Apple has introduced a new iTunes feature called iTunes Preview that lets those without the application, or those that don't want to launch the software in full, view some content.

Currently limited to music, it's a big change from Apple's previous way of dealing with iTunes links where those without the app would get a blank page informing the person only that they would have to install iTunes to view the content.

Links to an iTunes Preview page can be generated through the iTunes Store "Copy Link" feature while the iTunes Preview page allows browsing of artists and albums including artist biographies, similar acts suggestions and prices.

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Tags: Software Apple Audio iTunes Music software

Apple intros online iTunes Preview originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:29:05 +0000

Shazam has announced the launch of the previously promised "premium" version of its iPhone app called Shazam Encore.

A paid-for download, as opposed to the previous free offering, Shazam is promising new functionality including improved speed performance.

There's also now music recommendations that suggests songs similar to the track the user has tagged for identification, lists of what's popular, the ability to search music and a "car mode" said to "make it simple to discover what’s playing on the radio even when driving".

Shazam will continue to offer the free Shazam app on the App Store but new users will now be limited to identifying five tracks per month. ?

Those who've previously downloaded the free app "will get all of these great features they've come to expect from Shazam without any limitations", as well as new Facebook integration says the company. ?

The Shazam Encore app is available for ?2.99, 3.99 euros or $4.99 now.

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Tags: Phones iPhone apps Shazam Audio Music software App Store

Shazam launches new paid-for "Encore" iPhone app originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:45:27 +0000

Sony Creative Software has announced the launch of "1000 Ringtones", a DVD containing ringtones designed for the Apple iPhone.

As well as music, the ringtones include sound effects and spoken words and users can select tones for incoming calls, emails and text messages.

In a move that will see iPhone owners bypassing Apple iTunes Store's charges for ringtones, the files are in MP3 and M4R format and can be used straight away by syncing the selected files with iTunes.

The DVD includes a tutorial video that demonstrates how to get the tones loaded on the iPhone in "simple steps".

"iPhone devices are one of the most popular cell phones on the market. We invite users to add a personal touch to their device with 1000 Ringtones", said Dave Chaimson, Sony Creative Software vice president of global marketing.

"1000 Ringtones" is now available for $19.95 in the States and for ?12.95 here in the UK.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phone apps Sony Music software Ringtones Audio Sony Creative Software iPhone Apple iTunes

Sony offers 1000 Ringtones for the iPhone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:19:24 +0000

Spotify will shortly be launching an improved MP3 purchasing experience for tracks on its streaming service. It's always been possible to buy MP3s through a right-click menu, but clicking that just opened a browser window that took you to 7digital's website.

From now onward, every single track and album in Spotify's catalogue will have a great big stonking "buy" button next to it. Clicking that button will open up a floating window in the Spotify application which lets you put in your card details to buy an MP3. Once you've done that, tracks download to a "Spotify" folder in your music directory.

There's also now a "purchases" button in the sidebar from which you can play any MP3s that you've downloaded through the service. You can redownload a file that you've bought 3 to 5 times, and the download quality differs between tracks but are mostly 256 or 320kbps.

Is this Spotify trying to add short-term referral cash to its incoming revenue streams, or providing a feature that users have been clamouring for? The company says the latter - what do you think?

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Tags: Audio Software Spotify Music software Music downloads Music 7digital Video

VIDEO: Spotify debuts improved MP3 purchases originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:17:18 +0100

Spotify is continuing celebrations of its 1-year anniversary and as part of the jamboree, the company's founder and CEO, Daniel Ek, has taken some time out to pen a blog post about the future of Spotify, and his thoughts on the state of the global Music industry. In it, he concedes that ads "devalue" music, but says that they're earning his company "millions of euros" in revenues each month.

He said: "I first considered writing about the state of ad-supported music, and given that I care more than most about figuring out a revenue model that doesn’t devalue music, it probably wouldn’t praise wholeheartedly (as some may have expected it to do) the ad-supported space. Especially since Spotify’s business model is, and has been since launch, more about the mix of subscription and ad supported".

He went on to answer critics of Spotify's business model by pointing out that iTunes missed its revenue targets by 30% in its first year, saying that he's in it for the "long haul" - "We aren’t interested in just trying to hype the company and then "flipping it", he said, then adding: "The product has been our core and our main marketing message, and perhaps now is the time to modify that message".

He says that the music industry has the potential of becoming a $40 to $50 billion industry, and reckons that he's the man for the job. Spotify has repeatedly pointed to a survey that says that 80% of Spotify users file share considerably less after getting the software. Ek says that by increasing the amount of people with access to the music streams, setting a target of "trillions", piracy can be cut by "big chunks".

Ek says that the focus for Spotify in the coming months will be better library handling, making Spotify socially capable and improving the portability of the software - i.e. releasing more editions of the mobile version of the client.

Finally, Ek said that his biggest mistake with Spotify was to make it so dependant on its partners - the labels, composers, artists, etc. He said: "If we’re asking the industry to change, we need to be transparent and honest about the end goal - especially since we’re asking everyone to make a huge leap of faith to an unknown place where you could potentially argue that the industry risks its most profitable customers. We haven’t been as open as we could have been up until now, and that’s been an oversight on my behalf".

Many have said that Spotify could do with a little more openness, so it's refreshing to see Ek agree. He now needs to turn those words into action, and we'll keep you posted of what happens on that front.

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Related links:

• News - Spotify has 2.7 million users in the UK
• News - Spotify phones coming soon?

Tags: Audio Spotify Music software Music Biz

Spotify CEO: Advertising devalues music originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:55:17 +0100

Seemingly giving up on the bigger picture as far as hardware goes, Microsoft is considering offering its Zune software and services to other platforms, ZDNet reports.

The whisper is a credible one - it comes direct from Jose Pinero, director of communications for Microsoft's TV, video and music business. "We are evaluating a lot of options in terms of platforms", Pinero confirmed to ZDNet.

As well as devices from smaller players, this possible Zune offering is reported to include Apple's iPods, in a strategy said to be "under active consideration".

The logic goes that die-hard PC users may prefer using the Zune software on their Windows PCs, or the subscription-based model might appeal to those currently buying their songs piece-meal.

Pinero also confirmed that Microsoft is looking to bring the Zune music and video service to Windows Mobile phones. "Our next step is mobile phones, but we haven't talked about a timeline for when that will happen", Pinero said.

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Tags: Audio Software Microsoft Zune Apple iPod Music software Phones Zune HD

Zune services considered for iPods, other platforms originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:17:37 +0100

Spotify has announced that Premium users will shortly be able to access on their desktop the same "Offline mode" that exists on mobile versions of the streaming music company's software.

Subscribers will be able to right-click their playlists and select them as "available offline". If their web connection goes down, or they go out of wireless range, those playlists will then still be accessible. A marker will indicate which playlists can be accessed offline.

As previously mentioned, the feature is only available to Premium subscribers. That subscription costs ?10 per month and removes ads, ups the quality of the music and enables access to premium content, mobile Spotify, and this new feature.

Tags: Audio Music Spotify Music software

Spotify brings offline playback to desktop originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:16:52 +0100

doubleTwist, DVD Jon's media-syncing software company, is generating lots of publicity for a new version of its "media platform" product with a cheeky video that uses Apple's famous 1984 advert against it.

In the clip - shown above - drones wearing white iPod earphones are lectured to by a Steve Jobs-a-like until the screen is smashed with the message "On October 6 doubleTwist brings you choice".

Does the Apple-as-the-new-Microsoft argument ring true with you? Are you more likely to check out the new software because of this ad? Have your say in the comments box below.

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Related links:

• Link - Double Twist

Tags: Audio Music software doubleTwist Apple Video Advertising iTunes

VIDEO: doubleTwist parodies Apple's 1984 ad originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:51:56 +0100

Spotify has finally caved in to popular demand and added a PayPal payment option to its subscription services. Until now, the site only accepted Visa and Mastercard, meaning that many people without credit cards weren't able to switch to Premium.

PalPal supports Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards, and you can also link PayPal to your bank account to make direct payments. Spotify says: "If not having a credit card has been holding you back from subscribing, now is a great time to upgrade".

Unfortunately the PayPal service is only available to UK users at the time of writing. The company says it'll be adding more countries in the near future. Premium subscriptions cost ?10 per month and enable mobile access, removal of advertising, exclusive content and higher quality audio.

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Related links:

• News - Spotify updates playlist interface, promises more payment options

Tags: Audio Music Spotify Music software eBay

Spotify adds PayPal payment option originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:49:43 +0100

Shazam has announced that it has done a new deal with a mobile phone operator and teamed up with O2 to offer its music discovery service to O2 customers.

The agreement means that anyone on O2 can use the Shazam service by dialing 2580 on their mobile and holding it up to the music they want to know more about for a few seconds.

The Shazam service will then text the user back with the details about the track, and O2 customers will get a link embedded in that text that will allow them to immediately buy the song.

As far as charges go, each time users call the Shazam music service standard call charges apply (O2 reckons around 12p per call) then each successful identification (or "tag") costs 50p. If the tune can't be recognised, there's no charge.

Shazam has previously launched for platforms - such as the iPhone, Android devices and RIM's BlackBerry smartphones. In 2008 it hit a milestone of identifying over 100 million tracks.

Tags: Phones O2 Shazam Audio Music software Mobile phone apps

Shazam launches for O2 customers originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:01:00 +0100