Music Downloads - Google Eyes Up Napster
Could Internet Giant Google be considering an alliance or purchase of the ailing Music Downloads site Napster?
Napster, once synonymous with the pirating of music, recently laid off 10 of its middle managers and must be looking for an answer to their prayers.
However, last week a Napster spokeswoman told Reuters at an annual music industry conference in Cannes, France, "The company is not looking to be sold, the management is not looking to step out."
A Google spokeswoman today told MP3.com News that the company has "no plans to acquire Napster, nor do we have plans to develop a music store at this time."
Citing unnamed sources, The New York Post reported today that Google has been pushing to form an alliance with Napster rather than build its own online music store. That alliance, a signal that Google sees the future of digital music in subscriptions as opposed to the individual, à la carte downloads of industry front-runner iTunes, could lead to an acquisition of Napster.
Napster has gone through several incarnations since digital music pioneer Shawn Fanning created it in 1999 as a college student. Fanning's Napster went on to become a gigantic-sized thorn in the side of the music business and became synonymous with peer-to-peer (P2P) free music.
Facing a slew of lawsuits from the music industry, the company went bankrupt and sold the Napster brand name in 2003 to CD-burning software maker Roxio, which had also bought the Pressplay digital music service from Vivendi Universal. Roxio eventually divested itself of the software business, bought the Napster name, and rebranded Pressplay as Napster.
Another incarnation?
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Video Downloads - Under Consideration at Amazon
Amazon have been offering Music Downloads for a while. This week there are two reports of an iminent Video Download Service.
It's just a matter of time I suppose that Amazon and possibly eBay get in on the act..
Red Herring Said:
Amazon is in talks with various studios, such as Image Entertainment, Ardustry Home Entertainment, and First Look Entertainment, to get digital content for the service, the report said. It will launch the service with at least two major names as partners. “They’re moving towards digital downloadable merchandise,” said Patti Freeman Evans, an analyst with JupiterResearch, who’s heard talk about the service. “This seems like a natural extension.”
Variety had this to say:
One supplier explained that an Amazon customer could stream a digital copy of a film for a fee and apply that charge as a credit toward the eventual purchase of the DVD. Another plan is for a customer to buy a DVD; while waiting for it to arrive, he could stream the content over his computer.Some competition for Google Video Store and iTunes
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Podcast Tourist Guides
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Your iPod might be your next tourist guide if you find yourself in Ireland, just one more example how countries are adapting with evolving technologies to intrigue a new generation of tourists.
Dublin Tourism is launching iWalks -- the first in a series of podcasts or audio guides available to tourists, as one way to help boost its tourism business.
"In the past few months, podcasting has taken the Internet by storm and Dublin Tourism wanted to be at the cutting edge of the latest innovative technology available to tourists," said Frank Magee, chief executive of Dublin Tourism. "It's a response to changing tourist needs and interests. Dublin has achieved third position in Europe for urban tourism. We use ecommerce extensively in gaining and maintaining this position."
Updated regularly, the series tells a story of Dublin within 12 themes and are narrated by Irish historian and artists Pat Liddy. Themes include the historic Northside, Viking and Mediaeval Dublin, and Castles and Cathedrals.
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When Richard becomes Madge Podcast
Richard Bluestein is the voice behind Yeast Radio, one of the most popular podcasts on the web. But for the crowd of thirty-something geeks gathered here last week for a pre-convention bash, the voice was a vision. A 6-foot-tall vision, to be exact, dressed to thrill in makeup, a blond beehive wig and ill-fitting flower-printed muumuu.
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Bluestein, who is openly gay, says he despises appearing in drag. It's a price he pays for his act. Online and on stage, he's Madge Weinstein, a lesbian who dispenses strident left-wing views in vulgarity-laced tirades. The program is so peculiar and yet so popular that podcast evangelist Adam Curry's company hired Bluestein full-time to do nothing but perform the show five days a week.
"I've always been really good at spotting trends," Bluestein, 38, said in an interview. "I could tell this would be really, really huge. I wanted to be a part of it. I started podcasting and I said, 'This is the thing for me.' I'm good at it and people really like it."
If Bluestein knows how to talk the talk, his appearance here at the Portable Media Expo and Podcasting Conference proved he also knows how to walk the walk.
Continue Reading - Richard's Podcast - Richards Blog
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SmaratVideo To Offer Full Length Music Videos
A company behind a subscription video service for mobile phones has launched an ad-supported, 24-hour free music video channel for Internet-enabled phones, computers and other portable devices capable of playing video.
The service, launched Monday by SmartVideo Technologies, offers full-length music videos from recording artists such as U2, Kanye West and Mariah Carey, said Richard Bennett, president and chief executive of the Duluth, Ga.-based company.
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SmartVideo has licensed thousands of videos, although not all of the major record labels have come aboard, Bennett said. He declined to name the record labels. The company plans to add music video channels tailored to urban, dance, rock and other genres.
Users of the service, which is available throughout North America, must download copy-protection and licensing software to their portable device to see the music videos. At launch it was compatible with more than 100 handsets, but works with any wireless carrier
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Pod2Peer Podcast
The podshow that dares to cover the real news about the p2p scene. They give us peer 2 peer and tech news, movie reviews and rate the quality of movie releases online. They also dish out the top ten lists of the most files grabbed online, and offer video encoding tips and tricks, and with all that, they manage to always find something to rant about, week after week.
They've just released "episode 9"
"Well, nine is out. Sadly, we had some technical (if you can call it that) difficulties with this ep. Kyp was forced to drop out beacuse of some noise issues where he lives, which was a real bummer, especially since I, and i'm sure all of you, were really looking forward to his input on our weekly AVS lesson. Since he is our resident professional in AVS, i'm afraid I was stuck trying to hold the reins alone on this one..."Catch it at Pod2Peer
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Use Solar Power to Run Your iPod
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Soldius has developed, manufactures and sells, the highest quality stylish and aesthetic products combined with State of the Art technology which provides people everywhere in the world the ability to use solar energy for charging their everyday electronic devices.
It comes with seven plastic adapters that let it feed electrons into 250 different devices, including power- hungry iPods, Zen Micro MP3 players, BlackBerrys and mobile phones from Nokia, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Motorola. It should take two to three hours to fully charge a cell phone, the company says, and I found nothing to dispute that.
When closed, its twin solar panels are slim enough to slide easily into a bag or jacket. When opened, the device isn't much bigger than your hand.
Soldius1, a very cool new solar- powered battery charger for iPods and cell phones
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How Golf Talk Produces Their Podcast
The latest Golf Talk Podcast over at theSandTrap.com has details of how their pod is produced. I thought it might be interesting for a potential podder.
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What they used:
This show was recorded with Audio Hijack Pro over a Skype connection. We then used Soundtrack Pro to edit the show and GarageBand to produce the AAC file from the AIFF file, to add the artwork, and so forth. Feeder was used to create the XML file.
Note: This is an AAC file, an open file format. iTunes - free software - can play AAC files, as can numerous other players, though we heartily recommend iTunes.
Links
Audio Hijack Pro
Skype
Soundtrack Pro
GarageBand
Feeder
iTunes
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CourseCasting for Lecture Downloads
A new trend in college classroom technology enables professors to create podcasts of their lectures for students to download.
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Professors at the University of Texas and Texas A&M were among the first to try out podcasting their lectures through a company called Pick-A-Prof. Pick-A-Prof provides online software called CourseCasting, which allows professors to record their lectures and make them available for students to download and listen to on their iPods or computers.
CourseCasting is now available at Baylor through pickaprof.com, according to Marissa Portillo, academic services representative for Pick-A-Prof.
Portillo said Pick-A-Prof's program had great success in test runs during fall 2005.
Dr. Gary Wilcox, professor of advertising at the University of Texas, experimented with CourseCasting in his introduction to advertising class last fall. Wilcox said about half the class downloaded the lectures early in the semester, and then that number decreased to about 35 or 40 percent of the class toward the end of the semester.
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The Rise and Rise of Podcasting
I am circling the park in the cold, eternal dusk of a London January, my headphones plugged deeply into my ears. I am listening to the latest Accuweather forecast for the Indianapolis area, for no reason other than the fact that it is possible to do so. In Indianapolis, it seems, things aren't really so different: cloudy, breezy, with an expected high of 36F and a possibility of flurries later.
I pull my iPod out of my pocket and choose something else - the latest instalment of a hostage training course, summing up what we've learned so far. "Prepare yourself by varying your travel times to and from work and social events," says a commanding military voice. "Blend in with the local population as much as possible." I do my best.
You must pop over to Guardian Unlimited and read this post from Tim Dowling. An entertaining five minutes...
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File-Sharing not Affected by Court Cases
Global court action against music file-sharers has not reduced illegal downloading.
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The level of file-sharing has remained the same for two years despite 20,000 legal cases in 17 countries.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (IFPI) said it was "containing" the problem and more people were connecting to broadband.
The global music industry trade body said sales of legal downloads were worth more than $1bn (£570m) in 2005. That is up from $380m (£215m) in 2004, with "significant further growth" predicted this year. Download stores now offer two million songs - double the number available a year ago - and the total number of legal downloads shot up to 420 million in 2005.
IFPI chairman John Kennedy said the industry was "winning the war but we haven't won the war" against piracy. The fact that illegal song-swapping had not increased should be regarded as a success, he told the BBC News website.
"I would love to be sitting here telling you that it had gone down," he said.
"As broadband rolls out and as there's an explosion in many countries of broadband, file-sharing is being contained."
But the industry was finding it difficult to persuade existing song-swappers to use legal download services such as iTunes instead, he said.
"Those who've got into the habit of consuming their music for free are very difficult to shift.
More court cases
"And frankly it's an argument for increasing the scale of court cases because at the moment, people still don't think it's going to be them."
There are currently about 870 million song files available to download illegally over the internet, according to the IFPI.
Mr Kennedy also warned that the music industry could sue internet service providers (ISPs) if they do not crack down on their customers who flout copyright rules.
Music piracy could be "dramatically reduced within a very short period of time" if ISPs took action against their law-breaking customers, Mr Kennedy said.
The IFPI's Digital Music Report also revealed that music downloaded onto mobile phones was now worth $400m (£227m) per year - 40% of the digital music business.
'Misunderstood'
And Mr Kennedy backed the continuing use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, which controls what consumers can do with their music once it has been purchased - either online or on CD.
DRM remains controversial, with some critics arguing it does little to prevent piracy but instead limits what consumers fairly should be able to do with their music.
Earlier this week, the National Consumer Council complained that DRM was eroding established rights to digital media.
Mr Kennedy, writing in the report, said DRM "helps get music to consumers in new and flexible ways".
He said DRM was a "sometimes misunderstood element of the digital music business".
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iPod Rumours 2006
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A flood of iPod rumours and predictions to start the year.
1. Four trademark applications submitted earlier this month by Apple are adding grist to the rumor mill concerning the launch of an iPod phone, which has been the subject of speculation almost since the launch of the company's popular digital-music player.
As filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the applications for the term "Mobile Me" cover a litany of technologies ranging from telecommunications and satellite networks to computer services and portable devices.
Apple already has a presence in the mobile-communications realm with the iTunes-enabled Rokr phone from Motorola, which, by most accounts, has not lived up to expectations and has suffered poor sales as a result.
But possible efforts by Apple to push further into the mobile market with an iPod phone have drawn mixed responses from analysts.
2. Apple is developing an iPod Boombox which will feature a full-size (3.5-inch) desktop hard drive for fast, massive storage capacity....impressive built-in speakers, an elegant enclosure design and a large color display with all of the features of today's video iPod and more. This will likely premiere in the same timeframe as the iPod Hi-Fi, which will sport many of the advanced handheld-computer features such as embedded Safari web browser, rich iTunes-like music/video interface, wireless internet capability and much more. Expect a full report shortly to come...
3. Needham and Co. analyst Charles Wolf expects new product introductions by Apple to accelerate in 2006 and that the Intel-transition will "materially" increase Mac sales; he also said that the "actual" video iPod will make its debut in the the first half of 2006. Many believed that the first iPod video model, which debuted in November, was a "holdover" to grab attention and marketshare, while the company was feverishly working on an improved version for release at a later date. The analyst also said that Apple will announce new "major content deals" in the coming months as well as try to move into the living room with a revamped Mac mini, although he does not expect the much-rumored "iPhone" to be introduced in 2006.
"We would not be surprised to see the Mac mini assume its rightful place in the living room as a digital entertainment server. Major content deals should accompany these introductions. To date, Microsoft’s Windows Media Center software has failed to establish even a beachhead in the living room because the company insists on imposing an impossibly complex system on consumers. With its DNA wrapped around simplicity, Apple’s represents a far better bet to succeed in its effort."The firm noted that investors can expect a greater seasnonal decline during the March quarter, as iPod- and music-related sales represent a growing fraction of Apple's total revenues.
More from IPods in the News
Comedy Podcast from the Sun
STEVE COOGAN and Rob Brydon are two of Britain's funniest men. The Sun have got the two of them together for an exclusive and hilarious podcast.
Steve and Rob were meant to be interviewing each other about their new movie, A Cock And Bull Story, in which they play themselves making a movie of the 18th century novel Tristram Shandy.
But what we got instead was a hilarious game of one-upmanship, as the comics poked fun at each other's careers, looks and private lives.
They also invited some of their 'friends' to take part in the chat, with spot-on impressions of everyone from Ronnie Corbett to Neil Kinnock.
And if you want to listen to Steve and Rob at their comic best, it's simple.
Paste http://extras.thesun.co.uk/podcasts/tony_enhancedcast.xml into iTunes or your podcatcher
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New Weekly eBay Podcast
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Renée Gentry's eBay Journal is for eBay buyers and sellers. Learn how to get started on eBay...and how to get better. How-to, hints, and help
This show is a weekly podcast: an audio show you can listen to on your computer or on your portable MP3 player (iPod or other).
Current Episode
Taking and Editing PicturesEpisode 6: You must have pictures if you're going to sell on eBay for the best market price! Even if you're not going to sell, this episode will help you learn to take and edit pictures. There are editing instructions for Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 and for Photoshop 7.0 in the show notes.
Have a listen 
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Universal Music Set To Release 100,000 Recordings
Recent news released by Reuters says that Universal Music, the world's biggest record label, is digging deep into its vaults to release download-only recordings from its vast back catalogue.
The company said on Wednesday it is embarking on a programme to digitise 100,000 out of print European recordings, beginning with 3,000 British, French and German albums from artists such as Marianne Faithfull, Brian Auger and Brigitte Bardot.
"Over the next three to four years, we aim to reissue perhaps as many as 10,000 albums for downloading, which amounts to more than 100,000 tracks," said Barney Wragg, senior vice president of Universal Music Group International's eLabs division. "This programme will offer material that, in some cases, goes back to the early days of recorded music."
The digitised songs, many of which have only been published on vinyl LPs, will then go to Universal's online music partners such as Apple's iTunes Music Store.
The initiative -- carried out after Universal digitised all of its active catalogue -- reflects the new reality of Internet music stores where "shelf space" is effectively infinite, and a large proportion of sales come from the long tail of non-blockbusters.
Digitising music, particularly back-catalogue recordings, can be complicated by the fact that older contracts with musicians and publishers did not include digital rights. That adds a tangle of red tape to the task of converting analogue tapes or vinyl into a digital file that can played by a computer or a device like Apple's iPod.
Universal Music is owned by France's Vivendi Universal.
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Google Eyes up Getting Ads on Your Podcasts
Google has taken a major stride in getting Adwords on your radio and podcasts. The search advertising company has purchased dMarc Broadcasting, a digital solutions provider for the radio industry, for $102 million cash and potentially as much as $1.136 billion over the next three years.
Google announced plans to integrate the dMarc technology into AdWords and create a new radio ad distribution channel for Google's advertisers, the company said in a statement.
"Google is committed to exploring new ways to extend targeted, measurable advertising to other forms of media," Google's Tim Armstrong, vice president of Advertising Sales, said.
"We anticipate that this acquisition will bring new ad dollars and accountability to radio by combining Google's expansive network of advertisers with dMarc's talented team and innovative radio advertising technology."
dMarc brings organization to the radio advertising process. Its technology automates several functions connected with getting advertising to listeners. That includes scheduling commercials and placing them within a broadcast.
Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, has publicly stated his desire to see more targeted advertising in television. The dMarc acquisition gives them a ground to test the concept on an audio basis first.
Google and dMarc could have another opportunity for delivering audio ads. The popularity of podcasting has yet to be matched by an effective way to monetize the medium.
Presently, Google has the technology to place advertisements in RSS feeds, which are the preferred way to deliver podcasts to subscribers. It's reasonable to believe the talented folks in the Googleplex can adapt dMarc and provide podcasters an AdSense service similar to that used by websites and bloggers today.
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Free Podcasts from Virgin Radio
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Want to fill your iPod with a ton of nice stuff? Virgin Radio have a ton of podcasts you can subscribe to. If you're an advanced user, you can use the feed links we give you to paste into your podcast catcher. If that sounds like techie rubbish to you, they will explain everything!
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Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show
The best of the Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show: including exclusive content we can't broadcast. Updated every Friday.
The Geoff Show
Daily updates, including exclusive bits from Geoff Lloyd and the rest of the team. Updated every day, an hour after transmission.
The Tim Lovejoy Show
The best bits from Tim's show, including guest interviews. Updated every week, an hour after transmission.
Enjoy
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Four Reasons to Create Your Own Podcast for Your Business of Hobby
Podcasting is a powerful, inexpensive and easy new medium for sharing your message with a focused and passionate audience. As a podcaster you'll become a recognized expert in your area of interest or expertise.
You can use podcasting to boost your credibility, build your list of customers and gain a fan base very quickly. This makes podcasting a great tool to promote a product or service.
Here are four reasons you need to start a podcast today whether for fun or for business.
1. Become a Recognized Expert or Celebrity in Your Chosen Niche
How would you like to be recognized as an authority in your area of interest or expertise? Podcasts are popping up all over the internet on every imaginable subject.
But things are just getting started. Chances are you can still be one of the first to start a podcast in your chosen niche.
You can quickly be recognized as an expert in your field. This is a powerful way to build a following or strong customer base.
Think about when you hear or see someone on the radio or TV. They have instant credibility. As a podcaster you will enjoy the same credibility. People will value your opinion.
You can leverage this position to influence your audience, promote yourself and even make money. If you have an audience that is interested in a specific niche, there will always be others who want to reach that audience, too. This is how you find advertisers or sponsors.
2. Quickly Gain a Very Focused Audience
With the right content, you will gain listeners fast. Not only that, but your audience is potentially worldwide. You can offer quality content to keep in touch with your customers and keep yourself, your product or your service in the front of their mind.
Podcasting is a great way to cut through the clutter and reach your audience. This is not like the radio where your listener is waiting for something that interests him. He has chosen to listen to your podcast because it interests him.
Continue reading "Four Reasons to Create Your Own Podcast for Your Business of Hobby"
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Apple iLife Adds Podcasting and Video Podcasting Tools
iLife '06 is a major update to Apple's suite of home multimedia applications.It includes iWeb, a simple way to make websites, blogs and podcasts, and GarageBand 3, which now includes podcasting support.
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iLife '06 features iPhoto 6 with new printed books, calendars and cards, and Apple's innovative new Photocasting for sharing photos over the Internet; iMovie HD 6 with new motion themes for adding spectacular production value to your movies; iDVD 6 for authoring custom DVDs for today's widescreen TVs; and GarageBand 3, now the complete solution for creating professional-quality Podcasts. iLife '06 also introduces iWeb, a new iLife application that makes it easy to create websites with photos, blogs and podcasts and publish them on .Mac.
“This is the most exciting iLife upgrade ever,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Apple pioneered applications to serve our emerging digital lifestyle and then consolidated them into the iLife suite. With this major upgrade to iLife, we’re leaping even further ahead of anything available for the PC.”
iLife '06 introduces iWeb, a simple application for creating web pages, online photo albums, blogs and podcasts. The iLife media browser makes adding photos, movies, music or playlists as simple as drag and drop. Powerful editing tools make it easy to customize websites without having to know HTML. iWeb works seamlessly with other iLife '06 applications as a complete solution for creating photo albums, blogs and podcasts that can be published to the Internet with one click using .Mac.
More details over at mp3 Music Player
Anyone can sign up for a free, 60-day .Mac trial from www.mac.com .
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iPod School for Non Techies
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UK-based department store Selfridges has created an iPod tutorial course to help customers who seem confused by the device.
Selfridges already had established itself as a retailer devoted to making the iPod easier to use when it launched its SpeedPod service in early January. Customers were invited to bring their iPods to the store with a handful of CDs, and the store would install the music while they waited.
Due to launch in late January, the store's "iPod survival" sessions will cost $150 for a 40-minute lesson, and will include details on tactics for using the iTunes music service, creating playlists, downloading podcasts, and installing and deleting videos.
Selfridges noted that the tutorials were developed after many consumers -- especially children and those over 40 years old -- admitted they were baffled about how to use basic and advanced iPod features.
Graduating Seniors
Although iPod buyers would be able to learn about their music devices at a nearby Apple store, Selfridges is targeting those who might be intimidated by the technology-heavy retail environment of the Apple store.
In general, older learners tend to have different needs when it comes to training, making multiple educational opportunities valuable, said Ron Perry, a professor of information technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
"There are some people in the technology industry who aren't so fond of teaching adult learners," he noted. "They would rather instruct tech-savvy 19 year-olds."
As technology proliferates, the market for training geared toward older learners could grow, as companies recognize the need for specialized instruction, Perry added.
More from IPods in the News
Dj Docking Station for iPods
Plug your iPod into KNG's new docking station and watch the DJ start scratching to your favorite tracks. It has built-in standalone speakers that “thump to the beat” and big Fubu jacket sleeves to give it style. KNG will release this docking station in Q4 2006 and it will be priced at around $100 USD.
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Thanks to aving news network
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VAT FREE iTunes Music Downloads
Apple is reportedly looking to exploit a tax loophole in the UK to allow it to sell VAT-free music to British consumers. The money.telegraph reports that Apple is looking into setting up operations in Guernsey so it sell music to British customers--without charging the nearly 18 percent value added tax (VAT). That could reduce the price of iTunes music from 79p to 67p, according to the report.
"These fulfilment businesses have allowed retailers to sell CDs and DVDs by mail order usually for between ÂŁ3 and ÂŁ5 cheaper than high street shops. "Apple confirmed that it is looking at setting up a similar operation on Guernsey. This would allow it to lower the prices of music downloads from 79p, perhaps to as little as 67p."
The move mimics that of other UK retailers, such as Tesco, Asda, Britannia, HMV, Amazon and Woolworths, which have "set up delivery operations in the Channel Islands to exploit a law which allows retailers outside the European Union to sell goods worth less than £17 to UK consumers free from VAT," according to the report.
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Some Lucky iPod Photos
Some iPods don't know how lucky they are!
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One lucky iPod mini - color coordinated
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Multiple Libraries in iTunes
In families with multiple iPods sharing a single computer, the iPod's companion software, iTunes, doesn't allow you to have multiple music libraries. With multiple libraries, each user could see only his or her own music, and could synchronize his or her iPod with that personal music library.
The Solution
Suppose you want to synchronize only part of a library to a particular iPod, say mom's iPod, in a family with several iPods. You can place the songs mom wants into a playlist called, for instance, "Mom's iPod Songs." Then, when mom's iPod is connected, you can go into the Preferences settings in iTunes to designate that mom's iPod will automatically be synchronized only with the songs in that playlist, rather than all the songs in the library.
Or, you can go into Preferences to designate that mom's iPod won't be automatically filled at all, but will be filled manually. Then, you could manually drag all the songs she likes onto the icon representing her iPod within iTunes.
A better approach is to download a utility program called Libra, which comes in versions for both Windows and Mac. Libra, which costs $10 with an unlimited free trial period, is available at homepage.mac.com/sroy/libra. It allows you to create multiple libraries, and to switch among them.
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You just run Libra, create a library - for instance, Mom's Library - and then select it. Next, you launch iTunes, and it comes up with only that library displayed. The first time you set up a new library, it will be empty. But you can just use the iTunes "Add to Library" command to fill it up with songs from your hard disk. You can then set up playlists that will be displayed only in that library. And you can synchronize the whole library to an iPod of your choice.
Multiple libraries can use the same songs without the need to store multiple copies of the songs.
Let's hope Apple can build these features into the iPod and iTunes soon. Until then, the utility programs are your best bet.
More from About iPods
How to Use the iPod to Copy Music to Multiple Computers
You cannot use an iPod, out of the box, to copy your music collection to multiple computers you may own. Millions of iPod owners have more than one computer, and it's perfectly legal to copy the music you own to more than one computer. But the iPod won't help you do this.
Apple was forced to cripple the iPod in this manner at the insistence of the record labels, which feared that it might be used to copy music too widely. So a fix probably requires negotiations with the labels, whose obsession with piracy has caused them to treat their own customers like criminals.
The Solution
You just have to download and install one of a number of small utility programs designed specifically to let you copy the music on the iPod to a computer. There are lots of these, for both Windows and Macintosh computers.
For Windows users, I suggest CopyPod, available for $20 with a two-week free trial, at www.copypod.net . For Mac users, I like PodWorks, available for $8 with a limited-function 30-day free trial at www.scifihifi.com/podworks . Another, similar program, which comes in versions for both Windows and Mac, is PodUtil, available for £10 ($17.66), with an unlimited free trial, at www.kennettnet.co.uk .
Once you have installed one of these utilities on your second computer, just plug in your iPod, filled with the music from the first computer. When iTunes pops up, be sure to decline when the program asks if you want to synchronize your iPod to the second computer. If you don't decline, iTunes will wipe out your iPod's contents and replace it with any music on the second computer.
Next, quit iTunes and launch the music-copying utility, if it didn't launch automatically when you plugged in your iPod. It will scan your iPod, displaying all the music stored there, and allow you to copy some or all of the music onto the second computer. If you have a lot of music on the iPod, this could take awhile.
When you're done, just quit the utility program, disconnect the iPod, and relaunch iTunes. In some cases, the utility will already have populated iTunes with the copied music. In other cases, you'll have to use the "Add to Library" command in the iTunes File menu to bring in the music you have just copied.
More from About iPods
Rival MP3 Players take on the iPod
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Gadget-makers seeking to rival Apple's iPod have been showcasing their gizmos in Las Vegas.
Dozens of audio and video players of all descriptions are everywhere to be seen at the Consumer Electronics Show
They range from devices with big hard drives capable of holding thousands of songs to sleek thin models.
Americans spent $3bn last year on gadgets so they could listen to music on the go.
Over the coming 12 months, they are forecast to spend $4.5bn on MP3 players, according to figures provided by the CES organisers.
Among those taking Apple head on is Sandisk. The company, which is better known for making memory cards, has launched a slim, lightweight iPod nano clone. But it is going one better than Apple, offering its Sansa e200 which can hold up to six gigabytes of songs or video.
"Music is an incredibly important part of the digital lifestyle, where the emphasis is on accessibility of music, styling and ruggedness on the go," said Sandisk's Eric Bone.
Others are looking to offer up to 30GB. South Korea's Samsung has its YM-P1 player, while Singapore's Creative Labs has its Zen Vision: M Both devices hold 30GB and play video, as well as audio. Creative's player was chosen as best gizmo at CES by technology site Cnet.
The Singapore-based company has also taken the battle with Apple to software, launching an initial version of software to organise podcasts. "It's another way to aggregate content," said a Creative spokesperson. "A lot of people have Zen players which are not compatible with iTunes."
More from IPods in the News
Sony Settles for Free Downloads
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Millions of people look set to get free downloads from Sony BMG after a judge provisionally approved a settlement for many lawsuits against the music maker.
The settlement was negotiated following legal action over controversial copy protection technology.
The virus-like techniques used by the anti-copying system led to a lot of bad publicity for the music maker in 2005.
However, still pending are legal cases mounted by several US states over Sony BMG's anti-piracy technology.
The row blew up in early November following the discovery that Sony BMG was protecting some of its CDs using a system called XCP.
When played on PCs, this software installed a proprietary media player and hid itself deep inside the Windows operating system.
Following reports that virus writers were starting to use this ability to hide their malicious creations, many consumers took legal action over the software.
Other consumers took action over CDs that were being protected with a technology known as MediaMax.
The consumer lawsuits were all rolled together and a tentative deal to settle them all was reached shortly after Christmas.
Now following a hearing US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald has given tentative approval to the terms of the deal.
The deal involves Sony BMG giving cash refunds and downloads to consumers who bought CDs that used the XCP technology. Consumers can forgo the cash and get more downloads.
Those who own CDs protected by MediaMax will only get downloads as part of the deal.
The settlement also requires Sony BMG to stop using XCP and MediaMax. The music firm is already recalling all XCP-using CDs but so far has said nothing about swapping MediaMax-using discs. The XCP technology was used on 52 releases and MediaMax on 27.
Sony BMG has also pledged to produce tools that make it easy to uninstall all traces of the XCP software.
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AOL Set to Enter the Video-Movie Download Fray
When it comes to online video delivery, the venerable Web portal holds a couple of trump cards.
Last October, Apple released the video iPod, and has since sold 8 million video clips and television shows through its iTunes music store. In December, Intel announced a new PC design called Viiv , which the company hopes will coordinate digital media in the living room and be a first step toward the digital home. U.S. cellular carriers are rolling out broadcast TV content and customized shows on the small screen . Meanwhile, Yahoo is showing a heightened interest in delivering digital video to PCs and televisions, and last week Google announced it would open an online video store.
Highlights
Amidst all this hullabaloo over Internet video, it would be easy to lose track of AOL, the former dial-up giant that's struggled to find an identity and a mission in the new world of broadband Internet access. But longstanding facts and recent events suggest that the company cannot be discounted yet.
For one thing, it has access to an immense trove of video and film through its parent company, Time Warner. For another, AOL has brought in some of the Internet's most advanced video search technology by buying startups like Singingfish and, most recently, Truveo. Moreover, since 2000 -- an eon in Web time -- the company has been exploring how people want to use Internet video.
While video is a new feature at Google and Yahoo, AOL has been offering original video, movies, music, news, sports, and live concerts for years. "We were the first online Internet service to push the envelope, featuring shows before they aired [on the networks] -- the kind of stuff Yahoo does now," says Fred McIntyre, AOL's vice president for video-over-Internet protocol.
There was one problem, according to McIntyre: AOL wasn't making money on video delivery, in part because the material was available only to AOL subscribers. "We had all this video and it was living inside the four walls of the AOL service," he says. In a radical shift, the company recently decided to provide this material free to anyone, and support the service by selling advertisements.
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Apple Announces the iPod Radio Remote
Apple® today announced the iPod® Radio Remote which combines the convenience of a wired remote control with new FM radio capabilities for the iPod nano and fifth generation iPod. The iPod Radio Remote is a convenient way for music lovers to skip tracks and adjust the volume of their iPod even when it's in a pocket or backpack, and listen to FM radio stations while displaying station and song information on their iPod screen.
“The iPod Radio Remote combines two great features in one elegant product,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. “The iPod Radio Remote is both the best remote control and the best FM radio listening experience for iPod.”
In addition to the iPod Radio Remote and the over 2,000 accessories designed for iPod are the iPod AV Connection Kit and the new iPod nano In-Ear Lanyard Headphones. The iPod AV Connection Kit includes everything needed to connect the iPod to a TV for watching photo slideshows and video, or a stereo system for listening to music, and charges the iPod. The new iPod nano In-Ear Lanyard Headphones combine the best of the iPod nano Lanyard Headphones and the Apple In-Ear Headphones, providing convenience and style with comfort and sound quality.
Pricing & Availability
The iPod Radio Remote includes a pair of Apple headphones with a shorter cable, perfectly complementing the iPod Radio Remote and will begin shipping immediately for $49 (US). The iPod displays station and song information for stations that support the Radio Data System (RDS). The iPod AV Connection Kit includes an iPod Universal Dock, an Apple Remote, an iPod AV Cable, an iPod Dock Connector to USB 2.0 Cable and an iPod USB Power Adapter and is compatible with all iPod models with a dock connector for $99 (US). The iPod nano In-Ear Lanyard Headphones will be available for $49 (US) and include three different sized caps to ensure the headphones fit comfortably and securely. The above accessories will begin shipping immediately and will be available through the Apple Store® ( www.apple.com ), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.
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SKY Offers P2P Video Downloads
In the first major deployment of peer-to-peer (P2P) technology for consumer video downloads, United Kingdom satellite television firm Sky, a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation , has said it had made feature-length movies and sports available for download over the Internet.
More than 200 movies, including recent releases such as I, Robot and Spiderman , are to be available for no additional fee to Sky's 8 million U.K. subscribers, by virtue of the bandwidth-strain reduction techniques of Silicon Valley startup Kontiki.
The offering followed a wave of video-over-broadband announcements and previews by a range of companies including Google , DirecTV, and Intel at the International Consumer Electronics Show conference in Las Vegas last week.
Video downloads have been held up by bandwidth issues—the files are just too large to shove down the pipes—as well as movie studios' concerns about piracy and cannibalizing existing revenue streams like theater tickets and DVD sales.
But peer-to-peer technology distributes the bandwidth strain among users by having them share files with each other.
Kontiki adds a layer of digital rights management (supplied by Microsoft or another outside provider) and control (including delayed delivery and usage reporting) so that content providers can enjoy efficiency while content owners can rest easy about piracy.
The settings on the Sky offering make files expire after a month and limit them to play only within the U.K.
The U.K has been at the forefront of the race to deliver legal video over P2P, with the BBC now losing out to Sky as its P2P delivery system takes its time getting out of beta.
Continue the story over at Red Herring
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iPod Compatible Jeans from Levi Strauss
Denim giant Levi Strauss said on Tuesday it had designed jeans compatible with the iPod music player, featuring a joystick in the watch pocket to operate the device.
The Levi's RedWire DLX Jeans for men and women, which will be available this fall, also have a built-in docking cradle for the iPod and retractable headphones. Pricing was not immediately available.
Levi's is not the first company to feature iPod-friendly apparel , although it may be the first to make iPod-compatible jeans.
Haute couture fashion houses began featuring pricey iPod carrying cases after the device's 2001 launch, while outdoor company Burton Snowboards unveiled what it called the first iPod-compatible waterproof snowboarding jacket in 2003.
Last fall, Los Angeles-based manufacturer Kenpo launched men's jackets selling at Macy's for between $275 and $350, featuring iPod controls on the sleeve.
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If You Can Find a Better iPod, Buy it. Says Steve Jobs
A week after Microsoft and MTV pitched the Urge.com rival to iTunes, Apple Computer upped the ante in online entertainment and services.
Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs opened San Francisco's Macworld announcing an iPod deal destined to put iTunes in 40 per cent of US cars, additional content for the latest iPod, and escalating market uptake and sales.
Jobs additionally unveiled software tools that simplify development and hosting of web sites incorporating podcasts, blogs and RSS on Apple's .mac internet service.
US car giant Chrysler will integrate Apple's iPod with three million cars and Jeeps in the US, taking iPod out of its current luxury and European car niche. More than 40 per cent of US cars sold in 2006 would feature integration with iPod, Jobs claimed.
Apple's chief executive laid out the scale of the challenge facing Microsoft and MTV, who detailed the Urge.com music download service at last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Jobs claimed 42m iPods have been sold with 32m players shipped during 2005 alone and 14m during the fourth quarter of 2005 - the magic Holiday shopping season for retailers and technology companies. iTunes, meanwhile, has sold 850m songs at a rate of three million songs each day, giving Apple 83 per cent market share.
Apple is furthering its appeal among media and web content creators. The company's iLife 06 software, launched Tuesday, introduces iWeb for drag and drop creation of web sites featuring blogs, podcasts, iTunes and photos. Sites are created using a set of Apple-designed templates while HTML formatting and RSS feeds are generated by iLife.
iLife 2006 also features changes to the existing Garageband iLife module to simplify creation of podcasts with the addition of pictures and music fades.
Jobs also announced a new phenomena in podcasting - picture casting that is made possible through iLife 06's iPhoto module. Photocasting is the ability to post photo albums to .mac, which users subscribe to and that replicate changes when content is updated by the album's author. In a suspiciously Flickr-sounding twist, photocast pictures can be shared and used in areas like birthday cards.
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Alternative Legal Music Download Sites
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Which music download sites are the best for downloading legal music? Connie over at Lockergnome has some interesting observations.
The digital music revolution is in full swing and the rush to acquire Internet download customers is on.
When there are a large number of vendors competing for what is essentially a commodity product, the end result is generally very good for the consumer (99 cents or less per song at most sites).
Because you're essentially buying the same song from the same artist from every vendor, the points of differentiation can be hard to distinguish, but they can be very significant.
Most of the differences are in the file types and whether it is a pay-per-song service or a subscription service.
In order to get the record labels blessing, all companies must incorporate some form of Digital Rights Management, which essentially makes it difficult for the music to be shared once it is downloaded.
This can be one of the biggest 'gotchas' if you don't understand what the limits are for the music you are purchasing. Even though they are all music files, the actual file type can be drastically different and may require a special program in order to play it or burn it to CD. Hardly any of the services use a standard MP3 file for downloads, which is where the complications can start.
What I recommend to anyone that is just getting started downloading music is to first determine how the music will be used once downloaded.
For instance, if the music will only be played from the computer that downloaded it or burned to CD, any of the major services will do.
If you plan on using the downloaded music on any kind of portable player, you need to do some additional homework before getting started.
If you own an Apple iPod for instance, your best bet is to stick to the iTunes service to keep it simple and avoid having to incorporate multiple programs to take your music on the go.
If you own a portable MP3 player other than an iPod, you have lots of choices including MSN's music service , Napster , eMusic , Wal-Mart , Virgin Digital , and MusicMatch , amongst a host of others.
Subscription based services that offer 'all you can eat' for a fixed price may sound like a great deal, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. For the most part, you are essentially "renting" the song from the service, so when you stop paying them, the music will no longer play from your computer.
Pay-per-song services tend to give you the most flexibility; many sites offer both options.
The bottom line is to make sure that your music player is compatible with the service (they generally post compatibility lists at their sites) and you totally understand what the limitations are for the music once you download it.
If you want to ensure that you have total control of any of the downloaded music you buy, burn them to an audio CD then convert them back to a standard MP3 on your computer. This can result in a slight loss in sound quality, but it will essentially shake the proprietary file restrictions off!
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Where to Download and View Anime
Dedicated anime fans watch their favorite shows on the Internet
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for the convenience and quality. On television, anime has been censored to tone down violence, and voices are dubbed.
``The anime on TV is really bad unless you have Cartoon Network, because the stuff on TV is edited so everything good is taken out,'' said senior Jennie Chen of Cupertino High School. ``True anime fans like watching it online in Japanese with English subtitles.''
``The Internet has made this process very fast. Not only does knowledge of new animes spread quickly, entire animes can be sent to a large amount of people in a relatively short amount of time,'' said senior Bryant Kou of Saratoga High School.
Typically ``fansubbing'' groups in Japan download anime programs, subtitle them in English and upload them to the Internet. Because sometimes it takes years to license anime for the American market, the underground downloading movement continues to make anime available to markets outside Japan.
Anime is usually sent through Web sites such as Bittorrent.com. Anime is to Bittorrent as music is to Kazaa. The legality of file-sharing anime that is licensed in Japan but not in the United States is ambiguous. But once the producer exports those programs to a U.S. licensee, users would be violating the license agreement by downloading.
To view anime, try these Web sites:
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Legal Music Downloads Explode
A record 20 million music tracks were downloaded in the final week of 2005.
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In the seven days between Christmas and the New Year, millions of MP3 owners in the US bought tracks from download retailers such as iTunes and Napster.
It smashed the existing record of 9.5 million - which was set the previous week - according to tracking firm Neilson SoundScan.
Sales were boosted by the number of people who received MP3 players and download gift vouchers for Christmas.
Peer-to-peer
An explosion in the number of MP3 players - such as Apple's iPod - sold during 2005 meant total download sales were almost three times the amount sold in the same seven-day period in 2004.
Despite the rise, the number of illegal music downloads from peer-to-peer networks still outstrips legal ones by a ratio of at least three to one.
Peer-to-peer monitoring service Big Champagne estimates that at least 250 million tracks are downloaded worldwide each week from file-swapping services.
Sales of MP3 players have surpassed those of personal CD players for the first time, according to research firm NPD Group.
"We have definitely moved from MP3 players being a computer-oriented product to a consumer-directed product," said Stephen Baker of NPD.
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Podcasting for eBay Sellers
New Podcaster and long time eBay seller has written a short article on how he has started to use podcasts to help him promote his eBay offerings.
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Another "shock and awe" chapter in making my eBay auctions better has just started its beta phase. After discovering a great website for making audio files and RSS feeds, I am now offering audio descriptions of my eBay auctions and RSS feeds for people to keep up with my latest offerings. You may have heard of this concept by another name - podcasting.
Many people who surf eBay may have problems with their eyesight. Wouldn't they instead appreciate an audio description of your item, instead of struggling to read your auction text? So with a few of my auctions last week, I inserted a link to a short MP3 file which was a recording of me reading the auction description. I also described the picture, the condition of the item and my preferred payment methods. All the customer had to do was click on the MP3 link and listen to my voice using their default audio player.
As well as catering to visually-impaired customers, you are also adding a human voice to your auctions, which could make buyers more inclined to trust you more.
Continue Reading over at AuctionBytesMore from eBay News and Views
From a Podcast to a Godcast
Thanks to the wonders of technology, the religious-minded can listen to audio material ranging from Bible verses to sermons via an MP3 player.
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The GodCast Network ( www.godcast.org ) offers dozens of podcasts with religious and family content.
The network's content, which includes shows such as "Rachel's Choice," "RevTim Podcast" and "The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd," has found favor with listeners from more than 150 countries, according to founder Craig Patchett.
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New Weight Loss Podcast
It's the time of the year for a. New Resolutions and b. Lose some weight, so here's a new Podcast that neatly ties in the two.
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This podcast, by Loretta Sernekos, covers the important mind work that anyone trying to lose weight must do. By doing this mind work, you will be harnessing the enormous power of your subconscious mind to make change happen. If you don't do the 2 things described in this podcast, your subconscious mind may ultimately undo all the positive steps your conscious mind takes. Don't let all your weight loss efforts be sabotaged! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN NOW
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Top of the Pods - January 8th 2006
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These are the top Rated Podcasts for week-ending January 8th from:
Apple iTunes Podcasting - ABC News Shuffle
Odeo - this WEEK in TECH
podnova - this WEEK in TECH
podfeed - FrankWit
iPodderX - Diggnation w/Kevin Rose & Alex Albrecht
PodcastPickle - Firefly Talk
Podcasting NEWS - BBC Today
Podcast Alley - Free Talk Live
Vital Podcasts - ReachingforLucidity
Digital Podcast - SneeZwort.com - the adult podcast
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iLink enables WMA, DivX, MPEG on iPod
Valor Multimedia has introduced the first multimedia interface for the iPod, which it says enables any iPod to play video on any multimedia system--either in the home or in the car.
The company says that its new iLink enables users to to watch movies stored on the iPod, listen to both MP3 and WMA audio files as well as iTunes audio files, view photos on any attched video monitor, and more. Users can also control the iPod with a wireless IR remote control and display on-screen menus on any video display. Valor claims iLink will work with any brand of car or home audio/video product and will charge the iPod when connected.
"Impossible, you say? Well Valor has the solution, and it's called the iLink. It is the most comprehensive multimedia interface for the iPod. As a complete stand alone system, listening to MP3 and WMA audio files, viewing photos and playing video stored on ANY iPod including the new Video iPod are just a few of the abilities of the iLink."
The company said that the iLink can decode DivX movies as well as MPEG-1/2/4 and Xvid encoded video files. It can enable the playback of JPEG, BMP or GIF picture files stored on the iPod as a slideshow and can play audio files while viewing the slideshow.
The IR remote can also be used to control the iPod while the device is tucked away in a safe part of the car, according to the company: "Controlling the iPod through a wireless remote control allows the user to store the iPod in the glove compartment or center console of the vehicle and view all functions via an on-screen display for hassle free use."
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Podcast Predictions 2006 from Audacious
In one short year podcasting has gone from a gleam in the eyes of a couple of geeks to a place in the Oxford English Dictionary and the hearts of millions of listeners all over the globe. But what will 2006 bring for a medium which is being rapidly adopted by businesses and mainstream media alike?
Audacious Communications, the UK creative communications agency that specialises in podcast consultancy and production, predicts the following:
1. The Podcast Network or PodShow will be bought by AOL late in 2006 and the deal will allow commercial music to be played by all podcasts in the network.
2. There'll be a greater separation between commercial podcasts and those produced by independent producers, but the two will co-exist happily.
3. 2006 will be the year of the business podcast with 50% of FTSE 100 companies producing a podcast to complement their internal or external communications strategies. The vast majority will have experimented with podcasting during the year.
4. Virgin Radio will launch a digital radio station entirely devoted to airing independent music podcasts.
5. The BBC will employ a podcaster in its push to discover and nurture new radio talent.
6. The increased use of podcasting by businesses will prove to be the final nail in the coffin of the in-house magazine which has already been in decline thanks to intranet technology.
7. BAFTA will include podcasts in an interactive media category, following the move of its Scottish counterpart in 2005.
8. Podcasting will be big for small business as increasing numbers use the new medium to develop stronger, more personal relationships with their customers.
9. There'll be uproar in the education sector as some accuse universities of encouraging students to stay in bed by introducing podcasts of lectures.
10. The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian will launch an extensive range of podcasts, building on early successes with the medium in 2005, competing head on for Radio 4's intellectual listenership.
For further information or comment contact: Alex Bellinger, Audacious Communications e: alex@audaciousonline.com m: +44-(0)7793-214367 b: www.verbalism.net p: www.smallbizpod.co.ukMore from Podcasting in the News
Win One of 5 - 30GB ipod with Video
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Win one of 5 |
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Google's Entry into Video Downloads
Anyone the least bit concerned about DRM (digital rights management) technology would likely have been put off by Google co-founder Larry Page's ho-hum approach to revealing the company's new proprietary media locks. And with good reason.
"We have our own DRM that we're using," Page said, during a keynote at CES. "We'll be open to other things, but (creating our own) seemed like the easier thing to do."
Google's DRM will make its first appearance as part of a new video downloading service. Page revealed that customers will be able to buy TV shows from CBS, NBA basketball games and a host of other content with Google serving as the delivery broker for the video. This move mimics other technology companies - most notably Apple - which have struck deals with large media houses to send video over the web for a fee.
Along with the service, Google has also released its own, slick video player.
None of this is bad or surprising when examined from Google's perspective. The ad broker has every right to push on with new businesses and use its might, prestige and hype to secure prominent partnerships with the likes of CBS. And, heck, if Apple and Microsoft can create DRM systems, then why can't Google?
You can, however, see a crisis evolving for internet users and consumers. Apple has a very locked down DRM system that revolves around iTunes and iPods only. Microsoft has a lot of partners for its DRM, making it look open and like a standard. Of course, the MP3 players and services that support Microsoft haven't garnered near as much interest as Apple's rival offerings. So, Microsoft isn't really a standard at all but rather a small, less closed garden. Meanwhile, Real Networks comes off as a type of neutral player that also has its problems by not being promoted on the iPod and by relying more on a music rental service than a booming per song shop like iTunes.
Now, you can add Google DRM and Google Video to this mess.
We might be less nervous about Google's DRM revelation if it provided more information on the technology. Page refused to say anything beyond the two sentences above, and played off the whole DRM thing as no big deal.
We also can't locate much of anything about Google DRM on the company's corporate web site or fantastic blogs. Perhaps your Googling skills are better than ours, and we welcome aid.
Is Google DRM simply a mechanism for protecting the videos of its partners and making sure they get paid for their content? Or is it much broader than that?
How will it work with Microsoft's DRM, Apple's DRM and Real's DRM? Will it extend to music? If so, what will the limitations be on how often you can copy songs or how many devices can store the tunes?
Google says that one of its corporate goals is to "do no evil." Hasn't it just crapped all over that objective by entering the race to weigh down our culture with cement bricks?
That last query may be over-dramatic. But, then again, it might not be.
Continue reading "Google's Entry into Video Downloads"
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The Music Download War has Begun
Well folks. It's happening. Mr Gates,in the blue corner, has challenged Mr Jobs, in the red corner, to a bare nuckle scrap. The gloves are off and let the battle commence. The prize is the world domination of Music and Video Downloads - the fastest growing area of the entertainment business
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MTV Urge, launched in collaboration with the music channel, will be built into all new Windows Vista software and will provide access to two million songs and thousands of videos from MTV's library.
THE PUNCH LINE - They will not be playable on an Apple iPod
WOW. What a surprise.
Will they make it illegal to run iTunes on our PC's??? Will some software engineer not come up with a converter in about ten minutes? I reserve the right to choose my MP3 player and if I prefer the design and functionality of my ipod there isn't a Cat in Hell's chance of me changing it! In fact I might change my PC for an Apple and *****ck* to Microsoft.
The full story as told by Sinead Mcintyre
MTV has promised to work with artists to develop exclusive content for Urge as Microsoft battles to end Apple's dominance of the online music market.
iTunes, which involves music lovers paying to download tracks over the Internet, recently overtook sales from record shops in the U.S.
Recent figures show a huge surge in the amount of music sold online in Britain as more and more digital players are sold. Last year alone 20million tracks were downloaded by UK music fans.
Continue reading "The Music Download War has Begun"
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MP3's Condemn CDs to the Dustbin
With the PC fast becoming the world's most popular music download centre past technolgies are once again littering the great scrapheap in the sky. MP3 players and iPods are set to rule the world.
I enjoyed this 'Cautionary Tale' from Ellen Portnoy. She mirrors what is happening in millions of households throughout the world
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When did CD players become obsolete?
I noticed that in my house, empty CD players are like litter. One is sitting on the dryer in the laundry room, another sits empty without headphones in the kitchen. How did they get there? Why are they just sitting?
I remember when they were first in stores. Wow! Portable CD players! It was amazing. They replaced cassette players so quickly. The quality of sound was wonderful. I never thought they would be obsolete. But now they are! There is truly something better — the MP3 player. iPods, iRivers, Rios — the words vibrate in our new technology lexicon. From small to really tiny, these devices have altered the music world.
I actually fought against getting one.
My husband, Jay, and my children, Lara and Mike, had them for at least a year when Jay suggested I get one for our next plane trip. “No,” I said. “Wait until my birthday. I really don't want you to get me one.” I was worried about learning to download my music. I was fine with the knowledge I had.
But it did not matter what I said. Jay had it in his mind that I needed one. And he was right. He ripped 250 of my favorite show tunes and songs from CDs that we own. I have told him that I now want more.
Continue reading "MP3's Condemn CDs to the Dustbin"
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The Future of Video Downloads
Video has been the big news at the Consumer Electronics Show. But all the competing video download services and two types of high-definition DVDs will have to battle to win the hearts of computer users.
That means Dell Inc., the world's biggest personal computer seller, will be in the middle of the competition for video domination. The Round Rock-based company has taken sides on the high-definition DVD front, but it's neutral on video downloads.
Dell sold more than 10 million computers in its fiscal fourth quarter. With that kind of volume, the company has an important say in which technologies will eventually take hold among consumers.
On Friday, Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc. both announced new video download services. Yahoo is offering free videos for now and plans to eventually sell content. Google already has deals to offer CBS shows and National Basketball Association video for sale. The two search engine giants join the likes of Apple Computer Inc. and Microsoft Corp. in the video download race.
Most of the video services don't work with one another, which means computer users will have to have several megabytes' worth of software installed to get everything available.
Continue reading "The Future of Video Downloads"
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iPod Becomes the Leading US Brand
Apple's iPod range has become the leading US Internet brand, according to branding and design consultancy Landor Associates and research firm Penn, Schoen & Berland.
The 2005 ImagePower Newsmaker Brands Survey identifies which high-profile brands dominated US consumer's imaginations in 2005, and what they expect of those brands in 2006.
"Brands make a powerful impact on people, especially in today's world of ever-increasing consumer choice," said Allen Adamson, managing director of Landor Associates.
The iPod brand earned the number one overall spot as an Internet brand, while Google, eBay, Amazon.com and Yahoo! are also in the top ten. Other technology brands in the top twenty include DVR, Xbox 360 and SIRIUS Satellite Radio.
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More Disney downloads for the iPod With Video
Walt Disney has announced it is set to provide an increased range of downloadable videos to iPod users.
The company will offer programming from an increased number of its stations to Apple's online iTunes Music Store later this month.
Programmes from the group's sports networks, feature animation and family entertainment branches will be added to Disney's current popular TV series offerings from the initial deal with Apple in October.
Of particular excitement to many Americans will be the opportunity to download replays of the college bowl games within a day or so of the events taking place.
"Our mission is to serve fans wherever they are by delivering high-quality content across dozens of multi-media platforms, now including the iTunes Music Store and viewing on the iPod," said George Bodenheimer, ESPN and ABC Sports President and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks.
Free of charge newscasts will also be available courtesy of ABC News, although they will be heavily burdened with advertising.
NBC Universal made a similar deal with Apple in November, and many other major corporations are expected to side with the company in the coming months.
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Videoblogging Tip
Good tip from the Yahoo Videoblogging group. On Jan 5, 2006, at 1:38 PM, Bill Streeter wrote:
You need to change the server to acknowlege that m4v is a video format. But the easier route might be to simply post ipod compatible .mov or .mp4 files. .M4V is just an extension Apple made up that ussually is just simply an H264 encoded video file in a .mp4 wrapper with a bullshit file extension. You can safely change the file extension to .mp4 and it will work just fine. iPods will play .MP4 and .MOV files just fine as long as they are encoded to ipod compatible specs.
Thanks Bill.
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Music Download Problems in Eastern Europe
An interesting perspective from Katya Zapletnyuk about the problems facing content providers in the former Eastern Bloc from music downloads over the Internet. File sharing is here to stay and the providers have got to find a way of living with it. Let's read...
Fans of Croatian jazz, Polish hip-hop and other nonmainstream music from Central and Eastern Europe will soon be able to download songs from their favorite artists for a small fee through a Web site op