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Xbox One will play audio 'compact discs' (ask your parents)
The Xbox One will play audio CDs and is DLNA compatible, allowing users to stream media from their compatible home networks, Microsoft told Penny Arcade Report. This follows Sony's FAQ for the PS4, which revealed the console won't be able to read CDs, won't support DLNA and won't read .mp3 files at launch. Xbox One won't read .mp3 files directly, but it works with Microsoft's Play To service, which streams from any device with Windows 7 and up, including PCs and Windows Phone. What timing, Microsoft.
Xbox One will act as a media server and play audio CDs
The Xbox One will stream media from your home network and play audio CDs, Microsoft tells Penny Arcade Report. In that way, the One is much like the Xbox 360. When it comes to MP3 playback, however, it's a little trickier. The Xbox One is a Play To device that supports Redmond's PC and mobile ecosystem, but not much else. This comes just days after Sony released its massive FAQ that said, among other things, that the PlayStation 4 wouldn't do any of the above. If you're looking for a new do-all device for your A/V rack, the Xbox One could be it.
Official PlayStation 4 FAQ explains what the system can (and can't) do
Sony has built a reputation of releasing numerous updates to its PlayStation platform, and apparently that has carried over to PS4 news ahead of launch. If last week's updates weren't enough, the company posted a massive FAQ (yes, we read all 30 pages, including the list of launch titles) to the PlayStation Blog today, explaining a few details we weren't clear on. For starters, the PS4 can't stream media from your home network like its predecessor could. Sony's next-gen console also won't play MP3s or CDs, and the only way of using your own background music in-game is via Sony's Music Unlimited service. PlayStation's Head of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida addressed concerns about this on Twitter, saying he'd share feedback with the PS4 dev team for future consideration (update: He's expanded on the statement, saying the team is "happy & appreciative to learn so many people use and like PS3's media features"). Whether you still like it or not, you're stuck with your old PSN ID too. Another "can't" relates to cached game data. If you rent Knack and a few weeks later want to buy a digital copy from the PSN Store, you can't simply grab an activation code to use with the data cached to your hard drive, you have to download the full game. The tech giant also shed new light on a few audio-related aspects of the PS4. Out of the box, you'll be able to output all game audio through the DualShock 4's 3.5mm headset jack. However, it isn't until after the V1.5 Day One patch that "most" USB headsets will be usable with the system. The former likely means audio will be limited to stereo unless the controller is packing some sort of DSP on-board, while the latter presumably enables chat functionality for higher-end cans. We've reached out to Sony for clarification and will update this post if we hear back. Until then, keep the FAQ in an open browser tab -- Sony promised it will keep patching adding to it leading up to and after the PS4's launch.
Amazon brings MP3 purchasing to its Cloud Player for PC app
The Mac version is still only promised to be coming soon, but Amazon has today delivered a fairly big update to its Cloud Player for PC application. It now boasts an integrated MP3 store, which will let you browse and purchase music without having to visit Amazon's website. Naturally, all purchases made through the app will then be accessible from any other capable device, and you'll see Amazon's usual recommendations for new music based on your purchases. Beyond that, though, the application itself appears to remain mostly unchanged.
Sony's 3-in-1 Walkman WH series can be headphones, MP3 players and speakers
Sony's just amped up its Walkman line with the WH series of headphones, though the term "headphone" fails to capture the essence of the new models. The company's also stuffed a 16GB MP3 player into the high-end NWZ-WH505 and a 4GB unit into the NWZ-WH303, giving you up to 4,000 tracks without any other device. It's also compatible with a Mac, PC and other playback devices via a supplied cable. To top it off, you can take the cans off and flip a switch to turn them into xLoud tech speakers with Virtualphones surround sound. The NWZ-WH505 will deliver 20 hours of 1000mW, 5-25,000Hz headphone playback (30-20,000Hz for the WH303) on a full charge and an hour's worth with a three minute quick charge. As for the speakers, we're not sure how well they'll fill in for a dedicated unit, but it's gotta be better than those on your smartphone, no? Sony's still mum on pricing and availability, but you can hit the source for more info.
Amazon AutoRip arrives in the UK, offers free MP3 versions for over 350,000 CDs
American Amazon shoppers have been offered free MP3 versions of their back catalog of music purchases since January and now Brits are getting the same deal, with vinyl tracks thrown in for good measure. Any CDs or vinyl (and even cassettes!) bought since 1999 will now be added to Amazon UK account owners' Cloud Player, free and automatically. There are now More than 350,000 albums that are already AutoRip-compatible, and Amazon's own music player ensures you should be able to play the 256 Kbps MP3 tracks on practically any device that can browse the web. The full release is right after the break.
Amazon optimizes MP3 store for iOS devices in the UK, makes it easier to access tunes
Just as it did earlier this year here in the States, Amazon has now quietly announced that it's brought some HTML5 tweaks to its UK-based MP3 store in order to make it more friendly with iDevices. Thanks to these under-the-hood enhancements, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users in the United Kingdom can now have access to more options within the web version of Amazon's music shop -- you know, things like downloading and streaming songs. Naturally, once you've purchased some tunes, they'll automatically be added to the Cloud Player, where they can then be played from any other compatible device (e.g. Sonos systems or an Android tablet / smartphone). You can check out the optimized Amazon MP3 hub over at the source below.
Reality Absorption Field: iPod's trail of tears, part 2
The last Reality Absorption Field discussed how most of the big names in the PC industry tried to take on the iPod and the fates of their eventual efforts. This week's column will look at PC peripherals companies and how the consumer electronics giants reacted, while next week's final installment will finish a look at the CE companies as well as discuss some of the pure plays that competed with the iPod. PC Peripherals Companies Diamond Multimedia and Creative. For many years, these two companies were two of Apple's most tenacious competitors. Diamond Multimedia, primarily known for its video cards, introduced the Rio PMP300 that opened many people's eyes to the promise of MP3. It also bore the brunt of the labels' wrath, which sued it into bankruptcy. However, the Rio name would resurface under the SonicBlue.brand (I was particularly fond of the microdrive-based iPod mini competitor Rio Carbon, which felt great in the hand.). Most of its portable devices were flash-based (including models it built for Nike and Motorola) but it created hard drive-based fixed devices for the home (Rio Central) and car (Rio Car). However, SonicBlue eventually went out of business as well, ending the line. Like Diamond Multimedia, Creative was early in the MP3 player market with the hard drive-based, Discman-shaped Nomad Jukebox. It produced a slew of hard drive and flash-based players, including some large-screen video players under the Zen brand. Creative was also noteworthy for a patent dispute with Apple that resulted in Apple paying royalties. The company is still around, of course, but mostly focused on its roots as a PC periperhals and speaker company. You can still find a few MP3 players listed on its site, including the Zen Touch 2 that runs an old version of Android. Iomega. A footnote in the history of MP3 players, the creator of once-adored Zip drives tried to crack the market smaller devices with a 40 MB disk cartridge called PocketZip and, later, Clik! Iomega convinced Ricoh to adopt the format in a camera and made its own MP3 player, the HipZip, which could not only play back MP3s on the disks but funciton as a general drive for reading them. The format couldn't compete with flash memory, and thus the HipZip had to RIP. The company was purchased by enterprise storage giant EMC in 2008. Consumer Electronics Giants Samsung and Sony. These two premium TV market rivals represented different kinds of competition to Apple. Sony, a pioneer in portable music, sought to maintain its Walkman heritage as it initially positioned Mini-Disc against the iPod. But the discs required transcoding the MP3 format to Sony's ATRAC codec with poorly received software called SonicStage. The company gradually came to adopt MP3 natively and drop ATRAC across mostly flash-based players and eventually even brought its Walkman brand to a series of feature phones it created in its Sony Ericsson venture. Sony remains in the category today with a relatively robust lineup that includes music-playing Sports earbud models, the E and Wi-Fi Android-infused F series that roughly correspond to the 5th-generation and current-generation iPod nano, and the Android-based Z series that competes with the iPod touch. Today, Samsung is Apple's strongest competitor in the smartphone space where it operates its own media store, but it was less successful competing against the iPod with a huge array of music players under the Yepp brand that spanned six full product lines of different form factors. Samsung now mostly competes with the iPod touch as a smartphone variant with a handful of products under the Galaxy Player brand. Ross Rubin is principal analyst at Reticle Research, a research and advisory firm focusing on consumer technology adoption. He shares commentary at Techspressive and on Twitter at @rossrubin.
The iTunes influence, part three: Art in the age of digital disruption
"What happened is way worse for musicians. It has forced musicians to be marketers." John McVey, producer, Coupe Studios "I fear that in general the only musicians able to create a truly independent and successful career are those who had one before the industry changed, who had the fan base in place to enable them to continue independently of the record labels." That's Peter Owen, an independent composer and producer. He is one of many musicians who feel that the internet has made the business of creativity more challenging. Parts one and two of this series surveyed how iTunes and MP3 catalyzed the digital music movement for labels and consumers. The effect of the internet on musicians is less recognized. In one way, musicians have benefited similarly to consumers. While consumers have gained amazing access to music, musicians have acquired unprecedented access to listeners. So it's the promised land for musicians, right? Not exactly. For many creators whose careers span the before-and-after of digital music, there is a crushing sense that the grass isn't greener after all.
The iTunes influence, part one: How Apple changed the face of the music marketplace
"iTunes is a stepping stone along the way." -- Jim Griffin, OneHouse LLC On April 28th, the iTunes Store basked in a milestone 10th birthday. Two years before its 2003 launch (as the iTunes Music Store), Apple introduced the iTunes client as a desktop music management program and implemented it as the device manager for the first iPod later in 2001. In those two years, Apple laid the groundwork for what can reasonably be called the iTunes era of music. Apple did not invent digital music, even though for many iTunes embodies 21st century music buying. However, during the past 10 years, it has become the US' top music retailer, with customers currently downloading 15,000 songs per minute from the app's library of 26 million songs, according to an Apple spokesperson. Since its launch, it has evolved into the hub of a powerhouse media / tech ecosystem that turned Apple into the world's most valuable company in 2012. As a symbolic milestone, the iTunes anniversary encourages reflection on the past, a survey of the present and predictions of the future. Digital music continues to evolve, for businesses, consumers and musicians.
Amazon's AutoRip now includes vinyl
For about as long as we can remember, each new CD we've purchased has made a trip to our computer for a good, old fashioned ripping, first thing out of the plastic. So the concept of offering up free MP3s with the purchase of a compact disc always felt a bit superfluous (particularly in these days when fewer and fewer are buying music in a physical form). The increasingly popular concept of offering up downloads with the purchase of a vinyl LP, on the other hand, makes an awful lot of sense -- after all, it's a lot harder for most of us to transfer that music onto our PCs. Amazon's embracing the concept by extending its AutoRip promotion to records, giving consumers a 256 Kbps cloud-based copy of the music they buy on vinyl. The promotion extends to thousands of titles -- anything sporting the AutoRip logo is fair game, including a number of top sellers like Mumford & Sons and the Lumineers. It's a nice way of supporting the growing boutique vinyl industry and helping keep a bit of focus on the album as self-contained work, rather than the move toward singles we've been experiencing as a result of the digital music explosion of the past several years.
Appeals court denies ReDigi appeal, says music downloads can't be resold
ReDigi took a gamble that it could resell legally purchased song downloads, much as you would that one-hit wonder CD you bought in high school. Unfortunately for ReDigi, the odds weren't ultimately in its favor: a Southern District of New York court has shot down ReDigi's appeal against a Capitol Records lawsuit accusing it of copyright infringement. The court didn't accept ReDigi's view that first sale principles apply to strictly digital music, at least as its service implements the technology. While the startup tries to keep traders honest by making them delete originals after a resale, the process by its digital nature still involves making a copy of the track without Capitol's permission, according to the court. We'll have to wait to know what penalties ReDigi might pay, but there's enough legal precedent in the case that it's doubtful others will follow in the service's experimental footsteps.
Firefox nightlies now support AAC, MP3 and H.264 by default in Windows
Mozilla hasn't been the most eager supporter of commercialized media formats; it flipped the H.264 switch in Firefox's HTML5 support last year only when it was clear WebM wasn't taking off. Still, those who regularly test the company's latest work will be glad to hear that support for AAC, MP3 and H.264-based MP4 is now enabled by default in Firefox nightly builds. Provided you're using Windows 7 or newer, it's no longer necessary to change settings to play relatively common HTML5 audio and video formats. Web users wanting the extra support in a finished version of the browser will need to wait for a completed Firefox 22, which is expected to launch in late June; risk takers just need to check out the source links.
The Daily Roundup for 01.17.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Amazon optimizes MP3 store for iPad, iPhone
Amazon has just announced the launch of an iOS-optimized MP3 web store via mobile Safari. The HTML-5 mobile store allows an easy access point for Amazon to sell its songs to iOS users while skirting Apple's 30 percent cut of sales of items sold through iOS apps. The move is a clear sign that Amazon wants to go after music sales to iOS users, most of whom currently buy their songs through the iTunes Music Store. For more than a year Amazon has offered its Amazon Cloud Player app on the App Store. That app, however, does not sell music and only allows users to stream and re-download songs purchased from Amazon from outside the app. I've only had a chance to play around with the new web store for a few minutes, but its nicely done and offers many of the features of the iTunes Store including song previews and the ability to enter gift card codes right through the storefront. Users who want to try out the new store can go to www.amazon.com/mp3 in Safari on their iOS device. For all the details, check out Amazon's press release below. Show full PR text Amazon MP3 Store Now Optimized for iPhone and iPod touch: Amazon's 22-Million Song Catalog Available to iPhone and iPod touch Users for the First Time Buy once and enjoy everywhere!-All MP3s purchased from Amazon are stored for free in customers' Cloud Player accounts and can be enjoyed on iPhones, iPads, iPods, Kindle Fire, Android phones tablets, Sonos, Roku, or any web browser SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 17, 2013– (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced the launch of the Amazon MP3 store optimized specifically for iPhone and iPod touch. For the first time ever, iPhone and iPod touch users can discover and buy digital music from Amazon's 22-million song catalog using the Safari browser. Customers also have access to favorite Amazon features like personalized recommendations, best-seller lists andAmazon customer ratings. Music purchases are automatically saved to customers' Cloud Player libraries and can be downloaded or played instantly from any iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Kindle Fire, Android phone or tablet, Roku, Sonos home entertainment system, or any web browser, giving customers the freedom to enjoy more music, from more devices than any other major cloud music service. "Since the launch of the Amazon Cloud Player app for iPhone and iPod touch, a top request from customers has been the ability to buy music from Amazon right from their devices. For the first time ever, iOS users have a way do that – now they can access Amazon's huge catalog of music, features like personalized recommendations, deals like albums for $5, songs for $0.69, and they can buy their music once and use it everywhere," said Steve Boom, Vice President of Amazon Music. Features of the Amazon MP3 store on the mobile web browser include: The Amazon MP3 mobile website for iPhone and iPod touches is built on HTML5, which means customers can make purchases directly from the Amazon MP3 mobile website at www.amazon.com/mp3 on their iPhones and iPod touches Selection of over 22 million songs and over two million albums at everyday low prices Access to everyday deals like $5 albums, $0.69 songs, and free songs from artists on the rise Individualized recommendations based on purchase history Immediate availability and seamless playback of purchases in the Amazon Cloud Player app Free storage of all Amazon MP3 purchases in Amazon Cloud Player Customers can begin shopping the Amazon MP3 store from their iPhone and iPod touch web browsers today athttp://www.amazon.com/mp3.
Amazon's MP3 store 'optimized' for iOS devices via Safari, allows for easier track purchases
Roughly half a year after the launch of its Cloud Player for iOS, Amazon today announced that it has 'optimized' its MP3 store for Apple's mobile browser. Now iPhone / iPad / iPod touch owners can quickly buy music from the service via the mobile version of Safari. Purchased tracks will save to the Cloud Player and then can be downloaded to those devices, as well as the Kindle Fire, Android devices and Sonos systems. Those looking to pick up Yo La Tengo's new record for $5 can direct their handset to the source link below.
Amazon announces AutoRip, gives users free MP3s of CDs they've bought
The battle for digital music -- and cloud-based music solutions -- continues. Amazon has announced Amazon AutoRip, a service that gives anyone who has purchased eligible CDs from them since 1998 a free digital copy of that CD. From Amazon's press release announcing the new service: AutoRip features include: Free digital copies: Amazon customers who purchase AutoRip CDs get free MP3 versions of the albums delivered directly to their Cloud Player libraries -- automatically, immediately, and at no cost -- no more hassling with ripping CDs and finding a way to get them onto your favorite devices. For CD purchases dating back to 1998: MP3 versions of AutoRip CDs that customers have purchased since the launch of Amazon's music store in 1998 will also be delivered to their Cloud Player libraries for free. Enjoy everywhere: Music can be played instantly from any Kindle Fire, Android phone or tablet, iPhone, iPod touch, Samsung TVs, Roku, Sonos and any web browser, giving customers the freedom to enjoy music from more devices than any other major cloud locker music service. Free storage and backup: All AutoRip MP3s are stored for free in customers' Cloud Player libraries and do not count against Cloud Player storage limits. Customers can buy music and know that it is safely stored in Cloud Player and accessible from any compatible device. High-quality audio: AutoRip music is provided in high-quality 256 Kbps MP3 audio. Since all AutoRip tracks are unprotected MP3s, they'll easily import to iTunes and play on iPhones, iPads and iPods. I've just used the service and was notified that I have 19 CDs I purchased between 1999 and 2003 waiting for me as a free download (I stopped buying CDs in 2003 with the advent of the iTunes Music Store). That's pretty cool. Now, if Amazon does the same for past and future DVD purchases, I could see this as potentially being a huge threat to iTunes' media sales.
Spotify halts music purchases in the UK, says it's 'simplifying' the service
We're not sure how many Brits use Spotify to actually buy individual tracks, considering that the service is mainly known for streaming and "offline" playback, but the question has suddenly become academic. Anyone in the UK who tries to use the desktop app to buy new music will now be confronted with the message above. It offers little explanation of what's going on but does at least link to a help page that reassures those who already possess unused download credits or gift cards. Spotify sent us the following statement, which is pretty abstract but makes it clear this is more than temporary: We recently updated Spotify to further simplify the service and pave the way for new features announced at the end of last year. In-app purchases aren't part of this update but we're not ruling out their return. Credits/gift cards already purchased are still redeemable. Update: We hear from a reader in Sweden that the same thing has happened in that country -- so it probably applies internationally, wherever the download option was originally available. Spotify in the US was already streaming-only, so American users will likely notice no change.
Messages compacts MP3 audio
TUAW reader Ryan B wrote us over the weekend, asking if we could confirm a behavior he'd observed when transferring files over iMessage. "A friend and I noticed today that when you send .mp3 files through iMessage on Mac, the quality of the MP3 is downgraded." He adds, "This appears to only happen with .mp3 files as .m4p's are unaltered when received." Until now, I'd assumed that whatever data you sent using Messages arrived in basically the same form you sent it in. Apparently not. We ran a few tests and this is what we found: most files arrive bit-for-bit identical compared to the files that were sent. But sure enough, MP3 files were downgraded considerably. The 5.12 MB stereo 228 kbps file I bought from Amazon was downgraded to 1.4 MB mono 62.4 kbps on receipt after transfer through Messages. Why is this happening? We're honestly not sure and I'd rather not speculate. We've reached out to Apple for comment but do not expect a reply. The gallery that follows shows our results. %Gallery-170697%
PBS draws link between digital music ethics and magic spells, somehow makes it look simple (video)
AAC files and the arcane don't have much in common on the surface. After some digging, however, PBS' Idea Channel has found that magic is an uncannily good analogy for digital music rights and explaining the thorny ethical issues that come with them. Both music and spells stem from grassroots cultures that give away their content for free, but (at least until an anti-magic clampdown at eBay) have since become businesses. That nature poses a key ethical question: when we're used to a free experience and can copy songs or spells as much as we like, what does it take to keep us as honest customers? As show host Mike Rugnetta suggests, it's a matter of personal responsibility -- if we want more of either, we have to think of the commerce as showing support for future work. You can catch Mike's clever train of thought after the break, and ponder what constitutes DRM for a potion while you're at it.
