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Pandora gets a case of the giggles, now offers comedy stations
Pandora is letting its hair loose, expanding beyond the realm of music-based radio stations into the world of comedy. The streaming music service will offer more than 10,000 clips from over 700 comedians, and will be loaded and ready to go sometime today. If you're already familiar with the service, this brand-new genre will work the same exact way as any other Pandora station: create new radio stations based on your favorite comedians and you can still give the thumb up or down for those tracks you feel strongly enough about. The press release is no laughing matter, but it's available for your reading pleasure after the break.
Spotify launches music download service with iPod sync, puts iTunes on notice
Look out iTunes, Spotify has just launched its new music download service in Europe. What's more, the company that had been synonymous with music streaming will let you sync your downloaded MP3 playlist bundles to your USB-connected iPod classic, nano, or shuffle via a new "Devices" section of the Spotify app running on your computer. And listen up freeloaders, Spotify Mobile iOS and Android app users can now sync playlists wirelessly without a premium subscription (after purchasing the tracks, naturally). Here's a quote from Daniel Ek, Spotify CEO, sure to create some angst in Cupertino: "From today, Spotify really is the only music player you'll ever need. Our users don't want to have to switch between music players, but they do want to take their playlists with them wherever they go, on a wider range of devices, more simply and at a price they can afford. Now we've made that possible on one of the world's most popular consumer devices." Here's the dealio on Spotify's download prices for its nine million users of the free service (not premium subscribers): 10 tracks for €9.99 or €1.00 per track (£7.99 or just under 80p per track) 15 tracks for €12.99 or €0.87 per track (£9.99 / 67p) 40 tracks for €30.00 or €0.75 per track (£25 / 63p) 100 tracks for €60.00 or €0.60 per track (£50 / 50p) All the new features will begin rolling out today as part of an automatic update. See the full press release after the break as well as a quick introduction video to get you started.
BananaTunes beta streams beautiful music from iOS to your Mac
One of the great things about being a buddy of Erica Sadun is that sooner or later, she surprises you with an amazing app. [Ed: This is also known as "assault by beta testing" under Utah's penal code.] Her BananaTunes beta evolves iOS-to-Mac video app BananaTV to the next logical step -- it transmits full stereo music from your iOS device to your Mac. Built around the recent AirPlay reverse engineering, Sadun promises that this capability will eventually be factored back into BananaTV, her iOS-to-Mac video app. For now BananaTunes allows you to bring your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to the office or a friend's house and use its built-in iPod app AirPlay functionality to stream music to a Mac running this software. BananaTunes is currently available as a limited-time beta app so that Erica can work out bugs as time permits. It requires Mac OS X 10.6 and 64-bit, so be sure that you know what you're running before you try out the Mac app. When BananaTunes becomes part of BananaTV, users will need to bring their own key.pem file for authentication. Want to give it a spin? Either download these two zip files off of Erica's site and follow the instructions, or use this all-in-one installer package. Word of mouth is that the installer package works great, but our standard TUAW paranoia mandates that we warn you that we've been unable to authenticate its contents. (In other words, use at your own risk, but it's probably just fine.) In my limited beta testing today, I found that BananaTunes worked very well with my iPad 2. Tunes beamed from my iPhone 4 experienced some garbling. This could be due to network traffic, so be aware that your mileage may vary. Then again, it was a 1950s Dean Martin recording, so he may have been gargling Scotch while crooning the tune I was listening to. In the end, BananaTunes is a fun Mac app for when you want to control your music world from your iPad.
Spotify announces new limits for free service, hopes you'll consider its premium options
No, it's still not saying anything about the eventual US launch, but Spotify is now causing a minor ruckus across the pond, where it's just announced some changes to the free version of the music streaming service. The timeline for the changes varies depending on when you signed up, but the short of it is that users will have six months of access to the free service as it is now, after which they'll face some stricter limits on how much they can listen to. That includes a total of just ten hours of listening time each month, and the ability to listen to individual songs no more than five times. Of course, the obvious goal there is to get more folks to sign up for its Premium or Unlimited services, which the company notes remain unchanged. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
PSP starts streaming Music Unlimited on April 14th
What started as loose-lipped tattle is now official: the PSP will get a taste of Sony's Music Unlimited streaming music service starting on April 14th. The service, tortuously entitled "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" by Sony, requires a PlayStation Network ID to access all that digital audio. Once setup, Sony promises a "synchronized music experience" across your PSP, PS3, PC, and other network-enabled Sony devices like Bravia TVs and Blu-ray players -- a claim backed by a cloud-based catalog of some seven million tracks supported by a "music sync" functionality that will automatically organize your Music Unlimited library after perusing the local files and playlists found in your existing media player (yes, iTunes is supported). Click through the break for the full press release and a good video overview of the service while you ponder the $3.99 basic and $9.99 premium monthly service fees.
Amazon Cloud Player upsets Sony Music over streaming license, Amazon shrugs
In case you missed the news, last night Amazon gave us a little surprise by launching its free Cloud Player service, which lets you stream your music collection from the cloud to your computer or Android device. While this has no doubt put a smile on many faces (American ones only, for now), Sony Music isn't too happy about Amazon jumping the gun over licensing for streaming rights. The record label told Reuters that it's hoping Amazon "will reach a new license deal, but we're keeping all of our legal options open." Yikes. In retaliation, Amazon responded with the following statement to Ars Tehcnica: "Cloud Player is an application that lets customers manage and play their own music. It's like any number of existing media management applications. We do not need a license to make Cloud Player available. The functionality of saving MP3s to Cloud Drive is the same as if a customer were to save their music to an external hard drive or even iTunes." Of course, the bigger story here is that Amazon's free Cloud Player is going head-to-head with Sony's Music Unlimited streaming subscription service, which was pushed out last month after plenty of money talk with various record labels. Understandably, Sony isn't willing to let Amazon cut through the red tape here without a fight, and this may also affect similar music locker services like mSpot and MP3Tunes, albeit at a much smaller scale. In fact, Sony's already expressed its discomfort with those particular companies' mode of operation, so you can probably expect to see this tension boiling over to some form of legal action before long. Now that a big shot like Amazon's involved, it's almost inevitable. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Amazon Cloud Player goes live, streams music on your computer and Android
Oh snap! Look who just ate Apple and Google's lunch here? Minutes ago, Amazon rolled out its very own music streaming service which is conveniently dubbed the Amazon Cloud Player. Existing Amazon customers in the US can now upload their MP3 purchases to their 5GB cloud space -- upgradable to a one-year 20GB plan for free upon purchasing an MP3 album, with additional plans starting at $20 a year -- and then start streaming on their computers or Android devices. Oh, and did we mention that this service is free of charge as well? Meanwhile, someone will have some catching up to do, but we have a feeling it won't take them too long. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: As some readers have confirmed, it appears that the Cloud Player will support music purchased from iTunes as well, presumably from the post-DRM era. Update 2: Press release after the break.
Beyond Oblivion cloud-based music service: you play, they pay (video)
iTunes is the 600-pound gorilla of the digital music world, but that hasn't stopped other folks from trying to get a piece of Apple's sizable sonic pie. The latest challenger, Beyond Oblivion, has quite an unusual business model -- rights holders get paid by the company every time a song is played using the service, regardless of that song's origin. That's right, even when you listen to illicitly obtained music, Beyond Oblivion picks up the tab. Buy a licensed device and you're in the club -- with some sort of DRM manning the velvet rope, no doubt -- where you can enjoy cloud-based tunes, free downloads, and build and share playlists (similar to the oft-rumored, yet unseen Google Music). Rather than recommending new tunes, a la the Genius sidebar, Beyond Oblivion lets you follow similar-minded musical aficionados (and grab their playlists) to find hot new jams. If that sounds good to you, public beta starts April 4th, with a June 12 commercial release to follow. It's a mystery how the company will turn a profit while footing the bill for all those per-play royalties, but if it works, the cloud may be the source of your next Justin Bieber fix. Vid's after the break.
Android Honeycomb's music app extracted, brings cloud sync and streaming to phones
Those who are familiar with Android Honeycomb might have already come across its music player's cloud syncing feature, though previous attempts to port said app to phones hadn't been successful. Whatever it was that kept crashing the app back then, it seems to have fixed itself -- after xda-developers member WhiteWidows slapped the leaked app onto his rooted EVO 4G, the phone started to automagically sync his tunes to his Google account. The modder then swapped in an empty SD card, but he was still able to stream music straight from the cloud after checking the "Stream music" option in the app. Pretty neat, eh? That said, we do wonder if Google will be able to handle the exabytes worth of high-quality Justin Bieber and Spice Girl tracks.
RDIO's social streaming music service comes to Roku players
Just like Sonos, Roku has seen the light and teamed up with RDIO to bring the low on price, high on content music streaming service to its players. If you're not familiar, that means millions of songs, $10 per month and the ability to follow and be followed by the people you want to share music with. There's a 7-day free trial just in case you're not sure it's a fit for you, we'll wait for your impressions.
The iPhone nano to forgo local storage? Common sense says 'no'
Well, MWC is in full swing, where folks like LG, Samsung, Sony, and Nokia are pouring their souls out in front of us in device form. So, naturally, the rumors are swirling about... the iPhone nano. In a followup to the Wall Street Journal's big story, Cult of Mac is claiming some additional inside info from a source with a "great track record." The main idea is that the iPhone nano would rely on the cloud to such an extent that the device wouldn't really have any local storage to speak of, outside of a streaming buffer. This would of course go hand in hand with a MobileMe / Lala-powered streaming music service, and result in significant component cost savings (flash memory is still pretty spendy). While this sounds like a beautiful dream, it doesn't make much sense in 2011. Streaming all your music and other media over a capped 3G connection doesn't sound very consumer-friendly, and there are still plenty of situations where having a nice offline stash of music is a lifesaver. But there's a bigger problem: where do you put your apps without local storage? Android's historic shortage of app storage really bit it in the ass, and we doubt Apple wants to go down that route. Sure, we can see a 4GB or so ultracheap device, with a heavy reliance on streaming media (many people get most of their music from Pandora these days, anyways), but a memory-free iPhone just doesn't sound feasible at this point in time.
Last.fm radio app goes 'premium' on home and mobile devices, web and desktop streaming remain free
Last.fm has decided to tweak its offering on the app front, where it is now introducing a new subscription requirement for most mobile and home entertainment devices. From here on out, you'll have to pay for the privilege of streaming music through the company's software on devices like the iPhone and Squeezebox, though the blow is nicely cushioned by the news that there won't be any ads to dilute your aural pleasure. Windows Phone 7 won't be subject to the new fee for the remainder of 2011 in the US and UK, while Sonos devices will continue to stream freely until this summer, but eventually it seems like all these apps will cost a little bit of cash to use. And "little" is the operative word here, as Last.fm is asking for only $3 / €3 / £3 per month. If you really can't stomach the outlay, however, just stream via the web or desktop application... you tightwad. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sonos adds Rdio to its streaming music repertoire
If you live in the US or Canada then you can add the Rdio social music service to the long list of streaming music options available to your Sonos whole-home wireless audio system. We're talking eight million tracks that you can search, browse, and play on-demand with an Rdio bonus that lets you follow the musical tastes of your friends and idols for $9.99 per month. Get back to us in 46 years and let us know if your $5,514.48 was well spent, ok?
Spotify reportedly signs US deal with Sony
Just a week ago, we covered a New York Post story indicating that Spotify, the ad-supported or subscription based all-you-can-eat music streaming service, was about to sign a deal with Sony Music in the U.S. -- taking Spotify a step closer to the U.S. market. Now, according to MediaMemo, that deal has now gone through. Though both Spotify and Sony have declined to comment, it's reported that a deal -- similar in terms to Spotify's European music label deals -- has been reached. However, Spotify still needs to secure further agreements (or at least one big arrangement) with other music labels, to increase its catalogue, before it can begin offering a service in the U.S.. Spotify is facing some big hurdles, though. According to MediaMemo, the labels are anxious "...that Spotify's free streaming service will increase the decline of CD sales, which have been dropping for a decade, but still make up the majority of the labels' revenue. And, "...there is also muttering that the labels don't want to upset Apple, which sells tunes on a track-by-track basis via its iTunes store and dominates the market for digital music." However, last week The Post also reported that Spotify had the support of one other unnamed major music label. Though there seems to be an apprehension amongst U.S. music labels towards Spotify, perhaps we'll be hearing reports of another Spotify / major music label deal in the coming days. [Via Boy Genius]
Spotify moving closer to US release
It seems, according to the New York Post, that Spotify is coming to the US imminently. Spotify is a Luxembourg-based streaming, ad-supported or subscription based all-you-can-eat music service, currently only available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands -- much to the dismay of many US music lovers. Spotify is supported on both the Mac and iOS platforms in these countries. According to The Post, music-industry sources familiar with the discussions between Spotify and major US music companies suggest that a deal between Spotify and Sony Music is just days away. Spotify has also reportedly gained the support of at least one other major music company. However, a Spotify spokesman told The Post, "Negotiations are progressing well, but [we have] nothing to confirm at this stage." The last we heard on the matter was early last December when Spotify CEO Daneil Ek said, "[the labels] are still trying to get their heads around the space. They are seeing what we are seeing, with mobile and social. They want to make sure that if this is going to move on to be the next thing they want make sure they are setting the right precedents with free models, ad models, subscription models," according to an interview conducted by Mark Sullivan of PC World. Back then, it didn't look like things were going to be moving forward anytime soon, but in light of The Post's report, it seems some serious head-way has been made. Here's hoping, for our US readers, that we'll see some exciting announcements in the coming days. [Via Boy Genius]
iHome gives further details on AirPlay-ready speakers
iHome's first AirPlay compatible wireless speaker system didn't make it out for the holiday season as expected, but they have just released further information on the system, now known as the iW1. We first got wind of the iW1 last September. Back then we simply knew that it would be a wireless speaker that incorporates Apple's AirPlay technology, and that it runs off of a rechargeable battery. It streams digital lossless audio from your iTunes library and compatible device (using Apple's Remote app or iHome's own custom app). Today, iHome has shared some additional tidbits, including: Multiple iW1 speaker support -- enjoy music streamed all around your house simultaneously with AirPlay and multiple iW1 speakers Built-in rechargeable li-ion bettery with included charging base Studio Series speakers -- high performance audio featuring Bongiovi Acoustics DPS with specially tuned woofers and tweeters with a clean, efficient Class-D amplifier iPhone / iPod / iPad docking, charging and local audio playback via USB cable A capacitive, backlit, touch-sensitive control panel Electricpic reports that the iW1 will retail for £299 (roughly US$465 as of this writing) and should be available around February or March of this year. That's quite a steep price, but just slightly undercutting Sonos ZonePlayer 120 at US$499 (we recently reviewed the $399 Sonos S5). [Via MacRumors]
Sony's Music Unlimited subscription service ready to stream tunes to PS3s and Bravia TVs in the UK
The UK and Ireland are today the first to get a taste of Sony's big play for the online music market, the appropriately titled Music Unlimited. This new subscription service (£3.99 a month for Basic access, £9.99 for the Premium stuff) will let you stream a library of about six million songs to your PS3, Bravia telly, or web-connected Blu-ray player, while also offering the option to sync playlists from other music services like iTunes. PC support is available as well, with "a wide range of Sony's portable devices" and Android-based smartphones on the roadmap for future compatibility. Music Unlimited sidles up next to Qriocity as part of Sony's strategy to expand its influence in content delivery, presumably in an effort to thicken its revenue streams, and will be following up this British launch with arrivals in the US, Canada and most of Western Europe in the new year.
Spotify still planning to launch in the US... sometime
Wondering about the state of Spotify in the United States? You're not the only one, and Spotify CEO and co-found Daniel Ek was once again asked that key question at the D: Dive Into Mobile conference today. His response? The company does indeed still plan to launch the music streaming service in the US, but it can't say when it will happen -- he did confirm, however, that it will cost $10 a month. Ek further explained that the reason for the delay is due to the nature of the service, which requires "complex deals" with recording companies -- there apparently wasn't any mention of any other potential complicating factors.
Spotify launches on Windows Mobile, coming soon for Windows Phone 7
There. That feels better, doesn't it? Windows Mobile loyalists (yeah, all eight of you) who have been holding off on switching for inexplicable reasons now have a reason to celebrate: Spotify's live on Windows Mobile 6.x. That sweet, sweet music streaming action that other mobile platforms have been enjoying for months is finally on Microsoft's now-ancient smartphone OS, but the real news is that the team already has a build ready to go for the forthcoming Windows Phone 7. As you'd expect, these versions will allow users to search, browse and play back millions of tracks, stream over WiFi / 3G / 2.5G, play music sans an internet connection (offline playlists) and wirelessly sync between a local computer and a mobile. Windows Phone users should point their browser to m.spotify.com to get their download on (or hold off for it to hit the Windows Marketplace), and those who are still feeling timid can catch a beautifully narrated promotional video just past the break.
Napster app arrives on iOS, completes the circle of life
Before the iPhone, the iPod, and iTunes, there was Napster. The original gangster of digital music distribution has undergone many changes since its heyday as a pirate's Shangri-La, though this latest one seems to be the most fitting. A new app for the aforementioned iOS devices as well as the iPad has been launched, giving you the full Napster experience in a more portable form factor. That means that for $10 a month you can stream and cache music from a library of 10 million songs -- yes, offline listening is available too -- essentially turning your iDevice into the Apple equivalent of a Zune Pass-equipped music station. Good times ahead, eh sailor? [Thanks, Louis Choi]
