Spotify Platform apps start with LastFM, TuneWiki, SongKick

This week Spotify was revealed by CEO Daniel Ek as being ready to expand with what they call a brand new Music Platform, and with this came a set of new apps made by developers ready to work with Spotify right out of the gate. What Ek had to show off was Spotify working with the first set of apps developed with their streaming music service integrated including LastFM, TuneWiki, and SongKick. What we’re finding here is that while these applications are connected with Spotify to stream music, they retain their original abilities to work with music in a variety of ways.

Also included in this expansion was Spotify’s addition of “Favorite Friends” to your friends list on the right of your display so that after you’ve collected thousands of pals, you can sum up the best of the best up at the top. Interestingly enough, one of Ek’s best friends had the most popular Prodigy track on earth in his favorite list which Ek then played for the audience. Very simple stuff for the original setup. As for the several apps that are about to work with Spotify soon, have a peek here – first there’s TuneWiki whose most powerful feature is its ability to find tracks by listening to them and display the lyrics of songs as they’re played, as seen in this official Spotify Apps video:

Article: RSS via SlashGear

Tags: Apps, Cloud Music, HTML5, LastFM, Music, SongKick, Spotify, Streaming Music, TuneWiki, Video

Posted in Apps, Internet, Music, Videos | 1 Comment »

Developer teases voice control of Zune, using PC and Windows Phone (video)

The great thinkers of the world have long known a secret that we’re now happy to disclose: it’s not necessity that’s the mother invention, but rather laziness. Fortunately, expending a great deal of effort on a project — simply to perform a task effortlessly — sometimes brings very cool results. A concept app known as ZuneVoice easily passes muster in this realm, which is used to control Zune software on the PC with only a standard microphone and spoken commands. As you can see in the demo video, its creator, keyboardp, is able to play individual songs, issue commands such a “pause” or “next song”, and even display full-screen music videos from YouTube. The developer even crafted an app for his Lumia 800 known as PhoneZune, which serves as a remote control for times when he’s away from the box. Neither application is yet publicly available, though feedback is welcome. Next, we’re told to expect Kinect integration. Perhaps one day, these gems will see the light of day.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNFsx-_EDek

Article: RSS via Engadget

Tags: Apps, Lumia 800, Microsoft, Microsoft Kinect, Music, Nokia, PhoneZune, Smartphones, Video, Windows 7, Windows Phone, Zune, ZuneVoice

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Google Music Artist Hub helps musicians promote, sell music (video)

Thought Google Music was just for artists signed to the big three or one of 23 indie labels? Turns out the company’s extending a hand to unsigned artists as well with Google Music Artist Hub. The DIY-like software allows virtually anyone to sell and price their music on Mountain View’s storefront. Musicians selling tunes through the service will keep 70 percent of their set list price, forfeiting the other 30 to the Android giant. Those taking the plunge will be privy to the same 90 second song previews as their label-backed brethren, as-well as the ability to have them shared for one free play on Google+. Ready to begin? Your ascent to superstardom begins here.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lv1xras-zM

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Tags: Artist Hub, Google, Google Music, Music, Video

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Google Music drops the beta tag, brings music store to US users

Social tools and exclusive content too

Google Music has dropped the beta tag as the music service goes live, bringing music to Google and Android device users Stateside. Taking things a step further than the previous beta offering, Google also launched a music store at their “These go to eleven” event in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Google Music offers a cloud streaming service as well as offline options and will allow you to upload your music, up to 20,000 songs to Google’s servers. This process will be automatically managed by the Music Manager app on your computer, something we detailed when we looked at the beta back in May.

Google Music is available online through music.google.com via a web player, as well as through the Music player on your Android device, be that a tablet or a phone, so it’s always available as long as you have a connection.

To save your content locally, you can opt to pin, or download, particular albums so you always have access to them.

The online web player will now also give you access to the new Google Music Shop where you can browse, preview and buy music. This music then become available across your Google holdings. You’ll also find a new tab for music appearing in the Android Market app, so you can browse and buy from your device.

There will be a range of exclusives, with content from the likes of the Busta Rhymes, the Rolling Stones and Coldplay detailed.

Purchased music will be in the MP3 format at 320kbps and prices will be fairly typical at $0.99 a track or $9.49 an album (but we haven’t had the chance to explore all the prices as yet). You’ll get 90 second previews too.

In an attempt to make music social, Google are also adding a range of sharing functions. You’ll be able to share your music on Google+, letting those in your circles get a play through of tracks you buy. It isn’t just limited to tracks: if your friend buys a new album, you’ll be able to play the entire thing once, which should be a good way to discover new music.

Over 13 million tracks will be offered, with Universal, Sony, EMI, and a number of independent labels listed.

Google Music is now live in the US, there is no word on if or when it might be coming to the UK. If the Movies service is anything to go by, it could be some time.

Article: RSS via Pocket-lint

Tags: Android, Android Market, Apps, Google, Google Music, Google Music Shop, Music, Web Apps

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DoubleTwist releases new version for Android faithful, shows off premium EQ

If you’ve been getting bored with that stale version of DoubleTwist you’re sporting, get ready for a breath of fresh air. The company has announced the next major version of its music player now awaits Android faithul in the Marketplace — and will hit the Amazon Appstore later in the week. New features include a new grid view for album art, premium EQ (if you’re running Android 2.3 or higher), an AirSync storage location option and a new playback screen which enables sliding to see previous / upcoming tracks. If you’re still not impressed, DoubleTwist promises another update in December that will be similar in stature. Take a look after the break for a few more screen shots, should you need more convincing and get ready to show off all of those Ben Folds album covers.

Article: RSS via Engadget

Tags: Android, Android Market, Apps, doubleTwist, Music

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Google Music Store screenshots leak

A Google Music event taking place in a couple of days and while we don’t know exactly what Google is going to announce, it looks like the Google Music Store is going to be one of the items on the agenda. Some folks over at TechnoDroidVE have managed to gain access to the Google Music Store (which looks like part of the Android Market app) and shared with the world what they discovered about it.

The Store isn’t functional (songs can’t be purchased or downloaded yet), but there are some nice features like music recommendations for similar artists to those that you’ve searched for or purchased from, as well as a “Free Song of the Day” feture, which we can only assume that Google will be giving away a free song daily. Check out more screenshots of the Google Music Store here. It looks like the app is almost complete and should be done by the time it launches. Anybody looking forward to the Google Music Store?

Article: RSS via UberGizmo

Tags: Android, Android Market, Apps, Google, Google Music, Music

Posted in Android, Apps, Google, Internet, Music | No Comments »

iTunes 10.5.1 beta 3 released with more fixes for iTunes Match

Apple has released a third beta of iTunes 10.5.1 to members of its developer program. According to Apple, “iTunes 10.5.1 beta 3 includes a number of important stability and performance improvements for iTunes Match, and is a required update for all subscribers to iTunes Match beta.”

This beta update comes just after developers’ iTunes Match libraries were wiped ”as we prepare for the launch of iTunes Match,” Apple said in an email to developers. This latest beta comes less than two weeks after the release of iTunes 10.5.1 beta 2, while 24 days passed between the release of the initial iTunes 10.5.1 beta and its successor.

Accelerating beta releases from Apple are usually indicative of an imminent public launch, but it remains to be seen whether 10.5.1 beta 3 has shaken out enough of the bugs to warrant more widespread release.

Once the service goes live to the public, users who pay US$24.99 per year will have access to virtually all of their music, anywhere, and anytime.

Article: RSS via TUAW

Tags: Apple, Beta, iTunes, iTunes Match, Music, Software

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HTC Sensation XL, HTC Rhyme Can Sync With iTunes

With the occasion of launching the Sensation XL in Taiwan, HTC has announced that the company already has two devices which have a special version of HTC Sync available, enabling users to sync with Apple’s iTunes.

The HTC Sensation XL joins the HTC Rhyme with added support for music synchronization with rival Apple’s iTunes software. The new version of HTC Sync, once downloaded and installed to a PC, can detect the presence of iTunes and achieve content synchronization. “We hope consumers will be able to store their music on HTC phones from any platform,” said Jack Tong, President of HTC North Asia. It is for the first time that HTC is allowing sync with content from its rival, Apple.

Article: RSS via Pocketnow

Tags: Android, Apple, HTC, HTC Rhyme, HTC Sensation XL, iTunes, Music, Smartphones

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Compact Disc death foretold for 2012

Major record labels to kill format?

The major record labels are planning to kill off the CD format by the end of next year to make way for digital downloads only.

That’s the claim made by music site Side-Line which says it heard whispers that the end of the CD is nigh from music industry insiders.

That said, it has failed to get any official confirmation from the labels, though that’s not perhaps surprising.

The notion is that, by the end of 2012, the majors will focus entirely on downloads. The only CDs that will go on sale through 2013 and beyond will be special editions and albums from the biggest artists.

If true – we’re not entirely convinced; we can’t see the majors acting in such harmony – the news could spell even bigger profits for digital content suppliers Amazon and iTunes, while ruining bricks’n'mortar stores like HMV, which already struggles due to the rise in digital-download popularity.

HMV, for one, has said its future lies in selling hardware and music merchadise as packaged media – CDs, books, DVDs and games – is slowly replaced by downloads.

Eventually the format will become extinct, though whether its demise will really happen next year is open to question. Such an immediate cut-off point seems unlikely. After all, CDs are still popular - just about.

Article: RSS via Reg Hardware

Tags: CD, Compact Disc, Digital Downloads, Digital Media, Music

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Google Music to Labels: With or Without You

The Wall Street Journal reports that Google Music will launch in the next two weeks—regardless of whether or not Google has inked deals with the four major record label giants. That’s a ballsy move, Google.

It seems Google is betting that it can leverage its status and huge base of users to bully some of the most infamous bullies out there: the recording industry. Google Music has been stuck in a closed Beta because Google hasn’t been able to settle on deals with the four major record labels. Sony Music Entertainment is holding out, citing concerns that Google isn’t doing enough to curb piracy on YouTube and in apps on Google’s Android OS. Warner Music apparently thinks it’s getting low-balled by Google. While Google is offering huge up-front licensing deals to the labels, Warner wants some love on the back-end as well—Google Music’s storage locker is free and doesn’t generate any revenue whereas Apple’s comparable service, iTunes Match, costs $25 per year. Google says that MP3 downloads from Google Music will be enough to cover the difference.

It’s a risky play by Google to offer what it knows is an incomplete service to the general public when much of the competition is up and running without a hitch.

Article: RSS via Gizmodo

Tags: Cloud Music, Google, Google Music, MP3 Store, Music

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