music

My post-iTunes life

iTunes 11 is finally here. I hear that it's a step in the right direction, correcting many of the missteps and redundancies that have crept into the bloated software over the years.

But I can't really give you a full opinion on iTunes 11 because I really haven't spent that much time with it on a personal level.

That's because I don't use my Mac for media.… Read more

Rumor Has It: 'iRadio' could be music to Apple's ears

It seems that every couple months, rumors heat up about Apple releasing a Pandora rival. But this time, analysts give a rough time frame of 2013 for "iRadio," which they say will be "vastly superior" to Pandora.

What could Apple's streaming-music service offer that would make it superior to any of the other services that are out there right now? Let us know in the comments!

Also this week, a Facebook rumor gets debunked in around 48 hours, and Asus might be cooking up another low-cost tablet, but we're too into watching TV to … Read more

How to improve sound quality in iTunes

While there are a number of media players and audio programs that can be used to play music through your Mac, iTunes being a library and content manager as well as a player that comes preinstalled on Mac systems makes it the most popular option out there. The program offers simple controls for sorting through music, generating playlists, and playing your music, but in addition there are some settings that can be used to greatly improve sound quality during playback.

The first of these is the Sound Enhancer setting in the iTunes preferences, which is activated by going to the … Read more

Pandora shares plummet after hours on weak outlook

Pandora Media, the company behind the Web's largest radio service, saw its share price drop nearly 20 percent in after-hours trading this evening.

The company's dismal forecast spooked Wall Street, which was already growing skeptical of the company's business model. Pandora shares declined 18 percent, or $1.71, to $7.74. When Pandora went public earlier this year, the company's shares changed hands at more than $16.

Pandora reported net income of just over $2 million, or a penny a share, on sales of $120 million in its fiscal third quarter, which ended Oct. 31. That … Read more

iTunes Store opens in Russia, 55 other countries in hefty expansion

Just days after releasing a new version of iTunes, Apple has announced an expansion of its iTunes Store into Russia and dozens of other countries, nearly doubling the number of countries in which it has a presence.

In addition to Russia, the popular music platform has landed in Turkey, India, South Africa, and 52 other countries, Apple announced today. The addition of the 56 countries brings the total number of countries with iTunes Store access to 119.

With the launch, Apple touted the selection of local and international music tailored to its new audiences.

"The iTunes Store features local … Read more

Tubalr: Spotify and YouTube rolled into one

Tubalr has been making a buzz among the Web community quite recently by bringing a service everyone has been asking for but has never been quite fulfilled until now. This simple Web app lets you create playlists from YouTube videos. Simply input a search term, select between 'only' and 'similar' depending on how much you want to narrow down your options, and Tubalr will auto-generate a video playlist according to your search. The 'only' function will bring up videos directly relevant to your key term while hitting 'similar' can bring up a variety of related videos.

For example, we started … Read more

Get a Logitech Bluetooth Wireless Speaker for $49.99

This is an update of a deal I wrote about nearly a year ago.

I'm a big fan of Bluetooth speakers. Plunk one down just about anywhere and you can wirelessly stream tunes from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. I have one of those Jawbone Jamboxes, and it's proven a great little accessory.

But pricey: they sell for around $120 and up. Here's a much more affordable alternative: for a limited time, and while supplies last, Meritline has the refurbished Logitech 980-000589 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker for $49.99 shipped. Though a discontinued product, it sells elsewhere for … Read more

The Audiophiliac's favorite music Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs

Every now and then, I like to report on the best new discs that have come my way. Let's get started!

Amy Winehouse: "At the BBC" (CD/DVD) Fourteen stunning performances from 2004 to 2009 showcase aspects of her talent that the studio recordings gloss over. The DVD, "The Day She Came to Dingle," is a documentary featuring Winehouse at the height of her powers in December 2006 in a tiny church in Ireland. She's backed up with just guitar and bass, so her voice, in all its glory, is upfront and clear. Awesome!… Read more

Top streaming-radio apps for iOS and Android

There are tons of music-listening apps in both of the big app stores, but when you want to find new music, there's nothing better than a streaming-radio app. These apps are set up for browsing through stations and genres so you can get a fresh dose of new options based on the music you like.

The obvious choice here is an app like Pandora (free - iOS|Android), but there are a few I like that have other options that might appeal to different types of music listeners.… Read more

Stream and share YouTube music videos with Tubalr

A small music app named Tubalr took off this week when its developer posted about his app on Reddit, asking simply, "It's not Pandora, Spotify, or Rdio... but it's something I've been making the past 2 years. What do you guys think?"

Three days and more than 2,500 comments later, a side project that earns no revenue suddenly has a bright future. According to Cody Jack Stewart, the man behind the app, Tubalr "makes searching YouTube for your favorite artists/bands simple and quick." After using Tubalr today, I would have to … Read more