offlineplayback
Latest
Mighty returns with a redesigned offline Spotify player
When Mighty debuted last year, it delivered iPod Shuffle-like offline playback for Spotify users. In other words, it brought a tiny music player to the streaming generation. The original model mostly delivered on its promises, carrying more than 1000 songs so users could leave their phones behind on a run or during a workout. Mighty wasn't without its flaws though, and the company says it addressed many of the major hiccups with version 2.0, which is called the Mighty Vibe.
YouTube makes it cheaper to store videos offline in India
Eighteen months ago Google launched an offline mode for YouTube users in India. Now, the company is finessing the feature with a "Smart Offline" option that schedules videos to be downloaded overnight. That's useful in India because many carriers offer cheaper data rates during the early hours. So when a user finds a clip they like, they can add it to their queue and go to bed knowing it'll be ready the following day. It sounds pretty handy, especially for people who live or travel to places with poor connectivity. The new option is rolling out to Airtel and Telenor customers today -- Google says it hopes to bring it to everyone in India "eventually."
Amazon's Prime Music stores tracks on an SD card
To help you conserve that limited storage space on your Android device, Amazon is letting you download Prime Music tracks to an SD card. If your go-to device has a slot for extra memory, you'll be able to store music from Amazon's streaming library for offline listening. As you might expect, you can download any purchased albums and songs there, too. In addition to the storage update, you can now control the audio and browse the app from your Android Wear device. The service also gained expanded artist pages and tabs for new and popular music to keep you up to date on what's fresh. The latest version of Prime Music for Android is rolling out now, so if you're not seeing the new features, they should arrive shortly.
Amazon beats Netflix to offline movie and TV show streaming
For years, Netflix subscribers have asked for the ability to download movies and TV shows offline. The company says it's "never going to happen" -- so Amazon has taken the initiative and added exactly that to its rival streaming service. If you're signed up to Prime Video, or have an Amazon Prime account, you can now store titles covered by your subscription on almost any mobile device. It's supported in both the iOS and Android app -- although the latter will require you to download the app through the Amazon Appstore. The regular Amazon app in Google Play, which also supports Prime Video, doesn't seem to have the feature just yet, however. The feature first debuted on Fire tablets in 2013, but this expansion is significant -- if you're a frequent flyer, for instance, you no longer have to break your Transparent binge-session or purchase the full series if you're on an iPad.
BBC iPlayer Radio app will soon let you download shows
One of the reasons why podcasts are so popular is because, unlike live radio, you can download episodes and listen to them when you don't have a connection. The BBC has long understood their popularity, offering both dedicated podcasts and shows cut from its daily broadcasts. Now, however, it's going one step further and adding radio show downloads to its iPlayer Radio app. The feature should blur the line between the two mediums, making it easier for listeners to catch up with their favourite shows and DJs.
Recommended Reading: Science fiction's influence on hip-hop music
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. The Subversive Science Fiction of Hip-Hop by Rose Eveleth Motherboard I'd never really thought about all of the science fiction references in hip-hop until I read Rose Eveleth's piece for Motherboard that pointed out all of the ties. I listen to a lot of hip-hop, but for some reason, all of the mentions of sci-fi stuff -- from superheroes to dystopia and our human limits -- only got a passing glance from me. This offers a solid look at all of the crossover and serves as further proof that nerdery is universal.
YouTube launches offline playback for Android users in three Asian countries
YouTube has finally launched the offline viewing feature it promised in 2013 -- but you can only download videos to watch without internet connection if you're an Android user in India, Indonesia or the Philippines. Google says it's making "much of popular YouTube content" from within the region available to view offline (meaning, anything uploaded from the US and other countries is a no-go) but we honestly had a tough time finding downloadable videos. When you do find one, you merely need to tap the download button in the description and choose the playback quality you want. Anything you save will be accessible for 48 hours in the offline section on the left-hand sliding menu.
Rara.com expands to iOS, Windows 8 and more countries
Rara.com has been mighty busy since its luddite-friendly music streaming service launched at the end of last year, and now it's reporting the outcome of those 10 months of toil. In addition to an improved web experience and new Android widget, an AirPlay-compatible app for iOS is now available, with software for Windows 8 arriving alongside its launch. Rara's 18 million tracks haven't only invaded other platforms, but other countries, too -- residents of Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa and Portugal have joined the party, bringing the total number of compatible countries to 27. Lenovo is also getting a piece of the action, as a worldwide agreement means Rara software will now come pre-installed on the manufacturer's Android tablets and Windows 8 gear. Want to hear more about Rara's recent accomplishments? Then head for the PR after the break.
Rhapsody Android app goes 3.0, adds offline playback
Rhapsody fans with Android handsets, listen up, because your subway rides just got a little more bearable. The latest version of the music streaming service rolled out on the Google Play store this week, bringing with it the promise of downloadable tracks and albums, for your offline listening pleasure. The update also allows you to pick precisely where you want those downloads to go, so you can stream Gaga to your hearts content without eating up your data. More details can be found in the source link below.
Music Unlimited app arrives on PlayStation Vita, Android version gets offline play
Listening to music isn't the best reason to take the plunge with the PS Vita. However, a new feature's a new feature, and Sony's very happy to tell you that its own subscription-based Music Unlimited service has arrived on UK devices, courtesy of its own dedicated app. Now you've had your fill of the games, Twitter and Facebook apps, it must be time to integrate with Sony's verticals and hand over more cash. The Android app has also been updated to include offline playback to songs added to your playlists -- like another certain streaming music service. You can grab the latest version at the source below.
Rhapsody on Android now works offline, but still goes online too (video)
Rhapsody member on Android? Your life just got a little sweeter. Following up on August's iPhone update and in the footsteps of other downloadable streaming services like Slacker Radio, Rhapsody's Android app now offers playlists that don't turn into pauselists when you go offline. Subscribers paying the $10 per month can now make a list of whatever tracks they want (including full albums of content available on the service) and download those to the phone, where they can be played back even if there isn't even a whiff of network connectivity in the air. Naturally we're guessing the DRM is strong with these tracks and they'll surely only be playable through the Rhapsody app itself, but if you have a long flight ahead and need a bunch of fresh tunes to come along you could certainly do worse.
