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Google snags PushLife, will probably use it to push music to your Android phone
At last year's Google I/O we were tantalizingly teased with the idea of music streaming to our mobile devices. Since then, there have been hints and leaks, but nothing official from Google on when or how this new service would be rolled out. Well, now we can add a big piece to that puzzle with the news that Google has acquired mobile entertainment company PushLife, which has been developing a music app of its own for the Android and BlackBerry platforms. PushLife offers one-click purchases from an integrated music store, an overview of tunes you have both on your smartphone and on your computer (with the ability to access both sets on the phone), and automatic playlist syncing with iTunes or Windows Media Player libraries. There's even more fanciness, such as recommendations based on the song you're playing, artists bios and photo galleries, plus the inevitable Twitter and Facebook integration. The Canadian startup is believed to have cashed in to the tune of $25 million and will soon be shutting down its independent operations. Also soon: Google I/O 2011. Hint, hint, Google! Demo video after the break.
WebM components for IE9 bring further video compatibility to Windows, end to codec conflict?
We've been reporting on the drama over Google's WebM ever since Microsoft compared the video format to Esperanto earlier this year, but despite a war of words, Google and Microsoft seem to be playing nice as of late. What originally appeared to be a mere WebM plug-in for IE9, has turned out to be a full set of components for the Microsoft Media Foundation (MF) API, which means even more compatibility within Windows. Because the components are installed directly to the operating system, you'll be able to watch WebM videos in other programs that support MF, such as Windows Media Player 12 for Windows 7. We suppose this could be the signal for some sort of a truce over disputed video formats, but, really, what's the fun in that?
HTC Sync 3.0 for Wildfire hands-on: iTunes sync tested (video)
Good news for Wildfire owners: fresh from HTC's oven is its 3.0 desktop sync suite that -- like the one baked for the Desire over the weekend -- enables iTunes sync for the company's latest budget device. Since we had a Wildfire on hand, we decided to go through the trouble to check out this new feature. And boy, it sure was a bumpy start. We had no problems with obtaining the software, but in order to get the "HTC Sync" option to appear in the USB connection menu, we had to switch on USB debugging mode (Settings -> Applications -> Development) before establishing our first link. As fiddly as it sounds, this was actually the only tricky part of the preparation, and you can leave debugging mode switched off afterwards. So, how does the iTunes sync work? Well, it's certainly nowhere as thrilling as Palm's cheeky hack -- it appears to simply access iTunes' database and playlists for the file locations, rather than fooling iTunes into thinking your Wildfire's an iDevice. You'll also be limited to syncing either everything or just selected playlists (smart playlists supported), so in other words, you can't sync by artists or genres, and you'll have to set up a dedicated playlist for syncing podcasts. Apart from this minor flaw, we'd say this is still a pretty neat solution for an age-old problem, and hopefully HTC will offer a similar app for Mac users. Hands-on video after the break.
Windows 7 review
Oh, Windows. You inform and entertain us. You are inescapable, and your Start menu is full of items relevant to our productivity. You move us. Sort of. To be honest, we're not sure what sort of state this fair planet of ours would be in without the ruggedly functional operating systems the folks at Redmond have handed to us over the years, and while Windows Vista might have proved that Microsoft wasn't invincible, it did nothing to demonstrate that Windows as an idea -- and for most, a necessity -- was at all in jeopardy. Windows 7 arrives on the scene three short years after Vista, shoring up its predecessor's inadequacies and perhaps offering a little bit more to chew on. We've been playing with the OS ever since the beta, along through the release candidate, and now at last have the final, "release to manufacturing" (RTM) edition in our grubby paws. Does it live up to its understandable hype and the implicit expectations of a major Microsoft release? Let's proceed on a magical journey to discover the truth for ourselves.
Creative Sound Blaster Wireless 'for iTunes' works with other software too
You've known how to wirelessly connect the music on your computer with your massive hi-fi speakers since about the dawn of the caveman, but that doesn't mean Creative won't try to make it seem revolutionary. The company has this week announced immediate availability of its Sound Blaster Wireless for iTunes, which essentially functions as a wireless adapter for any pair of regular old speakeroonies. The name is a marketing-inspired misnomer as the device will work with all manner of software, including Windows Media Player, Napster, Rhapsody, LastFM and even YouTube. The relative straightforwardness of this unit is appealing, though we're skeptical about Creative's claims of zero signal drop-offs, given that transmissions are done via the already crowded 2.4GHz wireless frequency. If you just have to hear it for yourself, entry fee is $149.99.
DivX fills in the gaps and adds MKV support to Windows 7
Windows 7 comes with many new under the hood enhancements that address some sore spots for Media Center fans, but we don't think any hurt as much as the lack of native codec support. The most popular file format online today is without a doubt MKV, but many don't understand that it isn't a codec at all, but instead a container. In fact it's a container that can hold just about any combination of video and audio, but most notably H.264 video and AC3 audio. Now the kicker in Windows 7 is that although it natively supports H.264 and AC3, it still can't play MKV files. Up until now enthusiasts have been installing the Haali splitter on the Windows 7 Beta, which has kinda worked. We say kinda, because for whatever reason the Haali Media Splitter exposes the H.264 stream in an MKV file as AVC1 and not H.264. What this means is that Windows doesn't realize it can decode the content natively and when you try to play one of these files on an Extender -- for example -- the video is unnecessarily transcoded. So now that you understand the problem, it appears DivX has the solution. The latest DivX Tech Preview features a Media Foundation -- the replacement for DirectShow in 7 -- component that will demux MKV files and allow the video and audio streams to be decoded with native Windows 7 codecs. Well, that's the theory anyways, we'll be following the comments closely to see how this turns out in practice.
Will Windows 7's integrated codec support cut off third party solutions?
Whoa, we may need to slow down on the celebration over out of the box h.264 codec support in Windows 7, with reports from developers indicating the beta OS blocks the usage of third party decoders under Windows Media Player and Media Center. Of course, the included codec support would obviate third party installs for many users anyway, and until we get an official release candidate we can't be sure how things will stack up in the retail experience. Digitalwerks has run down the sources, noting that third party solutions like VLC and Media Player Classic could still serve as workarounds, but Media Center Extender heads will want to keep a close eye on things going forward.
Workaround puts auto-playlist back on Zune
Just days after a clever Zune owner figured out a way around the "three-play rule," another has found a method for restoring auto-playlist functionality -- sort of, anyway. As you know, this feature vanished with the introduction of Zune software v2.0, but apparently, getting some semblance of it back doesn't take a whole lot of effort. All you have to do is create an auto-playlist in Windows Media Player, save said playlist as an M3U file and watch your Zune handle the rest. Head on over to the read link for all the details, but don't uncross your fingers for Microsoft to bring the official version back in the not-too-distant future.[Via Zunerama, image courtesy of SelfHack]
Wii remote + iTunes = Waggle Tunes
If we could, we'd cut down on all the remotes we have lying around our family room and operate everything with our Wii Remote -- televisions, DVD players, our downward-spiraling lives, etc. -- but so far, the white wand hasn't been too useful outside of playing video games. Mike Anderson's BlueTunes application adds an extra feature to the remote, allowing you to mess with the controls on media players like iTunes, Winamp, and Windows Media Player. Once you've installed the program on your computer and detected the remote as a bluetooth device, you'll be able to execute a number of playback functions by either pushing the controller's buttons or waving it around.Unfortunately, if you're like us and have a playlist filled with nothing but Bel Biv Devoe's "Poison," using an application like BlueTunes to change tracks wouldn't make much sense. Really, there's no reason why you should ever skip "Poison," unless, of course, you want to listen to more "Poison."[Via DCEmu]
Microsoft slapped with $1.52 billion payout in MP3 suit
Those federal juries in San Diego do seem to frown on MP3 patent infringement. They just ordered Microsoft to fork over $1.52 billion (yes, with a "b") to Alcatel-Lucent for infringing on two MP3 audio patents with its Windows Media Player, the largest patent ruling in history. Naturally, Alcatel-Lucent seems to like this turn of events. "We have made strong arguments supporting our view, and we are pleased with the court's decision," said Alcatel-Lucent spokeswoman Joan Campion. Microsoft is singing another tune, and is going to "seek relief from the trial court, and if necessary appeal," according to Tom Burt, corporate VP and deputy general counsel. The irony in all this -- if you can call anything in a $1.52 billion case "ironic" -- is that Microsoft payed the Fraunhofer Institute $16 million to license the tech in the first place, but since Fraunhofer co-developed the MP3 with Bell Labs, and Lucent owns those patents, Alcatel-Lucent decided to go for the gold, and seem to have done a pretty good job of it. This probably won't be the last we hear of this case, and it's only one in a long list of lawsuits between the two companies, but boy is that a hefty sum.
Asus showcases SideShow-enabled AiGuru S2 VoIP Skype handset
It sure didn't take long for this SideShow bandwagon to get overcrowded, as now we've even got a VoIP phone touting its SideShow functionality, not to mention its ability to interface with iTunes and Windows Media Player as well. While Asus' first attempt, the AiGuru S1, received lukewarm reviews at best, the refreshed version sports a lot more functionality, a color display, and a much slimmer profile. Aside from playing nice with 802.11b/g networks, touting three hours of talk time, and offering full support for Skype (including Skype ID and caller photos / avatars), this handset also rocks an internal speaker / headphone jack for wireless music playback, and also supports streaming from iTunes / WMP; moreover, users can purportedly check their email right on the display thanks to its SideShow pizazz. Although pricing information was absent, the AiGuru S2 will be hitting shelves alongside those PSTN-to-VoIP motherboards in the first quarter of this year.[Via Skype]
Stream video from XP! (this fall, we hope)
The Windows Media Player 11 beta is now available. This in and of itself isn't exactly earth shattering, but this little snippet is:"If you have a home network (wired or wireless), you can use Windows Media Player 11 to stream the contents of your library to networked devices. For example, if you have an Xbox 360 or other digital media receiver (DMR), you can use Windows Media Player to stream music, pictures, and videos from your computer to that device."WMP 11 is an XP program. Putting two and two together led us to believe that WMP 11 would finally allow people to stream video to the 360 without a Media Center PC. Unfortunately, it looks like this functionality will have to be included in the expected fall update to the 360 dashboard. It's obvious that it's supposed to work, the 360 just needs an update to accommodate it.On the bright side, WMP 11 does have Windows Media Connect built in, saving people a few steps in the 360 music/photo streaming process. We asked someone over at Microsoft to comment on the expected update for video streaming. We'll let you know what we hear.[Thanks, Lorul2]
Vista will not support Blu-ray or HD DVD playback out-of-the-box or on most PCs
For all the noise Microsoft made about Vista supporting HD DVD you'd think we'd be able to play those studio-released, HD DVD titles right out of the box right? Not so childrens, at least not in Australia according to c|net. See, Mark O'Shea, a Microsoft OEM systems engineer (not exactly an executive level position, mind you) sez that version 11 of the Windows Media Player shipping with Vista will not support playback for commercial Blu-ray or HD DVD films. By this, we assume he means that WMP11 won't include the ability to decrypt AACS encoded titles. For that you'll have to use third party software like PowerDVD from Cyberlink or Intervideo's WinDVD BD, neither of which is currently available for retail but may (or may not) ship with your BD or HD DVD drive. Then it'll all work, right? Maybe, but if your media rig is pumping video over DVI or HDMI then you'd better be sure your graphics card, driver, and display all support HDCP (not just HDCP ready) if you expect to decrypt that High Definition digital signal. All assuming your CPU or GPU has the muscle to decode the HD compression codecs to begin with. Heads' spinning yet? Sure, so go ahead, lie down for a bit, we'll understand why you put off your next-gen optical PC drive purchase while the DRM gets a bit, say, more consumer friendly. Update: Oh my. Microsoft just announced that they won't support high definition playback on 32-bit versions of Vista, at all! In other words, unless you've recently upgraded to a Core 2 Duo or similar 64-bit processor, you won't be using that new Blu-ray or HD DVD drive to playback studio films when you upgrade to Vista. If that's your gig then you'd best get saving for a whole new rig, son, cause your old digs won't cut it.[Thanks, ash]Read -- no 32-bit supportRead -- WMP11
Sony unveils CPF-IX001 wireless streaming music system
There are about a million ways to stream music from your PC to other locations in the house, and now Sony has added yet another solution to this lengthy list: the 2.1 channel CPF-IX001 wireless streaming music system. The compact device uses your existing 802.11b/g setup to pull tunes from iTunes, Windows Media Player, Sony Connect, or other applications, and creates a unique IP address so multiple units can operate simultaneously over the same network. To cut down on wire clutter, Sony employed a so-called power line transmission technology that allows the main component to send both juice and audio signals to its subwoofer over a single cable -- pretty handy, especially if you'll be moving the system from room to room.. Expect to see these in stores sometime next month -- although we don't actually know what to look for, because Sony is being a little stingy with the product pics -- for about $300.Update: Thanks to Christopher over at ATRACLife for hooking us up with a pic.
Apple: Microsoft of digital music
Another day, another article telling us that Apple's digital music reign will soon end. The old argument of 'platform independence' are trotted out in this article, referring to Microsoft's 'Plays for Sure' DRM program. Sure, you can play that DRMed music on different devices but you have to use Windows. How is that freedom? If Windows Media would work on my Mac I would give a little credence to this idea, but I seem to recall Microsoft having no interest in that (I wonder why?).Competition is good, and I'm glad to see that other purveyors of digital music are thinking of new ideas (which Apple will take and incorporate into iTunes I am sure) but until someone comes out with a player/store combo that is just as good as the iPod/iTunes Apple will retain the lead.
Goodbye, WMP for Mac OS X
Yesterday, we wrote about the extraordinary generosity that Microsoft displayed by distributing the Flip4Mac player available for free. Flip4Mac is a tool that allows you to play WMV files with Quicktime. Before you get a warm fuzzy for Microsoft, check this out: They've suspended development of Windows Media Player for Mac OS X. No big loss, of course, especially now that we have an alternative.[Via What Do I Know]
