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MTV and Microsoft launch URGE
Some six months after first announcing it, Microsoft and MTV have launched their URGE music service. The new service will be fairly similar to other subscription-based services that rely on Microsoft's PlayForSure DRM, and will offer 2 million songs, and have a monthly fee of $9.99, or $14.99 for a "to go" version that will work with PlaysForSure-compatible audio players. Of course, URGE will have one advantage that will inevitably help it make up for its late entry to the market: integration into the next version of Windows Media Player. That may cause some grumblings from the likes of Yahoo and Napster, though Microsoft has already settled with Real, so we suspect we're not going to hear them crying foul (besides, Real has been focusing most of its ire on Apple lately, something we think Microsoft will be perfectly happy to support).
T-Mobile's BlackBerry 8700g reviewed
Despite Cingular's claim of being "the network with the least dropped calls," PC Mag's Sascha Segan finds that T-Mobile's version of the BlackBerry 8700 smartphone, the 8700g, actually outperforms its 8700c cousin in terms of call quality. Other improvements upon the Cingular model are T-Mobile's addition of two key software features: the OZ semi-universal IM client (no Gtalk, and AIM users are restricted to their small mobile buddy group) as well as the first implementation of the Yahoo!/RIM partnership we heard about last month, in the form of a handy Y! Mail icon pre-loaded in the launcher. Besides these small differences, however, Sascha finds the 8700g to perform almost exactly the same as the 8700c -- that is, very well. Email and texting are a pleasure, attachment support is good for all but PDF files, and the crisp screen delivers web pages cleanly (albeit at EDGE speeds), making this seem like the new go-to device for the Mob's business clientele.
Yahoo getting into the tech business
There might be a war starting here. CNET has long owned the tech reviewing genre on the Internet. They have been doing it forever and no one has been able to match them with coverage and depth. But Yahoo isn't "no one" and they have just launched a sweet looking website. Granted it just launched so we hope that is the reason it is slow, but it sure is cool looking. The site is reviewing everything from HDTVs to car tech. No we take that back. Yahoo's site just provides a clipping from a Consumer Reports review and provides you with a link to subscribe in order to get more reviews - What?!?! [example] We don't care how cool the site looks, if it can't provide us with comprehensive reviews of our HDTVs, then what good is it? Your thoughts...
Yahoo Go TV takes Meedio and does it for free
Instead of merely devouring DVR software developer Meedio and leaving us to wait months for the results, Yahoo is releasing their new Meedio-based Yahoo Go TV software a mere week after announcing their acquisition. There's minor Flickr integration, and the software seems bent on answering the call of Front Row, along with the standard WMCE fare. If sounds like your thing, we've got even better news for you: it's free. At least for now, Yahoo! has the public beta of Yahoo! Go TV as a free download, so unless you have a certain aversion deep blue and purple stylings (lets hope the theming community jumps on this one right quick) there isn't much holding you back from giving it a spin.[Via Zatz Not Funny]
Yahoo buys Meedio, but not Meedio TV
Yahoo swallowed another company this morning, one to flesh out that Go TV home digital media effort of theirs. Just not the DVR company we'd all kind of hoped and idly thought it would be, TiVo. Nope, Yahoo now owns Meedio, whose IP, technology, and staff are being folded into their Digital Home team. If you're a Meedio TV fan, steel yourself: according to Meedio, your EPG will be updated until July 1st, their support center is shuttering, and downloading Meedio will no longer be possible. Which, we'd postulate, means it'll be a little while before you'll be able to get your Yahoo Go TV DVR on download. And since Yahoo bought the company and not the Meedio product line, what comes out the other end could wind up looking, feeling, and working completely differently, totally ready and able to leverage all kinds of Yahoo media from ten feet away. In the mean time, for those not wanting to run Windows (Media Center) or sign up for TiVo, you've still got options, like MythTV, BeyondTV, SageTV, ChrisTV, Freevo, ShowShifter, WinDVR, and so, so many others.[Via Zatz Not Funny, thanks Richard B]
Helio teams up with Yahoo! for mobile services
In a new partnership announced today, Yahoo is going to be launching a slew of services for Helio customers including search, mail, IM, news, sports and more. This is supposed to be one of the most extensive mobile offerings of Yahoo! services, and Helio seems to think it lines up well with that snazzy target demographic of theirs. Some of the more interesting integration includes Yahoo search straight from your phone's home screen and the display of news feeds there as well. There's no word as to when the Yahoo services will launch, but we're guessing they'll be available when Helio itself launches this spring.
Yahoo! Widgets Engine 3.1 available
Earlier this week, Yahoo! released version 3.1 of the Yahoo! Widgets Engine (formerly Konfabulator). As you may remember, Konfabulator (which was purchased by Yahoo! in December of last year) was the first application to bring "widgets" to our Macs. Changes in version 3.1 include: Added support for a new flat file format for Widgets which permits signing or Widget code to enhance security. Added preference to control whether or not the Widget Engine automatically starts up when your system starts. Implemented importNode() from the Level 2 DOM spec. There's more, of course, and you can get the full run-down here. Yahoo! Widgets Engine (gee, that's cumbersome to type over and over) requires Mac OS 10.3 and is free.
Yahoo!, RIM partner on Blackberry content
RIM and Yahoo! have taken CTIA as occasion to formally announce their courtship, which will result in tighter integration of popular Yahoo! features such as email, IM, and search into the Blackberry operating system. Perhaps the biggest benefit to users from this partnership will be the ability to push Yahoo! email messages onto Blackberry devices, while maintaining a sync with the online mailbox, and delivering them to an interface that is already familiar. Furthermore, Messenger will receive enhanced features like emoticons, Yahoo! calendar and address book data is promised to be more accessible, and the Blackberry launcher will sport a button for opening the browser to a certain non-Google search engine. After the rollout of these initial services, Yahoo! and RIM will introduce a version of Yahoo! Go for Mobile, which will bring even more juicy search and information features to our favorite 'Berry (no offense, Chuck).
Yahoo! Mobile Matchcast brings World Cup to phones
This being a World Cup year, it's only fitting that some of the slickest ways to digest sports stats will be coming our way before the tournament hits in June. Along those lines, Yahoo! has partnered up Everypoint to develop Yahoo! Mobile Matchcast for Java enabled phones. The downloadable app "pushes" scores and stats to a user's handset, along with photos, previews, and tournament news. It all works in real time, and the content is displayed by Everypoint's vector display engine to keep things looking sharp. The app will be available for download at the official tournament site, we're not sure on the price.
Ask TUAW: What's your favorite multi-network IM client?
TUAW reader varun submitted a good question for an Ask TUAW session on the topic of multi-network chat clients. varun has tried out the likes of Fire, Adium and Proteus, but hasn't come up with a compelling reason to use one over the other. I thought this would be a nice opportunity to ask you readers to sound off on which multi-network IM client you prefer, and why. When commenting, be sure to mention how the client fits into your workflow, what you like about it and why. The more clients you can bring to the table above and beyond the ones already mentioned, the better.So what say you, TUAW readers? What is your favorite multi-network IM client, and why?
Proteus is now free
Proteus, the chat client for the Mac by Defaultware, is now free! With Proteus, you can simultaneously connect to AIM, Yahoo!, MSN , ICQ, Jabber (including Gtalk), Bonjour, Gadu Gadu and Sametime chat services. Plus, it sports a customizable, Mac-like UI and plays well with Address Book.When you download the current version 4.12, you will have to go through the registration process, but there will be no charge. Defaultware has stated that a new version that does not require any sort of registration will be made available soon, as well as a universal binary.
Yahoo enters the TV world
I hate reality TV. Lets get that out in the open. I do not care if it is about decorating, adults acting like teenagers, or scaring people. I cannot stand any of it. That might all change though thanks to Yahoo and IPTV. They plan on producing and distributing a reality show through the Internet at a fraction of the cost. The show would involve two families that would be given $10,000 to spend on upgrading their technology in their home. $10,000 sounds like a lot, but except the families to use the money on a few HDTVs, a couple of home theaters, and a few computers. The budget would not allow for touch screen controls in each room and custom home theaters. The only hitch is that to keep the stuff, the families have to pass a vote through the Internet. Personally, if Yahoo wants to give me $10,000, I would spend it on putting HDTVs in every room, including the bathroom and kitchen. I might even put one in the shower. There, of course, would be Harmony Remotes in each room and a dedicated media closet to house all the HDTV tuners that would be needed. Sure, there would be a nice TV and sound system in the family room but nothing out of the ordinary. I would rather have multiple TVs then spend the whole budget on one large set.What would you spend Yahoos money on. Keep in mind that you would have to be creative and original in order to pass the Internet vote. Crap! Am I getting into this reality TV stuff? Oh well. At least it is about HDTVs!
iPodiWay -- Yahoo Maps on Your iPod
Now, I love Google Maps. Since its inception, it's been my default online maps site. I view it as the logical evolution of the industry which started with MapQuest and melded into Yahoo! Maps which gave rise to Google Maps. At various times of my Internet chronology, I've been an enthusiastic user of each.LifeHacker has given us instructions for putting Google Maps on your iPod Photo and now Yahoo a third-party programmer has answered with a web application that allows you to enter directions between two points, then zips the results into a .zip file for download. All you do then is unzip the file and place the images in your Photos library for it to upload to your iPod. Yahoo This service is being called iPodiWay. It's really not a bad idea.[Edit: Corrected mistaken Yahoo affiliation].
