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TED app goes universal, on iPhone now
TED's free iPad app has offered up quality videos and audio of the conference's famous guest speakers for a while, but the company recently updated the app to be universal. Now even while out and about on your iPhone, you can access some of the knowledge and wisdom being shared within the TED app. There's a new feature called TEDradio, too, which offers one-touch access to a continuous stream of TED talks. Just like the iPad version, you can either watch videos online or download them to watch offline (if, for example, you're headed for a long plane trip or something like that). There's even a feature called "Inspire Me" where you can set certain criteria for a talk (like the amount of time you've got or various subjects you want to hear about), then hit go to listen in. TED makes a solid app, and having it available for free on both iPhone and iPad with this update is just icing on the cake. [via Razorian Fly]
Google partners with Universal, EMI, Sony Music, 23 independent labels on Google Music, scores exclusive content
A music store isn't much without plenty of music, and Google's new offering launched with some big backing today. The company is partnering with Universal, EMI, Sony Music and no less than 23 independent labels on the service -- according to Google, that covers about 13 million songs in total, 8 million of which are available today. Speaking at the launch event, Universal's Rob Wells said that he expects Google Music to be a "rich new revenue stream for our artists," and further noted that he's excited about the "global rollout" across all Android devices, although we're unfortunately not hearing many specifics about availability outside the US just yet. What's more, Google also announced that Google Music will have a number of exclusive offerings from the labels, including concerts from the likes of The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Pearl Jam and The Dave Matthews Band, and the exclusive debut of Busta Rhymes' latest album.
Daily iPhone App: Galaxy Express
Galaxy Express is a fun little puzzle game that's similar to Chu Chu Rocket or Chuck the Ball. There's a cute metagame story in this app with some well-written dialogue, but the core game has you pushing a little astronaut around a starfield using some arrows that you place out on the game screen. Put arrows in the right places, hit go, and the little astronaut will follow your rules exactly, hopefully leading him to make his delivery on the destination planet. It's simple stuff, and the difficulty doesn't ramp up too quickly, though by the end of the game's 120 puzzles there are a few mind-benders to beat. There are some good social features as well, including the option to either see any of your solutions that you've done, share them with friends, or even check out what other people have done. There's Game Center integration in the game now, and the graphics aren't really animated, but they look good on a high resolution display anyway. Galaxy Express is currently available at just 99 cents for a universal app, or there's a lite version you can pick up for free. "Galaxy EX," as it's called under the icon on the phone, is a well-made little puzzle game that's easy going enough for almost everyone to enjoy.
Row 44 gets major studio support for in-flight VOD platform, can't match Gogo's reach
Southwest Airlines passengers now have something better to do on their cross-country jaunts than grip the armrests and pray that the kid behind 'em stops kicking the seat. Row 44 has partnered with Disney, Warner Brothers, Universal and Fox to create an on-demand streaming service for folks who bring their WiFi-enabled devices onboard. You'll get a variety of archive content to watch as you cruise the friendly skies, including shows like Friends, Glee and The Office as well as big-ticket movies like Harry Potter, Avatar and Inception. The service also offers streaming IPTV, with CNBC, Fox News and NBC Sports on tap initially. Row 44's market share is paltry compared to Gogo -- which has the business of every WiFi-lovin' airline in America outside of Southwest -- but it's certainly interesting news in light of the latter's own video endeavors. Mum's the word on pricing, but we're told that the new material can be accessed "later this year."
Pixelmator releases ... an iPhone game called Flapcraft
I am a big fan of Pixelmator, the excellent image editor for the Mac, and was surprised to see that team's latest project: an iOS game called called Flapcraft, which hit the App Store today. Not surprisingly, the team used Pixelmator to create the game's look. What a clever way to show off your image editor. Flipcraft is a lot of fun. You play as a viking who jumps off of a ramp and executes elaborate tricks. An extensive upgrade system allows for higher jumps, bigger tricks, and more points. It's short, but entertaining. Plus, it looks great. You can pick it up for US$1.99 in the App Store right now. The Pixelmator gang has produced a making-of video which shows the team creating the game's art and designing its website. Pixelmator is indeed a really powerful graphical tool -- it's too bad all of that art and design talent doesn't come with it!
Engadget's HD Back to School Giveaway: Win Scarface and The Big Lebowski on Blu-ray!
Whether you're a longtime Engadget HD reader braving the high seas of wonky podcast RSS feeds or an Engadget Classic reader stunned by this alternate universe invasion of Blu-ray, HDTV and home theater news, it's about time we thanked you for putting up with our dust as we make some changes around here. To that end, our friends at Universal have hooked us up with a few copies of Scarface and The Big Lebowski on Blu-ray to get your fall started, whether you're heading back to school yourself or just know someone who is. Check out the rules after the break, leave a comment and then clear out some space on your disc shelf -- or, put one together if you're a soon-to-be Netflix refugee.
Gameloft plans to make all iOS releases universal
Gameloft believes all mobile platforms are created equally (as long as they work 14 hours a day, including weekends) and is putting a stop to iOS release segregation, according to Pocket Gamer. Gameloft plans to release all iOS titles universally, without special HD versions for iPad that can come out months after iPhone installments. In some cases Gameloft is bound by licensing to release a separate iPad version, but overall it will continue to release all games at the same time on both devices, a policy it began with April's Order and Chaos Online. Gameloft's universal release policy could very well become the norm as developers tweak the finer aspects of iPad HD development, a prospect that makes our game-organization compulsions extremely pleased.
The Big Lebowski Blu-ray celebrated by cast reunion tonight, watch the live stream here
Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that The Big Lebowski Special Edition Blu-ray disc came out today, and to mark the occasion Universal has brought much of the cast together in New York for Lebowski Fest. If you can't be there or haven't snagged a ticket to sold-out event don't worry, there's also a live video stream available via Livestream. Check back here at 6:30 pm (Eastern) for an interview with the real life inspiration for the character The Dude, and at 8 p.m. for a Q&A session with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, John Turturro and T Bone Burnett.
Make-a-wish game, Allied Star Police, out now on the App Store
You may remember the story of Owain Weinert, a 9 year-old diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who got invited to PopCap Games via the Make-a-wish foundation to help design and release a brand new iOS game. That title, eventually called Allied Star Police, is available now for free on the App Store. It's available through PopCap's experimental 4th and Battery studio, and I have to say -- it's pretty darn good. The game plays kind of like a more dynamic version of Plants vs. Zombies, where you summon various types of shooter ships to fly down lanes of attackers, eventually fighting their way over to blow up an enemy base. There are some good game design ideas here, too -- as you earn money for destroying enemy ships, you can slowly build up to more and more powerful weaponry, eventually leading an army of destroyers to take out your enemy. I like it a lot, and Plants vs. Zombies fans will probably enjoy it as well. Kudos to Owain on his work (and PopCap for their help, I'm sure), very nice job. Owain also gets the honor of helping PopCap release their very first game after the recent EA takeover, so congrats on that one, too. Once again, you can try it out for yourself: it's a universal app available for free.
China's Baidu licenses music from major US record labels for streaming and downloads
In a move suggesting they might be ready to accept the realities of the internet era, major US record labels have reached a deal with Chinese search engine company Baidu. The agreement between the search giant and One-Stop China, a joint venture of Universal, Warner and Sony BMG, will result in licensed tracks popping up in searches instead of pirated ones and resolve years of legal wrangling between the two sides. Baidu launched its ting! social music service earlier this year with support from local labels and EMI, while this new deal will see labels paid per-play, per-download and from advertising. Between this and the recent launch of Spotify in the US the cheap and easy fun of music piracy is slipping away rapidly, if record labels continue to act sensibly then illegal downloads will soon be limited to hipsters ironically cracking open vintage editions of Soulseek.
TiVo app now supports iPhone, series 3 DVRs
Tivo has finally released its DVR app for the iPhone or iPod touch, a new version that offers many of the features of its bigger iPad cousin. The iPhone version lets Tivo users manage their recording schedule, browse throughout content and control their DVR easily from their phone. The app also supports both the newest Tivo Series 4 models and the older Series 3 DVR. The only thing missing on the iPhone is the ability to flick to watch content. This streaming part of the application is only supported on the larger screen of the iPad. The now universal application also includes a handful of bug and speed fixes that appear on the iPhone and iPad version. Both apps are in the App Store now and available for free.
Jurassic Park Trilogy comes to Blu-ray October 25th
We've had to wait quite a while, but after Dreamworks and Steven Spielberg signed up with Universal three years ago, the Jurassic Park Trilogy will finally be available on Blu-ray this fall. All three flicks have been restored and remastered and John Williams' orchestral score will come home in a 7.1 DTS-HD MA encoding. Also included are over two hours of new special features with a six part Return to Jurassic Park documentary focusing on the cast and crew of the films. If that's not enough, there's also a plan for a "Limited Special Edition" with a custom T-Rex statue. No word yet on any pricing info but you can check the press release after the break for the long list of extras and all other details, plus a brand new trailer. Update: Now with the HD trailer Universal just posted to YouTube.
Scarface Blu-ray's $699 Limited Edition Humidor case, fan art revealed
We already let you know that Scarface will be released on Blu-ray September 6th, but we should mention that the true fans (and cigar enthusiasts) can snag a limited edition copy in its own hand-crafted humidor box. There will only be 1,000 sold and we're sure your imported cigars will appreciate the untreated Spanish cedar and 1,000 coat brilliant finish. You can see a few angles in the pictures here, while the Blu-ray trailer and snaps of winning fan art to be included in the set as collectible cards await after the break. How much will it cost to get your hands on one of these boxes? The MSRP is $999, but Amazon as always is offering them for the low, low price of just $699. Slightly less rabid fans can grab the SteelBook release for $24.99.
The Big Lebowski Blu-ray trailer pops up on YouTube
You think we're excited to see The Big Lebowski finally coming to Blu-ray? NBC Universal just posted this promotional trailer for the Limited Edition release, and now we're showing it to you. Other than a quick reference to the special features that are included it doesn't show any of them off, but it's still good to see everything in motion. We didn't have a pricetag when the press release came out, but it's since been listed for preorder on Amazon, and snagging a copy August 16th will currently cost you $26.99.
NBC's The Voice will use iTunes purchases as votes
The Voice is an NBC reality talent show that lets singers compete for US$100,000 and a recording deal with Universal Republic Records. Like other reality shows, The Voice lets viewers vote for their favorite contestants by phone, through the NBC Live app, and online at NBC.com. A new twist in the rules will also let people vote with their wallet by counting a vote every time someone buys the artist's song on iTunes. Admittedly, some votes will be accidentally cast by iTunes users who are buying out of pleasure and not for voting reasons, but NBC and Universal Media Studios don't seem to mind. They seem happy with the new voting scheme which links sales to popularity and generates extra money for all involved.
NYPost: Apple paying major music labels up to $150 million for rights to music on iCloud
The New York Post is reporting that three separate sources have told them Apple is paying the big four music labels between $100-150 million for the rights to distribute their music through the new iCloud service, which is set to debut on Monday. Their sources say that each label will get between $25-50 million depending on the number of tracks iTunes users are storing. On Tuesday, Apple issued a press release stating that Steve Jobs will unveil the iCloud service on June 6. iCloud is widely expected to be a cloud-based digital locker that allows users to stream any music they own to any device they own. Apple has been aggressively working on deals with the major music labels for a while now, first getting Warner, then EMI and Sony to get on board. The last holdout, Universal, is rumored to have signed with Apple late last week. With up to a $50 million signing bonus, any cash-strapped music label would be crazy not to accept Apple's offer.
Apple's iCloud bags last major record label, will cost $25 / year to sign up?
We'd heard that Universal was the only holdout, and now CNET says the deal is done -- Apple has reportedly signed all four major record labels for its upcoming iCloud service. We'll be bringing you all the confirmed details on June 6th, but while you wait, here's some food for thought: the Los Angeles Times says that Apple will eventually charge somewhere around $25 a year for a subscription to the cloud. That will help supplement the 58 percent piece of the pie it's planning to take from the music industry for songs distributed though the network, and possibly some ad revenue as well. 30 percent will reportedly go to the labels, and another 12 percent to publishers, who will apparently be signing their own agreements with Apple tomorrow. Update: There's actually an interesting discrepancy between the two sources here: the LA Times reports that Apple's taking that nice, juicy 58 percent, but CNET says that the labels will take 58 percent while Apple claims its traditional 30 percent instead. We're investigating. Update 2: The LA Times has updated its piece, with different percentages still -- reportedly, Apple will take 18 percent, publishers get 12 percent, and labels 70 percent of the proceedings.
Official WWDC app available now
Apple has released an official WWDC app for next week's developer conference, now available for both iPhone and iPad. The app includes a full schedule of events and the ability to make up your own custom schedule, detailed floor maps to see where everything is, and even up-to-date conference news and photos straight from the event (once it starts). There's also a reservation system built into the app, so developers in attendance can reserve time in any of the conference's labs. The universal app is a free download, though it looks very different on the smaller screen than the bigger one. WWDC starts next week, everybody! Are you excited?
Bigpoint unleashes new Mummy Online site and trailer
It's been almost a year since Bigpoint announced The Mummy Online, and we were starting to suspect that the project had been sealed back up in a tomb... forever. We even listed it as one of our top MMOs that went MIA in 2010. But it turns out that Bigpoint was just running quiet as it whipped up a whole new site and trailer for us to enjoy. The Mummy Online is a continuation of the hit film series, which seeks to meld high adventure with historical horror. Bigpoint's Arash Amini feels that there's a lot of material for the team to mine: "Working with such a rich franchise not only enables us to leverage an incredible story; it also lends itself to further exploration and development perfectly suited for an online game that can evolve over time." This free-to-play browser title is set at the southern tip of the Nile, where tombs, burial grounds, oases, and ruins wait for the intrepid grave robber. It looks to have fast-paced action (with guns!) in a 3-D isometric viewpoint. Bigpoint's hoping to get The Mummy Online to release by this fall, but in the meantime you can check out the lore and screenshots on the official site as well as the teaser trailer below.
Apple, publishers reportedly close to completing cloud music deal
Apple's music streaming service is inching closer to launch according to industry sources. Earlier rumors suggest Apple already inked licensing agreements with three of the four major record labels, including EMI Music, Warner Music and Sony Music. The one remaining holdout is Universal Music, which is still working with the Cupertino company. Besides the record labels, Apple also needs to obtain publishing rights from the individual music publishers. Insiders claim only a small amount of cash is keeping Apple from inking these final agreements, but these negotiations can be long and messy. There is supposedly some tension between the music publishers and the record labels that has to be ironed out before Apple can launch its online streaming service. The record labels are not happy that publishers are getting the bulk of the cash Apple has put on the table for its cloud service. Wisely, the Cupertino company is reportedly playing the two music entities against each other and letting them duke it out. Apple hopes this money problem can be resolved and negotiations will wrap up in time for a WWDC announcement.
