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DoubleTwist's latest Android tweak brings Google Play Music to Apple TV (update)
Google's mobile-streaming tech has a lot going for it, but listening to music stored in Mountain View's cloud is still limited to a handful of home devices. AirPlay-compatible gadgets, however, are a probably a bit more common than the Nexus Q, Chromecast and Sonos systems are, and developer doubleTwist's latest project acts as a bridge between the two ecosystems. The outfit recently released "AirPlay for Android," which is exactly what it sounds like: the tweak open's the search giant's media-streaming to AirPlay devices. The rub is that your device running Google's mobile OS has to be rooted for the hack to work. First, grab and install the aforementioned APK from the dev's blog, launch Google Play Music (GPM) and hit the Cast button. From there, you need to grant root access to the app, force-stop it and then relaunch. Voila! AirPlay devices on your wireless network should populate the list of compatible targets.
NBC's iOS app can now send shows to your TV, sort of
The big US broadcasters like to tout the strength of their mobile TV apps, but actually viewing the apps' content on a TV has frequently proven elusive. That's a rather glaring omission, don't you think? Some credit is due to NBC, then, as it recently updated its iOS app with AirPlay support. Unfortunately, it's pretty basic at this stage. All you can do is turn on AirPlay mirroring and beam whatever is on your mobile device's screen -- you're out of luck if you'd like to see optimized videos, let alone do something else on your iOS gear while you watch. Still, it's good to see NBC catch up on features that services like Hulu have had for quite a while.
Apples and Oranges: Amazon moves into the Apple TV space
Those of us who have been waiting for an Amazon Prime channel to finally show up on their Apple TV now have an explanation as to why it never arrived. Today Amazon introduced FireTV (US $99), an Amazon set-top box that seems perfectly situated to compete with Apple TV. Amazon cited a 350% growth in their video streaming service as their basis for entering this market. With a quad-core processor, a dedicated GPU, and 2GB of onboard RAM, the new unit's specifications compare extremely favorably against both Apple's latest unit as well as Roku. Standout features include enhanced "MIMO dual-band WiFi", a slick user interface, built-in Karaoke, and voice search. The box is about the same form factor as an Apple TV, with a small but much more solid-looking remote. The unit will offer many of the same channels, or "apps" in the Amazon parlance. These include Netflix, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, SHO Anytime, Bloomberg, and Vevo. Streaming music services including Pandora and iHeart Radio should follow soon after launch. A feature called "X-Ray" will provide additional details about what you're watching as you watch it. This extra information is delivered to your Kindle Fire HDX tablet for tight product-line integration. There's also some sort of AirPlay equivalent on offer for watching slideshows of your tablet- and cloud-based photo collections. Apple has to be taking notice of Amazon's latest move. From the Kindle to the TV, Amazon is striding boldly into an arena of consumer content that Apple first pioneered with iTunes and Apple TV. If anyone can transform content delivery from a hobby to a business, Amazon can. FireTV's easier interaction style and spoken commands (yes, I struggle with entering text on Apple TV -- especially when I have to re-enter my WiFi network password) should set a new bar for streaming set top. Apparently there's even a mic built into the remote. I found the interface screenshots to be cleaner than the somewhat confusing menu system I currently see on my Apple TV unit.They're full of bright clear images that feel like a well thought out, navigable system -- and probably a bit of a WiFi hog. So how will Apple react? Certainly that $99 price point for Apple TV has got to give or the Apple unit needs a major refresh. If Apple intends to stay in this "hobby", I would expect an interface overhaul and perhaps some Siri support to stay competitive. I also would think they'd need to open a third party SDK, the way that Amazon will with its open HTML and Android ecosystem. At launch, you'll be able to download and play Minecraft, The Walking Dead, Monsters University, the Amazon exclusive Sev Zero -- all on your TV.
Libratone Loop Wireless Speaker: AirPlay meets Scandinavian design
Last week we had a look at a very impressive Bluetooth speaker set from Edifier, the e25 Luna Eclipse. Those speakers provided both excellent sound quality and futuristic design, and ended up with a top rating from TUAW. This week I'm looking at Libratone's Loop Wireless Speaker, a high-end entry into the speaker market that marries Scandinavian good looks to AirPlay compatibility. Specifications Price: US$499.95 Colors: Salty Gray, Pepper Black, Raspberry Red, Icy Blue (extra wool covers are sold in a variety of colors) Connectivity: AirPlay and DLNA support, also supports PlayDirect for streaming directly from a device without need for a Wi-Fi router. Also includes 3.5 mm audio minijack and USB audio jack Power: 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 40 W power consumption Dimensions: Weight: Speakers: 2 x 1" ribbon-based tweeters, 5" subwoofer with resonating passive radiator Comes with wall mount and duo-stand Design Highlights Rather than a set of speakers, the Loop is just one disc-shaped speaker. I was reminded of the seat of a stool, or a target for Velcro darts. The speaker is covered in Italian wool, and there are a number of accessory wool covers you can purchase should your cat rip one to shreds or you decide to change the paint color in your home. The Loop can be wall-mounted or sit on a shelf or table. A pair of legs known as a duo-standn provide a stable platform for the latter, while the wall mount features a small truncated cone that fits into a receptacle on the back of the speaker. As you'd expect with Scandinavian design, the Loop is very stark and simple. Controls are on the back and consist of a combination power switch/status indicator/volume toggle and another set of buttons for linking the Loop to your device. I also have to hand it to Libratone for not using the typical ugly black brick as an AC adapter. Instead, the power supply is built into the Loop, and there's a single power cord -- with a soft, tangle-proof covering on it -- that connects the speaker to your outlet. Functionality Highlights Most of the Bluetooth and AirPlay speakers I test are usually quite easy to set up. Bluetooth speakers are incredibly simple, while AirPlay speakers usually require that the speaker be added to your WiFi network. That's usually done by linking to the device's own WiFi or Bluetooth transceiver, passing over some information about the network and password, and then you're done. Not so with the LIbratone Loop. First, I decided that I'd use their quick start instructions, which told me to get a USB cable and connect it. At that point, I was supposed to press two buttons on the back simultaneously to get the device to ping my iPhone to allow it to share network information. The process worked, but I could never get the speaker to connect to the network. After about a half hour of frustration, I finally did a reset (press the power button and two buttons on the back simultaneously) to get it to factory defaults. At that point, I was able to get everything set up perfectly, although it took a while for the Loop to show up in the list of AirPlay devices. Once it did, I started blasting music to it. This is a very loud speaker, with a pronounced bass end thanks to the 5-inch subwoofer. Libratone has a free app that is supposed to let you you do the setup from the iPhone or iPad, although I wasn't able to get that to work. However, the app also lets you tune the sound of the speaker for the type of surface it's sitting on and the type of music that is playing. This is a very useful app from the sound adjustment standpoint -- I was able to move from house music to jazz to classic rock, adjusting the equalization for each with preset voicing that made the sound perfect for each type of music. All in all, I found it the Loop to be a very enjoyable speaker to listen to, although the setup left something to be desired. My guess is that this speaker had been previously set up for another reviewer and that I should have done the factory reset first. Conclusion The Libratone Loop is definitely an audiophile speaker, with a price tag to match. The setup process could be better, but the design and sound of the speaker as well as the ability to match the sound profile of the speaker to the type of music you're listening to and the surface upon which it's sitting make this one of the most adjustable AirPlay speakers I've tested. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible
DoubleTwist's new app lets you save iTunes Radio tracks to your PC
The folks at DoubleTwist are at it again. Over the past three months they've crafted Android and OS X apps to help penny-pinching users save the music they hear on iTunes Radio, and now they've gone and done the unthinkable: they made a version for Windows PCs, too.
Reports say OS X 10.9.2 breaks AirPlay Mirroring, and other news for Feb. 28, 2014
Are you noticing any AirPlay issues on your Mac after updating to OS X 10.9.2? You might not be alone. There's a growing thread on Apple's support communities saying the OS X 10.9.2 update breaks AirPlay on a number of older model Macs. As AppleInsider reports: According to one of the larger forum threads, titled "Airplay mirroring broke in 10.9.2," users are seeing a host of different failures. For example, one user found AirPlay Mirroring was no longer a selectable option in the AirPlay menu. Others have been able to connect to their Apple TV, but only audio is passed through in these cases. In addition to the mirroring faults, users detail problems with AirPlay's desktop extension function... ...AppleInsider was able to reproduce a few of the described issues with a mid-2011 MacBook Air and third-generation Apple TV, which are running OS X 10.9.2 and Apple TV Software Update 6.0.2, respectively. We experienced scaling issues on both the Mac and Apple TV, low frame rates, sporadic mouse freezing and video failures. Are you having issues with AirPlay after updating to OS X 10.9.2? Let us know in the comments. In other news: The Apple online store briefly went down in the wee hours of this morning. When it came back up there was a new "Shop Accessories" section. A California appeals court has ruled that though drivers can't talk and text while driving, they can't be convicted of distracted driving if they are using their smartphone for another use: looking at maps. The Google Hangouts app has received a significant update. Now it's universal, so it's also formatted for the iPad. It also allows users to record and send video messages up to 10 seconds long, among other new features. Apple has published a new design-specific page to help developers design for iOS and OS X.
Instapaper update for iOS lets you send media to your Kindle and TV
Instapaper's already broad device support has just grown a little bit broader. The service's updated iOS app lets you send articles to Kindle for reading on one of Amazon's devices, and you can push videos to your big-screen TV through AirPlay. Even if you're happy with catching up from your iPad or iPhone, you may also like a new option to auto-renew your Instapaper subscription. It's not the most life-changing Instapaper update we've seen. Stay tuned, though -- the developers promise that their next release will be the biggest since Betaworks acquired the app last year.
iTunes Radio recording comes to Mac via DoubleTwist
While you could use an Android device to capture iTunes Radio streams before, DoubleTwist's latest AirPlay Recorder update brings that functionality to Cupertino's desktops. Based on the walk-through that the outfit lists on its blog, the Mac app seems pretty simple to implement too. First, select the app as an AirPlay device and then start playing a song or station. That's it. While some might scoff at the price ($10), convenience doesn't always come free.
Beam saved videos to your flat-screen with Pocket's iOS update
No matter how pixel-packed your iThing's display is, watching video clips on a bigger screen is usually way more comfortable. Pocket has added AirPlay and Apple TV support to its free bookmarking app with just that in mind. That would be pretty cool on its own, but the outfit has also tailored the application to keep broadcasting video even if you exit it -- you know, to check Facebook or bang out an email. If you have a stack of unwatched Vimeos (or perhaps that Kristen Bell flick), this could be the perfect time to finally start watching 'em.
DoubleTwist's new Android app records songs played on iTunes Radio (updated)
Those clever guys and gals at DoubleTwist have been freeing music from iTunes' grasp for years, so we suppose it was only a matter of time before they figured out how to do the same with songs played on iTunes Radio. The app's called, quite appropriately, iTunes Radio Recorder, and it circumvents Apple's DRM by turns your Android phone into an AirPlay device -- not literally, mind you, the app on your phone simply populates as an optional AirPlay streaming device in iTunes on your computer. Once the app is selected for AirPlay streaming, music is played and recorded in real-time, so a five minute file will take five minutes to record. Not quite as quick as a download, but it is an elegant way to circumvent Apple's digital audio shackles. As for piracy or legal concerns? DoubleTwist has none. According to company Co-founder and President Monique Farantzos: "Recording has been around for decades, from audio cassettes (remember mix tapes?) to TuneIn radio's recording feature. Given that Apple built their iPod empire on letting millions of people rip CDs based on fair use, we don't see how they could object to this app." So, there you have it. Go forth, friends. Listen. Record. Enjoy the fruits of iTunes streaming and DoubleTwist's coding labors... while it lasts. Update: We mistakenly reported earlier that iTunes Radio streams are protected with DRM, when in fact, they are not.
Daily Update for January 7, 2014
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some of the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.
Afternoon News Roundup - the January 6 ice-cold edition
With many parts of the US experiencing record-breaking ice-cold temperatures today (the high in Chicago today is minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit for those keeping score at home), here are some afternoon Apple news items to help keep you warm, or at the very least, distract you from the biting cold. Critics say Apple needs more diversity on its board Bloomberg reports that Apple faces pressure to add more females to its board of directors and to its executive ranks. As it stands now, Apple only has one woman on its board of directors and only one woman on the executive team, the recently hired Angela Ahrendts. As a result of pressure to diversify its ranks, Apple changed its bylaws to include the following: "The nominating committee is committed to actively seeking out highly qualified women and individuals from minority groups to include in the pool from which board nominees are chosen." In Charts: Apple is much more valuable than both Amazon and Google You just wouldn't know it if all you paid attention to were the folks on Wall Street, who seemingly like to punish Apple for its success and reward Amazon for its remarkable inability to generate a profit. Driving the point home, Apple, with annual EPS of $39.75, has a P/E ratio of 14. Amazon, with an EPS of $0.28, has a P/E ratio of 1,436. Apple's iBeacon popping up in grocery stores iBeacon may very well prove to be the most underestimated, or perhaps overlooked, new feature in iOS 7. Engadget reports that a few grocery store outlets have started using iBeacons to help shoppers find what they're looking for. A handful of Giant Eagle and Safeway locations are now using a new marketing service, InMarket's Mobile to Mortar, that relies on Apple's iBeacon to send proximity-based notifications while you're wandering the aisles. In addition to offering on-the-spot coupons and rewards, the system can remind you what's on your shopping list at just the right moment. It can also send an alert when someone adds to the list; if the family runs out of juice while you're in the store, you'll know to buy another jug before you reach the checkout line. Broadcom SDK eases Apple AirPlay implementation More AirPlay for all! Broadcom on Monday announced a new SDK that will help make it easier for manufacturers to take advantage of Apple's AirPlay feature. You can check out Broadcom's press release over here. AT&T announces new Sponsored Data feature for mobile users AT&T today announced a new Sponsored Data feature wherein sponsored content consumed by users won't count against their monthly data limit. The press release reads in part: AT&T today unveiled a new way for eligible 4G customers to enjoy mobile content and apps over AT&T's wireless network without impacting their monthly wireless data plan. Similar to 1-800 phone numbers or free shipping for internet commerce, AT&T's new 'Sponsored Data' service opens up new data use options for AT&T wireless customers and customer-friendly mobile broadband channels to businesses that choose to participate as sponsors. With the new Sponsored Data service, data charges resulting from eligible uses will be billed directly to the sponsoring company; the customer simply enjoys their content via AT&T's wireless data network. Customers will see the service offered as AT&T Sponsored Data, and the usage will appear on their monthly invoice as Sponsored Data. Sponsored Data will be delivered at the same speed and performance as any non-Sponsored Data content.
Broadcom's audio SDK for the internet of things makes AirPlay easy
While many are content with the phrase "internet of things," Broadcom prefers the equally vague slogan "Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices" (WICED) to describe its platform for helping hardware speak the same language. The company's revealed its latest efforts in this area today in the form of an SDK for implementing audio streaming over WiFi, which includes baked-in support for Apple's AirPlay standard, as well as good, old DLNA. It also promises serious streaming range and tight synchronization for multi-room dance parties. Broadcom hopes OEMs will leverage the SDK to connect all manner of home entertainment gear to one another, and the internet. You know, for streaming stuff to things that are networked with other things, and stuff.
AirWeb puts a browser on your Apple TV
Let's get this out of the way right now -- this post is not about a web browser app for your Apple TV. Apple doesn't have one of those yet, as the company still doesn't allow open access to third-party apps on the little black box. But AirWeb, a US$0.99 app (holiday sale price) uses AirPlay to put a full-screen browser on your Apple TV. The controls are on your iPad or iPhone, while the browser shows up nice and sharp on your TV. The app supports the iPad Mini, the iPad 2 or later, the iPad air, the iPhone 4s and higher, and the fifth-generation iPod touch. As for the Apple TV, you'll need a second or third generation device. Setup is easy. Turn on AirPlay on both your Apple TV and your iOS device. You'll see a rudimentary browser on your iPad or iPhone -- type in a URL and off you go. You can scroll up and down with two fingers, click with a single tap and pinch and zoom as much as you'd like. I tried the app on my second-generation Apple TV and the results were fine. After I took a minute to get used to the gestures, it was a pleasure to surf from my couch and see everything on my big flat screen TV. AirWeb would be great for demonstrations or sharing web content with others. The basic browser doesn't have any way to retain favorite web sites, so you'll do some typing. There is a button to toggle the big screen on and off and return the image to your iOS device. Of course you can use AirPlay and see your Safari browser on your TV screen as well, but on my iPad Safari didn't fill the screen, leaving black bars on both sides of the content. AirWeb, on the other hand, fits the screen perfectly. This is the kind of thing Apple should build into iOS, but until they do, AirWeb works quite well. The app requires iOS 7 and is optimized for the iPhone 5.
Apple airs new holiday ad 'Misunderstood' featuring iPhone 5s and more
Apple has kept with its annual tradition of airing a seasonal ad featuring Apple devices in holiday settings. Last night, the company's 2013 holiday ad aired; it's 90 seconds long, noticeably longer than most TV spots. It's set to the tune of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and shows a family gathering for the holiday. We won't spoil the emotional twist of the ad, but the title -- combined with early scenes of a teenage boy who seems to be distancing himself from the celebrations around him by burying his nose in his iPhone -- may give you a hint where this is going. You can check out Apple's annual tearjerker below. Note that the "film within the ad," shot entirely on the iPhone 5s, is also posted to YouTube and embedded for your viewing pleasure.
Mirror app for Android can record your screen or stream it to Apple TV (video)
CyanogenMod developer Koushik Dutta has followed up his CM 11 Screencast display recording app with one for a wider range of Android users with an extra feature. Mirror for Android can not only record whatever's happening on your tablet or phone's screen, but it can also display it wirelessly, AirPlay- or Miracast-style, on an Apple TV. Currently it requires Android 4.4.2 and root access, but Dutta says there is a non-root solution on the way. If you'd like to try it out and have the appropriate hardware, just click here to join the Google+ community, click here to join the beta and then download the app from Google Play. That may not be possible for individuals without a Nexus device and / or CyanogenMod 11 nightly build, so if you just want to see what it's like, check out a quick video demo embedded after the break.
AllCast app allows Android users to stream video to Apple TV
A new app for Android allows users to stream video content from their Android devices to Apple TV. The app, called AllCast, was created by ClockworkMod dev Koushik Dutta and is currently in beta. Once AllCast is installed on your Android device, simply go to the cast button in a video and select Apple TV from the list. Within a few seconds, the video on your Android device will begin playing on your Apple TV. Currently only content that is locally stored on an Android device can be streamed to the Apple TV. Video from streaming apps such as Netflix on Android won't work. In addition to the Apple TV, AllCast also works with Roku, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TVs, and some other devices. To get the AllCast beta, users must first join this community and then download the beta from the Google Play store.
Redbox Instant now supports AirPlay streaming
Redbox fans will be happy to know that the company has released a new version of its universal Redbox Instant by Verizon app that supports AirPlay streaming. Redbox is among a long line of iOS apps and services that have embraced AirPlay streaming due to its popularity with users. There are a few caveats to be aware of. First, as Redbox notes: "To use AirPlay with our Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch apps, your device needs to have version 6 or higher of the iOS operating system. Also, AirPlay will work with streaming content, but not with downloads." Engadget has pointed out additional issues. The stream will be broken if you get a text message, certain notifications, quit the app or lock your device. All these issues make it a pretty slim chance that you'll get through an entire film without interruption. Hopefully, Redbox will address these issues in the near future. Redbox Instant 1.4 is a free download. Note that Redbox Instant and the official Redbox app are not the same.
Verizon's Redbox Instant now supports AirPlay streaming
Verizon's subscription streaming TV service, Redbox Instant, now supports Apple's AirPlay thanks to a new version 1.4 iOS app update -- with some caveats. For starters, though you'll be able to play streaming content on your iOS 6 device, the app doesn't support downloaded material as yet. Also, your viewing may be broken off if you receive texts and certain notifications, if you lock the device or if you quit Redbox to use another app. Meanwhile, AirPlay Mirroring, which lets you play from your device with your TV as a second screen, will still work just fine. Other tweaks include the usual bug fixes and improvements to the recommendations engine. So, if you've got Apple TV and want to give it a whirl, hit the source -- just make sure to tell your pals not to contact you mid-film.
Hands-on with Tablo, a DVR that streams over-the-air TV nearly anywhere
Many streaming-savvy DVRs either lean heavily on cloud services or are linked to traditional TV -- neither of which is ideal for cord cutters trying to lower their long-term costs. Nuvyyo is promising what could be a more affordable option with its upcoming Tablo DVR. The upcoming, partly crowdfunded set-top box streams both live and locally recorded over-the-air broadcasts to seemingly any internet-capable platform, including Android, iOS, Roku players and web browsers. In theory, it's as cheap and convenient as internet-only video while delivering the wider content selection of traditional TV. We've had hands-on time with a Tablo prototype that suggests the company has at least latched on to a good (if imperfect) idea -- read on to see what we mean.
