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MP3 Headlines & News for October 20, 2009


MP3 Players today are extremely popular amongst everyone from teenagers to hip seniors. New and old companies alike are constantly releasing newer and better models.

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MP3 Player News & Headlines

Music blog to offer high-quality song streaming (AP)
AP - Consumers seem reluctant to sign up for online music services that charge subscription fees, yet a music blogging site is hoping to reel in music lovers by offering unlimited access to a catalog of high-fidelity tunes for $5 a month.

NAMM Update: Denon DJ Intros DN-S3500 Tabletop CD/MP3 Player
Denon DJ introduced the DN-S3500 tabletop CD/MP3 player, featuring a powerful 12-pole Direct Drive motor, 7 on-board effects and intuitive control.

New iPod shuffle Available Worldwide This Friday
Nearly half the size of the original, the new iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a minimal aluminum design with a built-in clip, making it the most wearable iPod ever.

New Michael Jackson single debuts online (AP)

FILE  -  This is a Thursday, March 5, 2009 file photo of US singer Michael Jackson  as he announced that he is set to play ten live concerts at the London O2 Arena in July, Jackson returned to the airwaves Monday  Oct. 12, 2009 with a new song  the first from an upcoming musical documentary featuring the troubled superstar.   It is the first new material by Jackson to be released since his sudden death in Los Angeles on June 25. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)AP - Michael Jackson returned to the airwaves Monday with a new song — the first from an upcoming musical documentary featuring the troubled superstar.


Judge Rejects Ringtone Lawsuit Against Verizon (PC World)
PC World - A U.S. federal judge has rejected a music royalty collection agency's contention that a mobile operator is liable to pay public performance royalties when a ringtone is played.

Griffin Intros Evolve iPod Speakers
Griffin Technology today announced the unveiling of its new lineup of powered speaker systems. Evolve is a speaker system with a flat charging base that holds your iPod in a Universal Dock.

Abu Dhabi Media Co. invests in music video site VEVO (AFP)

Vevo logo. Abu Dhabi Media Co. (ADMC) announced Monday that it has made a AFP - Abu Dhabi Media Co. (ADMC) announced Monday that it has made a "strategic investment" in VEVO, the online music video partnership between Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.



MP3 Tech Commentary

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.

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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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Free Music Downloads This Week

Our music discovery slot this week features another set of free music tracks that you can either stream or download. By listening to these full-length tracks, you will hopefully get a better feel for the following artists/bands music before deciding to purchase their albums. The free music downloads on offer this week are:

BURNS

The track, Teknique, is a great example of the electro house genre that has recently become so popular in the electronic dance music scene. The British producer, BURNS, has just released his Teknique EP (2112 Records) which is now available to download via Beatport.

Girls In Trouble

Essentially, this promotional track by Girls In Trouble is an indie-style song, but what makes it unique is that it also has a twist of folk/punk thrown in too. The Girls In Trouble album (JDub Records) is due for release digitally on Oct. 27 and physically on Nov. 3.

They Might Be Giants

This free music download from the band, They Might Be Giants, is a fun 'Dinosaur' related track that will appeal to kids. Their Electric Car video which can be viewed on YouTube is another example of how this refreshing band uses music as an educational tool for kids. Their 2-disc DVD and CD set is now digitally available on iTunes and from Amazon as a physical.

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Free Music Downloads This Week originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Friday, September 18th, 2009 at 07:15:13.

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Free Music Downloads This Week

Our music discovery slot this week features another set of free music tracks that you can either stream or download. These full-length tracks cover a wide range of genres and will hopefully help you to discover bands and artists that you might not otherwise have found. The free music downloads this week are :

THE:HOURS Podcast Vol. 2

This 'mixtape' from the record label, THE:HOURS, contains 10 full tracks from top artists such as David Bowie, Björk, Fever Ray, and others; the full track list can be viewed on THE:HOURS' blog. Their Podcast Vol. 2 compilation is in celebration of the release of Via Tania's new album, Moon Sweet Moon, that we covered recently in our weekly free Music Downloads blog.

Drink Up Buttercup

Philadelphia-based band, Drink Up Buttercup, have just signed a record deal with Yep Roc Records, and to celebrate this event they have two free tracks on offer for fans to download for free. Their retro style of music can be best described as being hit with a mix of psychedelic rock, acid folk, and a good deal of chanting. By signing up as a fan via their MySpace page, you can download Even Think and Heavy Hand. There's also another 5 free music downloads via Daytrotter.com that can be either streamed or downloaded after signing up.

Yes Giantess

The Yes Giantess Mixtape is a gigantic 60 minute mix of songs from top artists such as Mariah Carey, Prince, Erasure, Lilly Allen, and the legendary Michael Jackson. Yes Giantess who deliver 80s style electro-pop tracks have also got the following free remixes for download via the Neon Gold Records blog:
  1. Tuff N Stuff (Pirate Stereo Remix)(4:08)
  2. Stuck On Repeat (Fake Blood Remix) - Little Boots (6:28)
  3. Don't Bring Flowers (Yes Giantess Remix) - Erik Hassle (6:54)

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Free Music Downloads This Week originally appeared on About.com Digital Music on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 09:00:08.

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Product Preview: Philips GoGear Opus - A New Portable Media Player
The Philips line up of GoGear portable media players has churned out over the years a steady stream of quality devices known for their sleek looks and easy to use interfaces. These forward thinking products also tend to come with new audio enhancements from Philips, itself a major player in the larger consumer electronics market.

The upcoming Philips GoGear Opus digital audio/video player is certainly no exception to this rule of potential innovation. The company has tossed a number of useful functions into this device...read more

Buying Guide: Before You Buy a Portable Ebook Reader
The age of the portable ebook reader is upon us. Though nothing will ever replace fully the beloved paperback, the idea of being able to take hundreds of digital paperbacks with you on the road has lots of appeal. A growing number of ebook readers are being released for your purchasing consideration. You should ask yourself first, however, which features are most important to you. Battery life? Screen size? How many books a reader can hold? Read Before You Buy a Portable Ebook Reader for must have ebook reader features.

Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones pop at $1,500 each
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.

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)

New Sony boombox looks like a saucer
The boombox, despite ever popular MP3 players such as the Apple iPod, will continue to remain a favorite for at least some. That is why Sony continues to trickle new models out – the latest being the rather saucer shaped ZS-E5.

The ZS-E5, available next month for an undisclosed price, is said to be Sony's most personalized and least expensive boombox to date. It sports a compact body, four body color choices (pink, blue, red, aqua) and a rather unique design compared to more expensive devices in this category.

Features of the ZS-E5 include a built-in analog AM/FM tuner, an integrated CD player that supports CD-R/RW playback, and a line-in jack for digital music players. This is on top of the large LED display. More details, when available, can be found at the Sony Web site.

Photo Credit: Sony

Product Review: Nextar T30 Portable Media Player
The Nextar T30 portable media player, despite its inexpensive price tag, is hard to recommend when put up against other devices similar to it. It has a few stand out qualities, but the overall experience it provides is marred by a small host of mostly minor issues. Were there but a handful of these it would be one thing, but it is hard to overlook so many challenges at the same time. Should you choose to purchase this player, it is best suited for those on a budget who want a portable media player which offers a wide range of mostly functional features...read more

Photo credit: Nextar


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October 13 - October 14 - October 15 - October 16 - October 17 - October 18 - October 19

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