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Otafuku Rex; Mix Them, Mash Them Up
The new band Otafuku Rex has debuted their music video, Do Me, I'm the Best, and is inviting fans to get in on the action and create their own remixes by mashing up the groups video and music, adding in their own music and video, and sending the results to friends.
Mobile usage a rare highlight in music biz
(Reuters)
Reuters - The mobile music landscape is very much a study in good news, bad news.
Apple Intros iPod Phone
Apple today introduced iPhone, a new device that combines a state-of-the-art mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and an Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, searching and maps—into one small and lightweight handheld device.
Apple Pumps Down the Volume
Apple today announced a software update for the iPod nano and fifth generation iPod, that lets customers set their own personal maximum volume limit.
Apple Tries To Bury Stock Options Controversy
Based on an analysis of the findings of the independent investigation, Apple has recognized additional non-cash stock-based compensation expenses of $84 million.
MP3 Tech Commentary
Product Preview: Digital Foci Photo Book - A New Portable Digital Photo Viewer The Digital Foci Photo Book is a portable digital album with an eight-inch, 800 x 600 LCD display set in a soft leather-like case. This case, described as a portable album, doesn't completely address the desires of a more traditional photo album in digital form, but its design is better suited for passing around while sitting in a living room or during a business presentation...read more
Image copyright: Digital Foci
A problem some have with the look and feel of portable digital image viewers is that, as cold metal devices, they don't capture the warmth of the images they are displaying. Some hope instead a digital photo viewer could look a little more like photo albums of old. Digital Foci is trying to capture at least part of that sentiment in a new “digital photo album.”
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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New netbook can double as touchscreen portable media player The Touch Book is notable because it sports a detachable keyboard and 3D touchscreen user interface. This design choice, in effect, allows this netbook to become a touchscreen only device which can work as a standalone portable media player or handheld gaming machine. The screen size is 8.9-inches and it can run for up to 15 hours on its rechargeable battery.
Key features of this multi-form factor netbook include storage done by a micro SD memory card, built-in speakers, a headphone jack, multiple USB ports and open source software. It is said that the Touch Book will be available in late spring for a starting price of around $300. More details can be found on the Touch Book Web site.
Photo credit: Always Innovating
Netbooks – smaller, inexpensive laptop computers primarily designed for light functions such as Web browsing and checking email – are becoming extremely popular, especially in this downtrodden economy. Innovation is something possible in this category at the moment, and a small company by the name of Always Innovating is attempting such a feat with its new Touch Book netbook computer.
Do You Have The 'Audacity' to Make Your Own Ringtones? Instead of purchasing and downloading pre-made ringtones using one of the many services on the Internet, why not make your own for free? You may remember a while ago that we covered how you can Create Free Ringtones Using iTunes. But what if you don't use iTunes? Thankfully there are quite a few free audio editors that you can download to enable you to make MP3 ringtones. One of the most popular of these is a multi-platform audio tool called, Audacity. All you'll need is your existing music library and a little investment in time. It can be very rewarding to make your own free ringtones and you'll also save a lot of money too. If you've been frustrated by not being able to find the free ringtones you want on the Internet, then why not follow our tutorial on How to Create Ringtones Using Audacity. Related Articles:
Do You Have The 'Audacity' to Make Your Own Ringtones? originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 09:35:06.
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7digital Music Service Launches in the U.S. The UK-based digital music service, 7digital, has announced that it has finally completed its U.S. roll out. 7digital which operates in several different countries (mostly in Europe) will now offer its 6 million+ MP3 music library to consumers in the United States. Prices for albums will be $7.77 while songs will cost 77 cents each. The pricing for both albums and songs is competitive when compared to major pay-per-click digital music services such as AmazonMP3 and iTunes, so it will be interesting to see over time how 7digital perform in the U.S. and how much market share they eventually control. For more information, be sure to read our 7digital Music Service Review. Related Articles:
7digital Music Service Launches in the U.S. originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Thursday, October 8th, 2009 at 11:39:35.
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Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones pop at $1,500 each The Ultrasone Edition 8 is a black and silver closed-back headphone which uses special acoustic technology to provide what Ultrasone feels is a very “spacious tonal perception.” Comfort on the interior ear cups is provided courtesy of Ethopian sheepskin.
Technical features of the Edition 8 headphones include an impedance of 30 Ohm, a frequency range of 6 – 42.000 Hz, 40mm drivers and a SPL of 96 dB. More details on these headphones, available now, can be found at the Ultrasone Web site.
(Note: Product mentions on the Portable Electronics blog do not certify endorsement of the product, but rather provide details on new products which might be of interest to consumers.)
(Photo Credit: Ultrasone)
Ultrasone, a maker of high end headphones, unveiled a couple of days ago some new special edition headphones which, considering the price compared to other Ultrasone models, may not actually be that different. It is called the Edition 8 and it prices for around $1,500.
Listening to Digital Music - How Good is Your Setup? When playing your digital music collection on your computer, home stereo system, or portable player, are you really getting the best sound possible? Could it be improved with a few minor changes that needn't cost the Earth? There are many variables that can affect the sound that hits you ears and so learning about the major factors that can influence the final result will help you to maximize your listening experience. For more information, be sure to read the article on what Factors to Consider When Listening to Digital Music. Related Articles:
Listening to Digital Music - How Good is Your Setup? originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 15:10:27.
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Buying Guide: Before You Buy a Portable Media Player
Portable media players are, by definition, MP3 players which do much more than just play your favorite digital audio files. These specialized devices also let you watch your favorite television or movie programming in a portable format as well as letting you view lots and lots of your favorite digital photos. There are a lot of portable media players on the market today, so it is important to consider the most important features when making your selection. To get you thinking about these critical functions...read more
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