Hasta La Gadget!

We already had the details on iTunes Match, but now we’ve got a ballpark release date. According to Apple, the iTunes service will make its debut by the end of the month in the great U S of A, and it can be yours for $24.99 a year. Here’s hoping Apple’s got a nice, clean (DRM-free 256kbps AAC file) version of Monster Mash floating in the cloud for your Halloween listening pleasure.

iTunes Match hits US ‘end of October’ for $24.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re all well aware that a new iPhone will see daylight next week. What’s still a bit unclear is whether or not Apple plans on discontinuing the ol’ faithful iPod classic. However, we may be getting a clue as to what fate the PMP may soon meet. The folks over at AppleInsider discovered that the link to iPod Click Wheel Games no longer appears on the App Store drop-down menu in iTunes. Since 2006, the folks in in Cupertino have been offering added entertainment for the popular mobile jukebox for $7.49 each, but only about 50 titles were available for purchase — it’s kind of hard to develop software when a third-party kit wasn’t publicly released. So if you’re planning on hanging onto your iPod classic for a little while, we hope you’re content to keep playing Vortex, Klondike or whatever else you’ve already downloaded.

Apple axes iPod click wheel games in iTunes, is the ‘classic’ model next? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This article was written on October 23, 2008 by CyberNet.

Tutorial Thursday

I’ve always enjoyed listening to Internet radio stations because I don’t have to worry about putting together my own playlists of music. iTunes has a decent selection of these radio stations available, but Apple has full control over what appears in that section of the media player. Fortunately that doesn’t mean you can’t add some of your own favorite radio streams to iTunes.

There are two caveats to the trick I’m about to show you:

• The radio streams that get added to iTunes won’t appear in the Radio section. Instead they’ll be showing up under the Playlist section, which may or may not be something that you want. Personally I like not having to go to the Radio section because it can be time consuming trying to find a particular radio station. This method will give you fast and easy access to your favorite stations.
• In order to add online radio stations to iTunes the stream will need to be available in a playlist (.PLS) format.

This makes Shoutcast a perfect example since they use the PLS format for their radio streams. Here are the needed instructions for setting up one of those streams in iTunes:

1. Visit Shoutcast.com and find a radio station you want to add to iTunes.
2. Right-click on the Tune In button, and choose the option to save the link/file to your computer.
   
3. Now you should have a .PLS file saved somewhere on your computer. Find the location of the file, and drag it into the sidebar in iTunes.
   
4. The radio station station should now appear under the Playlist section, and it can be renamed to anything you like. To start enjoying the streaming music all you have to do to is select the playlist that was just added, and choose from one of the available connections.
   

See, it’s easy. The only trick is finding the radio stations that are available in playlist (.PLS) format. Shoutcast is one of the only sites I know of with a vast directory of stations in this format, but I’m sure some of you probably know a few as well. Let us know about any of these sites in the comments, and enjoy listening to your favorite radio stations in iTunes!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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In-app purchases via iTunes have apparently been failing in a big way for the last ten hours and app creators who depend on this heavily taxed income are getting antsy. We’re hearing unconfirmed speculation that the problem may be connected to fake purchase receipts getting into the system. Whatever the cause, one developer told us the failure is “losing lots of sales” for apps that use receipt verification and is “threatening to more-or-less take down the entire IAP ecosystem.” Seeing as Apple insists on this being the only route for in-app purchasing, they’d better fix it pretty darned quick.

[Thanks, Tipster]

In-app purchasing fail on iTunes is starting to bug developers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The curtain hasn’t even opened on Netflix’s new DVD-by-mail spin-off company Qwikster, and many customers are already walking out.

The company recently revised its quarterly projections of net subscribers to show 1 million fewer customers than it had previously expected. Much to Netflix’s chagrin, folks are realizing that the king of mail-away media isn’t the only game in town.

We’ve taken a look at some of Netflix’s (and Qwikster’s) main competitors, and judged each service accordingly. Do the rest offer enough to stand up to the best?

Netflix/Qwikster

Also known as Netflix: Redux. It’s the same service we know and love, only completely different. Faced with massive customer backlash in the wake of a price hike, Netflix split itself into two separate companies this week. The streaming service will retain the Netflix branding while the DVD-by-mail service will be named Qwikster. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said the split will better serve customers in the long run because each company will be able to better focus on one type of service.

Netflix pioneered the DVD-by-mail service, creating an entire industry where one did not exist previously. But after serious flux in Netflix’s new pricing system — which split the streaming and DVD mailing services into two separate plans starting at $8 a month minimum — there’s no guarantee the company’s customers will continue to stick around.

WIRED: It’s been around the longest, and is the most familiar service. Massive offering of physical mail-away media. New game rental service sounds intriguing. Streaming to all iOS devices and Android smartphones.

TIRED: Can you say price increase? We don’t like paying more money for the same service, and we’re failing to see how splitting the companies in twain is going to benefit consumers. Streaming-only service still lacks selection compared to DVD catalog.

Amazon Prime

Amazon’s elite-level service launched in 2005, offering two-day shipping on any of its products to members anywhere in the continental United States and other select countries for a reasonable $80 a year. Originally meant for those who couldn’t wait more than 48 hours for their tangible goods, Prime expanded in February to offer instant, streaming movie and TV show access to existing Prime customers at no added cost.

WIRED: Fast shipping on everything Amazon! What other movie service offers that? Lower yearly rate than Netflix and Qwikster. Works with over 300 different web-connected set-top boxes, including the ever-popular Roku.

TIRED: Smaller media selection compared to other existing services. Lacks the DVD rental option that made Netflix famous.

Redbox

Redbox made it possible for legions of supermarket shoppers to pick up a movie on the cheap, without having to make multiple stops. Instead of leaving the grocery store (or 7-11, Walgreens or what have you) with only a TV dinner and a Mountain Dew in tow, Redbox’s 30,000-plus DVD-rental kiosks make sure you won’t go home alone on a Friday night again.

WIRED: Cheap, cheap, cheap. DVD rentals average two bucks a pop, with anywhere from 50 to 200 recent titles to select from in each kiosk, updated weekly. Game rentals to roll out this year.

TIRED: No streaming service? Bummer.