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Sonos adds AirPlay support as Android Controller app hits the Market
For months we've been wondering aloud how Sonos would respond to Apple's September AirPlay announcement. After all, Apple's promise to "stream music throughout your entire house" steps all over Sonos' reason to exist. Would Sonos start building its systems with BridgeCo chips? As it turns out: no. Instead, Sonos is opting for a rather ingenious solution, at a cost of $99. Rather than licensing BridgeCo technology at additional expense atop Sonos' already costly components, the company has instead devised an approach that links Apple's own AirPlay-compliant AirPort Express into Sonos' proprietary wireless mesh network. The solution (illustrated after the break) works by first shutting off the WiFi on the AirPort Express base station and then stringing a cable between its audio-out and the line-in jack on any Sonos ZonePlayer, including the S5 all-in-one speaker. You then run an ethernet patch cable between the two and you've just enabled your iOS devices to play AirPlay audio to any (or all) Sonos device in the home from any compatible AirPlay app. Naturally, the Sonos solution does not integrate with AirPlay speakers like those from iHome, JBL, B&W, Klipsch, or Philips and the AirPlay audio won't be synced with video; but it's a start. The new functionality requires a software update to your system in the form of Sonos System Software version 3.4 -- available now -- which also adds iOS multitasking amongst a few other goodies. Today also marks the official release of the free Sonos Controller for Android app in the Android Market making it a pretty good day to be a Sonos owner.
Sonos music systems now support AirPlay, but there's a catch
Sonos, creator of a well-reviewed, multi-room, wireless music system, has updated its software to support Apple's AirPlay. It means a Sonos music system owner can wirelessly send music from an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch to any room that has a Sonos Zone Player. The catch is that you have to buy a US$99 AirPort Express to plug into one of the Zone Players to get it working. It's understandable that Sonos has to do this. AirPlay support is a hardware and software solution, and Sonos is not building AirPlay hardware into its Zone Players. I'm not sure this will be a big deal to many Sonos owners. The company already provides a wireless dock with iPhone support that allows the phone to stream to any Sonos device. That dock needs to be plugged into AC power, but the connection into the Sonos system is wireless. The Sonos software update also includes support for multitasking for its iPad and iPhone app. That means it will run in the background and not force a relaunch, which will speed up operation of the system from any iDevice. Those updates are available on the App Store for free. The Sonos system has become very popular over the years, and feature updates have included even the earliest devices the company has made. Supporting AirPlay is a nice addition to the feature roster, and for those who already have an AirPort Express to dedicate to this task, it will be welcome.
GoodReader for iPad gains AirPlay, encryption, and improved PDF annotation
TUAW favorite GoodReader for iPad was upgraded to version 3.6, which boasts a number of improvements. These features include: Data encryption The ability to flatten PDFs to embed annotations Video file can be played using AirPlay Symbolic PDF page labels are supported Improved compatibility with Google Docs and Apple Preview Note that this update will take a bit longer than previous ones because GoodReader will need to process all the files that exist in it for data protection. GoodReader for the iPad is US$4.99. An update to the iPhone version, taking that to version 3.6.1, is in the approval process. [via Mac Observer]
ShairPort emulator cracks open the door for more unofficial AirPlay streaming options
There's already a few unofficial AirPlay applications out there, but looks like developer James Laird has now gotten right to the heart of the matter and enabled a whole host of new streaming possibilities. Here's apparently managed to crack the private key used by Apple in the AirPort Express (literally by ripping one open and dumping the ROM), and he's used that to build an emulator dubbed "ShairPort," which will let you stream music from iTunes to any third-party software -- or hardware, for that matter, if someone decided to go as far as to build a device that takes advantage of the private key. Have something in mind? You can download the emulator at the source link below.
JBL ships AirPlay-enabled On Air speaker dock
After some delay (we posted about the announcement in March), JBL has announced that the AirPlay-enabled On Air speaker dock is officially shipping to Best Buy and Apple Stores (see press release below). The system lets customers stream music from their AirPlay-enabled devices, like Macs, iPhones, iPod touches and iPads. It's also pretty cool looking, in a Darth Vader-meets-radial-tire kind of way. Other nifty features include a color LCD display, FM radio tuner and an alarm clock. Also fancy is the price; this bad girl will set you back US$349.99, so bring your wallet. If you do grab one, let us know how it goes. They look great. [Via Engadget] Show full PR text HARMAN Unveils New JBL On Air™ Wireless AirPlay® Speaker Dock for Greater Seamless Music Experience in the Home Featuring signature JBL® radial design and Apple's AirPlay technology, the device lets music lovers enjoy their entire iTunes® library from any room in their home – without using wires For product information: http://www.onair.jbl.com/ NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE: HAR), today announced the new JBL On Air™ Wireless AirPlay® speaker dock, the newest in the JBL® lineup to provide music lovers an even more seamless music experience within the home. With AirPlay technology built in, the JBL On Air Wireless lets you play music from your iTunes® library on a Mac or a PC, and from an iPhone®, iPad® or iPod touch® device over your existing Wi-Fi® network. Users will enjoy album artwork and song information on the bright color display, and can use the included remote control to play and pause music, as well as navigate to next and previous tracks. AirPlay requires iTunes 10.1 or later and iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with iOS 4.2 or later. Three advanced JBL transducers deliver rich, full-spectrum sound uniformly across a wide-listening area. Distinct stereo imaging is often less than ideal with desktop sound systems, but the JBL On Air Wireless dock's unique HALO (horizontal acoustic level optimization) design delivers clean, powerful sound that JBL products are known for. It also employs proprietary JBL technology – digital signal processing – to maximize sound quality and output under any listening conditions. "Since the unveiling of our very first iPod dock, HARMAN has always been at the forefront of creating the most cutting-edge products for consumers," said David Slump, president, HARMAN Consumer Division. "With the new JBL On Air Wireless speaker dock, JBL will set the standard again by introducing a solution for music lovers to store, access and listen to their music content for an even greater seamless music experience within the home." Pricing and Availability The JBL On Air Wireless speaker dock will be available in April 2011 for $349 MSRP at Best Buy and Apple online and retail store locations throughout the U.S. To learn more, visit http://www.onair.jbl.com. Product Features JBL On Air Wireless AirPlay Speaker Dock at a Glance: · AirPlay wireless music streaming · Color LCD screen · Works with Wi-Fi networks · iPod/iPhone dock · Digital FM radio with RDS and 10 station presets · Clock with dual alarms · Three JBL transducers with 360-degree HALO acoustics · Proprietary DSP technologies
Apple AirPlay private key exposed, released
Enterprising software developer James Laird was looking to stream music without AirPlay. Since an appropriate AirPort Express emulator did not exist, Laird reverse-engineered the Airport Express private key and published an open source AirPort Express emulator called ShairPort as a result. What does that mean? A commenter on Hacker News spells it out clearly: Previously you could do this: iTunes -- stream to --> Apple Airport Express 3rd party software -- stream to --> Apple Airport Express Now you can do this: iTunes -- stream to --> 3rd party software/hardware Laird has thrown the door open for software solutions. Now, you can stream music between Macs, to appropriately-configured consoles (like an Xbox), etc. ShairPort is built in Perl and C. Have fun, folks. [Via MacRumors]
JBL ships AirPlay-enabled On Air speaker dock, charges stiff premium for wireless luxury
It's a familiar face, sure, but there's a key ingredient thrown here that's been lacking on JBL's prior iDevice docks: AirPlay. We're still waiting (and waiting) to see if Apple's going to expand its licensing program to allow third-party vendors the ability to toss in AirPlay video streaming, but for now, JBL's taking advantage of what's out there. The On Air Wireless AirPlay speaker dock -- which is shipping today to Best Buy and Apple Stores after being teased a few weeks ago -- is now good and official, enabling consumers to wirelessly stream their iTunes library from Macs, PCs, iPhones, iPods or iPads right to the dock. Aside from a rather unorthodox design (which should go a long way to dispersing jams in a 360-degree fashion), you'll also find a color LCD, digital FM radio, an inbuilt alarm clock, DSP technology and a proprietary adapter that enables it to be worn as headgear at your next rave. We're guessing that final bit makes the $349.99 price tag entirely more palatable.
Plex 1.1 for iOS improves streaming over 3G, pipes video to your TV
If you're not already running the Plex Media Server on one of the twenty-three beige boxes networked across your tiny domicile, you may be sorely tempted to install a copy this week, because the iOS app has just received a truly massive update. Where once the XBMC spinoff would have to transcode every video it delivered to your device across the ether, Plex claims it can now either bypass that CPU-intensive process or use an iOS-optimized technique, pumping H.264 video over the air far more efficiently. Second, it can deliver that content from iOS direct to your TV, via either a video-out cable or experimental support for AirPlay. Not bad, right? How's universal search sound -- the ability to type in a word and have the app reach out to local servers, remote servers, and online video services like YouTube and Vimeo too? Yeah, that $4.99 price tag is looking mighty affordable right about now, and there are plenty more improvements to peruse at the links below.
Plex 1.1 for iOS adds functionality, interface changes
Put simply, Plex version 1.1 is everything that FrontRow should be. For a start, it streams to your iDevice, presents plenty of online media ... you get the idea. The only advantage FrontRow has is price, and at US$4.99 Plex probably won't break the bank. The latest version includes many new and updated features, like improved subtitle and audio stream selection support, Direct Streaming and Direct Play support. One interesting addition is TV out and AirPlay support, though the latter is still "experimental," which suggests less-than-optimal performance. Plex 1.1 also offers much improved live encoding. For example, Plex 1.1 will note what your Apple TV 2 can manage and only convert what needs to be converted, leaving other streams intact. Plex 1.1 is available from the App Store now for $4.99. Also, grab Plex for Mac to enjoy video, music, pictures and more. Have fun, media buffs! [Via MacStories and 9to5 Mac]
Elgato updates EyeTV iOS app, does the AirPlay dance
If you've been longing to use your EyeTV HD to sling content from your AirPlay-enabled iOS device to your designated Apple TV 2 setup, listen up. Elgato has pushed an updated version of the EyeTV iOS app (version 1.2.3) that enables Apple's wireless streaming technology to play nicely with your ATV2 or third-party AirPlay device. Remember, the app costs $4.99, but wouldn't you rather watch Seinfeld reruns on the living room 74-incher? Yeah, us too.
iPad 2 gets wireless 1080p mirroring, fattens up in the process (video)
One might say that AirPlay is pretty nifty for shooting content from your iOS device to your TV, but it only works with a handful of apps, and worse still, maxes out at a paltry 720p. Apple offers an HDMI cable for the iPad that allows full 1080p mirroring, but let's face it: being wired is so 2009. One adventurous MacRumors Forums member was able to MacGyver a completely wire-free, completely HD solution using a wireless HDMI transmitter, USB battery pack, and a home-made enclosure that "only adds about two pounds of weight" to the otherwise portable device. Seems easy enough to put together on your own, but here's to hoping there's a Jailbreak solution soon enough that makes the same magic happen without the extra heft (and coin) in the first place.
Updated IMDB app gains AirPlay support for trailers
Although third-party AirPlay support debuted as part of the recent 4.3, apps that offer that support are now trickling in. AirPlay allows you to beam video from your iOS device to an Apple TV or to a third-party application, like Banana TV, without cables. The newly updated IMDB application (version 2.1) offers Watchlist (a way to keep track of movies that you want to watch), enhanced showtimes and ticket purchasing, and AirPlay support for trailers. Unfortunately, you cannot use the new AirPlay features to watch Hulu or Amazon Instant Video the way that you can on desktop browsers. Update: Looks like the Fandango app also supports AirPlay for trailers. Neato!
Apple could be licensing AirPlay for video streaming, HDTV integration seems imminent
There's nothing concrete to sink your teeth into just yet, but a couple of people "familiar with the matter" have informed Bloomberg that Apple could be taking AirPlay to the next level. Up until now, companies have been shelling out $4 per device to add AirPlay audio streaming into their products, but there's a very real demand for video to be included in that as well. According to sources, the video streaming protocol is already baked in, but not enabled / allowed under the current licensing agreement. It's bruited that the folks in Cupertino could soon expand the AirPlay license program to include video streaming from iPhones and iPads, with integration into HDTVs being the most obvious application. Specifically, the new plan would enable electronics makers to "use [AirPlay] in devices for streaming movies, TV shows and other video content," but there's no clear time table as to when any of this would go down. Will CEDIA 2011 be the launchpad for AirPlay-enabled televisions? If so, don't ever say we didn't see it coming. [Thanks, Nilay]
Report: Apple to expand AirPlay plans
Man, I could have told you this one: Bloomberg is reporting that Apple plans to extend its AirPlay service out even further, licensing it out to television sets that would then be able to receive and display video directly from iDevices -- bypassing the need to plug in an Apple TV and pay $99. Currently, third-party device support for AirPlay only covers audio and certain AirPlay-enabled stereo devices, but it's far from a stretch to think that Apple will go to video soon, especially since you can currently stream any iTunes media through the AirPlay protocol. I think we'll go even farther -- the iPad is quickly growing to be as or even more powerful than your average set-top box or console, and it's easy to see a future where your iPad can actually stream both audio and video out to a licensed television while it's playing a game or an app. We've seen a lot of fun stuff already with the video-out feature, and if Apple is able to license out the technology to televisions, that'll be a win-win-win situation for the folks in Cupertino, game developers and the consumers who get to send their media and apps anywhere. I doubt it'll be long before we see AirPlay popping up with a few more new uses.
Banana TV now shipping
TUAW's own Erica Sadun recently announced the immediate availability of Banana TV, software that allows users to display photos and videos from any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch on a Mac connected to the same wireless network. Banana TV closes a notable gap in Apple's AirPlay streaming technology. Typically, AirPlay enables iOS devices to stream photos and videos only to a second generation Apple TV. Now, with Banana TV, customers can easily choose to use the big displays on their Macs to show off content from iOS apps that support AirPlay, including third-party apps in iOS 4.3. The software should be especially useful for customers with Macs integrated into their home entertainment systems. Any Mac can easily be connected to an HDTV directly or with inexpensive adapters. Mac users who wish to wirelessly stream video from an iOS device to their television sets can spend less buying Banana TV and a few adapters than the US$99.00 needed to buy a second generation AppleTV. The software also makes sharing photos and videos on a bigger screen possible in situations where an AppleTV is not available (for example, at the office or while visiting friends and family). To use the software, customers launch Banana TV on a Mac, and within moments, the Mac appears as a valid target for AirPlay sharing on iOS devices within the same Wi-Fi network. It's that simple to enable a Mac to wirelessly showcase the latest music video that you cut in iMovie on your iPad, or the photos you took of your trip to Hawaii using your iPhone 4. Banana TV does suffer from a couple of limitations. Currently, the software supports streaming for photos and video, but audio-only streaming isn't available. Banana TV also struggles with displaying photo slideshows from Apple's "Photos" app. Lastly, video protected by iTunes digital right management (DRM) must be authorized to play on the target Mac. Sadun aims to resolve many of these limitations in future updates to the software. Banana TV is available now for US$7.99. To stream images and video from an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, the device must be running iOS 4.2 or higher. Keep reading to watch a short promotional video for Banana TV.
Apple highlights AirPlay apps, but our wishlist is longer
iOS 4.3 is finally with us (along with a flagship device to run it on), and now we're looking forward to seeing our favorite apps start using AirPlay. (Verizon iPhone owners, you'll have to be patient.) Apple has put up a special App Store section to highlight the current crop of AirPlay-friendly apps. It includes some of our favorites like AirVideo and Discovery Channel HD, along with some interesting but unheralded apps (Authentic Yoga with Deepak Chopra and Sony's new movie-lover app My Daily Clip). Oddly, in the first version of the list Apple did not include a marquee app for 4.3 and the iPad 2: iMovie, which does support AirPlay playback. Update: Looks like someone on the App Store team was paying attention, as iMovie now has pride of place at the top of the list. This is a great start, but there are so many possibilities. Here are some of the apps we'd like to see using AirPlay as soon as possible -- let us know yours in the comments below. Slingbox: Stream your TV to your iPad and back to your TV. It sounds daft, but it adds in lots of possibilities when visiting friends or family who don't have your home TV programming. Plus it gives a neat way to remotely control your TV right on your iDevice. PBS for iPad: This one's nice for catching up on shows you've missed. TED for iPad: TED is one of my personal favorite websites, and the iPad app gives access to more than 800 TEDTalk videos from some of the world's smartest people. Its "Inspire Me" button is just right for when you've got 10 minutes with nothing to do apart from improving your mind. Real Racing HD: A favorite with some at TUAW towers, the new iPad 2's added lightness should make playing the game more comfortable -- AirPlay is what it needs to give that big-screen racing thrill. ABC News, CNN, MSNBC and The Daily: These are obvious but useful. NCAA March Madness On Demand: Undoubtedly constrained by licensing agreements (likewise Hulu and other streaming services), but still. Any movie-trailer app, like Movies by Flixter.
iPad 2 review
To say Apple's iPad 2 is an easy tablet to review is somewhat of an understatement. The device, a follow up to last year's wildly successful (and currently market-defining) iPad, is nearly identical when it comes to software, and though improved, closely related on the hardware side as well. With a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display, the general size and shape of the device has remained the same, and though inside there's a new dual core A5 CPU, more memory, and a pair of new cameras, most of the iPad 2's changes are cosmetic. Still, the previous tablet soared far above most of its competitors when it came to the quality of both the hardware (if not its raw specs) and its software selection -- something Apple still stands head and shoulders over its adversaries on. So this new model, a thinner, sleeker, faster variant of the original may not be breaking lots of new ground, but it's already at the front of the pack. But is the iPad 2 worth an upgrade for those that took the plunge on the first generation? More importantly, does the device have what it takes to bring new owners into the fold? Those questions -- and more -- are all about to be answered in the full Engadget review, so read on!%Gallery-118761%
Apple posts iPad 2 guided tour videos
Although the iPad 2 is launching in two days, Apple wants to make sure that you're filled with knowledge for March 11th. Sure, we showed you pretty much everything you wanted to know about the company's second slate, but if you want more, they've got you covered. You can feast your eyes on demos of Garageband, FaceTime, iMovie, as well as other first party apps for the new iPad -- these 14 videos should keep you occupied for a while. If you want to properly prepare yourself for Friday, hit the source link to watch them all.
iOS 4.3 spotlight: AirPlay improvements and 720p playback
For those lucky enough to have both an Apple TV and an iPhone or iPad, the potential and power of AirPlay has been enticing. Start playing a video on your iPad and finish on the big screen in your living room? Share your YouTube clips or movies with friends and family in comfort? Start video or audio playback from iTunes, while using the Apple TV as an endpoint? Yes, please! While the first edition of AirPlay was reasonably capable (and souped up noticeably by some clever developers), it has operated under some limitations. No third-party apps had official access to the video APIs for sharing streams, and Apple only supported video from the Videos and YouTube apps; even the iPhone's camera roll videos weren't streamable. Now, with iOS 4.3, most of those limitations are gone. 4.3's AirPlay allows playback of videos straight from the iPhone's Camera Roll, meaning that your snapshots and quick clips can be shared immediately. Websites that show H.264 video in Safari can stream to Apple TV as well, which is sure to be useful. Third-party app support is there too, and though it may take a little while for the developer community to catch up, the possibilities are vast and very cool (Hulu, anyone?). In addition to the wireless streaming magic of AirPlay, wired video playback gets a boost with iOS 4.3. The new version allows for "720p HD video playback from the Videos app, iPod app, Photos, YouTube, Safari, Keynote, and enabled third-party apps on an HDMI display," meaning that you'll need one of Apple's new Digital Adapters to make the magic.
iOS 4.3 gold master benchmarks from WIRED show speedier Safari browsing
In case you're wondering how that iOS 4.3 update is going to work out for you, WIRED has released results of benchmarks they performed using the gold master (release) version of the software. What they found was that the update provides major improvements in Safari's ability to run JavaScript. iOS 4.3 uses the new Nitro JavaScript engine for JavaScript rendering, and WIRED's tests showed that Safari was able to pull a SunSpider time of 4340.1 ms compared to 10626.4 ms for iOS 4.2.1. That's over twice as fast! The iOS 4.3 update is available right now in iTunes, so if you'd like to see sites like Google Voice, Google Docs, and Google Reader running faster on your iPhone or iPad, or browse your Facebook page at light speed, get the update loaded ASAP. The update also adds AirPlay functionality to more apps, including Safari and YouTube.
