Archive for the ‘Music’ Category
- November 17, 2011 10:03 am
Ever since Apple relaxed iOS developer restrictions on “copying functionality of core Apple apps”, we’ve seen some great additions. In the browser realm there have been several 3rd party browsers such as Opera and Dolphin that while not perfect, bring their own unique features to the table.
As far as music apps go, iOS is full of them. But one particular app that caught our eye over at Beautiful Pixels is a new Music.app replacement by the name of Audium (AudiumApp.com) that is simply…gorgeous. A big focus is put on full-album listening and album art, with controls being relegated to touch/gesture based.
Album Navigation:
- Swipe left or right to scroll your albums | Swipe down to reveal the album name | Double-tap an album to begin playback
Song Navigation:
- Double-tap to toggle between play & pause | Swipe right for the next track | Swipe left for the previous track | Swipe up or down to adjust the volume
We’ve only been using Audium for ~15 minutes but are already in love with how it looks and operates. Our only grip is that there isn’t any shuffle function. And if we’re to be really honest, we love having a couple of social sharing buttons included in-app. But again, those features would go against the app’s main goal — to bring people back to listening to full albums and ultimately, simplicity.
At $0.99 we’d say it’s worth a shot.
Update
We’ve just gotten a handy tip from the devs over at Audium about the first big update — Shuffle, Twitter integration and…Last.fm — shout out to all the srcobblers!
- November 16, 2011 6:24 pm
Well, it is official with the Google press event wrapping up we know Google Music is official. With the online search giant dropping the beta tag and expanding its tendrils into the music industry by netting deals with major labels like EMI and Sony, it is shaping up to into quite the iTunes competitor.
Google Music will allow users to upload up to 20,000 songs and stream them in 320 Kbps quality from pretty much any device that has a web browser. Best of all, all of this new found Google Music action will remain free!
In addition to music labels being added to Google Music, some integration with Google+ was announced as well. Google+ users can share songs and entire albums with other Goolge+ users whom in turn are given one full free play.
Not to veer too far from the topic — Google+ is shaping up to be a very robust social medium. We like what we have seen so far and are looking forward to the months ahead to see what additions Google+ and Google Music will receive.
The new service is officially live at music.google.com as is the official Google Music Android app.
Well be giving Google Music a thorough testing over the weekend. Look for our Google Music “review” early next week.
In the meantime…Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
- November 16, 2011 7:29 am
Apple’s iTunes has long been the go-to standard for digital music distribution. In recent years, however, Amazon has been chasing Apple’s tail hot and heavy. And now, Google is set to enter the fray beginning with the (rumored) launch of the new Google Music Store later today.
The Google Music Store will work similar to iTunes in that users can purchase and download music for $1. One nice addition that iTunes won’t feature: the ability to share 1-2 free plays on Google+.
The labels on board include majors Sony, EMI, and UMG (Universal Music Group) as well as a healthy assortment of smaller labels and independents.
Considering Google’s remained rather quite on Google Music’s online, self-created streaming locker, we’d imagine now would be a good time for them to announce an integration between the upcoming Store and locker, and potentially some other tasty treats that have neglected to make their way to us.
We’re finally getting to a period in which iTunes has some serious competition breathing down the back of their neck. If Microsoft can get something running for WP7, consider us tickled. Competition, competition, competition…
- November 16, 2011 7:15 am
Owners of BMW and MINI branded cars will soon have a much more enjoyable ride compliments of streaming audio from MOG. The German car company announced that iPhone owners who drive either a BMW or MINI vehicle will be able to get exclusive access to MOG’s 13-million strong library of high quality 320 Kbps songs. The integration is tied into both the “BMW Apps” option and “MINI Connected infotainment systems” specifically.
Higher quality cars, higher quality music.
- September 29, 2011 8:46 am
It appears Spotify is finally caving to pressure from a growing wave of disgruntled users over the company’s new auto-share-to-Facebook feature. CEO Daniel Ek just tweeted that an update is rolling out that will enable a new “private listening mode” found directly within the Spotify > File menu.
Currently there is an option to turn of the aforementioned feature, though it’s buried in the preferences menu and is labeled with “Get personal recommendations by sending music you play to your Facebook timeline.”
For those of you who were none too pleased with the auto-share feature, is the new private listening mode enough to win you back?
- September 27, 2011 10:55 am
If you can’t get enough of the audible nirvana called music and also happen to own one of newer LG equipment, today is your lucky day. The two companies have announced a new partnership that will see the any of LG’s newer (2010 and on) SmartTVs and Blu-Ray players capable of streaming MOG’s full library of 320 kbps songs. The only added cost comes by way of the “Unlimited Subscription” priced at $4.99.
Samsung and MOG also announced a nearly identical offer today.
Anyone bought into the offer yet?
- September 27, 2011 9:56 am
While European markets have been enjoying the service for a couple years now, your typical music label greed has drawn things out much longer than needed. But alas, we’re finally rockin’ out with Spotify, and once again, they’re at the top of tech news around not only the U.S. but the world — though not for a good reason. It seems people are up in arms about the new mandatory Facebook account requirement to sign up for a new Spotify account. If you’re only worry is sharing everything you listen to, there’s a fix.
Also, Spotify is apparently signing up over 250,000 new users per day since activating the aforementioned Facebook account requirement.
More Spotify news after the break…
- September 20, 2011 9:34 am
Remember Kazaa? For early twenty-somethings it was “the” way to get music in the late, late 90′s and early 2000′s. The past several years, however, have seen the service (as well as many other similar ones) completely redone or closed entirely. Kazaa looked like it would face the same dead end fate.
But the company is back with a new subscription service and iOS app…
- September 17, 2011 10:49 pm
Facebook’s rumored music service is allegedly going to be uncovered and detailed at the company’s upcoming F8 conference in just a few short days (September 22nd). And while the actual details of Facebook’s event are still a mystery, a Netherlands developer by the name of Yvo Schaap has uncovered a slew of HTML code on a number of popular streaming and online music discovery sites including Mog, Spotify, Rdio, Soundcloud, and more.
The code in question:
More after the break…
