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Pioneer's CDJ900NXS brings new performance features to its slightly less pricey DJ deck
If your raison d'être is eat, sleep, rave, repeat, then you might want to cop a look at Pioneer's new CDJ900NXS. Much like the CDJ2000nexus was to its predecessor, the new deck is just a CDJ900 after a tickle with the feature brush, rather than a full overhaul. No bad thing though, as the original '900 is a great player, and the one that introduced the coveted "Slip Mode" into Pioneer's CDJ line. So what's new this time? Like the revamped 2000, you can browse media with artwork, or custom views. Auto Beat Loop is sent to pasture in lieu of a new Beat Divide function and there's a new Slip Loop feature -- plus four-deck Beat Sync and the Quantize button we first saw on the CDJ2000NXS. The CDJ900NXS also gets an improved screen, and is WiFi compatible -- to add to the already long list of ways to send media to it (USB, Ethernet, CD etc.). If the new features light up your LEDs, then expect to pay £1,149/1,399€ a piece when it launches next month. In the meantime, there's a pair of demo videos past the break to whet your appetite. Update: Pioneer has now confirmed the US price, which is $1,699. The CDJ900NXS will be available over here in January 2014.
Rdio's iOS app now recommends music based on your listening habits
After making some notable improvements to its desktop music player, Rdio is starting to bring its mobile apps up to feature parity. Earlier today, the company rolled out custom recommendations to its iOS app, offering album, station and playlist suggestions based on what you've previously listened to and who you've been following. While Rdio has also made some visual tweaks to its Stations player in order to compete with rivals like Pandora and iTunes Radio, the app hasn't yet received a full iOS 7 upgrade to include Apple's new keyboard and make use of the new unified navigation and status bars. The company says the new features will come to its Android app "soon", at which point you'll have another reason to take advantage of its free mobile streaming.
VLC media player returns to the App Store
After a two and a half year absence, multi-format video player VLC is set to return to iOS. The new VLC app has already gone live in some regions, but should be in all stores, including the US store, by 11PM EST. Once the app goes live, you can download it here. A version of VLC was removed from the App Store in January of 2011 because of complaints from one of VLC's lead contributors who alleged that version of VLC for iOS violated the GPL license. The new version of VLC, released today, is licensed under Mozilla Public License v2, which is applicable to apps distributed on the App Store. Here's some of VLC iOS features: Wi-Fi Upload: Allows users to upload files directly to the iOS version of VLC through a web browser on the PC or Mac. Dropbox Integration: Play media directly from Dropbox or download it for offline playback. Download from Web: Download files from any web server for offline playback Network Streams: Play any network streams support by VLC media player for desktop operating systems 3rd-Party App Integration: Any app with a 'share' dialog can use VLC for iOS for media playback Video Filters: Video playback can be modified for brightness, contrast, hue, saturation or gamma in real time. VLC 2.0 for iOs is a free download.
Redray 4K player now shipping, UHDTV not included
4K televisions are all the rage right now, but they're still dogged by a slight problem: where's the content? Red has taken one step to rectify that, as it's finally started shipping it's Redray media player, which can send a native 4K (4,096 × 2,160) or up-converted HDTV signal to your UHDTV. It uses wavelet compression tech to play 4:2:2, 12-bit video over a relatively miniscule 2.5MB/s pipe, allowing up to 60 fps 4K video in 3D from a hard drive, USB key or other source. Red will also offer online 4K content via its Odemax.com network, though there's no word yet on when that'll launch. Meanwhile, those who pre-ordered the player for $1,450 last year (it's now $1,750 at Red's store) should be receiving it soon, along with an iOS app to control it, pending Apple's say-so. As for the Redray laser projector -- also promised earlier this year starting at $10,000 -- there's still no word on when it'll grace our eyes. Update: The original headline said Redray projector, but it's the Redray player that's shipping.
ABC officially relaunches its Player app as Watch ABC with live TV streaming
Just as it revealed in an interview this weekend after months of rumors, the Disney / ABC Television Group has launched Watch ABC as an "open access preview" for New York and Philadelphia residents. Available on the web and as an iOS or Kindle Fire app in place of the old ABC Player, it still offers video on-demand playback of the network's shows, but is the first to add live network TV streaming in those two areas. It will require customers to log in with their cable / satellite TV account details (Comcast, Cablevision, Cox, Charter, Midcontinent and AT&T U-verse are all signed up already) for access starting July 1st, but for now there's no such restriction. ABC is promising a launch in all ABC-owned station markets by the start of the fall broadcast season, though most areas will need to wait for agreements with their local affiliates. Currently scheduled for launch after July 1st are Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno, while Hearst Television has already signed on to launch streaming in its 13 markets as well. The app itself should resemble the WatchESPN and Watch Disney services we've seen roll out previously, and AirPlay streaming is disabled. The press release mentions Kindle Fire support, though we didn't see it in the Appstore yet, and it's coming to Samsung Galaxy devices "soon." There aren't any other Android devices mentioned, but hopefully more platforms will follow quickly. Hit the source links below for the app or to watch on the web, and there's a press release after the break with more details.
The warning signs of player burnout
Does logging in fill you with dread? Do you feel obligated to log in? Are you only playing because you feel like it's expected of you, or that your guild will fall apart without you? Do you resent them for it? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you, dear reader, are suffering from player burnout. Player burnout is a consequence of social gaming. In a game like World of Warcraft, activities like raiding, arena or rated battlegrounds cannot be accomplished alone, they require groups of people to engage in them. They require scheduling and ask us to do more than simply show up and play - there's research into strategies, learning proper group composition, handling the minutia of loot distribution or discussing how to counter specific enemy action or what have you. Especially when leading a group of players into these situations, there's a level of added responsibility. Be it as a tank, as a DPS lead, as the person calling for focus fire in arena, the flag carrier in rated BG play, or as the person behind the scenes managing loot council or running the website, players can grow exhausted with what comes to feel like a burden. So what if you're going through player burnout? What can you do about it? Well, I'm no psychiatrist, but there are a few things you can do in game to reduce your stress level.
Netflix Android app updated with tweaks to the player UI, 4.2 compatibility
Netflix just refreshed the front end of its Android app a few weeks ago, and is now tweaking the look and functions of the player itself again after previously making changes back in April. As seen above, version 2.1 brings a look that's closer to the one we've seen on iOS since the spring, with large red buttons, a bigger volume slider, 10 second skip back and stills that change in the background as the user moves the scrub bar. The changelog also notes added support for Android 4.2 plus other unspecified playback and stability bug fixes, grab the newest edition at the source link to try it out for yourself.
YouTube pops out new look: sneak preview, or just another test?
YouTube has been experimenting a lot with its look of late, but an intriguing new spin on its video player has really grabbed our eyes. By right clicking on any video on its desktop website (control clicking for Mac users) and selecting "Pop Out," you may see a minimalistic new player, and by then clicking on the "home" icon, a YouTube Trends selection along with a column of new icons. So far, those don't seem to function, and we haven't heard from Google yet as to whether this look presages something more permanent for the site. Considering the way Mountain View's been futzing lately with its "broadcast yourself" portal, don't get comfortable just yet.
Neil Young's Pono music service wants to democratize high-quality audio (video)
Neil Young isn't shy when it comes to embracing new technology, something he put beyond question with his latest appearance on The Late show with David Letterman. The artist took the opportunity to reveal plans for his high-fidelity Pono music service. The aim is to tackle the poor quality in which he believes most people receive their music these days -- the humble MP3. Young's offering would comprise a three-pronged approach, including a music store with high-resolution recordings, a digital-to-analog style conversion technology, and portable hardware to listen to it all with. The simple intention is to offer music as it was originally intended to be heard, but at this time there's no detail as to what this actually entails (sorry specification fans). According to Rolling Stone, the big three labels are interested, and the goal is to unify, rather than diversify, the quality of recorded content. The Pono players (that yellow wedge you see above) will serve up your existing catalog, but you'll likely need to re-buy some of your collection if you want the holistic experience. With no cards fully on the table, we're at the ransom of Young's celebrity endorsements, which all claim that the benefits are tangible. Young, of course, says "You can't get better than this, this is what they do in the studio," but until we get some details, or ears on, everybody knows this is nowhere. [Image credit:CBS]
Oppo continues its legacy with two new top end Blu-ray players
Regarded as the best of the best when it comes to disc players, Oppo has two new ones that can easily handle any disc you've got. Physical media isn't the only game in town, obviously, so in addition to Netflix, Vudu and local file support like MKV, Oppo has stepped it up even further by adding an HDMI port in front for use as an MHL input. This allows you to leverage the high-end Oppo's processing to do wonders on content stored on your portable or other MHL source. Speaking of video processing, both the new guys use Marvell's Qdeo video processor and are capable of doing both 2D-to-3D conversion as well as up-scaling to 4K. From a control perspective, a back-lit remote is included, but there's also an IR input, RS-232 and mobile phone apps. The BDP-103 will surely satisfy any videophile at $499 this October, but if you happen to be an audiophile too, then you'd probably want to wait until the BDP-105 is released later this year. Not only does it feature two ESS Sabre32 Reference DACs and a Toroidal linear power supply, but there are also dedicated stereo outputs with both RCA and XLR balanced connections and a headphone amplifier -- if you know what all that is, we're sure you really want it.
Mac Blu-ray Player software plays HD movies on your Mac
Want to play a Blu-ray disc on your Mac? Apple doesn't include Blu-ray as an option, but they are readily available through 3rd parties like Amazon or Other World Computing. You'll also need software to play the disc, which is where the Macgo Blu-Ray Player comes in. I reviewed the Macgo Blu-ray Player software more than a year ago and found it pretty flaky. It dropped frames, was slim on features, and not something I could get to excited about. The updated player is a completely different story. I tested the software on a Mac Pro, and also an older (2006) MacBook Pro. I'm pleased to see that the Blu-ray movies I tested it on worked just fine, there were no dropped frames, even when running movies full screen. That's much better than my last outing with the software, and smooth playbook on my aging MacBook Pro was impressive. The app also supports DTS5.1 surround sound if you have hardware that can play it. The Blu-ray Player software requires an internet connection when you first put in a new disc. This is due to the copy protection scheme built into the discs by the motion picture studios. One a disc gets its keys, you shouldn't need to go online again. If you try another disc, it's the same process. The Mac app has added some new features, including screen grabs, and what they call 'AirX' which allows you to beam a Blu-ray movie playing on your Mac to an iOS device -- on your same WiFi network, of course. This new version works much better than the old versions I tried, and movie playback is flawless but I can't say the same for the AirX feature. When I first tried it, Blu-ray Player crashed, then a second try went a bit further, but my iPhone and iPad reported a 'can't find the server' message, even though I'm sure I followed the setup instructions correctly. I think there's more work needed on this feature. The app has extensive help and an actively updated website. You can download a free copy and test it to see how it works with your hardware. If you want to view Blu-ray movies on your Mac, this is pretty much it right now, other than some open-source hacks that don't work very well and aren't as easy to use. There is a summer special on the Macgo Blu-ray player software for US$39.99, which is $20 off. The sale lasts until August 19th. Apple has never officially supported Blu-ray on the Mac, and the late Steve Jobs famously called the licensing terms a "bag of hurt." Even so, some people like the 50 GB capacity of Blu-ray media for backup, and if you have the hardware, wanting to play a movie in HD is an obvious next step Check the Gallery for some screen grabs and a look at the GUI for Blu-ray Player. %Gallery-162633%
Hulu rolls out a simplified player UI for the web, takes a few cues from mobile
The web player for Hulu added some more acreage just a few months ago, and now the company has updated it with a new "chromeless" look that's stripped down for less complexity than the old one seen here. Similar to the changes Netflix recently made to its web player UI (and looking particularly reminiscent of the iOS video player), Hulu has concentrated all the transport controls into a single bar including options like a 10-second rewind and bringing up the time left in a video when it's paused. As seen in the screenshot above, closed captions, face match, quality and buffering options have their own submenu now, while the toggles, pop-out and lower lights have been moved into a box below the player. Once the show is over, there's a new screen before the player either automatically picks another video, lets you replay what you just watched or browse through other recommended selections. You should be able to see it on the site now, give it a quick spin and let us know if the changes are for the better.
Google Play Music app update brings tweaks to Now Playing, Recent, playlists and widget
Ever since introducing the Google Music app in beta last year its developers have been hard at work trimming away the rougher edges and that's never been more evident than in the new 4.3.606 version now available for download. While Google Play Music's overall look hasn't shifted significantly, the changelog and a quick spin using it reveal nearly every screen has had some slight change. As seen above, the recently played screen now features larger album art, while the action bar has been adjusted with different transport controls. In this version, users have the ability to adjust and reorder music in the Now Playing queue, while a refreshed widget shows off album art and allows for thumbs up without opening the app. The settings menu has a direct link to the Nexus Q control app (assuming you can run it, and have one), hit the Play store for the updated version to try it out yourself.
LittleBigPlanet Karting gets player tested
Sony's San Diego Studio recently held a game jam to do some hardcore testing on the Create tools for the upcoming LittleBigPlanet Karting, and apparently it went pretty well because the studio has announced the game's going into beta soon. The beta test for the title will start next Tuesday, July 10, and then go through the end of the month.You can read some impressions from the game jam over on the forums, including some breathless (we imagine) excitement from the game's fans and players on how the title worked and what they made. Codes will go out soon to selected players, and the game itself is due out later on this year.
Netflix for iOS updated with a new player UI, support for alternate language audio and more
There's still no word available on HD video streaming, but Netflix has just released version 2.2 of its app for iPhones and iPads. While the front end got tablet friendly in December and received a Retina Display makeover in March, this version brings a new player UI to all iOS devices. The new scrub bar seems much easier to reach and control now, while the button for subtitles has a received a tweak reminiscent of the new look recently pushed to Netflix's web based player. Also under that button is a new option allowing for alternate language soundtracks (where available), while the changelog goes on to mention "general performance improvements". Not documented but present is the addition of thumbnails in that scrub bar, easier access to "do not share" for Facebook-connected members and the ability to restrict streaming to WiFi-only in the settings. The new version is shown above, check after the break for a grab of the old player to see the difference. As always, the latest update can be found in the app store, we'll let you know if we hear of any extra details or changes on other platforms.
Spotify launches Play Button in bid to become the web's default music player
The music streaming wars have been heating up a good deal, as of late, thanks in no small part Spotify's long-awaited US launch. Since then, Rhapsody bought its one-time chief competitor Napster, both Pandora and Rdio underwent major redesigns and Mog finally launched a Windows client. Naturally, all of this has proven good news for the consumer, as services have a features arms race of sorts, gunning for the top spot. None of the contenders are quite perfect, of course -- when Spotify launched, for example, we couldn't help but note the absence of a browser-based option of the sort employed by Rdio and Pandora. Today's announcement still leaves open that possibility, but it does mark a new web-focused strategy for the company -- on that could arguably have a much larger impact on Spotify's fortunes than a simple browser-based UI.Today marks the launch of the Spotify Play Button -- a name we assume the Swedish company settled on before Google announced the whole Android Market rebranding thing. The button is, essentially, a widget that allows site owners to embed songs and playlists directly from Spotify's massive catalog of songs. It's a simple idea, sure, but well executed, it could prove a major win in the service's attempt to stand out in the ever-more competitive world of music streaming. After all, embedding music on sites has long been a fairly haphazard deal -- unless you happen to have a deal with a proprietary player, it means snapping up something like a YouTube video, which often live in, at best, a legal gray area.
Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 3.6 hands-on (video)
If you were paying very close attention during Samsung's IFA announcements last year, you may have caught wind of a 3.6-inch PMP, fittingly called the Galaxy S WiFi 3.6. Now, Samsung has confirmed that this elusive entry-level Gingerbread handheld will finally be making its way to North America, with a 3.6-inch 800 x 480-pixel display and 1GHz Hummingbird processor in tow. There's no question that this isn't going to be a must-have gadget for power users, but for children and those new to Android or portable media players, the 3.6 will suit just fine. It's still a capable device, though on a more modest scale than pricier models -- there's a rear-facing 2-megapixel camera with a VGA snapper up front, a 1500mAh removable battery, a microSD slot for memory expansion, micro-USB and headphone ports on the bottom, and a power button and volume rocker on the side.We had a chance to go hands-on with the 3.6 ahead of its U.S. launch during a visit to Samsung HQ in South Korea. The first thing we noticed is its size -- the compact design and light weight make single-handed operation quite feasible, even for those with smaller hands. The relatively high-res display (given the size) is of the LCD variety, as with other Galaxy Players, though with the same amount of screen real estate as larger devices, you should have no problem using the PMP for occasional email and basic web-browsing. Surprisingly, we also didn't have any issue using the keyboard, even in portrait mode with fairly stocky fingers. Navigation was noticeably sluggish compared to higher-end Samsung Galaxy devices, but not out of the ordinary for a mid-tier gadget. We wouldn't necessarily recommend purchasing the Galaxy S WiFi 3.6 if your everyday device has a large, gorgeous AMOLED display and plenty of processing power under the hood, but if you're looking for a PMP to compliment your prepaid feature phone, this budget offering should fit the bill. We're still awaiting confirmation of U.S. pricing and availability, though it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect it to land within the $150-200 range. Jump past the break for our video hands-on.
Panasonic prices 2012 Blu-ray lineup, high-end units due in May
Panasonic has officially priced-out its 2012 Blu-ray player lineup announced back at CES, and it includes no fewer than six boxes (and price-points) for you to choose from. Four of the new players -- ranging in price from $150 to $350 -- are capable of playing your favorite Blu-ray flicks in 3D and come with Panasonic's Viera Connect service, which provides access to online content from Amazon, Hulu and Netflix and a host of applications including Facebook, Skype and Twitter. The 2D models -- which range from $90 to $120 -- aren't left out in the cold when it comes to connectivity, and include IP VOD support for streaming web-content. What's more, the entire 2012 lineup is DLNA-enabled, can be controlled via a smartphone app and, with the exception of the DMP-BD77, has WiFi built-in. Four of the six units are available for purchase immediately, but you're going to have to wait until May if you're interested in the two higher-end models. Mosey on past the break to view the full press release.
VLC 2.0 first look: Video player app features new single-window UI and robust media support
A few days ago we told you VideoLAN was readying version 2.0 of its popular video player and now the company has made the final version available for download. This latest version is a major update which features a completely re-designed UI, full-screen support on Lion and experimental support for Blu-ray discs. I've been a long-time fan of VLC and gave this latest version a test run. As expected, VLC lives up to its reputation as the media player that can handle just about everything. I have a video library with a wide variety of file formats and VLC was able to playback every file I threw at it. It handled the standard .mpg, .avi and, of course, .mov files. It also played some oddballs that most Mac players don't support including .swf, .asf, and .wmv files. DVD played back in full-screen mode with full menu support. Besides discs, VLC also played ISO and VOB files from ripped DVDs. Location of the media didn't matter either as I was able to play local media, media on a network attached storage drive, and files on the Internet. The app has a slick, single-window UI that lets you easily switch between your library and the video that is playing. If you don't like the single-window look you can always change back to the traditional UI in the options. Speaking of options, VLC has a lot of them. You can spend at least 15 minutes poring over the preferences and tweaking the app to your liking. The best part about VLC is that it's easy to use, but chock full of features that'll please even the videophiles in our midst. It plays a wide variety of file formats which makes it an excellent companion (or replacement) for QuickTime. VLC 2.0 is available for free from VideoLAN's website.
Open source media player VLC to get complete rewrite and Blu-ray playback
VideoLan says it will soon release a major 2.0 release of its open source VLC media player, which will contain many new features of interest to OS X users. The new VLC will support Blu-ray playback, if you have the proper hardware, a full screen mode in Lion, and a new interface that looks similar to iTunes. The 2.0 version is currently available as a release candidate, but it may, of course, still have some unsquashed bugs. Steve Jobs was famously against building Blu-ray support into the Mac, calling licensing issues a "bag of hurt." The Mac does support internal and external Blu-ray drives for data storage. With the VLC software, those drives should be able to play Blu-ray movies. There have been some 3rd party Blu-ray software solutions, but this will be free, and we hope, reliable. Update: There is a bit of confusion out there (both us and readers) about the playback of commercial or encrypted Blu-ray disks by VLC 2.0. I talked with Jean-Baptiste Kempf, one of the developers at VideoLan. He says both Lion and Snow Leopard can play unencrypted Blu-rays, but for legal reasons VLC can not ship the 2 libraries and the keys needed to play the encrypted discs. He says that users will have to locate them on their own, and if present, VLC will play the discs. Of course, if you have the software to rip the discs, VLC will play them directly off your Mac. [via MacStories]
