TuneUp is software that helps you organize your iTunes library. The makers of TuneUp just secured an additional $2 million in funding, which they plan to use to add features and stay relevant in a world where, more and more, music lives in the cloud. Read more »
Miramax has made a deal with Lionsgate to distribute its film titles on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as through digital storefronts like Apple’s iTunes and Amazon Video on Demand. But the deal doesn’t include Netflix, which will have to strike its own deal with Miramax. Read more »
Apple’s iTunes is #1 when it comes to movie sales and rentals online, but Microsoft’s share is growing quickly due to sales of its Kinect motion controller. While Sony ranks third now, it could soon be overtaken by Walmart’s Vudu if that service continues to grow. Read more »
Want to catch up on Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show? It’ll now cost you. The comedian is turning to a micropayment system to support the weekly series, using both iTunes and the beta Dynamo player. Is the podcast world ready for this move? Because iTunes isn’t. Read more »
Setting up a streaming music service in the U.S. isn’t easy, thanks to the company holding the music industry’s purse strings. That company is Apple, and according to Spotify’s head of business development Faisal Galaria, it’s a force that may be impossible to reckon with. Read more »
Welcome to another installment of Tips and Tricks. These articles aim to teach you some handy things you might not know about your Apple stuff. Let’s continue the series by looking at iTunes, with an eye to making things easier and eliminating some clutter. Read more »
Sony’s Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity service, which launched in the UK and Ireland in December 2010, will be expanding its availability to France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Music Unlimited competes directly with other cloud-based music services, but it could pose a threat to iTunes, too. Read more »
Much of the discussion surrounding the Mac App Store has been around the repercussions it will have on Mac application development, but I think it could finally signal a significant change in the role iTunes plays in media management on the Mac. Read more »
If you acquire television shows from sources other than the iTunes Store for enjoyment on your iOS device, some of that enjoyment may be frustrated by a bug that inexplicably missorts shows and episodes. Luckily, the fix is simple, if a little illogical. Read more »
Today on the Net: The Daily Show and the Colbert Report may return to Hulu soon, CE makers are still trying to convince us oh 3-D in the home and uTorrent has 100MM monthly users. Read more »
Apple has yet to introduce either a streaming iTunes subscription, or a good way for MobileMe users to store their music library in the cloud for remote access. However, a service called mSpot is here to remedy that problem, by providing online space for your music. Read more »
Late Dec. 10, Apple introduced new playlist features for Ping, the social music network it introduced as part of iTunes 10. Ping users can now share iTunes playlists on your profile, and let friends collaborate on those playlists by adding songs. Read more »
Apple’s year-in-review iTunes Rewind special section of the iTunes Store went live today, and the App Store selections in particular give a good overview at the year that was for iOS software. Here’s a look at the big winners, and some interesting trends. Read more »
Apple made good on its promise to extend iTunes song previews to 90 seconds very early Thursday, Dec. 9. Only some songs 2:30 and longer will get the new preview length, though, with shorter tracks and some exceptions retaining the original 30 second preview length. Read more »
It’s not quite time for the Apple announcement yet, so there’s no telling whether or not this is what’s going to be revealed, but a simple search finds that music by The Beatles is now available for purchase in the iTunes Store. Read more »
Audio podcasts have been around longer than their video counterparts. There are plenty of great Mac-related podcasts out there to choose from, but these are the ones that offer consistent quality and the best content. It’s a veritable feast of Apple news and information! Read more »
Apple just posted a new teaser image on its home page, promising an iTunes announcement for tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. PST, or 10:00 a.m. EST. The official tagline for the event is “Tomorrow is just another day. That you’ll never forget.” Read more »
Apple just pushed out iTunes version 10.1 via Software Update. The update brings the ability to use AirPlay to stream video from iTunes to the new Apple TV, the ability to sync with iPhone, iPad or iPod touch devices running iOS 4.2, and stability improvements. Read more »
Apple has opened up its Ping social network to Twitter’s 175 million users, allowing those users to connect their accounts to the iTunes-based network and share links and previews. The deal gives Apple more reach, and could help drive traffic to Twitter’s newly relaunched website. Read more »
I got an email today that made me a little bit sad. It was from Apple, and it was about how great Ping is. It left the distinct impression that many don’t agree. An email won’t convince people Ping is worthwhile. So what would? Read more »
In a recent email to music labels and providers, Apple announced that previews will be soon tripled in length. Song previews for tracks over 2:30 will now be 90 seconds instead of 30 seconds in the iTunes Store. Reaction to the change appears to be mixed. Read more »
Starbucks wants to give customers more than just free internet access. Through a new partnership with Apple and Yahoo, the Seattle-based coffee chain will provide customers with free content to enjoy via their Wi-Fi connection. Music, books, newspapers and more are on the menu. Read more »
Steve Jobs said yesterday that Apple’s model with iOS isn’t closed; it’s “integrated.” Well, the integrated model faces a major test close on the heels of having been officially named: Will it, or can it, approve an iTunes competitor for sale in the App Store? Read more »
The Wholesale Applications Community, which will “increase the overall market for mobile applications” has announced new members and published a developer specification for apps that can work across many devices and carriers. But so far, it’s just a spec for widgets. Do we need a WAC? Read more »
According to some reports, there are now 300,000 apps available for iOS devices. Whether or not the number is actually there yet, it will be soon, and that’s an impressive feat for Apple. But is it the best thing for Apple consumers and iOS developers? Read more »
A tipster speaking to the LA Times says Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, two of tech’s most influential figures, got together for dinner at Steve’s place two weeks ago. No word on what they ate, but fledgling music social network Ping was definitely on the menu. Read more »
Director Edward Burns has had an active Hollywood career as both an actor in other people’s projects and a writer/director of his own. But while his latest film is a low-budget return to his indie roots, it’s getting a digital release on iTunes, VOD and DVD. Read more »
Even if your kids understand the value of a dollar, do they appreciate how quickly they add up when using an iOS device? Unprotected iDevices can lead to big accidental iTunes charges. Here’s how to stop that from happening to you and your family. Read more »
Spotify is a huge hit in Europe, where it provides ad-supported, free streaming music via desktop application. It’s attracted roughly seven million users there, and is now in the process of trying to extend that success to U.S. shores. Apple isn’t on board with the plan. Read more »
A good program launching application is something I’ll use constantly so having it available with a keystroke is critical. When I made the move to Mac, I immediately started looking for a good launcher, and eventually stumbled across Alfred, a free launcher that’s simple yet powerful. Read more »
A good program launching application is something I’ll use constantly so having it available with a keystroke is critical. When I made the move to Mac, I immediately started looking for a good launcher, and eventually stumbled across Alfred, a free launcher that’s simple yet powerful. Read more »
Apple’s first update to version 10 of its media player software iTunes brings some great improvements for Ping. It shows that Cupertino actually cares about the success of the product, and that it’s interested in what users have to say about its services. Read more »
Orb’s Music Puck, a $69 device that streams digital over a home network is launching just two months before Apple’s similar AirPlay functionality arrives in iOS devices. Music on Orb is controlled with a free smartphone app. Can Orb’s new hardware compete against Apple’s music juggernaut? Read more »
Orb’s Music Puck, a $69 device that streams digital over a home network is launching just two months before Apple’s similar AirPlay functionality arrives in iOS devices. Music on Orb is controlled with a free smartphone app. Can Orb’s new hardware compete against Apple’s music juggernaut? Read more »
Netflix announced an expanded license agreement with NBC Universal that expands the conglomerate’s presence on Netflix Instant to include other NBC U programming from Syfy and USA, just one day after Jeff Zucker said NBC wouldn’t be participating in Apple’s 99 cent rental program. Read more »
So far, only ABC and Fox have signed on with Apple’s plan to rent individual TV show for 99 cents apiece. Other networks have yet to join in, and yesterday, NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker made clear that his company probably won’t be anytime soon. Read more »
Microsoft announced plans to expand its Zune marketplace overseas and giving users three-screen access to content that they buy on their PCs, Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 mobile devices. But the Zune marketplace is doomed to fail because users don’t want another siloed digital storefront. Read more »
Apple is reportedly talking with a number of newspaper and magazine publishers about an iTunes-based newsstand that would allow them to offer subscriptions to readers. But while this seems like an appealing offer, publishers should be aware of how much they stand to lose as well. Read more »
Samsung will soon be pushing its new Galaxy Tab as a competitor to Apple’s iPad, and rolling out its own video portal as a competitor to iTunes. The new Media Hub will make TV episodes and movies available on the tablet and Samsung Galaxy S handsets. Read more »
The film adaptation of the popular book Freakonomics will be hitting movie theaters on Oct. 1, but anxious viewers can watch it now if they want, with rentals of the Freakonomics film available for just $9.99 on Apple’s iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand, and cable VOD. Read more »
