Google adding over-the-air app installation and iTunes streaming to Android
By Nilay Patel 
posted May 20th 2010 12:17PM
posted May 20th 2010 12:17PM
The remote music streaming is a little crazier: Google bought a company called Simplify Media, which makes a bit of desktop software that can stream all your music directly from iTunes to your phone. The demo was quite slick -- you just open the app and push "all," and all your music is instantly available. Whether or not this'll work over 3G or be limited to the local network is still up in the air, but we're dying to try it out.
AWESOME
@plbelanger It's great but those rotten fruits will probably try and block it like they block everything else
@plbelanger
This is indeed cool. Now if they'd only allow the option for streaming from a non-iTunes source. I'd really love to interact with my media on the go, but nobody really seems to support the Zune software in such a way. :(
@plbelanger
Hopefully this interest in music hints at a better music/media experience on android. Thats the only thing keeping me attatched to my iPhone.
@fpad77
Is it just too much to ask for you to not be stupid about this? What is this "everything else" that they're blocking? Were you not aware that other apps can do that already, meaning that streaming from iTunes is an approved process?
And over the air app installation, well good to see Android is finally going to be catching up to iPhone OS in at least one way. :D
@r34p3r
I feel your pain, brotha.
The Zune platform is such a superior product... I expect MS is saving that sort of integration for WinMo7, but since they are the kings of licensing agreements I hold hope that Android integration will happen one day.
Ah, to stream my own music a la Pandora...
@plbelanger if my music is available over 3g for streaming on my phone this will blow my mind
@plbelanger
Can someone explain this OTA app installation to me? Are you saying that currently, an Android phone has to be physically connected to a computer in order to install apps? Then what is point of having an App Store on the device? And even with this OTA installation, if I understand it correctly, you still need a computer, right?
@Jack
Instead of asking others not to be stupid about things, please take your own advice.
@Jack
SimplifyMedia is actually approved by Apple. They have an iPhone app so you can stream to your phone. My ex-roommate used to work at Apple and we both had the client on our machines. We could both stream either library to anywhere we wanted. Only downside is that you can't stream anything you downloaded from the iTunes store unless you auth'd the receiving client....meaning it would have to either be an iPhone or have iTunes installed. Obviously that won't work on Android, so I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned. Still a cool step forward though.
@tonicboy
No, you sit at your work PC when you're supposed to be working browsing the marketplace. You click download and it pushes it to the N1 in your pocket over the air using the phones data connection.
Great to see more exciting features and capabilities.
WHEN will Android users be provided with TRUE Hands-Free Bluetooth operation?
It's sad that my current Sprint HTC TouchPro2 provides the feature but the Sprint HTC EVO does not.....neither does the Droid, Hero, Incredible, Nexxus One and others.
Google - please address this important PHONE issue.
@tonicboy No. You can buy apps from the app store or from the net. This just enables you to click on an app on the net and have it immediately install to the handset. App brain kind of does this already.
I love android, it's brilliant.
@r34p3r I've been streaming my entire music collection for a long time using an app called GMote. Just install the GMote client on your PC and you can stream all your music!
@Calx
So this is for side-loaded apps only? If you had to guess, what percentage of Android apps are not available in the App Store? In other words, how often do you run into a situation where it makes more sense to side-load?
@tonicboy just stop...... ur taking this completly wrong, its just another convient feature, blike if your allready on the computer and you youtube best (insert #)android apps and your phone is on the bed you can just get them from your computer and wirelessly(like magic) have them on your phone. I know its a hard concept.....
@tonicboy You're very confused and you shouldn't be. This is just saying that Google will make the Android Market available to browse at your computer (probably using your Google account affiliated with your Android handset), allow you to browse and select an app you want to install on your phone, then it automatically pushes the install to your phone without you having to go through the steps it takes by using the market on your phone. It's a pretty simple notion. If you still don't understand, you probably need to get an iPhone.
@Ted S
Not sure what it's worth but the 2.2 highlights lists voice dialing over bluetooth as a new feature.
http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-2.2-highlights.html
New Platform Technologies
Bluetooth
Voice dialing over Bluetooth
Ability to share contacts with other phones
Support for Bluetooth enabled car and desk docks
Improved compatibility matrix with car kits and headsets
@plbelanger
2 words: stepping up the game by a mile!
@av8rdude
+1 for GMote. It's lacking a few features that I'd like to see such as Shuffle Playlist but for 3g streaming of my entire music library, not just limited to my Zune Marketplace content, it rocks. Add in the ability to act as a wifi remote to my media pc for media playback and it's an awesome app.
@wraith404
Thanks!!! That's AWESOME news!!! Finally!
Goodbye WinMo TP2, Hello Android Sprint EVO!!!
If my Sprint Hero doesn't get an upgrade to 2.2, then it'll be another reason to upgrade to the latest at that point in time.
Thanks again! Much appreciated!
@r34p3r I'm sure Windows 7 will!
@r34p3r
Zune can stream wirelessly (Windows Media Server for example), but the protocol has a DRM component that nobody supports expect MS. I am not sure why, maybe it requires some kind of expensive licensing. It would be very awesome if we could stream Zune through Android. Zune subscription rocks.
@fpad77
Let them block itunes....... itunes sucks ass anyways.
@xkaosu9x Yeah this app is no longer in the App Store... Just FYI
@wraith404
The devour on vzw supports bluetooth voice dialing
@r34p3r
If you've got a zune, you could connect it via WiFi to a phone with FroYo and then just use the marketplace on your Zune to stream.
if you bothered to read, you would have seen the bit about google purchasing the IPHONE APP to make this possible. Freakin google-droogs.
@xkaosu9x
Hey guess what?
Simplify Media pulled their apps from the app store and are shutting down their servers in a month or two, and the iphone-PC streaming services will be cut off.
I mean good for them, they were bought by Google and and are now going Android, but they are closing their doors on the iphone for good.
But at least Ill know what to use for PC music streaming once i eventually go Android
@r34p3r it does do WMP so ur Zune file CAN be streamed OTA!!
@plbelanger In the end, it will be Google VS Apple! and there can only be one. One should realize that Google is also planning to go head to head with apple by launching their own App store on the web as well. http://j.mp/google-app-marketplace
@Ted S
I have had a bunch of phones that offered bluetooth voice dialing but I have never used it because I don't trust it to call the correct person. I do agree that the Phone part of Android needs more attention.
I have a Moto Droid whiuch I love but I still miss normal speed dial and functional visual voice mail. The visual voicemail app produced by Verizon for the Droid is pretty much useless.
can i have this now? like.... right this very second, google?
@skyblaze According to the andriod blog:
"Android 2.2 will be here soon, and some devices will get the update in the coming weeks."
@skyblaze Yeah, I want it too, I have over 1500 songs and counting that will not fit on my iPod.
Apple was reducing wires. Google is removing them entirely.
The new music app looks amazing!
Android keeps getting better and better.
I kept having doubts, but finally I'm jumping on the bandwagon in a couple of weeks with the Nexus One.
This is FREAKING AWESOME.
Simplify media on the iphone kicked ASS, one of the few paid apps i paid for more than once.... and really missed when i got my nexus one. Can not WAIT until google releases this!!!!!!
@SHIFTER
Yes, "KICKED" ass, because Simplify Media is no longer available and will probably be useless when they shut their servers down in a couple months. I paid for it. How do I get a refund? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
@Dark Archon PSN Archonik XBL Dar im pretty sure that the server runs from your own home computer, so even if they remove it from the appstore you should be fine as long as you don't delete the app off iTunes.
the bigger news to me is that simplify media on iphone is no more. just checked the appstore. dang.
oh well, one can always find it in Installous.
@colmiak Unfortunately, it DOES rely on Simplify Media servers. The way it lets you use a username rather than an IP address is run off of their servers, so its similar to a DNS server in that way. It doesn't actually stream the music, but it connects you to your home computer much like a DNS server routes you to 74.125.47.105 when you type in google.com.
Simplify Media has been around for quite awhile. I think I dl'd on my iPhone about a year ago.
Now I see why they are cutting service on the iPhone. Oh well. Switched to Slacker anyways.
@BryCivicSi
yep, I have had simplify media on my iphone for quite a while, worked really well for me (when it worked at all). I guess no more support for apple's platform then
How long before Apple goes all... Well, Apple about this streaming music thing and prevents it from happening?
@Booksmart Devil
They probably cant. There is an official interface to interact with iTunes and query and modify the media library.
Hahahaha. There is no limit to Goog's desperation. Check in with Ruby on how fcuking with Apple worked out for him.
Shouldn't you guys be in jail by now, anyway?
@Ariel Bender All your base are belong to us
@Ariel Bender oh good. another dummy.
@Ariel Bender Looking over your comment history, I have immense pity for you. You have the biggest chip on your shoulder of any commenter on Engadget who isn't straight trolling. What could you make you HATE everything not-Apple this much?