gMusic updated with support for Google’s new All Access music service

By Cody Lee on May 23, 2013

I’ve been keeping an eye on the gMusic Twitter account all week. Last year the app was first to iOS with support for Google’s cloud-based Music storage, and I knew it’d be the same way this year with support for Google’s new All Access subscription service.

That support arrived today in the form of gMusic 6.0. And in addition to ‘All Access’ access, the update brings a number of useful playback and management features like the ability to create and play radio stations, and to search for/ add music to your library… Read More

 

Clinging for relevancy, Rhapsody revamps iOS app with tons of goodies

By Christian Zibreg on May 23, 2013

Remember Rhapsody, the jukebox app and music subscription service that once pitted itself as a chief rival to Apple’s iTunes, only to fail miserably? It’s been lingering out there ever since, watching its user base erode to not only iTunes, but to streaming music services Pandora and Rdio, which both received nice little updates yesterday. But don’t write Rhapsody off yet. Today, they’ve revamped their iOS app which they likened to “the Ferrari of iPhone apps”… Read More

 

Smule’s latest hit: social guitar-playing game for iPhone and iPad

By Christian Zibreg on May 23, 2013

Smule is among early iOS developers that have been continuously raising the bar on what’s possible on Apple’s iPhone. They make a bunch of social music-making applications and their latest offering is a free iPhone game called Guitar!.

Like many other Smule apps, Guitar! challenges you to play a virtual guitar on your iPhone or iPod touch and earn points based on your performance.

You can then compare your standings to your friends in global leaderboards. And as you progress, the app unlocks a range of Electric and Rock guitars that let you try out new guitar sounds. And no, you don’t have to be a musician as the whole point of the game is social music making. A promo video and other highlights are right after the break… Read More

 

Rdio 2.2 is out with new ‘Find People’ feature, improved UI and more

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

Hot on the heels of this morning’s update from Pandora comes a new version of the Rdio app for iOS. The update brings the music client to version 2.2, and includes a number of new features and improvements.

Perhaps the biggest change in today’s release is the addition of ”Find People,” a new tool that will make it easier for users to find friends and discover artists to follow. And the UI improvements are also blatant… Read More

 

Change the way you look at songs with iMusic

By Lory Gil on May 22, 2013

Apple’s Music app is kind of ugly. At least, that is what developers of music interface apps think. While I am perfectly content with Apple’s list and carousel design, plenty of iOS users are always looking for a diverse way to experience music.

Developed by jailbreak developer Saltb0x, the iMusic app satisfies your desire to view your music with a different design, plus makes it easy for you to share what you are listening to with others using a quick tweet, email, or text message… Read More

 

Pandora updated with new Facebook sharing options, improved music details and more

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

Good news Pandora users, an update for the popular iOS client landed in the App Store this morning, bringing it to version 4.3. The update includes a handful of new features, as well as the usual bug fixes and improvements.

As far as new features go, the highlight of today’s release is the improved Facebook integration. Users now have the ability to publish their favorite tracks and stations to the social network, helping others discover new music… Read More

 

Song skipping feature reportedly stalling iRadio talks

By Cody Lee on May 18, 2013

Industry chatter regarding ‘iRadio’ is really starting to pick up. Yesterday, a report surfaced claiming that Apple is struggling to reach deals with record labels because such a service has never been tried before. And today, we have even more details on the talks.

Citing sources with knowledge of the negotiations, CNET is reporting that the labels are actually very keen on Apple’s music service, but there’s a single issue keeping them from signing on the dotted line. Apparently, they can’t agree on song skipping terms… Read More

 

Tough negotiations could see iRadio miss WWDC launch

By Cody Lee on May 17, 2013

It feels like the summer of 2011 all over again. Both Apple and Google were rumored to be working on a music service, and Google has beaten Apple to the punch by announcing theirs well in advance. Back then it was cloud storage. This time it’s streaming.

Earlier this week, Google unveiled its new ‘All Access’ streaming music service. And according to a new report, unless Apple can reach a deal with the remaining hold-out record labels, it’s going to again have a several month head start on Apple’s release… Read More

 

Google takes on Spotify and iTunes with $9.99 music streaming service

By Christian Zibreg on May 15, 2013

The Internet giant kicked off its annual Google I/O developer conference with a three-hour long (!) keynote at San Francisco’s Moscone West, the same venue Apple reserved for its own five-day event next month. During the keynote, Google executives announced a much-rumored streaming music service that’s bound to give headache to the likes of Spotify, Rdio and Pandora.

Dubbed somewhat confusingly Google Play Music All Access, Google’s Android executive Chris Yerga noted on stage that “music unites us” and is “universal”. And with computing and mobile devices intertwined into our lives “there’s potential to bring that joy together.” Go past the fold for full details… Read More

 

Phiaton’s Moderna MS 200 earbuds blast the bass [review + giveaway]

By Jim Gresham on May 13, 2013

Stumbling across my Phiaton friends at CES, they were quick to point out the new MODERNA MS 200 earbuds, which recently hit the market. The hot rod red coloring and genuine carbon fiber speaker wells were the first attraction, as they lay on the display table. Even in a crowded pre-convention party, they sounded like a winner.

Now, having listened to the MS 200′s from the comfort of my home, I can confirm my suspicions were true. With a racing red headphone cable matching a classic black earphone chassis, more than quality sound are the causes for head turning attraction. These half in-ear buds are quite the performers, with bass enthusiasts getting what they desire.

Gone are the days where bulky headphones were the only great way to hear the beats of your music. Take a look past the fold for a breakdown on looks and performance, while possibly scoring your own pair to take home… Read More

 

SoundCloud now has Google+ Sign-In and sharing

By Christian Zibreg on May 13, 2013

Nearly a year ago, the Internet giant rolled out Google+ Sign-In as a way to counter Facebook Connect, a feature web site owners predominantly tap to simplify the sign in and account creation process for their users.

The Google+ SDK for iOS was released shortly after, giving Apple’s registered iOS developers a set of tools and social plugins to write programs that are deeply integrated with the Google+ thing.

Although apps that support Google+ Sign-In are few and far between, at least relative to Facebook Connect-enabled mobile software, more and more developers are integrating Google+ features into their warez. The latest example: SoundCloud, an online audio distribution platform that today updated its iOS app with support for Google+ Sign-In and sharing… Read More

 

MiniPlayer 2.1 is a beautiful update to a great jailbreak tweak

By Jeff Benjamin on May 10, 2013

You know how they say some things get better over time? Wine falls squarely into that category. MiniPlayer does too. The upcoming 2.1 version, which is being submitted to Cydia’s BigBoss repo today, is a more refined experience than its predecessors.

The first version of MiniPlayer had potential, but left a lot to be desired in the avenue of designed. Now that Surenix has stepped on board with the project to help out with its design, the tweak has come into its own.

Music controls have always been a part of a crowded market in Cydia, so it takes a lot to make any particular tweak stand out in this space. I’m happy to report that not only does MiniPlayer stand out with its latest 2.1 update, it shines. Check out our full video walkthrough of the latest version of MiniPlayer right after the break. Read More

 

Let Songza find the music to fit your mood

By Lory Gil on May 10, 2013

Whenever I’m having a get together at my house, be it barbeques or board games, I’m always thinking up playlists for my guests. Sometimes, there is such an eclectic mix of friends around that I have a hard time deciding which genre to pull from, or which mood-setting music to use.

Songza is a universal app that takes the work out of playlists by offering streaming music for your device based on types, moods, genres, activities, or whatever sparks your listening desire at that moment. The app’s developer recently updated it with a cleaner user interface, manual Concierge service, and better audio performance… Read More

 

Apple still negotiating with Sony over iRadio terms

By Cody Lee on May 9, 2013

For months we’ve been hearing rumors regarding iRadio, Apple’s upcoming streaming music service. It was initially supposed to launch in Q1 of this year, but the company has reportedly been having trouble reaching royalty terms with the record labels.

Then in April came word that it had locked up a deal with Universal, putting the project on track for a summer release. But it seems to have hit another snag this week, as a new report claims that the other record labels are still looking for better terms… Read More

 

MiniPlayer 2.0 is out with a new look courtesy of Surenix

By Cody Lee on May 8, 2013

Earlier this week, we told you about a new jailbreak tweak called MiniPlayer. It’s essentially a hidable widget for your device’s music controls, which was based on a concept from Auxo-designer Sentry, and looks a lot like the iTunes 11 mini player.

The initial release saw mixed reviews, but if you weren’t a believer before you need to checkout today’s update. MiniPlayer 2.0 just hit Cydia, and thanks to a complete UI overhaul by Ayecon theme designer Surenix, it looks and feels much better… Read More

 

Amazon’s Cloud Player can now stream songs to Ford’s SYNC AppLink vehicles

By Christian Zibreg on May 7, 2013

Not to be outdone by the popular Swedish streaming music startup Spotify, which a month ago updated its mobile client with support for Ford’s SYNC AppLink platform, the online retail giant Amazon today issued a similar update to its Cloud Player mobile app.

The app integrates with AppLink vehicles so you can control music playback using your voice and the steering wheel buttons.

Other changes new accessibility features via improved support for the iOS VoiceOver features and an “improved experience” when adding songs to a playlist… Read More

 

Apple patents smart audio splitter

By Ed Sutherland on May 7, 2013

Many of us have shared a pair of earbuds with a friend. The problem crops up when you enjoy rocking out at max volume while your friend enjoys a more modest audio level. Enter Apple with what’s essentially an intelligent audio splitter.

Instead of enduring the default sound level of the iPhone or iPod, an adapter envisioned by Apple would allow you to customize your individual audio, according to a patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Tuesday.

Additionally, the headphone splitter would permit two people to use built-in mics to speak over the soundtrack, opening up some wild possibilities with gaming… Read More

 

I’m Listening: Share your now playing track from anywhere

By Jeff Benjamin on May 6, 2013

Are you finding that iOS’ options are a bit limited when it comes sharing information about the music you’re currently listening to? If so, then I’m Listening might be the jailbreak tweak for you.

I’m Listening is a recently released tweak on Cydia, and it allows you to customize the various sharing activities available for your currently playing song. The tweak works with the stock Music app, and also plays nice with 3rd party music apps like Spotify. I’m Listening utilizes a variety of methods: gestures in the app switcher, gestures on the Lock screen, and Activator gestures, in order to share your now playing track. Take a look inside for our hands-on video detail… Read More

 

Show off your taste in music with FullScreen Album Art

By Cody Lee on May 6, 2013

Have you been looking for a way to spruce up your iPhone’s Lock screen, without needing to install a bulky tweak like WinterBoard? If so, you might consider giving FullScreen Album Art by jailbreak developer bushe a shot.

The tweak’s name completely gives away it’s one and only function, which is to enlarge the album art image on your device’s Lock screen while you’re listening to music. That way, you can show off your favorite music while you rock out… Read More

 

Meet JamStik, the tiny guitar that connects with your iPhone

By Cody Lee on Apr 30, 2013

I’ve always thought it’d be cool to play the drums, or the guitar, so I’m always looking for easy ways to learn how to do so. But few products deliver on their claims that they make learning to play an instrument “easy.”

The Zivix team is looking to change that though, with its new musical accessory: the JamStik. It’s a tiny guitar with real strings and frets that can track your hand and finger movements for instant feedback and instruction… Read More

 
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