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Posts tagged music
Google readying launch of new music streaming service after signing deals with Sony and Universal Music
06 days
by J
Earlier this year, it was reported that Google was readying its very own music streaming service to take on the likes of Spotify and Internet radio service Pandora. A later report added just a bit more info, but we still haven’t really been able to get official confirmation from Google on the subject. Fortunately, it looks like we will soon, as a new report on The Verge has it that the big G plans to launch a new music streaming service tomorrow, at this year’s Google I/O developer’s conference.
The Verge‘s report is based on information coming from music industry sources, who also say that Google has already secured separate music licensing deals with both Sony and Universal Music. The licensing deals reportedly apply for both Google Play and YouTube, which are slated to let users sign up for separate music subscription services. What this means is that Google actually plans on launching multiple music subscription services, and not just for Google Play, but for YouTube, the popular online video streaming site, as well.
It’s worth noting that as of this time’s writing, Google has already signed music licensing deals with the three biggest music labels in the world, which are Sony, Universal Music, and Warner Music. The keys are now in place, basically, and all that’s left is for Google to turn the ignition and get the whole thing started. It’s like a party that’s just waiting to happen now. And as the report from The Verge — as well as a number of other sources including Bloomberg and the WSJ — now states, that party will happen tomorrow at Google I/O.
There’s one important bit of information missing from all of today’s reports on the upcoming Google music streaming service, and that is information on pricing. But we’re sure that if Google does officially announce it at Google I/O, then we will get the info soon enough. And we’ll be sure to let you know about it right away. For now, keep following our Google I/O coverage for more.
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HTC One stars in new promo clip and music video
059 days
by J
![htc-one-right-far[aa]](http://cdn03.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/htc-one-right-faraa.jpg)
To drum up the interest for the One, delayed in most markets, HTC is kicking marketing into high gear, with new ads and music video appearances.
HTC is having problems bringing its 2013 flagship to market, with the One being delayed in most markets until late April. That’s a massive problem for the ailing phone maker, given the impending arrival of the One’s biggest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S4. HTC can’t even dream to compete with Samsung when it comes to marketing budgets, so it has to make the most of the slight time advantage it still has over the Galaxy S4.
While HTC can’t afford to fill ad breaks with its commercials or plaster the world with billboards like its Korean competitor can, the Taiwanese outfit has begun releasing promotional videos centered on the One’s biggest selling points.
We’ve already seen two promos showing off the One’s Flipboard-like BlinkFeed homescreen replacement, and now HTC unveiled a commercial for BoomSound (the marketing name of the One’s stereo sound setup). The ad will air in Germany, one of the few markets where the HTC One will start selling as soon as next week.
Moreover, the HTC One stars in a music video from the Dubai-based electronic duo Hollaphonic. Check it out below.
What do you think about HTC’s ads and promos? Do they work?
The post HTC One stars in new promo clip and music video appeared first on Android Authority.
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Magic Radio by doubleTwist has been launched, aims to win the music streaming competition (video)
069 days
by J
The internet is abuzz today with a new music streaming service by doubleTwist. Called Magic Radio, it looks to directly compete with music streaming services like Spotify and Pandora. At a paltry a month, it’s definitely cheaper than, or on par with, other music streaming services and Magic Radio boasts a superior library of music.
To get get started with Magic Radio, you download the already popular doubleTwist Player music app from the Google Play Store. Open the app and you can start your 7 day free trial of Magic Radio. As stated, the service has a recurring monthly charge of .99. What’s nice about it is that you can use your Google account to pay for it so there is no long forms to fill out. Just confirm purchase and go.
Once you’re in, it’s a pretty familiar interface for those who use these streaming apps frequently. You can set up radio stations based on genres or artists you like. A perk is since you pay for the service, all the streaming is completely ad free and there are none of those skip song limits like you’d see on Pandora. Also, as the video below points out, Magic Radio has over 15 million songs at their disposal. That is more than most streaming services by a wide margin.
Is Magic Radio by doubleTwist worth using?
Our initial thoughts are that this is a very impressive streaming service. So far it’s been able to play most of what we’ve thrown at it, including the most popular stuff. There is the ability to share songs you’re listening to via Facebook and Twitter. If you don’t like a station or an option, you can simply swipe to delete it. All in all, a very strong offering from doubleTwist. The only caveat is that you have to pay for it. There is no free, ad-supported option.
We’ll save our full opinion of Magic Radio for our full, official review tomorrow so if you want to check it out more, stay tuned as we’ll be bringing you more in depth information about Magic Radio. Also, Derek Ross, Scott Anderson, and the rest of the Android Authority On Air crew will have doubleTwist Chief Creative Officer Sebastiaan de With on the show for an interview this coming Thursday at 9:30pm Eastern Standard Time. So be sure to check in on our Google+ page around that time if you want to check that out.
If you want to see more, check the video below. For those who have used it, what is everyone’s take on doubleTwist’s Magic Radio so far?
The post Magic Radio by doubleTwist has been launched, aims to win the music streaming competition (video) appeared first on Android Authority.
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GMusicFS allows access to Google Play Music files on third-party media players
070 days
by J
Google Play Music offers a great service by letting you store all your music files in the cloud, giving you access to them across devices, and on-the-go, while also saving treasured storage space. With devices like mine that don’t have microSD slots (HTC One X+ and the Nexus 7, in case you were wondering), this is a huge boon. Of course there’s a catch. In this case, you can play these files using only the Google Music app, which means that if you’re a fan of third-party players like DoubleTwist, Winamp, and the numerous others available on the Google Play Store, there’s nothing you can do. Until now, that is.
Senior XDA Member bubbleguuum has come up with GMusicFS, an app that gives you a way to access all your Google Music files using third-party media players. The app accesses your Google account, imports track information, and then mounts the cloud drive as local storage, allowing all other players to open these files as if they were stored on your phone. The app is very easy to use, but offers functionality that a lot of users have been looking forward to.
It’s important to note that this is only a beta release of the app, and is not without its issues. GMusicFS will also work only on a device with root access, which is required to mount the cloud drive as internal storage. For the full list of requirements and progress updates, check out the original XDA thread here.
What are your thoughts? Were looking forward to an app that features the functionality that GMusicFS has? If you’ve tried out this app, share your experiences in the comments section below.
The post GMusicFS allows access to Google Play Music files on third-party media players appeared first on Android Authority.
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Apple reportedly talked to Beats about the Project Daisy streaming music service
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Apple CEO Tim Cook and SVP of internet services, Eddy Cue reportedly met with Beats Electronics CEO and Interscope-Geffen-A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine to discuss his and co-founder Dr. Dre’s planned Project Daisy Music Streaming service, among other things. According to Poornima Gupta and Ronald Grover at Reuters:
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook met with Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine during a visit to Los Angeles in late February to find out more about Beats’ “Project Daisy” [...] The meeting between Cook and Iovine, who is also chairman of music company Interscope-Geffen-A&M, was “informational” and covered a broad range of music-related topics, the sources said.
Apparently, they didn’t discuss specifics of a deal. Apple’s been rumored to be interested in subscription and streaming music services for years, but hasn’t been able to get the deal they want from the music industry, or shape the package they want to offer to their customers.
I imagine Cook and Cue have met with, and will continue to meet with, pretty much anyone and everyone in the industry, both about subscription music and about iTunes’ other interests, of which there are many.
The specifics of this instance are interesting, and a scoop for Reuters, but this is exactly what should be happening.
Anyone holding out hope that 2013 will finally be the year of Apple subscription music?
Source: Reuters
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Apple reportedly talked to Beats about the Project Daisy streaming music service
Tags: apple, beats, customers, industry, interests, music-streaming, other-interests, package, project-daisy, ronald-grover
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YouTube reportedly set to take on streaming music
076 days
by J
Reports suggest YouTube, our favorite place for cat videos and Game of Thrones trailers, is set to take on mobile streaming services like Pandora.
Speaking about the matter, a YouTube representative said “while we don’t comment on rumor or speculation, there are some content creators that think they would benefit from a subscription revenue stream in addition to ads, so we’re looking at that.” If a YouTube streaming music service is in the works, the game may have changed.
If YouTube can leverage its offerings versus what is available on the Play Store for purchase, Google has effectively found a way to bridge the gap between radio and purchased content. You could listen or watch on YouTube, then purchase that song or album on the Play Store. Rather than jump through search hurdles, Google could make it a much more streamlined process.
It also has implications for remixes, as well as lesser-known artists. Some YouTube music videos or performances go viral, but sales don’t always reflect that. A remix could utilize Google’s music recognition software to identify the original tune, if the remix isn’t available.
The project is reported to have the support of Time-Warner music, giving it instant credibility among record labels. Last month, Billboard music started working YouTube into their metrics, giving another layer of credence to the service as a respected entity for music. The real decision for record companies is whether or not the free service is lucrative enough for them, or if the paid service makes more sense. Studies show streaming music is popular, but users are more than willing to pay for ad-free music.
We’ll be waiting impatiently to see how this plays out. What do you think? Would you be interested in a YouTube streaming music service? What would get you to use this over the streaming music service you use now?
The post YouTube reportedly set to take on streaming music appeared first on Android Authority.
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Google preparing a music streaming service, Pandora and Spotify should be worried
087 days
by J
Google owns YouTube, the largest video streaming site in the world by a huge margin, and Play Music, the service that lets users download songs from a catalog of over 13 million of tracks. It makes perfect sense for the tech giant to move into the music streaming business, and, according to the Financial Times, that is precisely what Google is doing.
The move will put Google in competition with established music streaming services like Pandora and Spotify. When Apple was rumored to weigh in an entry in the sector, Pandora’s stock tanked, so I am wondering how the markets will react at the news of Google getting into streaming. Larry Page’s company has a reputation of offering free or cheap services, which would put even more pressure on a competitive and notoriously difficult industry.
As The Next Web notes, Google already announced plans to roll out paid subscriptions on YouTube. From there, the move to paid music subscriptions is logical and quite reasonable to envisage. Google certainly possesses the infrastructure required for the venture.
Also, Google’s Music Match service is similar to a streaming app, albeit without the paid subscription. With Music Match, Google scans the users’ drives for music, which it then proceeds to match with cloud-stored versions. Users of the service (limited to the US and some European countries) can then listen to up to 20,000 tracks directly from the cloud, from any Internet connected device.
My bet is Google will integrate the new streaming service into its current Google Music offering. As for when the new service is expected to launch, we have no information, but Google I/O would certainly make a great launch venue.
