itunes

After weeks of speculation, Apple finally launched iTunes Match yesterday. For $24.99 a year, iTunes Match grants you access to a copy of your iTunes library stored in the cloud. Subscribing to and setting up iTunes Match is a snap; all you need is patience commensurate with the size of your iTunes library.

First, make sure you are running the latest version of iTunes. On a Mac, go to iTunes > About iTunes to see which version you are running. If it's not version 10.5.1, go to iTunes > Check for Updates to download and install the latest version. On a PC, you can access the About iTunes and Check for Updates menu options from the Help menu.… Read more

Apple may finally be ready to launch iTunes Match, the subscription offering that will let users play ripped songs via Apple's iCloud service.

Apple has sent an e-mail to developers who are testing the beta version of Match, informing them that their stored songs would be wiped from iCloud servers and reminding them to back up their libraries on their computers. It's not the first time such a data reset has taken place, but the wording of the e-mail may suggest the service's debut is nigh.

"As we prepare for the launch of iTunes Match, we … Read more

Welcome to Roadside Assistance, in this week's show, a user has some insight into our issues with the Bluetooth streaming in a VW, we help one of you add new tunes to a goat, and we explain just what's so "HD" about TomTom's HD traffic.

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Apple has released the newest beta seed of iTunes 10.5 as well as iWork for iOS 3 to developers for testing.

Developers can now download both releases from the Developer Center Web site. iTunes 10.5 beta 8 includes a number of security improvements and bug fixes, focusing on iTunes Match (currently in beta as well). Developers can also test the ability to back up to iCloud from inside iTunes.

Developers should be aware that while testing the backup feature, Apple may occasionally delete all information from iCloud, meaning developers should keep a backup of all their information locally. … Read more

The cast of Buzz Out Loud has a message for HP that we hope they'll hear: guys. Seriously. Please stop talking. Don't tell the press you may or may not spin off your PC unit if you can figure out what that would mean for the company, and don't let the EVP of the PC business say HP might get back into tablets. I mean, how hard is that, really? Plus, Wikileaks springs a major leak, and Beyonce's baby pwns Twitter.

Subscribers have just a couple days before Netflix forces them into higher priced plans, iTunes Match gets released to developers, and Windows 8's Explorer window gets the ribbon from Office.

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

The bottom line: Mac OS X Lion is definitely a worthy upgrade for all Intel Mac users. Featuring several interface enhancements and useful new features across all the core apps, Mac OS X Lion is an excellent update for the price.

Review: When Apple showed off Mac OS X Lion at the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote speech earlier this year, it was clear the company had paid attention to its successes with the popular iOS devices, and was now beginning to include successful iOS features in its flagship OS. Also, with Apple laptops and tablets now far outpacing desktop sales, … Read more

CarTunes Music Player is the perfect app for the road or the gym. It lets you use gestures as music controls so you don't need to look at the device to control your music.

Upon launch, CarTunes will go through a brief tutorial showing you the main gestures to play a song, how to quickly move from track to track, and other options using a swipe-controlled interface. Simply touch to play, swipe left or right to switch tracks, or touch and hold in the middle to control a volume knob. To add songs and control the apps settings, swipe … Read more

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

The white iPhone 4 launches at long last

Microsoft admits a security breach on the Xbox

Google adds new voice features to the Chrome browser