correct and that speed remains consistent, I should receive access in about five days. The Mailbox team has promised that the rollout will ramp up overtime until eventually a reservation system is no longer needed.The app itself has been beefed up. Beyond offering bug fixes and performance tweaks, it now lets you undo your last action simply by shaking your phone.Related storiesMailbox for iPhone goes liveMailbox (iOS) reviewGet started with Mailbox for iOSMailbox is mobile e-mailing done right (pictures)The Mailbox team also revealed that it's now settled into its new offices at Dropbox, which last week snapped up the app and its 14-member team.Why has Mailbox scooped up more than a million users so far?CNET's review of Mailbox cheered the app for its uncluttered interface and simple way to let you organize your e-mail. The only downsides are that the app is available just for iOS and supports Gmail as the sole e-mail service.For now, I'm eager to see if Mailbox is worth the wait.
Dropbox's Mailbox app for iOS has just picked up its 1 millionth user.The free app hit the iTunes store on February 7, where iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users can download it. But access to the actual service has been doled out on a first-come, first-served basis via a reservation system.As of yesterday, 1 million of those reservations have been filled, according to a blog from the Mailbox team. But there are still a fair number of people in line.Filling out a reservation today, I learned that around 445,500 users are ahead of me. The folks at Mailbox seem to take a second on average to fill each reservation. So if my math is correct and that speed remains consistent, I should receive access in about five days. The Mailbox team has promised that the rollout will ramp up overtime until eventually a reservation system is no longer needed.The app itself has been beefed up. Beyond offering bug fixes and performance tweaks, it now lets you undo your last action simply by shaking your phone.Related storiesMailbox for iPhone goes liveMailbox (iOS) reviewGet started with Mailbox for iOSMailbox is mobile e-mailing done right (pictures)The Mailbox team also revealed that it's now settled into its new offices at Dropbox, which last week snapped up the app and its 14-member team.Why has Mailbox scooped up more than a million users so far?CNET's review of Mailbox cheered the app for its uncluttered interface and simple way to let you organize your e-mail. The only downsides are that the app is available just for iOS and supports Gmail as the sole e-mail service.For now, I'm eager to see if Mailbox is worth the wait.
Magisto is magic at CES Mobile Apps Showdown
Magisto is magic at CES Mobile Apps Showdown
LAS VEGAS--Magisto took home the top prize in this year's CES Mobile Apps Showdown.Amid a minefield of technical difficulties at the show, magical one-touch video editor Magisto and its well-rehearsed app demonstration emerged from today's CES Mobile Apps Showdown victorious.The Mobile Apps Showdown featured 10 finalists, whittled down from dozens of total submissions. At the show, each developer had 4 minutes to pitch his app to the packed LVCC Conference room, and were ultimately judged by a good old-fashioned applause-o-meter.Attendees were treated to presentations with flashy costumes, acted-out skits, and even a bit of augmented reality. But in the end, it was Magisto's polished presentation and seemingly magical skill set that won over the crowd. Oohs and aahs were heard as Magisto CEO Oren Boiman showed off Magisto's one-touch editing functionality and real-world applications. I covered Magisto's launch here at CES, and was thoroughly impressed with its ability to highlight the underlying stories in what could otherwise be boring, static video. It is available for free download now in the iTunes App Store. The second, slightly less coveted title of the day--the online vote winner--went to Macaw, a personal health monitor app. Macaw was developed by Preventive Medicine Inc., and can keep track of your exercise, weight, caloric intake, biometrics, and more. Macaw (iPhone | Android) is available for free download now in both the iTunes App Store and Android Market.
LAS VEGAS--Magisto took home the top prize in this year's CES Mobile Apps Showdown.Amid a minefield of technical difficulties at the show, magical one-touch video editor Magisto and its well-rehearsed app demonstration emerged from today's CES Mobile Apps Showdown victorious.The Mobile Apps Showdown featured 10 finalists, whittled down from dozens of total submissions. At the show, each developer had 4 minutes to pitch his app to the packed LVCC Conference room, and were ultimately judged by a good old-fashioned applause-o-meter.Attendees were treated to presentations with flashy costumes, acted-out skits, and even a bit of augmented reality. But in the end, it was Magisto's polished presentation and seemingly magical skill set that won over the crowd. Oohs and aahs were heard as Magisto CEO Oren Boiman showed off Magisto's one-touch editing functionality and real-world applications. I covered Magisto's launch here at CES, and was thoroughly impressed with its ability to highlight the underlying stories in what could otherwise be boring, static video. It is available for free download now in the iTunes App Store. The second, slightly less coveted title of the day--the online vote winner--went to Macaw, a personal health monitor app. Macaw was developed by Preventive Medicine Inc., and can keep track of your exercise, weight, caloric intake, biometrics, and more. Macaw (iPhone | Android) is available for free download now in both the iTunes App Store and Android Market.
Mac apps on Windows suck. Here's why.
Mac apps on Windows suck. Here's why.
iTunes is a bad Windows app. It's slow and it's a horrible resource hog. On the Mac, though, it's another story. The app taunts Windows users.And now, Apple is going to bundle a redundant Windows browser, Safari, with iTunes. Who cares? Users won't--or shouldn't. Safari may be faster than IE, but it has no plug-in support, as Firefox (and even IE) does. It does have tabs. Big deal.Safari is a runtime for iPhone developers, as other writers have covered here and here. If you develop a site for the Safari browser, it will also work on the iPhone, according to Steve Jobs. It's an iPhone app validator. It's not a browser that people need to use.Yet they will, and some will be smitten by Safari's unobtrusive design, fancy roll-up interface features, and possibly its speed. They'll wonder why their Windows PC doesn't have the same (non-Windows) look and feel. And they'll think, If only I had a Mac, then all my apps would be this nice.But if Apple was really serious about bringing good apps to the PC, it'd release good PC versions of iLife and Final Cut for Windows. Those are what Windows users need. The current apps do not make Apple a friend of the PC, the recent Jobs/Gates lovefest notwithstanding. iTunes is a store and a (bad) control panel for iPods. And Safari is a platform for developers. Neither are good Windows apps. Both are, though, good marketing platforms for selling more Macs.
iTunes is a bad Windows app. It's slow and it's a horrible resource hog. On the Mac, though, it's another story. The app taunts Windows users.And now, Apple is going to bundle a redundant Windows browser, Safari, with iTunes. Who cares? Users won't--or shouldn't. Safari may be faster than IE, but it has no plug-in support, as Firefox (and even IE) does. It does have tabs. Big deal.Safari is a runtime for iPhone developers, as other writers have covered here and here. If you develop a site for the Safari browser, it will also work on the iPhone, according to Steve Jobs. It's an iPhone app validator. It's not a browser that people need to use.Yet they will, and some will be smitten by Safari's unobtrusive design, fancy roll-up interface features, and possibly its speed. They'll wonder why their Windows PC doesn't have the same (non-Windows) look and feel. And they'll think, If only I had a Mac, then all my apps would be this nice.But if Apple was really serious about bringing good apps to the PC, it'd release good PC versions of iLife and Final Cut for Windows. Those are what Windows users need. The current apps do not make Apple a friend of the PC, the recent Jobs/Gates lovefest notwithstanding. iTunes is a store and a (bad) control panel for iPods. And Safari is a platform for developers. Neither are good Windows apps. Both are, though, good marketing platforms for selling more Macs.
Logitech Squeezebox Boom looks like a winner
Logitech Squeezebox Boom looks like a winner
Once again, CNET's John Falcone has beaten me to the punch with a full review, but even without his validation, at first glance this looks like a great product for users with large collections of digital music trapped on their computers. Beginning in September, $300 will get you a boombox that can connect to your computer over a Wi-Fi network, and plays a huge variety of files--not just garden-variety MP3s, WMAs, and AACs, but also relative rarities beloved by digital audiophiles like Ogg, FLAC, and Apple Lossless. The necessary software works not only with PC and Mac but various flavors of Linux (including a Debian/Ubuntu installation package). It also lets you connect to various Internet radio services, such as Pandora, Rhapsody, and LastFM. The only possible drawback: it can't play DRM-protected files. Which means if a large portion of your digital music collection was purchased from iTunes (or a WMA competitor) before the last year when these services began offering more DRM-free files, you won't be able to play it on the Boom.An aside: the product line is called Squeezebox, which I assumed was a reference to the 1975 Who song. But Logitech's product shots show the Boom playing "Tempted," the 1981 single by Squeeze. So which is it--Who fans or Squeeze fans?
Once again, CNET's John Falcone has beaten me to the punch with a full review, but even without his validation, at first glance this looks like a great product for users with large collections of digital music trapped on their computers. Beginning in September, $300 will get you a boombox that can connect to your computer over a Wi-Fi network, and plays a huge variety of files--not just garden-variety MP3s, WMAs, and AACs, but also relative rarities beloved by digital audiophiles like Ogg, FLAC, and Apple Lossless. The necessary software works not only with PC and Mac but various flavors of Linux (including a Debian/Ubuntu installation package). It also lets you connect to various Internet radio services, such as Pandora, Rhapsody, and LastFM. The only possible drawback: it can't play DRM-protected files. Which means if a large portion of your digital music collection was purchased from iTunes (or a WMA competitor) before the last year when these services began offering more DRM-free files, you won't be able to play it on the Boom.An aside: the product line is called Squeezebox, which I assumed was a reference to the 1975 Who song. But Logitech's product shots show the Boom playing "Tempted," the 1981 single by Squeeze. So which is it--Who fans or Squeeze fans?
Logitech introduces new omnidirectional Z5 USB PC speakers
Logitech introduces new omnidirectional Z5 USB PC speakers
A couple of years ago Logitech brought out the Z10s, an interesting set of PC speakers that featured USB connectivity and a digital readout on the front of one of the speakers. They looked good, sounded decent, and were cutting edge in their nod to visually incorporating digital-music playback.Now the company is serving up the Z5s ($99.99), which don't feature the fancy digital readout but offer some intriguing design elements--including omnidirectional sound--and the same USB connectivity.The black Z5s have a simple, clean, modern look, but aren't quite the knockouts that the Z10s are. From afar at least, the Z5s look more luxurious than they really are. Pick them up and you'll notice that they feel a little light. They weigh in at 1.5 lbs for the left speaker and 1.66 lbs. for the right, and measure 10-inches high by 3.3-inches wide by 3.3-inches deep.They're compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs and radiate sound from their front, back, and sides. Marketed toward laptop owners, they ship with a little remote that has a quick-launch button that can be programmed to launch iTunes, Windows Media, or the audio application of your choosing.We'll have a full review shortly, but feel free to get some comments in here while you wait.
A couple of years ago Logitech brought out the Z10s, an interesting set of PC speakers that featured USB connectivity and a digital readout on the front of one of the speakers. They looked good, sounded decent, and were cutting edge in their nod to visually incorporating digital-music playback.Now the company is serving up the Z5s ($99.99), which don't feature the fancy digital readout but offer some intriguing design elements--including omnidirectional sound--and the same USB connectivity.The black Z5s have a simple, clean, modern look, but aren't quite the knockouts that the Z10s are. From afar at least, the Z5s look more luxurious than they really are. Pick them up and you'll notice that they feel a little light. They weigh in at 1.5 lbs for the left speaker and 1.66 lbs. for the right, and measure 10-inches high by 3.3-inches wide by 3.3-inches deep.They're compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs and radiate sound from their front, back, and sides. Marketed toward laptop owners, they ship with a little remote that has a quick-launch button that can be programmed to launch iTunes, Windows Media, or the audio application of your choosing.We'll have a full review shortly, but feel free to get some comments in here while you wait.
Listen to the new Justin Timberlake album free
Listen to the new Justin Timberlake album free
If there are any Justin Timberlake fans out there, iTunes has an Easter egg for you: until the launch of his new album, you can listen to it for free on iTunes.The 20/20 Experience is the pop singer's first album since 2006's FutureSex/LoveSounds. Since 2007, he has been concentrating on his acting career â€" but purchasing MySpacein 2011 inspired him to get his music career up and running once again.The new album consists of 12 tracks, none less than four and a half minutes long, and some more than eight minutes. This helps produce a sense of maturity, according to The NY Daily News, whose Jim Farber said of the album:"The assurance shows best in his vocals, which here achieve a balletic grace. He Fred Astaires his way through these tracks, dancing over their melody with the air of an acrobat. It all serves the persona he has adopted and, by now, perfected â€" a lover able to balance a boyish eagerness with a manly talent." Billboard called it "One of the year's most anticipated pop releases is also one of the genre's weirdest â€" and most fully realised â€" efforts in ages."The 20/20 Experience hits shelves on Friday, 15 March in Australia for AU$19.99; it will arrive on 18 March in Europe and 19 March in the US.Until then, you can listen to it for free on iTunes here.
If there are any Justin Timberlake fans out there, iTunes has an Easter egg for you: until the launch of his new album, you can listen to it for free on iTunes.The 20/20 Experience is the pop singer's first album since 2006's FutureSex/LoveSounds. Since 2007, he has been concentrating on his acting career â€" but purchasing MySpacein 2011 inspired him to get his music career up and running once again.The new album consists of 12 tracks, none less than four and a half minutes long, and some more than eight minutes. This helps produce a sense of maturity, according to The NY Daily News, whose Jim Farber said of the album:"The assurance shows best in his vocals, which here achieve a balletic grace. He Fred Astaires his way through these tracks, dancing over their melody with the air of an acrobat. It all serves the persona he has adopted and, by now, perfected â€" a lover able to balance a boyish eagerness with a manly talent." Billboard called it "One of the year's most anticipated pop releases is also one of the genre's weirdest â€" and most fully realised â€" efforts in ages."The 20/20 Experience hits shelves on Friday, 15 March in Australia for AU$19.99; it will arrive on 18 March in Europe and 19 March in the US.Until then, you can listen to it for free on iTunes here.
Limbaugh appeals to Apple's Jobs for help
Limbaugh appeals to Apple's Jobs for help
Limbaugh posted a transcript of an exchange from his Tuesday show concerning the Leopard update. "I've been having two problems since I went to Leopard that I hoped this update would solve, and it didn't solve them; and it's frustrating. ...(Apple representatives) file reports and get lost in the Apple bureaucratic system -- and occasionally a good-intentioned, good-hearted Apple rep will get on the phone, try to solve it, and will say, "Yep. It's the same problem I'm having on my machine."Limbaugh didn't get into exactly what type of problem he was experiencing, but figured that Jobs might not be all that receptive to his pleas for help. Jobs is a noted Democratic supporter, even nominating former Vice President Al Gore to his board of directors and openly urging him to run for president this year.One of Limbaugh's employees drove the point home: "If you put out this appeal to Steve Jobs and ask him to help, his reply is going to be, 'Mr. Limbaugh. Do us a favor and endorse Windows.'"Limbaugh is actually a longtime Mac user and Apple supporter, openly talking for years about his preference for Macs on his radio show. And back in 2006, he was able to get Apple to change the way iTunes handled podcasts that were only open to members of a club or organization. Although if you believe the latest studies, Mac users are supposed to be more liberal and open-minded than the average person. Go figure.The more interesting question is what is plaguing Limbaugh's Mac Pros. I e-mailed Limbaugh through his Web site asking for more details, and I'll let you know if I hear back.
Limbaugh posted a transcript of an exchange from his Tuesday show concerning the Leopard update. "I've been having two problems since I went to Leopard that I hoped this update would solve, and it didn't solve them; and it's frustrating. ...(Apple representatives) file reports and get lost in the Apple bureaucratic system -- and occasionally a good-intentioned, good-hearted Apple rep will get on the phone, try to solve it, and will say, "Yep. It's the same problem I'm having on my machine."Limbaugh didn't get into exactly what type of problem he was experiencing, but figured that Jobs might not be all that receptive to his pleas for help. Jobs is a noted Democratic supporter, even nominating former Vice President Al Gore to his board of directors and openly urging him to run for president this year.One of Limbaugh's employees drove the point home: "If you put out this appeal to Steve Jobs and ask him to help, his reply is going to be, 'Mr. Limbaugh. Do us a favor and endorse Windows.'"Limbaugh is actually a longtime Mac user and Apple supporter, openly talking for years about his preference for Macs on his radio show. And back in 2006, he was able to get Apple to change the way iTunes handled podcasts that were only open to members of a club or organization. Although if you believe the latest studies, Mac users are supposed to be more liberal and open-minded than the average person. Go figure.The more interesting question is what is plaguing Limbaugh's Mac Pros. I e-mailed Limbaugh through his Web site asking for more details, and I'll let you know if I hear back.
Like.fm is how social music should work
Like.fm is how social music should work
Here's how it works. First, download and install the free plug-in for iTunes. (There's also a WinAmp version for you holdouts.) Whenever you play a song from iTunes, Like.fm posts the title and artist on a public Web page. Other users can then click on the "play" button on that page and if a video of the song exists on YouTube, it'll start playing. If you link Like.fm to your Facebook profile, you can create a new "Music" tab on your profile that lists all the songs you've played. Here, your friends can click on any song title on that profile page and their browser will open to the Like.fm page, where the YouTube video will begin playing in a small window. There's also a separate plug-in for the Chrome and Safari browsers. Install it, and any time you play a song on YouTube or Pandora (other sites are coming soon), it will post that song to your Like.fm profile. The service isn't perfect--it didn't recognize several songs when I played them on YouTube, and currently the only way to find friends on the service is if you both link your accounts to Facebook. But conceptually, this is how social music is supposed to work: you can actually listen to music your friends are playing, rather than being guided to 30-second samples in an effort to get you to buy the download.
Here's how it works. First, download and install the free plug-in for iTunes. (There's also a WinAmp version for you holdouts.) Whenever you play a song from iTunes, Like.fm posts the title and artist on a public Web page. Other users can then click on the "play" button on that page and if a video of the song exists on YouTube, it'll start playing. If you link Like.fm to your Facebook profile, you can create a new "Music" tab on your profile that lists all the songs you've played. Here, your friends can click on any song title on that profile page and their browser will open to the Like.fm page, where the YouTube video will begin playing in a small window. There's also a separate plug-in for the Chrome and Safari browsers. Install it, and any time you play a song on YouTube or Pandora (other sites are coming soon), it will post that song to your Like.fm profile. The service isn't perfect--it didn't recognize several songs when I played them on YouTube, and currently the only way to find friends on the service is if you both link your accounts to Facebook. But conceptually, this is how social music is supposed to work: you can actually listen to music your friends are playing, rather than being guided to 30-second samples in an effort to get you to buy the download.
LGBT researcher calls for action to combat cyberbullying (podcast)
LGBT researcher calls for action to combat cyberbullying (podcast)
As fellow CNET blogger Elizabeth Armstrong Moore reported, a recent survey by researchers at Iowa State University found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are more likely to experience cyberbullying than their heterosexual counterparts.The survey found that 54 percent of LGBT youth reported having been cyberbullied within the past 30 days. Study coauthor Warren Blumenfeld, an associate professor at Iowa State, pointed out during an interview that much of the bullying is taking place in chat rooms but also on social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Many of the young people interviewed want to see these sites employ software and human monitoring "to delete messages that might be considered offensive," Blumenfeld said. He also said that young people themselves can play a major role in combating bullying. "This is a youth leadership issue," he said in the podcast. Young people "want to see more training developed so that the peer leaders in the schools can be the ones who can act as positive role models to interrupt this kind of behavior in the schools and within the communities and...for the youths themselves to take more responsibility."PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
As fellow CNET blogger Elizabeth Armstrong Moore reported, a recent survey by researchers at Iowa State University found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are more likely to experience cyberbullying than their heterosexual counterparts.The survey found that 54 percent of LGBT youth reported having been cyberbullied within the past 30 days. Study coauthor Warren Blumenfeld, an associate professor at Iowa State, pointed out during an interview that much of the bullying is taking place in chat rooms but also on social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Many of the young people interviewed want to see these sites employ software and human monitoring "to delete messages that might be considered offensive," Blumenfeld said. He also said that young people themselves can play a major role in combating bullying. "This is a youth leadership issue," he said in the podcast. Young people "want to see more training developed so that the peer leaders in the schools can be the ones who can act as positive role models to interrupt this kind of behavior in the schools and within the communities and...for the youths themselves to take more responsibility."PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
Leap Wireless music service hits 100K customers
Leap Wireless music service hits 100K customers
The company, which sells prepaid wireless service under the Cricket brand, said its music download service has surpassed 100,000 customers and 100 million song downloads after five months. Muve's milestone is a positive for a company that has been attempting to catch up with the smartphone and 4G craze. The company has hoped that Muve, which is a music download and rental service, would draw in customers as it began rolling out its lineup of smartphones. In comparison, Apple's iTunes took 15 months to reach a similar number of song downloads, though the service is exponentially larger now. Muve and iTunes stand as rare examples of music services that have the music industry's blessing and are working at a time when piracy continues to be rampant. Of course, a major difference between two is that people must pay for individual songs on iTunes. By contrast, Muve's unlimited music downloads are bundled with a $55-a-month plan that also includes unlimited talk, text messages, Internet access, and e-mail.Leap also has a much smaller base of customers to draw from than does Apple. At the end of the first quarter, Leap had 5.8 million customers. Leap said that its Muve customers spend two to three hours a day listening to music and that more than half of Muve's customers are new to the Cricket wireless service. Customers, on average, are downloading 400 songs per month.
The company, which sells prepaid wireless service under the Cricket brand, said its music download service has surpassed 100,000 customers and 100 million song downloads after five months. Muve's milestone is a positive for a company that has been attempting to catch up with the smartphone and 4G craze. The company has hoped that Muve, which is a music download and rental service, would draw in customers as it began rolling out its lineup of smartphones. In comparison, Apple's iTunes took 15 months to reach a similar number of song downloads, though the service is exponentially larger now. Muve and iTunes stand as rare examples of music services that have the music industry's blessing and are working at a time when piracy continues to be rampant. Of course, a major difference between two is that people must pay for individual songs on iTunes. By contrast, Muve's unlimited music downloads are bundled with a $55-a-month plan that also includes unlimited talk, text messages, Internet access, and e-mail.Leap also has a much smaller base of customers to draw from than does Apple. At the end of the first quarter, Leap had 5.8 million customers. Leap said that its Muve customers spend two to three hours a day listening to music and that more than half of Muve's customers are new to the Cricket wireless service. Customers, on average, are downloading 400 songs per month.
Last.fm offers complete songs on demand
Last.fm offers complete songs on demand
Today, Last.fm takes a big step forward, becoming the first online service to let users pick nearly any song out of its collection and play it, on demand, for free, three times. After that, users will have to pay download it from one of Last.fm's partners, such as iTunes or Amazon. A forthcoming subscription servicethat will give you unlimited listens, a la Rhapsody.Last.fm, which was acquired by CBS last May, is also launching a program for artists without a traditional recording or publishing deal, which will allow them to upload their songs to the service and get paid each time a song is streamed. For small independent artists, this could become an important outlet like CD Baby--only instead of having your work hidden alongside thousands of other relatively obscure artists, it might appear on a user-customizable radio station squeezed between Animal Collective and Arcade Fire. (Although Last.fm will have to be careful to ensure that every band that claims they sound just like U2 actually sounds something like U2.)The obvious caveats: the three play limit, the fact that these are streamed files and therefore can't (easily or legally) be transferred from a computer for listening elsewhere, and the on-demand tracks aren't presented on each artist's main page (although you can search for them directly, or click through to the album listing on the main artist page for a full list of songs from each album). Also, it's available only in the U.S., U.K., and Germany today, with other countries to be added later. Still, hats off to Last.fm for delivering the free, on-demand songs to those of us who don't frequent file-trading networks.
Today, Last.fm takes a big step forward, becoming the first online service to let users pick nearly any song out of its collection and play it, on demand, for free, three times. After that, users will have to pay download it from one of Last.fm's partners, such as iTunes or Amazon. A forthcoming subscription servicethat will give you unlimited listens, a la Rhapsody.Last.fm, which was acquired by CBS last May, is also launching a program for artists without a traditional recording or publishing deal, which will allow them to upload their songs to the service and get paid each time a song is streamed. For small independent artists, this could become an important outlet like CD Baby--only instead of having your work hidden alongside thousands of other relatively obscure artists, it might appear on a user-customizable radio station squeezed between Animal Collective and Arcade Fire. (Although Last.fm will have to be careful to ensure that every band that claims they sound just like U2 actually sounds something like U2.)The obvious caveats: the three play limit, the fact that these are streamed files and therefore can't (easily or legally) be transferred from a computer for listening elsewhere, and the on-demand tracks aren't presented on each artist's main page (although you can search for them directly, or click through to the album listing on the main artist page for a full list of songs from each album). Also, it's available only in the U.S., U.K., and Germany today, with other countries to be added later. Still, hats off to Last.fm for delivering the free, on-demand songs to those of us who don't frequent file-trading networks.
Lala.com's pay-per-stream program faces tough competition
Lala.com's pay-per-stream program faces tough competition
It also offers a music "locker" service that allows you to upload your music then listen to it from any computer with an Internet connection...but it only works with MP3 files, so you're out of luck if you've been using (for example) iTunes to rip your CDs to AAC for the last four years. The site was also early to experiment with offering free streaming files, but has apparently shuttered that service because the numbers didn't work out.Now the company's beta-testing another streaming service that lets you select any song to stream once. Then, if you want to stream it again, you can pay a one-time fee of $0.10 and get perpetual streaming rights to it. Unfortunately, this pay-per-song streaming model occupies a weird space halfway between all-you-can-eat subscription services and the free streaming files available elsewhere. If I'm a hardcore music fan who likes to discover and listen to lots of new music online, I'll probably subscribe to a service like Rhapsody--one monthly payment gets me streaming access to all the music I want. But if I just want instant gratification--say, for example, I need to hear Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills" right now--I can turn to Imeem, or Last.fm, or the Songerize site (which uses the Seeqpod search engine to discover music files all over the Web, then provides a simple embedded player).So who would pay $0.10 for unlimited rights to stream a particular song? Probably people who are already using the Lala.com digital locker and want a cost-effective way to add new music to it without having to seek it out online or rip it from a CD and then upload it manually.
It also offers a music "locker" service that allows you to upload your music then listen to it from any computer with an Internet connection...but it only works with MP3 files, so you're out of luck if you've been using (for example) iTunes to rip your CDs to AAC for the last four years. The site was also early to experiment with offering free streaming files, but has apparently shuttered that service because the numbers didn't work out.Now the company's beta-testing another streaming service that lets you select any song to stream once. Then, if you want to stream it again, you can pay a one-time fee of $0.10 and get perpetual streaming rights to it. Unfortunately, this pay-per-song streaming model occupies a weird space halfway between all-you-can-eat subscription services and the free streaming files available elsewhere. If I'm a hardcore music fan who likes to discover and listen to lots of new music online, I'll probably subscribe to a service like Rhapsody--one monthly payment gets me streaming access to all the music I want. But if I just want instant gratification--say, for example, I need to hear Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills" right now--I can turn to Imeem, or Last.fm, or the Songerize site (which uses the Seeqpod search engine to discover music files all over the Web, then provides a simple embedded player).So who would pay $0.10 for unlimited rights to stream a particular song? Probably people who are already using the Lala.com digital locker and want a cost-effective way to add new music to it without having to seek it out online or rip it from a CD and then upload it manually.
Lady Gaga is now the queen of iTunes
Lady Gaga is now the queen of iTunes
She might be carried around in an egg and wear meat, but Lady Gaga has been able to strike a chord with music lovers.The pop star's latest single, "Born This Way," has become the fastest-selling track ever released on iTunes, selling 1 million units in just five days of availability, Interscope Records announced today. Apple confirmed the claim in a phone conversation with CNET. The song is currently No. 1 in Apple's U.S. iTunes store, as well as in the iTunes stores of several countries across Europe.Lady Gaga has proved to be one of the biggest draws across several different music platforms. In addition to her latest iTunes conquest, a video site owned by Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, Vevo, said last year that the pop star accounted for 25 percent of its traffic. The official Vevo release of one of Gaga's more recent hits, "Bad Romance," has tallied more than 346 million views. A couple of her other videos have been viewed more than 100 million times as well.So, what's the takeaway? Aside from the fact that being toted around in an egg might actually be a good marketing ploy, these various numbers mean Lady Gaga pretty much owns the digital-music world. And not even the recent release of the Beatles library on iTunes is going to change that.
She might be carried around in an egg and wear meat, but Lady Gaga has been able to strike a chord with music lovers.The pop star's latest single, "Born This Way," has become the fastest-selling track ever released on iTunes, selling 1 million units in just five days of availability, Interscope Records announced today. Apple confirmed the claim in a phone conversation with CNET. The song is currently No. 1 in Apple's U.S. iTunes store, as well as in the iTunes stores of several countries across Europe.Lady Gaga has proved to be one of the biggest draws across several different music platforms. In addition to her latest iTunes conquest, a video site owned by Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, Vevo, said last year that the pop star accounted for 25 percent of its traffic. The official Vevo release of one of Gaga's more recent hits, "Bad Romance," has tallied more than 346 million views. A couple of her other videos have been viewed more than 100 million times as well.So, what's the takeaway? Aside from the fact that being toted around in an egg might actually be a good marketing ploy, these various numbers mean Lady Gaga pretty much owns the digital-music world. And not even the recent release of the Beatles library on iTunes is going to change that.
Lady Gaga back up on Amazon for 99 cents
Lady Gaga back up on Amazon for 99 cents
In an effort to lure users to its new Cloud Drive storage service and Cloud Player, a few days ago Amazon put the digital MP3 version of Lady Gaga's new album "Born This Way" up for sale for a heavily discounted 99 cents (wholesale price on the album is reportedly $9). The promotion ended up crashing Amazon's servers briefly.It was supposed to be a day-only sale but Amazon has the album back up 99 cents. Even if you don't like Lady Gaga, one of the benefits of downloading the album is that you get a free upgrade to the 20GB tier of Cloud Drive storage for a year. (Amazon gives you 5GB of storage for free without charging you anything extra).The idea behind all this is to get folks to use Amazon's Cloud Drive for storing their music (and buying their music on Amazon rather than iTunes) and play it using Amazon's Cloud Player. You can also use your Amazon Cloud Drive to store photos, video files, and document files.Obviously if Amazon can get folks to store more than 5GB on their Cloud Drives, after your free year at the 20GB tier expires, you'll start incurring fees (the yearly fee for 20GB is $20; 50GB is $50; 100GB is $100).We expect to see additional promotions like this during the coming months as Amazon goes up against Google and Apple in the cloud-storage arena, which should be fun to watch.
In an effort to lure users to its new Cloud Drive storage service and Cloud Player, a few days ago Amazon put the digital MP3 version of Lady Gaga's new album "Born This Way" up for sale for a heavily discounted 99 cents (wholesale price on the album is reportedly $9). The promotion ended up crashing Amazon's servers briefly.It was supposed to be a day-only sale but Amazon has the album back up 99 cents. Even if you don't like Lady Gaga, one of the benefits of downloading the album is that you get a free upgrade to the 20GB tier of Cloud Drive storage for a year. (Amazon gives you 5GB of storage for free without charging you anything extra).The idea behind all this is to get folks to use Amazon's Cloud Drive for storing their music (and buying their music on Amazon rather than iTunes) and play it using Amazon's Cloud Player. You can also use your Amazon Cloud Drive to store photos, video files, and document files.Obviously if Amazon can get folks to store more than 5GB on their Cloud Drives, after your free year at the 20GB tier expires, you'll start incurring fees (the yearly fee for 20GB is $20; 50GB is $50; 100GB is $100).We expect to see additional promotions like this during the coming months as Amazon goes up against Google and Apple in the cloud-storage arena, which should be fun to watch.
Kindle for Android due this summer
Kindle for Android due this summer
This summer, the Kindle franchise is extending to Android.It's no surprise, given that Amazon already offers its e-reader software for Kindle devices, the iPhone, the iPad, Windows, Mac OS X, and BlackBerry devices. In the bigger picture, with Android phones going up against iPhones at the same time Amazon is going up against iTunes, Google is a natural ally.What does surprise me is that it's taking this long. Amazon's announcement Tuesday that Kindle for the Android will arrive later this summer came the same day I griped about its absence, and offered some praise for a rival application, Aldiko, that I use daily. While I was waiting, I discovered the large number of worthwhile and free out-of-copyright books that are a nice complement to Amazon's sizable selection of more current current releases.What I will like about Kindle for Amazon is WhisperSync, which keeps track of your place in a book across multiple devices. I've been moving among different Android phones of late, and it's been a minor annoyance figuring out just how far through "Captains Courageous" my son and I are when reading time comes around.What I won't like about Kindle for Android is what I dislike about it now: there's no way to share a book with your spouse without having a shared account, or to resell a book's rights to a friend.
This summer, the Kindle franchise is extending to Android.It's no surprise, given that Amazon already offers its e-reader software for Kindle devices, the iPhone, the iPad, Windows, Mac OS X, and BlackBerry devices. In the bigger picture, with Android phones going up against iPhones at the same time Amazon is going up against iTunes, Google is a natural ally.What does surprise me is that it's taking this long. Amazon's announcement Tuesday that Kindle for the Android will arrive later this summer came the same day I griped about its absence, and offered some praise for a rival application, Aldiko, that I use daily. While I was waiting, I discovered the large number of worthwhile and free out-of-copyright books that are a nice complement to Amazon's sizable selection of more current current releases.What I will like about Kindle for Amazon is WhisperSync, which keeps track of your place in a book across multiple devices. I've been moving among different Android phones of late, and it's been a minor annoyance figuring out just how far through "Captains Courageous" my son and I are when reading time comes around.What I won't like about Kindle for Android is what I dislike about it now: there's no way to share a book with your spouse without having a shared account, or to resell a book's rights to a friend.
Kim Dotcom launches music-streaming service Baboom
Kim Dotcom launches music-streaming service Baboom
Although Baboom is currently offering a placeholder preview of what the music-streaming service will look like, Dotcom's own artist profile is active. His album Good Times is streaming in full from the site and is also available as a free download in either MP3, FLAC or WAV formats."My idea is that artists should make their music available for free, and fans should only pay for it if they really like it," Dotcom said in a video accompanying the site's soft launch.Dotcom hopes that fans will help propel the release to number one on the charts. The album is also available for purchase on stores such as iTunes and Google Play, and is streaming on Spotify and Rdio. It is also available from Dotcom's file-sharing site Mega.The single artist page on Baboom is slickly designed, featuring a number of different tabs that let fans explore photos, videos and downloads. On the left-hand side of the web interface is an activity and jukebox option, though neither are functioning just yet. These options suggest similar functionality to other streaming sites like Spotify and Rdio, though we will have to wait for Baboom's full launch in late 2014 to find out for sure. Interested users can sign up for early access on the front page of Baboom.Dotcom is also running a remix competition where users can download the stems from Good Times and rework them to win US$5000, or create a music video for a track to win US$10,000.
Although Baboom is currently offering a placeholder preview of what the music-streaming service will look like, Dotcom's own artist profile is active. His album Good Times is streaming in full from the site and is also available as a free download in either MP3, FLAC or WAV formats."My idea is that artists should make their music available for free, and fans should only pay for it if they really like it," Dotcom said in a video accompanying the site's soft launch.Dotcom hopes that fans will help propel the release to number one on the charts. The album is also available for purchase on stores such as iTunes and Google Play, and is streaming on Spotify and Rdio. It is also available from Dotcom's file-sharing site Mega.The single artist page on Baboom is slickly designed, featuring a number of different tabs that let fans explore photos, videos and downloads. On the left-hand side of the web interface is an activity and jukebox option, though neither are functioning just yet. These options suggest similar functionality to other streaming sites like Spotify and Rdio, though we will have to wait for Baboom's full launch in late 2014 to find out for sure. Interested users can sign up for early access on the front page of Baboom.Dotcom is also running a remix competition where users can download the stems from Good Times and rework them to win US$5000, or create a music video for a track to win US$10,000.
iPhone app Lyrics is great when you turn filter off
iPhone app Lyrics is great when you turn filter off
The Lyrics app draws on the excellent LyricWiki.org site, which contains crowd-sourced lyrics for more than 700,000 songs. I love the site: it uses an embedded domain-specific Google search bar, which delivers great results. And if you're pedantic about your favorite bands' lyrics like I am, you can easily change lyrics that you just know are wrong--for example, in "Chip Away," Perry Farrell is obviously saying that he and the angel "both wore dirty faces," not that they "both were dirty faces," so I changed it accordingly. (Some songs, like REM's "It's The End of the World As We Know It," have been locked because so many people have different interpretations. The version up there now checked out perfectly against the audio track in iTunes, so I can't quibble.)Unfortunately, while the Lyrics iPhone app draws on a great source, it's ruined by a persistent bug: it thinks perfectly innocuous songs like Led Zeppelin's "The Immigrant Song" and Pink Floyd's "Echoes" contain explicit lyrics. Maybe they're erring on the side of caution to avoid getting blacklisted like Trent Reznor recently did, but using it felt like listening to a crazy person muttering about how all the songs on the radio today are filth.Follow Matt on Twitter.
The Lyrics app draws on the excellent LyricWiki.org site, which contains crowd-sourced lyrics for more than 700,000 songs. I love the site: it uses an embedded domain-specific Google search bar, which delivers great results. And if you're pedantic about your favorite bands' lyrics like I am, you can easily change lyrics that you just know are wrong--for example, in "Chip Away," Perry Farrell is obviously saying that he and the angel "both wore dirty faces," not that they "both were dirty faces," so I changed it accordingly. (Some songs, like REM's "It's The End of the World As We Know It," have been locked because so many people have different interpretations. The version up there now checked out perfectly against the audio track in iTunes, so I can't quibble.)Unfortunately, while the Lyrics iPhone app draws on a great source, it's ruined by a persistent bug: it thinks perfectly innocuous songs like Led Zeppelin's "The Immigrant Song" and Pink Floyd's "Echoes" contain explicit lyrics. Maybe they're erring on the side of caution to avoid getting blacklisted like Trent Reznor recently did, but using it felt like listening to a crazy person muttering about how all the songs on the radio today are filth.Follow Matt on Twitter.
How to update the iPhone 5 to iOS 6.0.1
How to update the iPhone 5 to iOS 6.0.1
Apple just released the first update to iOS 6, set to fix a few bugs and improve performance. iOS 6.0.1 is available through the usual methods, over-the-air (OTA) or iTunes. But, if you use an iPhone 5, you will be presented with the screen above when you attempt to update using the OTA method. To begin the process, launch the Settings app, tap on General, and then Software Update. Once you do that, you'll see the above message. Tap on Learn More to begin the process of fixing a bug that prevents your iPhone 5 from updating over the air. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETYou first must download and install an iOS Updater app. Tap on Download and Install. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETA new app icon will appear on your device. But before you go tapping on it, you might need to restart your phone. To do that, you can either hold in the power button and turn it off, then back on, or hold in the power and home button at the same time and wait for it to reboot. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETAfter you've rebooted your phone, tap on the iOS Updater icon and then tap OK on the dialog. From here, the update process on your iPhone 5 is business as usual. Of course, if you would've rather skipped installing the app, then the update, you could've used iTunes. But who wants to track down the only Lightning cable around just to update some software? I know I don't.
Apple just released the first update to iOS 6, set to fix a few bugs and improve performance. iOS 6.0.1 is available through the usual methods, over-the-air (OTA) or iTunes. But, if you use an iPhone 5, you will be presented with the screen above when you attempt to update using the OTA method. To begin the process, launch the Settings app, tap on General, and then Software Update. Once you do that, you'll see the above message. Tap on Learn More to begin the process of fixing a bug that prevents your iPhone 5 from updating over the air. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETYou first must download and install an iOS Updater app. Tap on Download and Install. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETA new app icon will appear on your device. But before you go tapping on it, you might need to restart your phone. To do that, you can either hold in the power button and turn it off, then back on, or hold in the power and home button at the same time and wait for it to reboot. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETAfter you've rebooted your phone, tap on the iOS Updater icon and then tap OK on the dialog. From here, the update process on your iPhone 5 is business as usual. Of course, if you would've rather skipped installing the app, then the update, you could've used iTunes. But who wants to track down the only Lightning cable around just to update some software? I know I don't.
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