Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve known that it was coming for some time now, and today we have a report of an actual launch date for Microsoft’s Xbox Music service. According to The Verge’s sources, the rollout will coincide with the launch of Windows 8 on October 26th. What’s more, the site is also reporting that the service will include a free, ad-supported option in addition to paid subscriptions — rates for the latter leaked out last month. As expected, the service will be available on Windows Phone, Windows 8 and the Xbox 360 at launch, with iOS and Android apps said to be coming at a later date.

Filed under: Internet, Mobile, Microsoft

Microsoft reportedly set to launch Xbox Music on October 26th, ad-supported option on tap originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Telegraph is reporting that the BBC is developing an on-demand music service called Playlister, which will provide access to “hundreds of thousands” of tracks for free. More »

In theory, Apple’s AirPlay technology is great – effortless mirroring or streaming to media players from an Apple device. But in reality, AirPlay is severely limited by a couple of factors. It’s only compatible with a handful of media players – including the AppleTV – and it needs an Wi-Fi connection to work. Which is why I think the AirBridge is going to be a massive hit.

The AirBridge is primarily made of three things: an adapter that plugs into iOS devices, an app, and a receiver with HDMI, VGA, 3.5mm aux and USB inputs.  With the AirBridge you can do everything you can do with AirPlay compatible devices – stream videos, music and pictures, mirror your screen, play games on a bigger display – but that’s not all. The AirBridge can also stream content from one iOS device to up to 10 iOS devices at once, and allows those with the app to upload and share files with each other straight from and to their iOS devices.

The AirBridge does all of this without the need for an Internet connection. And since it works with any device with an HDMI, VGA or USB port, it’s compatibility far exceeds that of AirPlay. It also has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 3 hours, so you can have a totally wireless setup for a good amount of time, enough for meetings or parties.

Pledge at least $99 (USD) on its Kickstarter fundraiser to be the first to own an AirBridge. It will be available in two models – the high end AirBridge Pro  ($125) does all of the above, while the AirBridge Lite ($99) lacks the VGA and USB ports and won’t be able to stream between iOS devices.

Likewise, the AirBridge app will also come in a free and a $3.99 (USD) version. The $3.99 version has support for more file sharing services and has no size limit on file sharing, while the free version has a 10MB limit but is good enough if you just want to stream media. I really hope it goes into production and I can’t wait to get my hands on an AirBridge.

[via GearCulture]

Why get a Smart TV when you can enhance your existing HDTV with a dongle? That’s the precise inquiry FAVI is aiming to answer with its SmartStick, a device that lets you access streaming movies, music, apps, and games just by plugging it into your television’s HDMI port. It runs Jelly Bean, the latest Android OS, and supports services like Netflix, Hulu, Epix, YouTube, and Pandora. Other features include a full internet browser, 4GB of memory, and the ability to wirelessly stream media from your computer via its MediaSHARE app. Since it runs Android, you can download apps from the Google Play store as well. While we’re still fans of the Roku Streaming Stick, the SmartStick’s $50 price tag is hard to beat. You can also get a mini wireless keyboard and touchpad mouse for $39.99 for easier navigation. The FAVI Streaming Stick will be available this November, though you can pre-order it now for an October 30th ship date. Check after the break for the SmartStick promo video and the press release.

Continue reading FAVI’s $50 Streaming Stick adds apps, streaming services to any HDTV with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

FAVI’s $50 Streaming Stick adds apps, streaming services to any HDTV with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 03:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve sort of known that Kim Dotcom was launching Megabox from the remains of Megaupload but we didn’t know exactly what it was. Now that Dotcom has leaked a video about the service, we have an idea: a music service that wants to destroy labels and put the artist in charge. More »