CasaTunes Debuts Low Profile XL Music Server

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CasaTunes has been offering its line of music servers for whole home music systems for a while now and has unveiled a couple of new models. The new models include the XLi and XLe models with multi-streaming capability. The Xli can stream up to five streams at one time and the XLe can stream up to nine independent feeds at once.

Both of the music servers use a hardware-based multi-zone switch to stream to one or more rooms. Each zone gets its own volume control and EQ settings. The switch also ensures that each room using the same feed has synchronized sound with no delays or echoes. Read more

Posted on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Olive Unveils 4HD Music Server

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Olive has unveiled its latest home music server and blazed a new category with the product for HD Hi-Fi servers. The Olive 4HD has 24-bit sound and a 192kHz sample rate offering 250 times the resolution of a CD.

Storage for the 4HD is to a 2TB internal HDD and the device is capable of accessing any digital music library. The server also has a built-in CD drive that allows music to be copied directly to the internal HDD. Tracks can also be imported from Mac and Windows computers. Read more

Posted on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

The Speakal iPom: Flower Powered Music

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Today Speakal announced the launch of the iPom apple shaped speaker. This new gadget can accept music directly from SD cards or USB drives, and can also connect to your media player via 3.5mm headphone jack. It is compatible with the Zune, iPod, iPhone, CD players, computers, and gaming consoles.

The iPom's design deserves a word. The base is shaped like an apple and contains a 12 Watt subwoofer. The device's two speakers are each contained in a separate flower. Users can remove the flowers from their stand and position them in order to create a surround sound effect. The design looks a little silly, but the idea is pretty neat.

Posted on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:29:47 CST | by Robert Evans

New Study: Pirates Buy The Most Music

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A new study from the UK (via The Independent) has shown what many piracy-advocates have been saying for years. While the average person spends around £34 a year on music, people who self-identify as pirates spend an average of £77. The pirates are also the ones buying music in greater quantities. For years, piracy advocates have claimed that most users only pirate as a way to 'test' new bands and seek out more music to buy.

While no study can prove that fact 100%, this is certainly more evidence in favor of it. More importantly, this news should be a sign to the labels that, by punishing pirates, they're only hurting their biggest customers. I'm no fan of illegal downloading, but it's not something any corporation of government entity is ever going to be able to erase. Pirates will always find a way.

Posted on Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:20:51 CST | by Robert Evans

Google Music Search Goes Live

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The rumored Google Music search is going live. With the Google Music search features you can search and more easily discover millions of songs, all via a simple Google web search.
When you enter a music-related query — like the name of a song, artist or album — your search results will include links to an audio preview of those songs provided by their music search partners MySpace (which just acquired iLike) or Lala. When you click the result you'll be able to listen to an audio preview of the song directly from one of those partners. Read more

Posted on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

MySpace Launches Music Products for Artists and Fans

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MySpace has announced a new music service aimed at connecting artists and fans together. The global rollout of the program has started and it is called MySpace Music Video Experience. The product also includes a MySpace Artist Dashboard that is a free data and analytics tool for artists.

Users can now also purchase the tracks they listen to directly on iTunes. Functionality of the new service includes a new music video hub within MySpace. Music Video Recommendations based on what friends are watching, alphabetical Video search, and a video player with buy buttons. Read more

Posted on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Google Music Service Rumored [Update]

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Google is rumored to soon launch a music service according to a report on TechCrunch.
It could be named Google Audio, but this name is not very sexy in my mind. It is not known yet if the Google music service would be streaming like Spotify or a download service like iTunes. Read more

Posted on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:01:29 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

EU Turns Down The Music

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If you were born at any point since the invention of the Walkman, you probably have some media-player related hearing damage. Music sounds better loud, especially when you're young. There's a tendency to pump up the volume without really thinking about the fact that you're hurting your eardrums with every bassline. That's why the European Union's decided to issue an ultimatum to their gadget manufacturers. (Yahoo! Tech)

The EU will now require manufacturers to cap default sound levels at 80 decibels (France chose 100). Users will be able to change this default at any time in order to gain full control of their volume knob, but all products will come with a low setting as the baseline. The EU hopes this will make people more aware of the damage they're doing to their ears.

Posted on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:30:34 CDT | by Robert Evans

Music Ringtone Revenues Predicted to Decline Significantly

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The mobile phone market is slowing down in many categories and along with slowing mobile phone, sales sales of accessories are dropping in some categories too. Further declines in music ringtone revenue are predicted to occur for a second consecutive year predicts research firm IBISWorld.

The research firm predicts that revenue from the music ringtone market will decline by 15% from the peak revenue of $880 million achieved in 2007. The revenue for 2009 for the industry is predicted to be $750 million. Read more

Posted on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Nokia 5130 Xpress Music for T-Mo Hits

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T-Mobile released a press bulletin today, announcing the coming of the Nokia 5130 to their carrier. The 5130 is a pretty standard feature phone. Very slim, 2.0 megapixel camera, external music controls, and Stereo Bluetooth technology. It's nothing fancy, but it should make a very good media player/phone.

Posted on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:46:42 CDT | by Robert Evans

Sony Ericsson to Change Music, Reinvent Hyperbole

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Oh my. According to Boy Genius, Sony Ericsson has just announced a major event in the history of music, scheduled for September 21st. Their 'put your ears in control' event is supposed to change the way we listen to music forever.

Like everyone else on the planet with an ear for exaggeration, I don't believe Sony will bring any revolutionary changes to the face of music. More than likely we're looking at a new Walkman-type media player. BGR notes that Eldar Murtazin expects a new radio headset to come out of all this, which sounds interesting but not earth-shattering.

Posted on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:09:45 CDT | by Robert Evans

Apple September Music Event Video Available

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Apple has published the video of yesterday's event on the Apple site. You can also download the Apple September 9th event as video podcast in iTunes under Apple Keynotes. As every time, I wished Apple would do a live video broadcast.

For a round-up what Apple announced yesterday read this report.
Read more

Posted on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:17:50 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Apple Music Event: Steve Jobs in Attendance

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The title just about says it all. A Bloomberg reporter has spotted Mr. Jobs and his trademark turtleneck entering the rear of the building prior to the event.

We've been wondering for weeks whether or not Steve was going to show up at the big event this year. Now we know that he will, which most likely means that he'll be delivering the keynote address this year. I can't imagine Steve sitting around and letting someone else have all the fun when he's actually in attendance.

Posted on Wed, 9 Sep 2009 11:56:06 CDT | by Robert Evans

Spotify Music Streaming Client Also Runs On Nokia S60

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Spotify, the all you can eat subscription music streaming service is already all over the news today. The reason? The Spotify client is available today on the iPhone App Store and the Android market.
Now Spotify also demonstrates a Spotify Client for Nokia S60 phones in a video on their blog (watch it below). Read more

Posted on Mon, 7 Sep 2009 10:40:23 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Testing The Thumbplay Music Store for Android/BlackBerry

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Last week, the Thumbplay Music Store launched on both the BlackBerry App World and the Android Market. Thumbplay bragged that their store was the first online music store to launch for both smartphone platforms and stated that this launch was just the first step in a progressive product roll-out. Their end goal is to provide other smartphone users with the same "entertainment functionality" that iTunes affords iPhone users.

That's a lofty goal to have, but a difficult one to achieve. Yesterday I had a chance to talk with several members of Thumbplay's team including Evan Schwartz, the company's co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer. They were excited about the new music store, but quick to assure me that it was only the beginning.

Posted on Wed, 2 Sep 2009 06:00:00 CDT | by Robert Evans

Seagate Offers Music Skins for External Hard Drives

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Seagate has unveiled a new line of music skins that users can take advantage of to customize their external hard drives. The skins are offered in conjunction with MusicSkins and are available for the FreeAgent Go and FreeAgent Go for Mac.

A wide range of skins are available to customize the drives and all skins use the same 3M adhesive technology to prevent air bubbles and allow for clean removal. Skins are available with musicians, Adult Swim characters and can even be made with personal photos and images. Read more

Posted on Tue, 1 Sep 2009 10:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Spotify Music Streaming App Approved For the iPhone App Store

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Apple has approved the Spotify App for the iPhone according to the Spotify blog. Spotify customers in the UK, Sweden, France, Spain, Norway and Finland will be able to download Spotify for free from the App Store soon.

This is big news as Spotify competes with the Apple iTunes music offering, but I think Apple needed to also open up to competing offerings sooner or later to stay on a growth path for the iPhone platform. Read more

Posted on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:42:31 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Apple to Announce New iPod and Music Stuff Early September

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Apple is pretty much on a consistent schedule with product introduction. It is not surprising that AllThingsDigital claims to know about an Apple Event that will take place in the week of September 7th. In 2008 Apple held a press-event dubbed Let's Rock on September 9th to unveil the new iPod nano.

Since Microsoft has a pretty hot new Zune coming out on September 15th, it is also smart for Apple to spoil the Zune HD launch with some hot new iPod players. Read more

Posted on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:11:34 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Music 'Cocktails' Coming to iTunes

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It's not been the best time ever for record companies. The Internet has completely shifted their business model, and now they are struggling to survive in a world that no longer needs them. Artists have always made more money from touring than record sales, which is why many of them are starting to turn away from the labels in droves. Apple's iTunes remains one of the few surviving islands of profitability for the labels, and now even that is turning against them.

Customers are ordering more and more single songs and less albums. That cuts down on profits for the labels, so they've been hard at work trying to find some way to increase whole album sales. One of their new ideas is to start offering music 'cocktails' on iTunes. Read more

Posted on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:00:00 CDT | by Robert Evans

MTV Games and Harmonix Offer a Way for Bands to Get Music on Rock Band Network

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Harmonix and MTV Games announced the Rock Band Network that gives musicians and record labels the ability to author their own original recordings into files that can be played and sold as Rock Band tracks. The tracks will be sold through the new Rock Band Network Music Store.

The Rock Band Network is set to launch in late August 2009 in the U.S. and will offer a toolset and detailed documentation on how to start the process of turning music into Rock Band files. Players will be able to demo samples of the songs before they purchase and the tracks will debut exclusively on the Xbox 360 for 30 days. Read more

Posted on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

New Bose SoundLink Wireless Music System unveiled

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Bose has introduced the SoundLink wireless music system, a one-piece portable speaker system that allows you to stream music from your computer wirelessly.
Bose says that the new Bose SoundLink system was designed as a simple solution for people who listen to music stored on their computer, but don’t want to be at their computer to enjoy it.

No software or Wi-Fi connection is required. Just plug the included SoundLink USB key into the computer, select music from iTunes, Pandora, or any other Internet radio or music source and the audio will stream to the SoundLink system via a long-range wireless link that works through most walls and floors.
Read more

Posted on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:30:41 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr