Most MP3 players share a common denominator: Unless they have a Wi-Fi radio, you have to connect them to a computer to get your music on them. Not so with the Samsung Muse a $50 pebble-shaped device that syncs music from a smartphone. Read more »
Is your iPhone speaker not loud enough for music or calls? A Kickstarter project for AudioGloves uses accoustics, not digital technology to solve the problem by boosting sound up to 20 percent. According to a Dolby Labratory test, it works as advertised for richer, louder sounds. Read more »
The debate over whether artists get enough money from streaming played out in public last week when EMI and Spotify executives failed to win over two skeptical EMI acts during an industry seminar… Read more »
DoubleTwist, a popular free media play application for Android, has improved its software to include over-the-air podcast subscriptions. The new feature is available as part of the DoubleTwist Pro in-app upgrade, a $4.99 fee that also adds AirPlay support, wireless media synchronization and album art downloads. Read more »
Warner Music Group Chairman Edgar Bronfman, Jr. is a big fan of Spotify. In fact, at the D:Dive Into Media conference, the music mogul touted the music streaming service as a complementary service on top of other sales channels. Read more »
Music subscription service Rhapsody is going to Europe, but not under its own name. The company will use the Napster brand in the U.K. and Germany to compete with Spotify. The company announced the acquisition of Napster’s foreign assets three months after it bought Napster USA. Read more »
iTunes may be great for syncing your iOS devices, or buying songs, movies, apps and books, but it’s not exactly the most nimble music player anymore. Here are five great Mac-compatible alternatives that focus on the music, without the bloat that iTunes brings. Read more »
iPod nano watch bands are common, with lots of options for Apple’s tiny touchscreen media player. But Scott Wilson’s Minimal design studio is trying something a little different, by taking the iPod nano out of the equation completely with its new line of Antik watch modules. Read more »
Apple’s new iBooks digital textbooks initiative has seen 350,000 downloads in just three days, according to new info. That’s a strong start for Apple’s expanded educational offerings, but the real question will be whether that can translate into long-term success. Read more »
In university, I used a single clipboard/portfolio to store my notes from every class, then mostly piled the day’s work on the floor according to subject matter. Apple’s iTunes U app makes keeping track of course material ridiculously easy compared to my days of academic foraging. Read more »
Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue announced a revamp of iTunes U on Thursday, designed to help teachers create full online courses instead of just creating videos or lectures. The new iTunes U will have its own app, which is similar to iBooks. Read more »
It has been a month since Spotify rolled out its app platform to all of its users, and early data from some of the participating third-party developers looks very positive: Spotify users seem to like the added functionality, with many coming back to their favorite apps. Read more »
On this week’s audio podcast, Matt and Kevin share their expectations for next week’s big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Nokia Lumia 710 is in hand, so both hosts share their thoughts on this very capable $50 Windows Phone device for T-Mobile’s network. Read more »
Apple has finally made it very clear exactly which media content can be made available in the cloud in which countries for Automatic Downloads and Apple TV streaming, as well as listing the 17 countries where iTunes Match is available. Read more »
The Apple TV can quickly be configured to turn any HDTV into a stunning holiday decoration, even without iTunes credentials. In addition to an HDTV and Apple TV, all you really need is connectivity to the internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi and an HDMI cable Read more »
After a bit of a false start last night, iTunes Match has begun rolling out officially in international iTunes Stores. As of this writing, it appears to be active at least in Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Ireland, France and Spain. Read more »
Apple has reportedly hired Tomlinson Holman as its new audio chief, according to a tweet by Leo Laporte Wednesday. Laporte has it “on good authority” that Holman “is joining Apple to run audio.” Holman created THX, and could shake up computer and mobile audio at Apple. Read more »
