Mar 31

iTunes Update Adds Book Support, iPad Sync

Posted in: Apple, e-books, ipad, itunes, Media Players, Today's Chili

screen-shot-2010-03-31-at-114929-am

Apple has updated iTunes to version 9.1 to offer support for the iPad release on Saturday. The headline features are iPad syncing and support for books, and there is also some tweaking to the Genius playlist options.

The iPad syncing obviously won’t do anything until you plug in an iPad this weekend, but you can test out the books support right now. Take any EPUB-format book you may have on your computer and drop it into iTunes. It is automatically added to the new Books section, which replaces (and includes) the Audiobooks section. If the book already has metadata and cover art, these are preserved. You can also sort by category, title and author.

Only EPUB will work, and I converted mine using the cross-platform freeware application Calibre, itself a kind of iTunes for e-books. Dragging a MOBI file does nothing. PDF files can still be added, but they end up in the main library as before, not the Books library.

Once the books are in iTunes, what can you do? Right now, nothing. They don’t show up in the list of syncable content for an iPod Touch, nor can you view them in iTunes itself, despite the option to “play” in the pop-up, right-click menu. We hope that the iPhone gets its own version of the iBooks app, if only so you can read from multiple devices, Kindle-style. We doubt the Mac will get iBooks, though. That’s what the iPad is for.

There’s one other takeaway from this early release of iTunes. Normally Apple updates iTunes on the day a new product ships, and this usually makes downloads painfully slow, and often means you can’t use your new device right away. Either Apple has learned its lesson, or it is expecting to sell rather a lot of iPads on Saturday.

iTunes [Apple]

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Mar 30

Omnimo: desktop Windows given fashion makeover with Phone 7 Series flair

Posted in: free, Gmail, interface, itunes, Today's Chili, twitter, ui, Windows, windows phone, windows phone 7, windows phone 7 series, Windows XP, WindowsPhone, WindowsPhone7, WindowsPhone7Series, Wp7

Can’t wait for Windows Phone 7 Series, but can’t hack the emulator, either? Don’t lose hope, Windows junkies — you can still bring some semblance of WP7S order into your life with this Metro UI-inspired desktop HUD. Based on the open-source desktop customization platform Rainmeter, the “Omnimo UI” will overlay your desktop with a minimalist, tiled interface not unlike the one you’ve been drooling over for weeks, with live hooks into many useful services (including Gmail, iTunes, Steam, Twitter and SpeedFan) as well as the usual widgets and a host of program shortcuts. The best news of all? It’s available now for all versions of Windows since XP, completely free of charge; simply follow the source links or flit over to Lifehacker, where good folks will teach you how it’s done.

Omnimo: desktop Windows given fashion makeover with Phone 7 Series flair originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 30

iTunes 9.1 now available, brings iPad syncing and iBook support

Posted in: Apple, apple ipad, AppleIpad, e reader, e-book, e-books, e-readers, ipad, itunes, os x, OsX, Software, software update, SoftwareUpdate, Today's Chili, update

Hot on the heels of a ginormous OS X update comes this, the freshest version of the music management software that everyone loves to hate. iTunes 9.1 is live and available to download, bringing with it support for iPad syncing (you know, that little tablet that arrives on Saturday?) as well as the ability to “organize and sync books you’ve downloaded from iBooks on iPad or added to your iTunes library.” The new version also gives users the ability to rename, rearrange, or remove Genius Mixes, but we’re fairly sure you stopped caring after hearing the first point. It’s weighing in at around 97.3MB (give or take a few KB), so fire up Software Update and get it going… if you dare.

Update: We’re hearing that the new version renames “Applications” to just “Apps” and the Genius Mixes / iPhone / iPod touch sync pages have been retooled. Anything else major? Let us know in comments!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading iTunes 9.1 now available, brings iPad syncing and iBook support

iTunes 9.1 now available, brings iPad syncing and iBook support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 29

iTunes: 2001-2008?

Posted in: Apple, itunes, Microsoft, Screenshots, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on May 14, 2007 by CyberNet.

While iTunes has exploded into popularity, could 2007 be the last year of the upward trend and growth? Forrester Research just released a report, and from the looks of it, 2007 will probably in fact be the last big year for iTunes as well as other services that sell TV shows and other video content online.

The numbers so far have been astounding. In 2006, sales of movie and television shows from paying services like iTunes brought in an estimated $98 million. For 2007, it’s expected to triple to $279 million!

So, why would iTunes and other services like it start heading downhill? If you think about it, it’s obvious. Free services that are ad supported are popping up everywhere. Because they’re free, they’re already starting to become popular, and as they become better, they’ll just draw in more users.

The study that Forrester Research did shows that no growth is expected in 2008 for paid services. Some TV networks already offer some of their shows online for free, and others are in the process of taking on the same route.

When you can choose between purchasing TV shows and videos or seeing them for free, how many of you are willing to spend the money and take the first choice? For the general population, probably not many.

PCMag.com went as far as saying that the for-pay services like iTunes will die, that they won’t be able to withstand the free competition. However, for something like that to happen, I think it’ll take a lot longer than one year of no growth. I’m sure iTunes will lose popularity for video and TV show downloads, but not THAT fast.

 

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Mar 29

iPad roundup: New York Times and others get HTML5 video, iPad app store demo, and more

Posted in: Apple, AppStore, flash, ipad, itunes, roundup, rumor, Today's Chili, video

The momentum towards HTML5 and away from (or at least in parallel with) Flash seems to be accelerating with today’s launch of the free Brightcove Experience framework for HTML5 — a “way to publish, distribute, and monetize web video for the iPad and other Apple devices” according to the Brightcove press release. While Brightcove might not be a household name, some of its 1,000 customers, including Time Inc. and The New York Times (a Brightcove investor), certainly are — both of whom are already using the new HTML5 solution in preparation for the iPad’s April 3rd US launch. A real coup for the Flash-hating Steve Jobs if you start factoring in the rumored Flash-free NPR and Wall Street Journal iPad sites as well as that little HTML5 iPad test CBS was testing out in the open last week.

Also rumored for launch is an iBookstore filled with 30,000 free e-Books courtesy of the Gutenberg Project. See the screengrab evidence after the break in addition to a purported video walkthrough of the iPad store. The video previews several new “HD” formatted iPad apps that we’ve already seen as well as a few new ones like Twitterific. Sorry, still no Hulu HD. The mouse pointer in the video, however, makes it clear that this is running on desktop somewhere, not on an iPad. Still, it definitely looks the part.

Continue reading iPad roundup: New York Times and others get HTML5 video, iPad app store demo, and more

iPad roundup: New York Times and others get HTML5 video, iPad app store demo, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MacRumors  |  sourceAppAdvice, Brightcove, MacStories  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 22

Apple Adds Gifting Feature for iPhone Apps

Posted in: Apple, iPhone, itunes, Phones, Today's Chili

gift3 iTunes gifting has always been a nice, lazy way to wish a friend a happy birthday or holiday, but until now that feature has been exclusive to iTunes audio and video media. Now, Apple has added the ability to send iPhone apps as gifts.

After agreeing to the new iTunes Store terms and conditions, you’ll be able to select a “Gift This App” option from the pull-down menu next to an app’s price. From thereon, you can punch in the name and e-mail address of your desired recipient, along with a personal message, and iTunes will send him or her a redemption code to download the app.

It works the same way as gifting music or movies, which has been a popular feature in the iTunes Store. This is especially good news for iPhone developers, as the gifting feature can induce brand new iPhone owners to download their first paid app ever. Gifting might just work as a gateway drug that gets iPhone owners hooked on the addictive experience of paying for new apps and digital media in general, which would further stimulate the app economy.

A hat tip to Rana Sobhany, who first noted the change in her blog.

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Mar 18

i-Got-Control IRB1 dongle gives your iPhone / iPod touch universal remote functionality

Posted in: Apple, ipad, itunes, peripheral, remote, Today's Chili

No need to spot clean your spectacles, and no need to brush the cobwebs out of your dome — you really are seeing yet another IR dongle for Apple’s dear iLineup. Hot on the heels of New Potato’s FLPR, ThinkFlood’s RedEye mini and Power A’s solution comes this: an all-too-similar way to convert your iPod touch, iPhone or forthcoming iPad into a universal remote. Functionality wise, there’s really nothing here that the other guys don’t provide, though the beefed-up database of over 40,000 IR codes should make setting up your system a breeze. Users simply plug this into their dock connector, download the free application from the App Store and then dial up whatever components they have; once loaded, the IR beamer should do the rest, nixing the need to keep those 40 remotes around. It’s expected to start shipping any day now for $69.95.

i-Got-Control IRB1 dongle gives your iPhone / iPod touch universal remote functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Slashgear  |  sourcePR Newswire, i-Got-Control  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 18

Apple Pays $400 Million for Beatles Catalogue

Posted in: Apple, itunes, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on March 10, 2008 by CyberNet.

beatles catalogue It’s been a hard day’s night, and we’re sure Steve Jobs and company over at Apple have been working like a dog to convince Paul McCartney that iTunes should be able to sell the Beatles Catalogue. Whether it’s the fact that he’s going through a bitter, not to mention expensive divorce with Heather Mills or that Apple just kept on him long enough, rumor has it that the songs will be coming “within months.”

The Beatles, which are known as one of the most successful pop and rock bands of all time have recorded over 200 songs. It’s not clear at this point how many of those songs will be available on iTunes but what is clear is how much Steve Jobs paid to get the catalogue… $400 million dollars! It sure is a lot of money, but what an investment for Apple. That money will be shared among Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, as well as the families of George Harrison and John Lennon. Also receiving some of the money will be Michael Jackson, EMI, and Sony who own publishing rights or certain recordings.

Hopefully those songs will be available on iTunes Plus without the DRM because there are going to be lots of Beatles fans wanting to buy the songs, but without the restrictions.

Source

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Mar 04

Switched On: Why it’s time for an iTunes TV subscription

Posted in: Apple, column, ipad, itunes, switched on, SwitchedOn, Today's Chili, TV

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

In the 10 billionth song that Apple sold through iTunes, Johnny Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way”, a man other than Steve Jobs famous for black attire bemoans the happenstance of his romantic misfortune. But nothing could be further from the story of iTunes, in which Apple’s meticulously crafted ownership of the end-user experience led to a dominant position in music sales. Now, on the dawn of releasing a new device that could be to television shows what the iPod was to music, Apple has an opportunity to create as commanding a lead in TV distribution — if it is willing to again capitulate to consumers’ media consumption habits.

Apple has enjoyed great success with iTunes in part because it adopted the purchase-to-own model that had been so successful with CDs and records before them. However, Apple didn’t simply mirror that model. By allowing consumers to purchase the vast majority of songs as singles, it provided better perceived value, Such an option was also a natural fit for the iPod, where playlists made it trivial to create the digital equivalent of “mix tapes.” The iPod’s capacity for thousands of songs was also no match for most albums that typically had a dozen or so songs.

Continue reading Switched On: Why it’s time for an iTunes TV subscription

Switched On: Why it’s time for an iTunes TV subscription originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 04

Sony’s Mythical PSPad a Combination of the iPad and PlayStation [Rumor]

Posted in: Apple, ipad, itunes, psp, rumor, sony, Today's Chili, top, tweet

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sony’s gearing up to take on Apple this year, with the long-awaited PSP phone and a netbook/eBook reader/PSP hybrid to fight the iPad.

And just in the nick of time for our Sony tough love fest, We Miss Sony!

There aren’t extensive details available yet—including any info about pricing and specs—but we can expect to see the both the PSP phone and the PSPad sometime this year. The Sony Ericsson PSP phone, in particular, has been in the works since at least 2007, but has met with various delays since then.

As for the multifunction iPad competitor, it’s not clear exactly what form that will take. Both devices, though, will leverage the media platform Sonys launching later this month. The Sony Online Service—a temporary name—is going to provide similar media content as iTunes, but will supplement its offerings with its extensive (and exclusive) catalog of PlayStation games. Mostly older games are expected to be available on the mobile devices.

The project is apparently being speared by Kunimasa Suzuki, who has an oversight role in both Sony’s Vaio and PlayStation businesses. Getting previously disparate corporate divisions to work together has been a major part of CEO Howard Stringer‘s turnaround plan, making the PSPad an incredibly important sign of if that labor has born any fruit. Is this the Sony renaissance we’ve been longing for? Or will it be another in a long line of proprietary format failures? We’ll find out soon, either way. [WSJ]

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