Engadget

Hands-on with Gracenote's automotive-grade MoodGrid

Damon Lavrinc — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:53:00 EST

Garmin has a new head unit (internally dubbed Everest) that's due to arrive in a few OEM vehicles later this year, and aside from an attractive interface, a revamped navigation system and one-shot voice commands, a new audio app from Gracenote could be included in the package.

The app is called MoodGrid and it's a scaled down version of the Android-based version that Gracenote has been testing for the last year. Like the tablet app, the automotive-spec MoodGrid has a graph with Positive, Calm, Energetic and Dark on each axis. Place your finger anywhere between those points and the system scours your iPhone, iPod or Android device for tracks to match your mood. The automotive version uses a five-by-five grid and a new tablet version has the potential to tap into subscription music services to serve up the tunes. Check out the hands-on video after the break and expect to see MoodGrid in dealerships sometime this year.

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Hands-on with Gracenote's automotive-grade MoodGrid originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gracenote Entourage: the ACR TV platform has a name!

Daniel Cooper — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:20:00 EST

Remember Gracenote's plans for an Automatic Content Recognition system for TV? (think: Shazam to help you work out which The Mentalist episode is on). Now it's got a name: Gracenote Entourage. It'll run on smartphones and tablets to identify movies, TV shows and music just from the audio clip. It'll then show you related programming, actor bios and, erm, relevant advertising (but hey, they've gotta make money somehow, yeah?). It'll run on mobile devices and smart TVs, although would that really be easier than pressing the "TV Guide" button on your remote? We'll leave that for you to judge.

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Gracenote Entourage: the ACR TV platform has a name! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Video Unlimited-preview brings Gracenote metadata to SEN

Christopher Trout — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST

Despite one of its execs pegging this spring's lengthy PSN outage as a "great experience" the folks at Sony have been pounding the pavement to drum up consumer morale. Back at IFA, the outfit unveiled its new all-in-one Sony Entertainment Network, and its already giving the VOD wing, Video Unlimited, a facelift. Starting today, PS3 owners holding a PlayStation Plus subscription can download the creatively titled "Video Unlimited-preview" app from the PlayStation Store. According to Sony, the new user interface is all about giving the people what they want, and in this case that means a streamlined UI, with big bright graphics and understated, glowing blue text. It also means Gracenote integration, opening up the possibility of endless rabbit-holes of related content searches. We had a few minutes with the new setup, and found ourselves searching content related to Danny McBride's Your Highness under categories like "Bumbling Buffoons" and "Mythical Beasts," although we could just as easily have called up titles featuring the film's director or any of its stars.

If that's not enough of a departure from the conventional video on demand arrangement, the new UI also features "tumbler search technology," which abandons regular keyboard-style input for PS3 controls -- click the right button to select a letter as you scroll vertically through the alphabet. This "patented technology" also autocompletes your query and similarly takes advantage of Gracenote's database, allowing you to search by title, actor, director or tag. The new UI is specific to the company's video service and is currently only available via the PS3, but we're told it will roll out to the entire network and supported devices sometime in the future. All PlayStation Network users will be able to download the preview app starting October 11th, check out a video preview embedded after the break.

Gallery: Sony Video Unlimited

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Sony Video Unlimited-preview brings Gracenote metadata to SEN originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity

Brian Heater — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:39:00 EST

Back in February, General Motors debuted its MyLink smartphone integration for the Chevy Volt and Equinox on the Engadget Show, letting drivers control their iOS, Android, and BlackBerry smartphone apps via voice or touchscreen. The company announced today that it will be offering the same technology -- albeit rebranded as the tongue-twisting IntelliLink -- on several 2012 Buick and GMC models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Verano, and the GMC Terrain. IntelliLink offers up a fairly similar feature set as its Chevy counterpart -- connecting to iPhones and Android handsets via Bluetooth or USB, and leveraging Nuance voice recognition and Gracenote databases to control the likes of Pandora and Stitcher Radio. Autoblog reports that IntelliLink will hit the Buick Verano first, followed by the LaCrosse and Regal, though you might be more interested in the Terrain -- owners will also be able to control their vehicle's rear-view camera with IntelliLink, and who doesn't like manipulating megapixels in the name of pedestrian safety?

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Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's $200 BDP-S470 is company's first 3D-ready Blu-ray player

Darren Murph — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:41:00 EST

And the flood gates are now officially open. Just hours after Panasonic introduced its newest 3D Blu-ray recorders and players, along comes Sony to brag about its first 3D-ready standalone deck. The BDP-S470, which is slated to ship later this month for $200, arrives with the ability to handle BD, DVD, CD and even SACD, with a 3D Blu-ray upgrade (via firmware update) planned for this summer. You'll also find BD-Live support, BRAVIA Internet Video, a USB socket for playing back media stored elsewhere, 1080p DVD upscaling and TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. If you were planning to snag a BDP-S570 BD player or one of the BDV-E770W / BDV-E570 Blu-ray Disc home theater systems, you'll be elated to know that those systems will also get a gratis 3D update in just a few months, with exact pricing and release details tucked down there in the source. Time to pick up a pair of 3D Gunnar Optiks, don'tcha think?

Sony's $200 BDP-S470 is company's first 3D-ready Blu-ray player originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RCDb bringing IMDB, Gracenote lookup extras to tru2way boxes

Richard Lawler — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:32:00 EST

We haven't seen a lot out of tru2way to start 2010, but maybe that can get turned around starting at the CableLabs Winter Conference, where Related Content Database (RCDb) is showing off its technology which pulls together cable set-tops with web databases like IMDB and Gracenote. Using a demo on a Panasonic tru2way box, the company's showing off the ability for Hollywood and others to bring BD-Live style features to discs and cable simultaneously. Of course, the adoption of BD-Live and tru2way have both been shaky so showing them off together might not strengthen the position of either right away, but we'll keep an optimistic eye out for any developments coming.

RCDb bringing IMDB, Gracenote lookup extras to tru2way boxes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Sony 400 disc Blu-ray changer with Gracenote in action

Ben Drawbaugh — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:49:00 EST

Ever since the we first heard about the Sony 400 Disc Blu-ray changer we wondered what it must be like to try and navigate through 400 movies to find something to watch. Sony was quick to tout its award winning XrossMediaBar interface, but you really never know until you see it first hand. We stopped by Sony's booth at CEDIA and we have to say it's pretty sad. We can't even imagine paying that much for something that is frustrating. The fact is that one user interface design does not fit all, and while the XrossMediaBar works for many applications, it is hard to beat the good ol' tile view for browsing movies. The Sony representative giving the demo was quick to remind us that you can use another piece of equipment to browse your movies, which will in turn control the changer, but that's no excuse. The good news though is that the big guy did manage to change discs pretty fast.

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Filed under: Blu-ray, Sony

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Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

Richard Lawler — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:22:00 EST

Are you one of the more than 4,000 people (86%) that answered our poll saying you thought BD-Live was a waste of time, or didn't see any reason to give it a shot? We talked to Sony Pictures recently and were promised that more useful reasons for hooking the internet to Blu-ray discs & players were on the way, and today at a press event it showed why it thinks that will come true. Check out the gallery for a few pics of its new MovieIQ app, quickly described as a "wiki for movies" that can tie into your discs and provide information from Gracenote on demand on nearly anything in the movie or even specific scene being watched, from actors & directors to background music. The first BD-Live discs with it should be available in September, we'll be back with more details shortly, for now just let the images do the talking.

Update: Official press release is included after the break

Gallery: BD-Live MovieIQ

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Filed under: Blu-ray

Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live" originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

Richard Lawler — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:22:00 EST

Are you one of the more than 4,000 people (86%) that answered our poll saying you thought BD-Live was a waste of time, or didn't see any reason to give it a shot? We talked to Sony Pictures recently and were promised that more useful reasons for hooking the internet to Blu-ray discs & players were on the way, and today at a press event it showed why it thinks that will come true. Check out the gallery for a few pics of its new MovieIQ app, quickly described as a "wiki for movies" that can tie into your discs and provide information from Gracenote on demand on nearly anything in the movie or even specific scene being watched, from actors & directors to background music. The first BD-Live discs with it should be available in September, we'll be back with more details shortly, for now just let the images do the talking.

Update: Official press release is included after the break

Gallery: BD-Live MovieIQ

Continue reading Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live" originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony buys Gracenote for $260m

Ryan Block — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:48:00 EST

You remember Gracenote, right? They're the company that some years back kinda sorta misled everybody that populated the CDDB with data by selling the whole thing and closing off the platform. Well, they're laughing all the way to the bank once again: Sony just bought 'em up for $260m, with the deal set to close in late May.

Filed under: Portable Audio

Sony buys Gracenote for $260m originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gracenote trumps Sony Ericsson -- announces W910, W960, and K850

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:38:00 EST

Oh my. Looks like Gracenote has unintentionally stolen Sony Ericsson's thunder by outing their phones before SE's "next big thing" later today. According to their press release, Gracenote's mobile music service will be embedded on the "new Walkman models W910, W960 and the K850 Cyber-shot." Of course, there's still some mystery as we don't yet know which internal codename -- Sofia, Maria/Mooi, Shinobu, or possibly others -- matches up with those new product numbers. As to Gracenote, well they'll provide search and discovery, song ID and playlisting, and allow users to transfer music between home libraries, on-line music stores, and their new SE phones. But really, it's only the phones you're interested in right?

Update: Well, well now BelgiqueMobile seems to have the leaked pics and specs: 5 megapixel cybershot K850i with HSDPA/EDGE; W910 HSDPA Walkman 3.0 slider with 2 megapixel camera; W960 Walkman Touch player with UIQ 3.1, WiFi, and 3.2 megapixel camera. There's more, but not more if you knowwhutamean?

[Thanks, Thomas B. and CedricG]

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Sony Ericsson

Gracenote trumps Sony Ericsson -- announces W910, W960, and K850 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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