Engadget

iPod owners notified of RealNetworks-related lawsuit's class action status, given chance to cash in (updated: not Real)

Jon Fingas — Thu, 10 May 2012 07:58:00 EST

Remember the 2005 lawsuit over Apple's effort to keep RealNetworks' Harmony DRM off of the iPod, calling the countermeasures an abuse that locked customers into Apple's FairPlay copy protection and the iTunes Store? You're forgiven if you don't -- the complaint was filed in 2005. Even with iTunes having gone primarily DRM-free over three years ago, though, owners of iPods bought between September 12th, 2006 and March 31st, 2009 are just now getting notices that they qualify for a slice of any damages if they register and ~~Rhapsody's former owner~~ the class action group wins in court. Of course, there's no guarantee that ~~RealNetworks~~ former Rhapsody users will win and get you music money to feed your iPod, iPod classic, iPod nano or iPod touch, but unless you're planning to sue Apple yourself, there's no penalty for a legitimate claim.

Update: RealNetworks has chipped in to let us know that it's "not involved in any way" with the lawsuit, which is actually an independent complaint centered around the Rhapsody users themselves. RealNetworks hasn't embroiled itself in a legal fight with Apple to date.

iPod owners notified of RealNetworks-related lawsuit's class action status, given chance to cash in (updated: not Real) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: You tell me it's the institution

Ross Rubin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Apple rose to dominate sales of digital music by more or less mirroring the way consumers acquired music in the physical world -- that is, purchasing songs, but providing a greater degree of granularity. This worked well for music and has also held true for apps and best-selling books, but hasn't been as in step with consumer media acquisition habits for other content.

For example, before Apple brought sales of video material to iTunes, most consumers did not generally own TV shows except for perhaps a few cherished series on DVD. They either watched them as they aired as part of a cable-like subscription or paid a flat monthly fee for the privilege of recording them on a DVR to be viewed after they aired. Furthermore, both Blockbuster physical stores and later Netflix's DVD by mail feature relied on a system of one-time consumption via rental or subscription that eschewed ownership of movies. And today, Vevo.com offers free streaming of many music videos that Apple still seeks to sell.

Continue reading Switched On: You tell me it's the institution

Switched On: You tell me it's the institution originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple brings iTunes Store to Brazil, Latin America

Amar Toor — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:31:00 EST

Apple is extending its sphere of influence south of the equator today, with the launch of the iTunes Store in Brazil and a whole slew of Latin American countries. According to Cupertino, the platform will launch with a catalog of over 20 million songs, from both Brazilian and international artists, as well as a selection of more than 1,000 films for rent or purchase. Also included in today's release are users in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. Find more details in the full PR, after the break.

Continue reading Apple brings iTunes Store to Brazil, Latin America

Apple brings iTunes Store to Brazil, Latin America originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Kraftwerk Who?' Pioneering '50s Synthesizer unearthed in French Barn

Daniel Cooper — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 03:05:00 EST

So there Dr. Mick Grierson was, wandering around a French barn, minding his own business when all of a sudden he happened upon an antique: one of the earliest modern synthesizers. Grierson, a professor at Goldsmiths University in London did what any expert in the field of electronic music would do, and whisked it back to the motherland for restoration. The Oram "Oramics" Synthesiser (sic) was built by Daphne Oram in 1957, a year before she co-founded the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to research and develop electronic music. Political wrangling within the corporation forced her to leave in 1959, and she retreated to a farm in nearby Kent to tinker with her invention. After her departure, the Workshop shot to fame for creating the original electronic theme to Doctor Who. In order to create music on the Oram, a composer painted waveforms directly onto 35mm film strips which were fed into the machine. Inside, photo-electronic cells read the light pattern and interpreted it as sound. Check out the video to see the arrival of the machinery back into England where it'll be on display all the way through December 2012. If you're really interested you can tap Dr Grierson's homebrewed Oramics iPhone app (linked below for your downloading pleasure) to create your own futuristic theme songs, '57-style.

Continue reading 'Kraftwerk Who?' Pioneering '50s Synthesizer unearthed in French Barn

'Kraftwerk Who?' Pioneering '50s Synthesizer unearthed in French Barn originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Podcasts down in iTunes desktop store (update: it's back!)

Zach Honig — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:41:00 EST

Want to download the latest Engadget Show from the iTunes Store on your Mac or PC? Well, you probably can't -- right now, at least. That section appears to be down for most of us at the moment, with the Podcasts tab presenting a "not enough memory available" error message on each click. We've confirmed the error on iTunes 10.2.1 and 10.2.2.12 -- the latest version -- and aren't able to get past the home page. We're sure Cupertino is working on a fix, but you may need to put your podcast obsession on hold, or jump on your iOS device for all that tech talk in the meantime.

Update: We're also unable to download apps from both the Mac and iOS App Stores. After clicking to download an app in iOS, it appears on the home screen briefly, then disappears. We're also prompted to re-enter passwords with each attempt, so this may be related to an authentication issue. Jump past the break for the App Store error.

Update 2: The outage extends to all iTunes Store content, including music, movies, TV shows -- the works. Time to go out and enjoy the sunshine?

Update 3: As of 3:15pm ET things look to be up and operational again. You may now recommence stuffing your devices with datas.

[Thanks, Jeff]

Continue reading Podcasts down in iTunes desktop store (update: it's back!)

Podcasts down in iTunes desktop store (update: it's back!) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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App review: Seamless for iOS and Mac (video)

Jacob Schulman — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST

If you're the kind of person who's always listening to music and wouldn't be caught dead headphone-less, pause that song for a quick second and check out Seamless. This lightweight app links your iPhone's Music player to iTunes on your Mac in a pretty clever -- not to mention Cupertino-esque -- fashion. The whole crux of it is the "transition," which simultaneously fades out a song on one end while bringing it to full blast on the other. All it takes to get started is a quick $1.99 download for your i-device and free Mac-centric companion app. Does it work as advertised, or is it really just a gimmick? Head past the break for a quick rundown of just how seamless this utility really is.

Continue reading App review: Seamless for iOS and Mac (video)

App review: Seamless for iOS and Mac (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception

Richard Lawler — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:04:00 EST

Online rentals and purchases of movies are still just a tiny fraction of the home video pie, but Warner's latest effort to expand that is similar to Paramount's recent efforts on Windows Phone 7 (Thanks SteveyAyo), offering its highest profile flicks as apps for iPhones and iPads. The Dark Knight and Inception are the first two releases out of the gate, offering free apps with some bonus content and the first five minutes of the movie, then charging $9.99 and $11.99, respectively to unlock the rest. According to Warner, it offers a different experience than simply purchasing the flick over iTunes because of the extras which include Twitter and Facebook integration among the extras, plus the ability to offer the digital version in countries where iTunes doesn't sell movies yet, like China, Brazil and the Netherlands. There's a video demo and press release after the break, but the downside of being locked to portable devices is keeping us from clicking the buy button for now, but if you could sprinkle some Ultraviolet on it, we might change our tune.

Gallery: Warner iOS movie apps

Continue reading Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception

Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iTunes gifting grifter cleaning out British bank accounts

Christopher Trout — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:43:00 EST

On January 25th, The Register reported that one unlucky bloke saw his bank account emptied through a series of iTunes monthly gift purchases sent to an unknown Hotmail account. He was informed of the theft by an e-mail from Apple, saying his gift purchase had been confirmed, but alas, he'd already been taken to the tune of £1,000. It's been over a week since the story appeared, but accounts continue to pour into an Apple customer support forum, echoing the accusations made to The Register -- and, boy are people mad. Apparently, customers seeking Apple's help have received a pat response that sounds awfully familiar: cancel your credit card and report the charges to your bank. We've yet to hear of this happening anywhere outside the UK, but we're still interested to see how the great iTunes heist shakes out. If a suspicious Hotmail account is sucking you dry, we want all the sordid details.

iTunes gifting grifter cleaning out British bank accounts originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iTunes celebrates its 10th birthday, still takes too long to sync your iPhone

Darren Murph — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:50:00 EST

If you've managed to use any piece of technology for ten years, it's safe to say that said piece has some serious lasting power in an era filled with flavors-of-the-week. It's a bit startling to think that Apple's iTunes has now fallen into that category, but sure enough, the music-turned-media-application is now a decade old. Fittingly enough, it just hit version 10.0 a few months ago, and it may very well be tweaked to play nice with an all new device later this week. Head on past the break for a look at the very first iTunes introduction at Macworld 2001, and then think about how many times you've hated your life as you watched that sync progress bar crawl along at glacial speeds. No, seriously, think about it.

Continue reading iTunes celebrates its 10th birthday, still takes too long to sync your iPhone

iTunes celebrates its 10th birthday, still takes too long to sync your iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple granted patent behind new iTunes extras features

Ben Bowers — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:47:00 EST

Today, Apple was granted a patent covering the ability to sync movie extra features with particular times or locations in videos. This is the same technology Sony is quietly testing now in the iTunes store with The Other Guys, Salt, and Resident Evil: Afterlife in which movie buyers can enter search terms to see scenes in the movie where that term was used. Since the extra features are only available for iTunes content, like iTunes LP, Apple clearly hopes to woo bonus feature-loving consumers to purchase digital copies over Blu-rays or DVDs. Of course if this strategy is going to succeed, you'd think Cupertino would want to expand support for iTunes extras beyond the original Apple TV and the desktop to include the one million second generation Apple TVs sold and three million plus iPhone 4s out there. But hey, what do we know?

Apple granted patent behind new iTunes extras features originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK teen buys $750,000 of his own music from iTunes using stolen credit cards (update)

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:47:00 EST

A UK teen named Lamar Johnson has recently plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud. His crime? It seems that he and his band (both in a musical sense and in a "Robin Hood" sense) used stolen credit cards to purchase something like $750,000 worth of their own music from both Amazon and the iTunes Store between January 2008 and June 2009. There's no telling how much the group would have earned from royalties, and the name of the band hasn't been disclosed (believe us, we looked), but something tells us that they probably recorded dubstep. Also, something tells us that -- since the royalties would have to be paid out to someone with a bank account -- this was a painfully easy case for prosecutors to crack. While Johnson will find his sentence tacked onto the 5-year jail term he is currently serving for grievous bodily harm, the rest of his 12 member "band" will have to wait until they appear in court in January to discover their fate.

Update: One of our fine commenters (christianoliff) dug up an article from the Sunday Mercury that discloses a little more info on the perp, including a dashing photo and the name of his MySpace artist page. Apparently his criminal enterprise was more of a 2-step thing.

UK teen buys $750,000 of his own music from iTunes using stolen credit cards (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon FiOS Mobile app hits iPad, a virtual remote with no streaming in sight

Ross Miller — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST

You know that Verizon FiOS iPad app we spied back in August, the one that streamed TV and VOD content? Nope, still not here -- check back 2011. Want to use your Apple slate as a giant remote for your (HD) set-top box, browsing TV / VOD listings and remotely programming DVRs? Set parental controls and bookmarks, even update your STB names? Look no further than the iTunes store; all it's gonna cost you is 3MB of space.

Verizon FiOS Mobile app hits iPad, a virtual remote with no streaming in sight originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WSJ: Apple bringing Beatles to iTunes after a seven year wait

Paul Miller — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:06:00 EST

It's not like The Beatles are lacking in legacy and cultural saturation, but we have to lament the generation of kids that have yet to hear the Fab Four in album form -- at least, in legally-obtained album form -- thanks to the group's conspicuous absence from the largest music retailer in the US . Now, a mere seven and a half years after Apple launched the iTunes store, with countless hopeful rumors in-between, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that The Beatles catalog is a lock for tomorrow's iTunes announcement. This is according to WSJ's "people familiar with the matter," and matches with what Billboard calls "the best bet" from what it's managed to scrounge up. Even with such an imminent announcement, WSJ's sources warn that plans could change at the last minute, and that the talks between Apple, Beatles reps, and EMI were taking place as recently as last week. Still, we just have to believe this is going to happen, cross our fingers, and wear our lucky socks tomorrow -- because really, who wants to wait another seven years?

WSJ: Apple bringing Beatles to iTunes after a seven year wait originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple informs labels that iTunes song previews will be 90 seconds long, hopes they don't mind?

Sean Hollister — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:13:00 EST

It's all up there in black and white, but we'll be happy to spell it out again here -- it seems that Apple has decided to extend the length of iTunes song previews from 30 seconds to 90 seconds. Sounds just fine to us, but not to the recipients of this letter, who are told the change is happening whether they like it or not and it's for their own good. "We believe that giving potential customers more time to listen to your music will lead to more purchases," the document reads, but without giving the music labels any way to say no. We don't actually know the origin of this particular document, so we're not saying this is a done deal by any means, but if the letter's legit you're looking at the world's largest online music store telling the labels to put up and shut up -- or else peddle their tunes somewhere else.

Update: It's worth noting that CNET reported that iTunes song previews might double in length about two months ago.

Apple informs labels that iTunes song previews will be 90 seconds long, hopes they don't mind? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad gets Xvid AVI video playback with CineXPlayer app on iTunes, hell freezes over

Richard Lai — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:43:00 EST

Now here's a surprise. Apple isn't exactly known to be super friendly when it comes to video compatibility, and we can sympathize to an extent. However, for some inexplicable reason, Steve's brethren decided to give this CineXPlayer app the green light for general consumption, thus finally allowing iPad users to load up their stash of Xvid AVI files -- sans conversion -- via iTunes. While this is worth a quick celebration, it's still rather absurd having to resort to underhanded apps for such basic functionality -- something that we've been able to do natively on many other tablets and PMPs for years. Let's not also assume that this free app is staying for good, so grab it while it's hot. Video instructions after the break.

Continue reading iPad gets Xvid AVI video playback with CineXPlayer app on iTunes, hell freezes over

iPad gets Xvid AVI video playback with CineXPlayer app on iTunes, hell freezes over originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yoko Ono regarding Beatles on iTunes: 'Don't hold your breath'

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 04:16:00 EST

There are two great mysteries of the digital age: how did a Welshman become the most powerful man in Japan and when will the Beatles be available for download on iTunes? While the former will forever remain a mystery, speculation picked up on the latter in 2006 after Apple and Apple Corps -- the record label owned by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and the estate of George Harrison -- settled a long running dispute. In September of last year, Yoko Ono apparently went so far as to whisper its imminent arrival only to be rebuffed by EMI which licenses the Beatles' recordings. Unfortunately, things don't look any closer to being settled today. Reuters is reporting an impasse, quoting Ono as saying, "Steve Jobs has his own idea and he's a brilliant guy. There's just an element that we're not very happy about, as people. We are holding out." She then added, "Don't hold your breath ... for anything," presumably while cracking a whip and laughing maniacally. Fitting don't you think, as legend has it that Lennon's first encounter with Ono involved her passing him a card that read "Breathe."

Yoko Ono regarding Beatles on iTunes: 'Don't hold your breath' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 04:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Handy Light for iPhone's dirty little secret: tethering (update)

Ross Miller — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:46:00 EST

You may ask yourself, why on earth would anyone pay 99 cents for an iPhone app whose sole purpose is to flash bright, solid colors? We certainly wouldn't recommend it, but Handy Light has a great little Easter egg that undoubtedly doesn't jive with the folks at Cupertino HQ. Like Nullriver's Netshare app before it, this little piece of software allows for SOCKS proxy tethering, without having to sign up for AT&T's tethering plan. Instructions available via the video below, and if you're looking to pick up the app yourself, better hurry -- we can't imagine Apple will let this one stay in the store for very much longer.

Update: Looks like the app's been pulled. Ye who snoozes, ergo must lose. If you did manage to nab and the video below isn't working (we see it just fine), check out App Shopper for more detailed, text-based instructions.

Continue reading Handy Light for iPhone's dirty little secret: tethering (update)

Handy Light for iPhone's dirty little secret: tethering (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad 3G denies ABC player, downsamples iTunes store video previews over AT&T

Ross Miller — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:07:00 EST

Well ain't that a kick in the pants. Reports are coming in from newly-minted iPad 3G videophiles that iTunes store previews and Netflix streams are getting downsampled over AT&T's network. The folks at iLounge have been tinkering enough to confirm the iTunes issue (we're still waiting for FedEx to drop off our 3G tablets so we can corroborate ourselves) and, lo and behold, ABC player flat out refuses to work over AT&T's 3G network, instead displaying an oddly familiar message: "Please connect to a Wi-Fi network to use this application. Cellular networks are not supported at this time." Perhaps an update will ensue to fix such limits, but in the meantime, we're sure at least someone at Sling HQ is having an awkward chuckle.

iPad 3G denies ABC player, downsamples iTunes store video previews over AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad apps: video for the well-rounded couch potato

Joanna Stern — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:41:00 EST

We totally would have had this roundup done earlier, but we were just way too busy watching TV on our iPads. Let's face it, as fun as those social networking and gaming applications are (sorry, utility apps -- no fun for you!) sometimes you just want to sit back, rest those fingers and soak in some drama. The iPad's 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768-resolution screen certainly looks nice when reading books and browsing the web, but you haven't seen anything until you get some HD content playing. Though we may never get over the fact that we can't watch Flash video in the browser, the following apps are just what the doctor ordered to ease the pain and turn Apple's tablet into a portable media viewing machine. What are you waiting for? Hop on past the break already, and then kindly let us know if you've come up with a good way to prop up the iPad so you can watch all that video goodness while laying down.

Continue reading iPad apps: video for the well-rounded couch potato

iPad apps: video for the well-rounded couch potato originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad apps: Twitter and social networking essentials

Engadget staff — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:16:00 EST

As you might've notice, either here on the site or likely elsewhere on the internet, we at Engadget have somewhat of an affinity to social networking. With a new screen sitting here saving us some screen real estate, we decided to give a number of Twitter and other pro-social apps a go for perennially staying connected to our online friends -- so long as there's a decent WiFi connection nearby. Here's the highlights from what we've toyed with, and stay tuned for even more roundups on the horizon.

Twitterific for iPad (free; $4.99 for Pro account) - Definitely the best Twitter app on the iPad so far (pictured above). It works great in portrait and landscape, contextual links conveniently pop out and photos even get special format treatment. No option to upload photos when tweeting, but we're guessing with a lack of a camera, it didn't seem as necessary an addition -- we like to show off our screen captures and saved browsing images, but hey, that's just us. The only deterrent for power users is that you can only view one column at a time, but with lists, saved searches, and all other thread options easily accessible from the leftmost column, we didn't find it too inconvenient whatsoever. [See in iTunes]

Continue reading iPad apps: Twitter and social networking essentials

iPad apps: Twitter and social networking essentials originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WSJ: CBS bringing free HTML5-encoded TV shows to the iPad, ABC plans detailed

Vlad Savov — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:14:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that ABC and CBS are hard at work adapting episodes of their TV shows for the iPad, with both set to offer streamable programming to new slate owners immediately upon launch. Their delivery strategies diverge slightly -- ABC will use the app that was unearthed (and confirmed by us) this morning whereas CBS will stream through the browser (hello, HTML5!) -- but the eventual user experience will be a commercial-supported affair that should be familiar to those who've used their respective online streaming services already. All that remains now is for NBC and Hulu to fall in line, as expected, and your portable media consumption menu will be complete. It'll also be interesting to see what happens to iTunes Store pricing for episodic TV programming, which will soon be up against free (or in Hulu's case, potentially subscription-based) alternatives.

Update: And here comes the official presser for ABC's plans, alongside ESPN SportsCenter XL and a handful of Disney apps.

WSJ: CBS bringing free HTML5-encoded TV shows to the iPad, ABC plans detailed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad roundup: New York Times and others get HTML5 video, iPad app store demo, and more

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:11:00 EST

The momentum towards HTML5 and away from (or at least in parallel with) Flash seems to be accelerating with today's launch of the free Brightcove Experience framework for HTML5 -- a "way to publish, distribute, and monetize web video for the iPad and other Apple devices" according to the Brightcove press release. While Brightcove might not be a household name, some of its 1,000 customers, including Time Inc. and The New York Times (a Brightcove investor), certainly are -- both of whom are already using the new HTML5 solution in preparation for the iPad's April 3rd US launch. A real coup for the Flash-hating Steve Jobs if you start factoring in the rumored Flash-free NPR and Wall Street Journal iPad sites as well as that little HTML5 iPad test CBS was testing out in the open last week.

Also rumored for launch is an iBookstore filled with 30,000 free e-Books courtesy of the Gutenberg Project. See the screengrab evidence after the break in addition to a purported video walkthrough of the iPad store. The video previews several new "HD" formatted iPad apps that we've already seen as well as a few new ones like Twitterific. Sorry, still no Hulu HD. The mouse pointer in the video, however, makes it clear that this is running on desktop somewhere, not on an iPad. Still, it definitely looks the part.

Continue reading iPad roundup: New York Times and others get HTML5 video, iPad app store demo, and more

iPad roundup: New York Times and others get HTML5 video, iPad app store demo, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple serves up 10 billionth iTune, smiles all the way to the bank

Vlad Savov — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:56:00 EST

Whether you love it or loathe it, there is now no way to deny the spectacular success of Apple's iTunes Store. The proprietary digital media player, organizer and salesperson has just now recorded its 10 billionth song download, marking a truly unique achievement in the still nascent world of digital distribution. Congratulations to Apple, whose response has been to thank you all for spending so much cash and making El Steve look like the techno pied piper. Hit the source link to find out what the most downloaded songs of "all time" were... you might not be surprised by the top three, but you should definitely be horrified.

Apple serves up 10 billionth iTune, smiles all the way to the bank originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go

Ross Miller — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:35:00 EST

A little later than previously alluded to, but Navigon's finally rolling out live traffic update to its MobileNavigator iPhone app. Same prices as mentioned before, it'll regularly be $24.99, but for the next four weeks, it's only gonna ring up at $19.99 for lifetime use, no monthly fees. Not that TomTom needed anything else to think about, of course. Full presser after the break.

Continue reading Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go

Filed under: Handsets, Software, Apple, iPhone OS

Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go

Ross Miller — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:35:00 EST

Continue reading Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go

Filed under: GPS

Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free iPhone apps can now include in-app purchases

Ross Miller — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:11:00 EST

One of Apple's many curious restrictions on iPhone apps has now been lifted. It used to be that, in order for developers to have microtransactions / in-app purchases, they had to charge something upfront for the software, essentially requiring consumers to pay at least twice, or not at all. Well, all that's changed, as the company has sent word to its developer community that the restriction has been lifted, meaning those annoying "Lite" and "Full" versions cluttering the app store can now be one and the same, with folks downloading the demo and paying to upgrade from within the app itself, a model that's worked to success in other software ecosystems like Xbox Live. Sure, there's gonna be developers out there that abuse the newly-minted business model, but it's not like anything was stopping them before when they charged $2 upfront only to get you again later. The mass email announcement is reprinted after the break. [Warning: read link requires iPhone developer account]

[Via Daring Fireball]

Continue reading Free iPhone apps can now include in-app purchases

Filed under: Cellphones

Free iPhone apps can now include in-app purchases originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free iPhone apps can now include in-app purchases

Ross Miller — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:11:00 EST

Continue reading Free iPhone apps can now include in-app purchases

Filed under: Handsets, Apple, iPhone OS

Free iPhone apps can now include in-app purchases originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple says iTunes LPs don't cost labels $10,000, will be available to indies

Donald Melanson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:14:00 EST

Well, that $10,000 "production fee" Apple was said to be charging labels for iTunes LPs certainly seemed a little over the top in more ways than one, and it looks like the company has now come out and denied that it's the case at all, saying flat out that "there is no production fee charged by Apple." What's more, it also says that iTunes LPs will in fact be available to indie labels, noting that it's "releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own." Of course, that premium price for the iTunes LPs themselves is still totally in place, although the open specs could potentially at least lead to some more interesting options if the labels decide to really run with 'em.

[Via Macworld]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

Apple says iTunes LPs don't cost labels $10,000, will be available to indies originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple said to be charging $10,000 for iTunes LP production, cutting out indie labels

Donald Melanson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:07:00 EST

Sure, it may be tough deciding whether to shell out the extra few bucks for a deluxe iTunes LP or not (okay, maybe not that tough), but it looks like that's nothing compared to what record labels are faced with. While Apple itself of course isn't saying anything official on the matter, Gizmodo spoke with the owner of one indie record label who got a bit of information after inquiring about the possibility of making some iTunes LPs himself. Apparently, not only is Apple not currently making iTunes LPs available to indie labels at all, but it's charging the major labels a hefty $10,000 production fee for each one, which no doubt also means they'll be confined to particularly big sellers unless something big changes.

[Via iLounge]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

Apple said to be charging $10,000 for iTunes LP production, cutting out indie labels originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:52:00 EST

Come on Manomio, what did you expect? Did you really think Apple would leave your C64 emulator in the App Store after it was revealed that the BASIC interpreter was still in your software, exposed with a little up, up, down, down, left, right trickery? That's a clear breach of the SDK and well, downright sneaky. In a blog post to its site, Manomio claims that it had "no intention of tricking basic into the app" and only left the code in to be remotely activated later should Apple change its policy. Of course, with so much money left on the table, Manomio promptly submitted a new, presumably BASIC-free app for approval. Something we're sure Apple will get right on.

[Via The iPhone blog]

Read -- Enable BASIC in C64 hack
Read -- Manomio's plea for mercy

Filed under: Software

Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon & iTunes drop digital download prices. Still cost too much

Ben Drawbaugh — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:26:00 EST

Apparently the two biggest providers of digital downloads are getting more aggressive with the pricing, but both are still far from enticing us. Obviously we're not the only ones not buying these overpriced, over-compressed videos, and for good reason. Part of the reason that this isn't enough is because we believe that the perceived value of digital delivery is actually less than packaged media. Not only do you not get something tangible to own, but also because you can't resale it and in general, there are less freedoms. But price isn't the only factor, as typically early adopters who'd be the first to jump on this wagon are also usually interested in quality. Which is only one of the reasons why Blu-ray is generating more revenue for Hollywood, instead of being killed by digital distribution. So in other words, consumers won't be willing to give up packaged media until digital downloads can deliver the same quality, value, features and selection. So yeah, a long, long time -- read as, not in the next two years.

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray

Amazon & iTunes drop digital download prices. Still cost too much originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple sells 25% of music in the US, none of which is AC/DC

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:13:00 EST

According to the number crunchers at NPD Group, the trend that came to a head last year when Apple beat out Wal-Mart for the title of largest Stateside music retailer is continuing apace. That's right -- one in four songs sold in America is sold on iTunes, while Wal-Mart (including CD sales through retail stores, sales through their website, and Wal-Mart Music Downloads) holds the number two position at 14 percent. And number three, if you're morbidly curious, is Best Buy. In addition, 69% of all digital music sold in the US comes from the iTunes store, with Amazon ranking second at 8 percent. When talking formats, the CD remains the most popular at 65 percent, but as some dude named Russ Crupnick (NPD's vice president of entertainment industry analysis) notes, "with digital music sales growing at 15 to 20 percent, and CDs falling by an equal proportion, digital music sales will nearly equal CD sales by the end of 2010." Which can only be a good thing, if it means that we'll never have to step into a Wal-Mart again. Sales of ringtones and sales to consumers under 13 were not tabulated, which means the data may incorrectly skew away from purchases of The Wiggles' Go Bananas! and that Crazy Frog song.

[Via TUAW]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Apple sells 25% of music in the US, none of which is AC/DC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Voice app GV Mobile ported to jailbroken iPhones, web app version in the works

Ross Miller — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:02:00 EST

So well-mannered, straight-laced iPhone users got a pretty big slap in the face yesterday by way of Apple's (and AT&T's, no doubt) total Google Voice rejection. Looks like jailbreakers are picking up the pieces, as GV Mobile developer Sean Kovacs -- whose app was in the iTunes store for some time before being yanked yesterday -- has ported the Voice client over to Cydia free of charge, although donations are gladly accepted. Even more interesting, but less concrete, Kovacs said he was already working on a web app version, possibly for submission to Palm's app catalog. No word on the fate of GVdialer, an app that was also unceremoniously pulled, but we wouldn't be surprised if it followed in similar footsteps.

Read - GV Mobile now on Cydia
Read - Sean Kovacs on Twitter

Filed under: Handsets, Apple, iPhone OS

Google Voice app GV Mobile ported to jailbroken iPhones, web app version in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Voice app GV Mobile ported to jailbroken iPhones, web app version in the works

Ross Miller — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:02:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

Google Voice app GV Mobile ported to jailbroken iPhones, web app version in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes

Ross Miller — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EST

Perhaps the big G spoke too soon when it said its new Google Voice service was coming to iPhone. First, GV Mobile developer Sean Kovacs relays a phone call he had with Apple where he was notified of his app being removed from the iTunes store for duplicating built-in iPhone features -- an app that was originally and purportedly approved by Phil Schiller himself. Next out the door was GVdialer, and if you thought that was all bad, now comes word that Google's official Voice app was flat-out rejected by Cupertino. Now it's hard to say with certainty who's to blame for these app rejections, but a good many fingers are pointing to the cellular carriers -- and given AT&T's previous statements about the SlingPlayer app, it's hard to argue with that. For its part, the company hinted at finding a workaround via web apps, much like they did when Apple gave Latitude a cold shoulder -- but doesn't that feel just a little 2007?

[Via AppleInsider]

Read - Official Google Voice App Blocked from App Store
Read - GV Mobile is getting pulled from App Store
Read - Sean Kovac's Twitter status on Schiller

Filed under: Handsets, ATT, Apple, iPhone OS

Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes

Ross Miller — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EST

Perhaps the big G spoke too soon when it said its new Google Voice service was coming to iPhone. First, GV Mobile developer Sean Kovacs relays a phone call he had with Apple where he was notified of his app being removed from the iTunes store for duplicating built-in iPhone features -- an app that was originally and purportedly approved by Phil Schiller himself. Next out the door was GVdialer, and if you thought that was all bad, now comes word that Google's official Voice app was flat-out rejected by Cupertino. Now it's hard to say with certainty who's to blame for these app rejections, but a good many fingers are pointing to the cellular carriers -- and given AT&T's previous statements about the SlingPlayer app, it's hard to argue with that. For its part, the company hinted at finding a workaround via web apps, much like they did when Apple gave Latitude a cold shoulder -- but doesn't that feel just a little 2007?

[Via Apple Insider]

Read - Official Google Voice App Blocked from App Store
Read - GV Mobile is getting pulled from App Store
Read - Sean Kovac's Twitter status on Schiller

Filed under: Cellphones

Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's App Store crosses the 1.5 billion download mark

Laura June — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:54:00 EST

Yes, it seems like only yesterday (or about 3 months ago) that Apple crossed a landmark -- 1 billion apps downloaded from its App Store -- and here we are again. Apple's just issued a press release stating that it's now seen another half a billion apps downloaded in about three months -- putting them over the 1.5 billion mark. Apple doesn't get all the kudos to themselves, though: after all, someone's been downloading The Moron Test. A lot.

Filed under: Software, Apple

Apple's App Store crosses the 1.5 billion download mark originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's App Store crosses the 1.5 billion download mark

Laura June — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:54:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

Apple's App Store crosses the 1.5 billion download mark originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone movie and TV show downloads revealed in rogue ad?

Donald Melanson — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:12:00 EST

While direct movie and TV show downloads on the iPhone certainly seems like a reasonable enough proposition (over WiFi, at least), we're not completely convinced that a rogue ad in the Twitterfon app is the first place such a feature would leak out. According to a report on Open Salon, however, that's just what has happened, and there's even a few not immediately dismissible pics to back it up. Of course, the ad in question is now seemingly nowhere to be found, but it supposedly did once point to some movie and TV show listings broken down by genre, and even to the individual, non-working titles that would apparently be available. Head on past the break for a glimpse of the ad itself, and feel free to let us know if you happened to see it yourself.

[Via Yahoo! Tech]

Continue reading iPhone movie and TV show downloads revealed in rogue ad?

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Apple

iPhone movie and TV show downloads revealed in rogue ad? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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