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MP3 Player News & Headlines
Blinkx adds music video search tool
(AFP)
AFP - Online video search engine blinkx launched a new tool Tuesday to find and watch music videos on the Internet.
Griffin Intros 2007 Line Up
Griffin Technology today announced their 2007 lineup that will debut next week at the MacWorld Conference & Expo.
Apple's iTunes Update Again Blocks Palm Pre Syncing
(NewsFactor)
NewsFactor - Apple and Palm continue to play a cat-and-mouse game, and this time it was Apple's turn to do the chasing. Apple on Thursday released an iTunes software update that once again blocks the Palm Pre smartphone from syncing DRM-free music, photos and videos from the iTunes Store.
Apple Intros New Mac minis; More Expensive, More Powerful
Apple today unveiled two new Mac mini computers with the Intel Core Duo processor. The new models are more powerful, and at $599 and $799, more expensive than ever.
Man Destroys iPod In A Blender
Blendtec, a company that makes heavy duty blenders, is destroying iPods to help sell $400 blenders.
Google Music Search Launches with MySpace, Lala
(PC Magazine)
PC Magazine - Google on Wednesday unveiled a new music search feature that will include in its search results streaming music clips from partners like MySpace, Lala, Pandora, imeem, and Rhapsody.
Google, MySpace, Facebook make music moves
(AP)
AP - Internet power players Google, MySpace and Facebook are adopting strategies to better compete in a music industry that is rapidly shifting online.
iPods Pose Risk of Hearing Damage
Listening to iPods for as little as 5 minutes a day can cause hearing loss.
MP3 Tech Commentary
iPhone Owners From Venus, BlackBerry Owners From Mars? Ali vs. Frazier. Coke vs. Pepsi. Seinfeld vs. Newman. Nothing stokes passion quite like a good, old rivalry. And in today's tech-crazy world, iPhone vs. BlackBerry is certainly a noteworthy clash among portable devices. Which brings us to this Retrevo iPhone-BlackBerry survey. For this Gadgetology report, Retrevo decided to match up iPhone owners and BlackBerry owners against each other and see what makes them tick. For example, have you ever wondered which of the two is more likely to break up with their partners via phone? Well, scroll down below for the survey's findings. Now is it me or does it seem like more iPhone owners than BlackBerry owners come out looking like insufferable jerks in this survey? Then again, I always think surveys should be taken with a grain of salt, so I wouldn't take this stuff personally. As for the early question about breakups by phone, the survey found that 33 percent of iPhone owners have broken up with someone "electronically" compared to 22 percent for BlackBerry owners. All I can say is, there must be an app for that. Photo © Retrevo iPhone Owners From Venus, BlackBerry Owners From Mars? originally appeared on About.com Portable Entertainment on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 18:33:16.
Spotify Brings Music Downloads to Its Users The music service, Spotify, which streams music has revealed in its blog that users will now be able to download tracks. The new service will only be available to Spotify premium subscribers, who will be able to use a special 'offline mode' to store up to 3,333 tracks on their computer's hard drive. Spotify explain in their blog that a user's online playlist is synchronized for offline usage by downloading the necessary tracks - even if you have no Internet connection the music will still be accessible. The big question still to be officially answered is, "Does the music come with any DRM copy protection?" In Spotify's FAQ section, offline mode is restricted to three device and tracks can only be stored offline while you continue to pay a subscription. The other restriction mentioned on their website is that you need to login to your account at least every 30 days to ensure you are still subscribed. These set of restrictions could indicate DRM copy protection, but there's no official word on this at present. Currently Spotify is available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Spain, and the UK. According to a BBC News article, the service is due to roll out in the United States by the end of the year. Related Articles:
Spotify Brings Music Downloads to Its Users originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Thursday, October 1st, 2009 at 15:12:23.
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NPR Radio Gets Literal There's NPR radio. And then there's NPR Radio &mdash as in an actual device named NPR Radio. (Does that make it National Public Radio ... Radio?) If you're an NPR fan, then you might want to check out Livio's "The NPR Radio," which provides listeners access to more than 1,000 NPR station streams along with hundreds of NPR podcasts and audio archives. Worldly individuals might also be interested to hear that the radio is Reciva Internet Radio-enabled, providing access to more than 16,000 stations around the globe. The device gives owners the option for both a wireless and wired Internet connection, and can update itself without hooking up to a computer. At $199, the price tag may sound a bit steep for a radio. But broke college students and folks on a tight budget will be happy to know that all the programming you get is free. Part of the sales proceeds from the device also go toward supporting NPR stations and programming. You can check out the device at the NPR shop or the Livio site . Photo © Livio NPR Radio Gets Literal originally appeared on About.com Portable Entertainment on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 16:01:44.
Bridgestone Treading on Electronic Paper Displays An electronic paper device isn't exactly what comes to mind when one hears the name of tire maker Bridgestone. But e-paper is exactly what the company had on display at the FPD International 2009 convention in Yokohama, Japan. Bridgestone's "Quick Response - Liquid Powder Display" or QR-LPD features an electronic paperlike screen that can display color and is also flexible to boot. The device gets its name from the fact that it is has the characteristics of both liquid and powder, according to the company. Of particular interest for portable gadget lovers is the fact that the device consumes very little power and was designed specifically for displaying static images. It also doesn't require a backlight and can be viewed under direct sunlight, Bridgestone says. I don't know about you but those sound like the ideal characteristics for a device like an eBook reader. In fact, eBook reading is one of the applications for the device that Bridgestone lists on its QR-LPD site, along with displays for office presentations and at train stations, airports and supermarkets. Mankind has certainly gone a long way since the Egyptians first used papyrus. I can only imagine what kind of stuff we'll be seeing in 10 years. Photo © Bridgestone Bridgestone Treading on Electronic Paper Displays originally appeared on About.com Portable Entertainment on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 14:45:40.
What's Your Holiday Portable Wish List? So Halloween's not even done yet and I'm already seeing Christmas displays go up. I swear the holidays seem to come earlier each year. As I ruminate the many ways I'll likely go broke while buying gifts this year, my thoughts wander to just what kind of portable device I'd really like to get if given the choice. Do I want a new portable media player? Maybe an eBook reader would be nice. A portable battery pack for all the times that I'm on the road? Come to think of it, a GPS device would fit the bill nicely, too. Whatever device I end up wanting, one thing's for sure: I definitely won't be getting it as a present from someone else. Personally, I spend a lot of effort to stealthily figure out what my "targets" really like, so my presents end up being quite diverse. Last year, for example, gifts I gave out to loved ones included a Nintendo Wii, a laptop, a leather jacket, and a Coach handbag that made me wonder just what special cow was used to make a bag that expensive (the little thing was more expensive than the big jacket!). I, on the other hand, got sweatshirts, sweatpants, sweaters and the same colorful pajamas I've been getting every year since I was 12. Apparently, certain relatives don't realize that I've gotten a lot taller since then. Still, I don't mind such presents since I actually like sweaters and sweatshirts and I haven't had to buy any new ones for years now thanks to my family. The interesting thing for me, though, is just how intimidated my relatives are to give me anything electronic because they're afraid they'll get something that isn't good and they think I already have every gadget anyway. I'm sure a lot of folks feel exactly the same way. I, for one, have the hardest time picking presents for women, something I'm sure comes as no surprise for my fellow guys. Come to think of it, I'm sure that comes as no surprise to women either. On that note, I figured it would be interesting to see what kind of devices people would like to get this year. What device would top your wish list this holiday season? Is there a particular device that you simply must have no matter what? What do you think is the hardest part about picking a present for someone? Regardless, never forget that it's the thought that counts! What's Your Holiday Portable Wish List? originally appeared on About.com Portable Entertainment on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 19:42:23.
Free Music Downloads This Week In our music discovery spotlight this week, we showcase another selection of free promotional tracks that cover a wide range of genres designed to broaden your musical horizons :
The free music download, No Light Escapes Here, is a track from the electronic band, The Prairie Cartel. There's also the No Light Escapes Here music video that you can stream or download. Incidentally, their music has also been featured in the video game, Grand Theft Auto IV. The Prairie Cartel's new album, Where Did All My People Go is now available via their MySpace page; the digital release is slated for release on Oct. 27.
- Toxic is Dead (5:11)
- God Damn Best (2:48)
Related Articles:
- How can I record streaming music from the Internet?
- How to store and stream your own music from the Internet
- How to create a music library using Windows Media Player 11
Free Music Downloads This Week originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 09:00:29.
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Barnes & Noble Nook Nears Home Stretch Barnes & Noble is really laying on the heat on rival Amazon's Kindle these days as it steps up its marketing push via a launch party for its own Nook eBook Reader. Right smack within B&N's cross hairs, apparently, is Amazon's Kindle 2. How do I know? Well, besides the eerily similar price of $259, B&N also has this not-so-subtle side-by-side comparison on its Web site pitting the Nook against a certain Amazon device. Let's just say B&N's comparison doesn't exactly have the Kindle 2 trumping the competition. In addition to sporting the same electronic paper display and 6-inch diagonal screen size as the Kindle 2, B&N says its reader also throws in extra features such as a color touch screen, expandable memory and a wider range of supported formats. Nook owners get free Wi-Fi at all B&N stores as well. While the device lets you browse books online, I didn't see anything in the features list about a dedicated Web browser, though. The official Nook blog says the device will be out on the market starting Nov. 30, with pre-ordering available online or at any B&N store. With Sony also throwing in a new line of readers into the mix, the race to grab eBook market share from Amazon is really starting to heat up. Will Amazon continue to keep its crown as the market matures (a la Apple's iPod) or will the increased competition bring more parity to the eBook sector? I can't wait for the next volume in this series. Photo © Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Nook Nears Home Stretch originally appeared on About.com Portable Entertainment on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 19:30:54.
Google to Launch 'Search and Buy' Music Service According to an article published by NPR, Google will shortly be announcing the launch of a new music search service that you can use to buy songs. Rather than directly providing a music library, Google will be extending its search facilities to provide links to songs that can be purchased from select digital music services. Google are hoping that consumers who already use the popular search engine to find resources on the Internet will like the familiarity of their interface and use it for purchasing digital music too. Google is certainly a mighty power on the Web, but can it really compete with the king of the digital music services - namely the iTunes Store? Related Articles:
Google to Launch 'Search and Buy' Music Service originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 11:52:10.
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