News Archive for 06/04/24

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Ebay's Skype inks online music deal

04/24, 10:35pm

Skype enters online music

Ebay, following the launch of a new retail-like shopping service this week, may be preparing to enter the music download business through its Skype subsidiary and compete with Apple's iTunes. Skype has inked agreements with EMI Music Publishing and Warner Music Group to sell music from its internet store, according to Forbes.com. EMI said that the internet telephony company has rights to sell its songs and ring tones to its more than 95 million users. Skype, which does not yet have a formal internet music store, will reveal details later this week, but already sells generic ring tones for $1.20 each. While Ebay's Skype has permission to use its songs from the publisher’s catalog for downloading, subscriptions and master-tones on a world-wide basis, the company must get permission from individual record labels such as Warner, according to the report. Skype could sell full versions of digital songs on a per-song or subscription basis to compete with iTunes, Napster, Microsoft MSN Music, Rhapsody, and Yahoo! as well as mobile operators such as Sprint and Verizon.

CustomFlix to sell DVDs of TV shows

04/24, 7:20pm

DVDs of TV shows

Amazon.com's subsidiary, CustomFlix Labs, has signed deals with television networks including NBC Universal that could let it sell DVDs of television shows soon after they air, according to a new report. The Associated Press reports that a new agreement calls for CustomFlix to sell DVDs of archived shows with a niche audience--those such as NBC's "Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show" and "Antiques Roadshow" from PBS; however, "networks could choose to offer DVDs of television shows within 24 hours of the first airing, much like Apple's iTunes offers popular shows such as 'Lost' for sale online soon after they air." The agreement mitigates any potential risk for networks as the service creates the DVD on demand following the customer's order, thereby saving the network costly production and inventory expenses. The technology also could allow users to download or stream the shows over the Internet, although neither company had no announcements about such plans right now, according to the report.

ezGear ships ezSkin nano 3-packs

04/24, 6:20pm

ezSkin nano 3-packs ship

ezGear today launched the ezSkin nano three-pack, a set of protective covers designed specifically for iPod nanos. The ezSkin nano case is made from silicon with an anti-dust coating, providing a smooth surface while protecting the device. The covers feature an opening at the top for the Nano's hold switch, as well as openings on the bottom that provide access to the dock connector and headphone jack. ezSkin nanos cover the iPod's clickwheel with a thin layer of silicon, providing full touch sensitivity while guarding against scratches and grime. The ezSkin nano three pack ships with a removable neck strap, removable wrist strap, an integrated removable belt clip, and three clear ezShade screen protectors. The cases are priced at $20, and are available in three color combinations.

Open-source Puma takes on iTunes

04/24, 1:50pm

Puma 0.3.1 released

A developer today announced the arrival of Puma 0.3.1, an open-source media player set to compete with Songbird and iTunes. Still in its early sages, Puma takes a difference stance on modern media player design. "I don't believe that the current standard in user interface is 'how it should be,' and I've got a school full of college students that agree with me," wrote Puma author Nick Meyer. "Web browsers look alike because Web browser interface design has been evolving for a long time, that's not the case with media players. There's plenty of room for improvement and Puma hopes to address those design issues." Songbird -- an open-source alternative to Apple's iTunes -- had industry watchers speculating in early February whether iTunes' real competitor would be a corporation or an open-source project. Apple has managed to retain its hold on the digital music industry, however, and recently celebrated its one-billionth download. The author hopes to have a working version of Puma available for Mac OS X in the near future. Puma 0.3.1 is available for free, and requires Microsoft Windows as well a Java 5.0 JRE.

iPod nano knockoffs fly off the shelves

04/24, 12:45pm

iPod nano knockoffs

iPod knockoffs are flying off the shelves, so to speak, in Tiawan. Following a warning from Apple to its resellers last week about fake iPods, a new report says that the iPod nano knockoffs, which are manufactured in China, can cost as little as half of the regular price of Apple's iPod, according to The Tapaie Times. "The Nano Apple is available in three different storage capacities: 512MB, 1GB, 2GB. If you don't look carefully, the device could easily be mistaken for original Apple iPod nanos." The report says that the most noticeable difference is that instead of "Menu," which is written on the iPod nano's dial, the Nano Apple has an "M," and that the Nano Apple's "play" button is in the center of the dial, while the volume is controlled at the bottom of the dial. Both MP3 players have 1.5-inch screens, and "despite the slight alteration in the placement of the function keys, the look, finish and feel of the devices makes them indistinguishable from Apple Computer's product to the casual observer," according to the report.

iDictionary for iPod released

04/24, 10:45am

iDictionary released

Prosit Software has released iDictionary, an application that can upload a dictionary and/or thesaurus onto iPod digital media players. iDictionary utilizes the Oxford dictionary available with Mac OS X 10.4, along with filtering and optimization techniques to create a dictionary or thesaurus that can fit on an iPod. The dictionary/thesaurus is displayed using the built-in "Notes" feature, which is available on third-generation or newer iPods. The software includes an array of options enabling users to customize the dictionary to exclude words which match specified criteria, saving space that can be used to store music, photos, or video files. Users running iPodLinux can view both a dictionary and a thesaurus without limitation, because iPodLinux does not impose a 1,000 file viewing limit, as does Apple's "Notes" software. iDictionary is priced at $7, and all future upgrades are free for registered users.

Labels may buckle on iTunes pricing

04/24, 9:35am

iTunes pricing resolution?

The music labels may concede their position, after publicly jockeying for variable pricing on iTunes. The record industry may be prepare to waive the white flag and adonbdon its demand for iTunes to charge different prices for different songs, according to The New York Post. " Negotiations between Apple and the four major music companies - with which iTunes deals all expire in the next two months - have reached a crucial point as several record executives now say they are unlikely to convince Jobs to allow variable pricing, sources said. This marks a change of tune for the record industry as late last year several executives said they believed variable pricing - something the music companies have been pushing for - was imminent." The report says that Universal, Warner Music, SonyBMG and EMI North America are all in various stages of renegotiating their deals; however, pulling the music songs from the iTunes may be a (remote) possibility, which may help the record industry bargaining power.

Griffin updates PowerJolt for iPod

04/24, 9:20am

Griffin PowerJolt for iPod

Griffin today announced a new, updated PowerJolt Auto Charger and Power Adapter for iPod. The company said that the PowerJolt has been redesigned for ease of use, and its new stylish black industrial design that "complements any auto's interior." The PowerJolt charges an iPod, while allowing users to listen to their music library. It plugs into any available 12V accessory port or cigarette lighter socket and offers a convenient status LED that changes color to indicate whether the iPod is charging or fully charged. In addition, the PowerJolt protects the iPod with a replaceable fuse. It ships with a detachable, high quality 48-inch USB to Dock Connector cable that can be used for normal syncing and docking operations with your computer as well as a 48-inch USB to mini-USB cable for use with Griffin iTrip and iTrip nano. The $20 package, available now, also includes a free LE version of Griffin's exclusive iFill software that fills the iPod with music from MP3 streams such as the free Internet radio stations.