music

Free and legal music downloads

There's no such thing as a free lunch. What there most definitely is is a lot of truth to that statement. If you're getting something like cable or music downloads for free, what you're doing is almost certainly illegal and it's probably taking away from the livelihood of someone who works just as hard as you do. OK, what it is mostly doing is reducing some ridiculously wealthy executive's bottom line, and I'm not one to guilt-trip people on that tip--especially if the company happens to be Comcast (don't even get me started). … Read more

Ringtone roundup: Top 5 are frozen in time

Each week, Crave tracks the most popular ringtones.

For all we know, the top five ringtones may be cemented in place for all of eternity. The same 10 ringtones make up the top 10 this week, except a few have switched places.

See the full Billboard ringtone chart right here.

Unk's "2 Step" holds on to the top spot and will presumably do so until everyone in America has downloaded it. Then, we'll all be confused whenever a phone rings, because everyone will have the same ringtone.

Elsewhere on the charts, Koji Kondo's "Super … Read more

News roundup: MMORPG economies, resignations, and music videos

BBC to broadcast in 'Second Life'. BBC's show The Money Programme will broadcast on Friday both on regular television and in the MMORPG Second Life. This episode of The Money Programme deals with with the economies that have sprung up as a result of these micropayment-filled virtual currency markets, including World of Warcraft, Lord of the RingsOnline, and Second Life. The social network has played host to several other real-life events in the past, including concerts and business meetings.

Warner to put ad-supported video archive online. Warner music is putting together a platform to deliver music videos and other … Read more

iTunes updates for DRM-free music

After Steve Jobs' open letter to record executives back in February, it was clear that DRM-free music (music without digital rights management technology) wasn't far away for Apple users. Today, the concept became a reality with the release of iTunes 7.2 (download it for Windows or Mac OS X).

As of today, all of the songs from music label EMI on Apple's iTunes Store will be free of DRM via a new service called iTunes Plus. (Note: that link will open iTunes and take you to iTunes Plus, but only if you have version 7.2 installed.)… Read more

Tiny speaker claims boom sans box

Until MP3 players and phones get built-in speakers with truly big sound, we may be stuck with mutant-looking plug-in versions to let loose our inner boombox. Various companies are come up with stopgap solutions that may not look pretty but are at least aimed at delivering beach-boardwalk volume without blowing up.

One of them is the "PodXtreme," which won't win any beauty contests but claims to have a bass that no standard handheld's built-in speakers can come close to achieving, at least not yet, according to OhGizmo. The secret is something that looks like a … Read more

Pandora escapes browser, heads for phones and living rooms

Internet radio service Pandora is now lending its services to mobile phones and living rooms in a new platform called Pandora Everywhere. Sprint phone subscribers will be able to access the mobile version of Pandora to listen to music, give songs the thumbs up or down, bookmark what they like, and get new music recommendations based on their tastes. Pandora to Go is free for 30 days, and jumps to a $2.99 monthly subscription when the trial is over.

The Pandora Everywhere platform is also launching with support for home products from Sonos, the music hardware that connects to … Read more

Pandora's music box on Sprint phones

SAN FRANCISCO--At an event here Tuesday night, Pandora Media unveiled an updated Web site and new partnerships that would make its streaming Internet radio service more mobile.

Pandora, the third-largest Internet radio service, with nearly 7 million registered users, according to founder Tim Westergren, said it teamed with Sprint to sell its music recommendation service over the company's cell phones. Pandora will cost $2.99 per month after a free 30-day trial on select Sprint phones.

It also struck a deal with digital-media player maker Sonos to stream music into the home wirelessly for $36 a year. And down … Read more

A sound idea: Little birds have plenty to say

Japan's Tomy is making little plastic replicas of American birds that, in an interesting cultural twist, will sing with an American accent. Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, you name it. Tokyomango says they're "touch sensory," meaning that the song begins as soon as the bird is handled. (I still like Tomy for the corny basketball-suspended-in-water games it made eons ago.)

Before you invest in one of these plastic twerps, you'll want to select the proper birdsong to match your mood or decor. Check out real calls at Whatbird.com or the best American bird sound library … Read more

Sonos offers new hardware bundle, adds Pandora compatibility

In the past, Sonos has offered two configurations of its multiple-room Digital Music System--the original ZonePlayer 100 Bundle, and the more recent ZonePlayer 80 Bundle. The built-in amplifier on the ZP100 meant that you needed only to add speakers, while the ampless ZP80 was designed to plug into a nearby stereo system, AV receiver, or boom box. As of today, the company is splitting the difference. The new BU130 bundle includes one ZP100, one ZP80, and--the key ingredient--the company's unique CR100 wireless remote, which offers complete control of the two-room system with its iPod-like scroll wheel and color LCD … Read more