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254 Electronic — Media Players Entries

Electronics — Media Players — March 4th, 2024

Apple Fined $1.95B in Europe for Impeding Cheaper Music Streaming Options
According to the European Commission, Apple's rules mean rivals such as Spotify can't tell you when cheaper subscriptions may be available outside of the iOS app.
March 4th, 2024Source or Source or Source or Source

Apple Claims Spotify Pays Nothing for Their Services
Days after the European Union slaps Apple with a $500 million fine, it smacks Apple once again with over $2 billion for violating EU competition regulations regarding its music streaming strategy. It states that Apple violated EU competition laws by giving preference to Apple Music over rival services like Spotify.
March 4th, 2024Source

EU fines Apple 1.8 billion euros over 'abusive' treatment of Spotify
The European Commission fined Apple more than 1.8 billion euros Monday for "abusing its dominant position on the market for the distribution of music streaming apps."
March 4th, 2024Source

Spotify targets Audible again as it rolls out a new audiobook 'Access' tier
If you're just in it for the stories, maybe this one's for you.
March 4th, 2024Source

The best music streaming services in 2024
The differences between Spotify, Apple Music and others are subtle yet significant.
March 4th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — March 2nd, 2024

Spotify, Epic and more brand Apple's changes 'a mockery of the DMA' on the eve of seismic iOS deadline
Apple hasn't made enough changes for some.
March 2nd, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — March 1st, 2024

Images show ultra-rare black iPod Hi-Fi prototype
The iPod Hi-Fi launched 18 years ago this week, marking Apple's entry into the home audio market. In celebration of that birthday, new images posted to Twitter this week show an ultra-rare iPod Hi-Fi in a stunning black finish.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify and Epic criticize Apple's iOS changes as 'a mockery of the DMA'
Ahead of the March 6th deadline, a letter to the European Commission argues that Apple's plans only reinforce its control over the iPhone ecosystem.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify gets mystic: Song Psychic answers your questions with music
For those curious about what lies ahead, Spotify is throwing open the doors to the future, not in a literal sense, but with a dash of fun. The music streaming giant is rolling out a fresh feature on its service.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify launches a $9.99/mo standalone audiobooks service for its free users
After adding 15 hours of free audiobooks listening to its subscription plan late last year, Spotify today is introducing a $9.99 per month option that will allow its free users to also access its audiobooks collection.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify rolls out an audiobook-only subscription
$10 per month will get you 15 hours of audiobooks.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify's new audiobook tier will only save you a dollar over Premium
The Audiobooks Access Tier includes 15 hours of books, but subscribers don't get ad-free music. Compare that to Premium, which includes ad-free listening for $10.99.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify's new 'psychic' feature answers your burning questions with song suggestions
Brace yourself - you may not like its responses.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify, Epic Games and others pen letter to EC, claiming Apple has made a 'mockery' of the DMA
Epic Games, Spotify, Proton, 37signals and other developers had already signaled their displeasure with how Apple has chosen to adapt its rules to meet the requirements of the new EU regulation, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), calling it "extortion" and "bad-faith" compliance, among other things.
March 1st, 2024Source

Spotify, Epic Games, and others send a letter to the EU criticizing Apple's DMA plans
The deadline to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act is now just a few days away on March. Today, a number of mobile app companies are joining forces to let the EU and its European Commission regulatory body know that they believe Apple's efforts to comply with the DMA are a non-starter for them.
March 1st, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 28th, 2024

Apple Music Gains Personalized 'Heavy Rotation Mix' Playlist
An all-new "Heavy Rotation Mix" playlist today rolled out on Apple Music, providing a convenient way for users to see and listen to a personalized collection of songs that they listen to most.
February 28th, 2024Source or Source or Source

How To Change Video Quality On Spotify (And Why You Might Want To)
Since its launch in 2008, Spotify has changed the way we listen to music and podcasts in the modern age. Despite avoiding some crucial questions, especially related to the use of artificial intelligence in music production, Spotify boasts over 100 million tracks, 5 million podcast titles, and 350,000 audiobooks in its portfolio.
February 28th, 2024Source

Modder uses old iPods to control games on the Steam Deck, starting with Skyrim
Custom firmware makes almost anything possible on an iPod
February 28th, 2024Source or Watch Video

The best alternatives to Spotify for listening to music
This is a crowded market; you've got many options to choose from.
February 28th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 27th, 2024

Apple Music Student Price Breakdown by Countries
Apple Music offers a substantial discount for its subscription service to students and verified universities. But you may not know that the costs are not the same or around the globe. Apple charges different prices for its subscription services, and discounts may vary. Now, let's compare how much Apple Music costs in several countries around the world.
February 27th, 2024Source

The best alternatives to Spotify for listening to music
This is a crowded market; you've got many options to choose from.
February 27th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 26th, 2024

Fix: iTunes Not Recognizing iPhone 15 on Windows PC
Apple has switched over to the USB-C port on the iPhone 15 series from the age-old lighting port. While it is a great step in the right direction, it comes with a different set of problems. Several iPhone 15 series users who use Windows computers are reporting that iTunes is unable to recognize their iPhones.
February 26th, 2024Source

How To Stop Apple Music From Automatically Playing [2024]
Tired of Apple Music blasting "Take On Me" every time you hop in your car, especially when you're already rushing? No worries, stopping it is easier than you might think. Sometimes, cars and phones have their own ideas of what to do when they team up, but there are a few tricks to keep Apple Music quiet.
February 26th, 2024Source

Today in Apple history: iTunes becomes No. 2 music retailer in US
February 26, 2008: Less than five years after launching, the iTunes Music Store becomes the No. 2 music retailer in the United States, second only to Walmart.
February 26th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 23rd, 2024

How to make a shared, collaborative Apple Music Playlist
A hot new feature in iOS 17.3 is Apple Music playlist collaboration. In advance of a party, road trip or any kind of themed event, you and others organizing the music can build a playlist together.
February 23rd, 2024Source

Spotify HiFi is still MIA after three years, and now so is my subscription
Eventually it came to a point where I couldn't keep ignoring that other services are objectively providing richer audio quality. I'll miss you, daylists.
February 23rd, 2024Source

YouTube Music for Web is testing an offline download feature
Users can download music and podcasts offline, similar to the YouTube Music app.
February 23rd, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 21st, 2024

Apple Music's Monthly Version of Replay Recaps Your Music Habits
See what songs defined your mellow March or sassy September.
February 21st, 2024Source or Source

Spotify Review: Still the Best Music Streaming Service
From Spotify Connect to one of the biggest music catalogs available, this is the streaming service to choose.
February 21st, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 19th, 2024

Apple Music testing feature that easily imports playlists from Spotify and other services
Apple Music appears to be beta testing integration with a service called SongShift, for transferring music from other services into Apple Music. The feature is currently being A/B tested in the latest beta version of Apple Music on Android, according to user reports on Reddit.
February 19th, 2024Source

Apple to Be Fined Over $500 Million in EU Music Streaming Probe
Apple is set to be hit with a €500 million ($538 million) fine for allegedly breaking EU law over access to music streaming services, according to a Financial Times report.
February 19th, 2024Source or Source or Source

Classic iPod reborn as cheap open-source project
Tangara, a new portable music player that sports serious iPod Classic vibes, totally eclipsed its initial crowd-funding goal as of Monday. So the open-source iPod alternative could become a reality.
February 19th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 16th, 2024

Apple Music reinstates Kanye West's controversial new album 'Vultures 1" after briefly removing it due to the artist's distributor disagreements
Ye in trouble again? Quelle surprise.
February 16th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 14th, 2024

Apple Music Launches New 'Love' and 'Heartbreak' Personalized Stations for Valentine's Day
Apple today announced the launch of two new personalized radio stations that are available to Apple Music subscribers. The "Love" and "Heartbreak" stations come just in time for Valentine's Day. The songs that are available through each station are tailored to each user's taste, featuring preferred artists and similar recommendations.
February 14th, 2024Source or Source

Get in the mood for 'Love' (or not) with these Apple Music radio stations
Apple Music is ready for your mood with two new personalized radio stations.
February 14th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 12th, 2024

Spotify for Podcasters adds new integration with Riverside, sunsets some legacy podcasting tools
Spotify has announced an expanded partnership with video and podcast recording platform Riverside, and is sunsetting some of its legacy podcasting tools. The company is shutting down its web- and mobile-native creation tools, including its "Music + Talk" tool, which is an experimental feature that allows podcasters to include full licensed music tracks in their podcast episodes on Spotify.
February 12th, 2024Source

Spotify's layoffs put an end to a musical encyclopedia, and fans are pissed
Now, Glenn McDonald's beloved Every Noise at Once project is in jeopardy
February 12th, 2024Source

YouTube Music 'Cast to device' redesign spotted in testing
Users have to take the long way in one crucial area.
February 12th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 7th, 2024

Apple Music Super Bowl ad features Tim Cook, Ludacris, Lil Jon, and more
Apple on Wednesday debuted an ad promoting the upcoming ‌Apple Music‌ Super Bowl Halftime Show, which is set to feature R&B singer and songwriter USHER.
February 7th, 2024Source or Source

Music to its ears: Spotify reaches more than 600 million users and almost $4 billion in revenue
It is that time of year when companies reveal their performance metrics, including revenue and user base. Spotify recently shared its fourth-quarter 2023 performance, announcing its business achieved strong results in Q4, meeting or surpassing all of its key performance indicators (KPIs).
February 7th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 5th, 2024

Exclusive Apple Music USHER content offered ahead of Super Bowl halftime show
Apple Music is offering a wide range of exclusive USHER content, ahead of the singer's Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday.
February 5th, 2024Source

Indie record labels are not happy with Apple Music's new Spatial Audio royalties — "It's literally going to take the money out of independent labels"
Apple Music's new Spatial Audio royalties don't seem to be helping indie labels.
February 5th, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 2nd, 2024

Apple Music's Spatial Audio royalties mean a pay cut for Indies, say labels
When Apple Music said it was paying 10% more in Spatial Audio royalties, there were those among us who cynically wondered whether this meant everyone else would be paid less.
February 2nd, 2024Source

Indie labels cry foul over Apple Music's enhanced spatial audio royalties
Labels representing Phoebe Bridgers and Vampire Weekend say Apple's royalty bonus will take money away from anyone who can't afford the higher production costs.
February 2nd, 2024Source

Indie record labels say Apple's Spatial Audio payment plan will hurt them
Independent record labels say Apple's recent promise to pay 10% more for Dolby Atmos tracks in Spatial Audio will take money away from them and give it to major labels and their stars, according to a new report Friday.
February 2nd, 2024Source or Source

Spotify's podcast exclusive days are over as Joe Rogan's show expands to other platforms
Controversies and PR headaches weren't enough to dissuade Spotify from re-upping its agreement with podcaster Joe Rogan, whose show over the past couple of years drove divisions among music fans and artists alike and even prompted some big names, like Neil Young, to pull their catalogs from the streaming service.
February 2nd, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — February 1st, 2024

YouTube Music and Premium passes 100 million subscribers
YouTube Music and Premium announced today that it has hit a major milestone for the platform's music streaming goals, surpassing 100 million members (including trial users). This number, which is accurate as of January 2024, represents a 20-million-member growth in just over a year, according to Lyor Cohen (Global Head of YouTube Music).
February 1st, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 31st, 2024

Apple Music playlist collaboration is age-restricted, unavailable in these countries
Apple recently launched its collaborative playlist feature for Apple Music as part of iOS 17.4. This lets Apple Music subscribers share, edit, and enjoy playlists together. Now Apple has clarified the age restriction for playlist collaboration.
January 31, 2024Source

Spotify's new Snapchat Lens lets you capture yourself or your surroundings when sharing a song
Spotify is expanding its partnership with Snapchat to introduce a new way for users to share their favorite songs on the social app. A new "Share Track Lens" feature lets you capture the world around you on camera while sharing a song. The lens will overlay the song title, artist name, cover art and a link to listen to the track on Spotify.
January 31, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 29th, 2024

Apple Music and iTunes Store are down, Apple confirms [U]
Apple Music may be experiencing an outage for some users. Both Downdetector and reports on X point to an ongoing disruption for music streaming service.
January 29, 2024Source

Apple Music to expand SharePlay to HomePod and Apple TV in iOS 17.4
In the latest scoop, Apple spiced things up with the public release of iOS 17.3, introducing a collaborative playlist feature for Apple Music. Now, you can gather your friends on a playlist, granting them the power to add, remove, and rearrange songs. And there is more to come, as the streaming service might be in for additional enhancements.
January 29, 2024Source

Spotify CEO Calls Apple's New Sideloading App Store Fee A Masterclass In Distortion
One would think that Apple being forced by the European Union (EU) to support sideloading apps and outside payment systems for its App Store would be music to Spotify's ears. Alas, one would be wrong. That's because even though Apple is legally required to comply, it's doing so in a way that is drawing ire from developers, including Spotify.
January 29, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 26th, 2024

Apple Music SharePlay control expands from CarPlay to HomePod and Apple TV
iOS 17.4 is taking the Apple Music SharePlay experience from CarPlay and bringing it to the house. Apple is expanding the SharePlay music control feature to work with both HomePod and Apple TV.
January 26, 2024Source

Spotify accuses Apple of 'extortion' with new App Store tax
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says Apple's new rules represent "a monopoly under a different mask."
January 26, 2024Source

Spotify calls Apple's DMA compliance plan 'extortion' and a 'complete and total farce'
Count Spotify among those not thrilled with how Apple has chosen to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which sets the stage for sideloading apps, alternative app stores, browser choice, and more.
January 26, 2024Source

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek on Apple's EU Changes: 'They Think the Rules Don't Apply to Them'
Spotify CEO Daniel EK today wrote a blog post criticizing the app ecosystem changes that Apple implemented in the European Union under the Digital Markets Act, accusing Apple of putting forward "a new plan that is a complete and total farce" under "the false pretense of compliance and concessions."
January 26, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 24th, 2024

Google, Netflix, and Spotify gang up on Apple Vision Pro to keep it niche, but why?
A storied Apple analyst is worried that its debut Vision Pro AR/VR headset seems to have limited reach outside of the inevitable mass of early adopters. While Apple Vision Pro preorder weekend sales may have reached up to 180,000 units, the demand may be tapering off, contrary to what usually happens with iPhone launches.
January 24, 2024Source

Spotify in-app subscriptions previewed -- but Apple is still determined to make it impossible
Spotify in-app subscriptions aren't currently possible, thanks to Apple's 30% cut -- but the company has today previewed the experience it hopes to offer to European customers from March.
January 24, 2024Source

Spotify plans to launch in-app purchases, if Apple gets out of the way
For years, Apple's App Store policies have made it impossible for apps to sell digital services and goods on their own terms. A new law in the EU could change all of that — and Spotify is prepared.
January 24, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 22nd, 2024

Apple Music Classical Now Available on CarPlay [Removed]
Apple Music Classical was updated today with what appeared to be CarPlay support, but this was quickly reversed in a follow-up update.
January 22, 2024Source

Apple Music Classical briefly updated with CarPlay icon before being pulled after app crash
Apple updated its Apple Music Classical app today with "stability and performance enhancements" that briefly appeared to include CarPlay support. However, the app crashed when launching from the CarPlay interface. Now the app has been updated to remove Classical from the CarPlay app launcher.
January 22, 2024Source

Apple Music now lets you create collaborative playlists
Apple announced today that Apple Music subscribers now have access to collaborative playlists with the launch of iOS 17.3. As its name suggests, the new feature lets users collaborate on playlists with friends and family. Users can invite each other to select tracks for a shared playlist. The feature also lets you use emojis to react to specific songs.
January 22, 2024Source

Apple Music will now pay 10% higher royalties to artists for Spatial Audio music
Apple Music is now encouraging artists with a financial incentive to make their music available in Spatial Audio, which offers an immersive surround sound experience when listening with AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and other headphones.
January 22, 2024Source

Apple shares video highlighting collaborative playlists on Apple Music
Apple on Monday released iOS 17.3 along with other software updates that come with new features, including collaborative playlists for Apple Music subscribers. The feature lets you team up with other people to create shared playlists where everyone can contribute songs.
January 22, 2024Source

YouTube Music Not Working On CarPlay? Here's How to Fix It
Just because YouTube Music is not working on your Apple CarPlay doesn't mean your infotainment system needs servicing. Speaking from experience, the problem could be with your iPhone. Here are several troubleshooting steps that worked for me when both YouTube and YouTube Music weren't showing up on CarPlay.
January 22, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 18th, 2024

How to Block Spotify Ads on an iPhone
Although you'll find dozens of tools claiming to block Spotify ads on iPhone, only a few actually work. Speaking from experience, you'll waste your time and money trying random methods. To ensure you don't make the same mistakes as me, I'll share which free methods are sure to reduce, if not eliminate, Spotify ads.
January 18, 2024Source

Spotify slams Apple's 27% commission on sales made outside of the iPhone's App Store and urges lawmakers to act on its 'monopoly'
Spotify isn't at all happy with Apple's new commission.
January 18, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 13th, 2024

How To Make Your Own Spotify Playlist In A Bottle
It wasn't that long ago that the interwebs were agog with share cards from everyone's Spotify Wrapped, and now there's another fun feature for users to try — Playlist in a Bottle. It's a spin on the classic message in a bottle, except this time the message is auditory, not written. The premise is simple: make a custom playlist for your future self.
January 13, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 12th, 2024

Apple Music releases trailer for Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show
Apple Music on Friday released a new video teasing Usher’s Super Bowl LVIII halftime show on February 11th. Super Bowl LVIII is the upcoming American football championship game of the National Football League for the 2023 season.
January 12, 2024Source or Watch Video

Electronics — Media Players — January 9th, 2024

Apple Music Classical Expanding to More Countries Later This Month
Apple Music Classical will be available in China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao starting January 24, according to a post from Apple on X, formerly known as Twitter. The app can be pre-ordered now on the App Store in these regions.
January 9, 2024Source or Source or Source

Jam out with 4 months of free Amazon Music Unlimited when you buy select Echo devices
Max out the enjoyment of your new Echo device.
January 9, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 8th, 2024

Shazam Shares 2024 Popular Song Predictions
Shazam, Apple's music discovery and identification platform, today shared a Shazam Predictions 2024 playlist, available on Apple Music. The playlist provides songs from more than 50 artists that are set to "have a breakthrough year."
January 8, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 7th, 2024

How To Download And Listen To Audiobooks On Spotify
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to read more books, listening to someone read it to you is an efficient way of doing so. Thanks to the rising popularity of audiobooks, book lovers now have the option to consume stories while doing errands or even right before going to sleep at night without having to read the words or carry physical books around manually.
January 7, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — January 6th, 2024

What To Do If The Spotify App Keeps Pausing
When you're listening to your favorite music, whether on your headphones, in the car, or at your desk, it's fair to say that you want that listening to be uninterrupted. Music can't be properly appreciated, after all, if it's hitching every few seconds. This is why it's so existentially irritating to be listening to music on Spotify, only to have your tunes repeatedly pause themselves without your consent.
January 6, 2024Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 28th, 2023

Apple Music versus Spotify: Which Has The Better Sound Quality?
Spotify and Apple Music are the two titans of music streaming, with the former being by far the most popular. There are plenty of reasons to choose one or the other, but at their core, both offer access to a vast library of music. So, rather than getting bogged down in features and discovery algorithms, shouldn't the question be which one has the best audio quality?
December 28, 2023Source

How to Keep Listening to YouTube in the Background or With iPhone Locked
On iPhone, listening to YouTube audio in the background usually requires paying for a YouTube Premium subscription, but there is a simple workaround that allows you to keep listening to a video when you are doing other things on your ‌iPhone‌ or when your device is locked. Keep reading to learn how it's done.
December 28, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 27th, 2023

I've been using Apple Music Classical as a dedicated soundtrack app — but a couple of flat notes make it a bittersweet symphony
A few flaws are just holding back Apple Music Classical
December 27, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 26th, 2023, 2023

Apple Music Replay 2023: How to get yours
Not on Spotify? There's a wrap-up for you too.
December 26, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 24th, 2023

Level Up Your Spotify Listening Experience With These Tips and Tricks
Here's how to adjust your audio quality, change your base volume and more.
December 24, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 22nd, 2023

Spotify starts 'disinvesting' in France in response to new music-streaming tax
Company pulls support from 2 festivals and promises more action in 2024
December 22, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 19th, 2023

How to Shazam Music From Your Mac's Menu Bar
In macOS Sonoma 14.2, Apple included some additional controls for Shazam music recognition, which is now baked into the Mac operating system more than ever. Here's how to add the functionality to your Mac's menu bar and Control Center.
December 19, 2023Source

Tangara is an open source, iPod-inspired portable music player (crowdfunding soon)
If you have a smartphone then you have a portable music player in your pocket, which is probably one of the reasons why the Apple iPod and similar devices have fallen by the wayside in recent years.
December 19, 2023Source

The delayed collaborative Apple Music playlist surfaces in iOS 17.3 beta 1
Worried about abuse and spam, Apple removed the collaborative Apple Music playlist feature from iOS 17.2. With the collaborative playlist, friends and family members can make changes to your playlist including the addition/deletion of songs, and the reordering of the list. In "Now Playing," the same friends and family members can react to a particular song using an emoji. Apple reportedly pushed back the release of the feature to an unknown date next year.
December 19, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 18th, 2023

Google rolls out YouTube Premium and Music Premium in 10 more countries
Google announced earlier this month that it is bringing both its YouTube Premium and Music Premium services to 10 more countries. The services are already available in three of these countries from December 5, while the rest will get them in the coming days.
December 18, 2023Source

Monzo's version of Spotify Wrapped shows us who we really are
If there's one place you might not want to see a year in review, it's a banking app.
December 18, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 15th, 2023

How to stop Apple Music from automatically adding 'Favorite' songs to your library
With the release of iOS 17.1 in October, Apple added a new "Favorites" feature for Apple Music. iOS 17.2 further expanded on this with the addition of a new "Favorites" playlist and the ability to have songs automatically added to your library when you favorite them.
December 15, 2023Source

Spotify tests AI-powered playlists: What you need to know
Spotify is in the testing stage of a brand new feature that would allow users to build new playlists with the help of short, ChatGPT-like prompts. For example: "Fill the silence with background cafe music", or "Get pumped up with fun, upbeat, positive songs", or you could command Spotify to scramble a new playlist that's more specific with "Explore a niche genre like Witch House".
December 15, 2023Source

Strava's personalized Year in Sport now available on iOS and Android
Strava, a leading digital community for athletes with over 120 million members, is doing The Spotify and allowing members to show off their personalized Year in Sport. Head below for more details.
December 15, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 14th, 2023

EU sides with Spotify as Apple set to receive huge fines related to "abusive" App Store practices
Apple is set to receive a large fine and a ban on the company's App Store practices that take large commissions on in-app subscriptions to its music-streaming rivals, like Spotify.
December 14, 2023Source

Spotify confirms test of prompt-based AI playlists feature
Earlier this fall, Spotify was found to be developing a new feature that would allow its streaming app users to create playlists using AI technology and prompts. Now, that "AI playlists" feature has been spotted in the wild, as part of a test to see how users will respond to AI-driven playlist creation.
December 14, 2023Source

Spotify is testing AI-generated playlists
The company hasn't committed to launching the feature publicly.
December 14, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 11th, 2023

Apple could boost streaming of songs offered in spatial audio in Apple Music from next year
Apple wants to incentivize musicians to use its higher-end format.
December 11, 2023Source

Apple may pay artists more to use Dolby Atmos
Apple plans to offer financial incentives to artists and record labels who mix songs using surround-sound Spatial Audio technology Dolby Atmos, sources close to the matter said Monday.
December 11, 2023Source

Apple Music plans to reward artists who offer Spatial Audio mixes
Bloomberg News on Monday reports that Apple is planning to give "added weighting" to tracks that offer a Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos mix which could potentially increase Apple Music royalties to participating artists. The report adds that "listeners wouldn't necessarily have to play the Atmos version of a song for artists to benefit. It only matters that the song is offered in that format."
December 11, 2023Source

Best MP3 Players for 2023
Take your music anywhere without having to use your phone. Here are our picks for the best MP3 player.
December 11, 2023Source

Report: Apple Music to add new incentives for artists who use Dolby Atmos
Apple is hoping to incentivize more artists and labels to use spatial audio on Apple Music. Bloomberg

reports that Apple will start "offering incentives to artists and record labels to produce music" using spatial audio and Dolby Atmos technology.
December 11, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 8th, 2023

Spotify CFO becomes one of thousands departing the streaming service, after selling $9M in shares
Spotify's chief financial officer will step down next year, according to the music streaming service, just days after it announced its third round of layoffs for 2023.
December 8, 2023Source

Spotify says it has no plans to support App Store in-app purchases again on iOS
To avoid paying Apple a cut of its revenue, Spotify removed in-app purchases from the Spotify for iOS app several years ago.
December 8, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 5th, 2023

Apple Music collaborative playlists not coming in iOS 17.2, likely due to abuse and spam problems
One of the headlining features of the first iOS 17.2 beta was support for Apple Music collaborative playlists. Apple then removed this feature with iOS 17.2 beta 4 last week, and unfortunately, it doesn't return with today's iOS 17.2 RC update.
December 5, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 4th, 2023

17% of Spotify employees face the music in latest cost-cutting shuffle
This despite hitting profit high note — and right on time for Christmas
December 4, 2023Source or Source or Source

Spotify cuts 1,500 jobs in another round of layoffs
This is a bitter pill to swallow.
December 4, 2023Source

You can slide into someone's DMs on Strava now
Just don't use it to hit on someone.
December 4, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — December 1st, 2023

Apple Music celebrates Artist of the Year, Taylor Swift, with free 'Eras Experience'
Apple Music is celebrating its Artist of the Year, Taylor Swift, with a free "Eras Experience" in New York City.
December 1, 2023Source

How to Get Your Kids' Music Out of Your Spotify Wrapped Playlist
If your top songs are dominated by Elmo and Bluey, here's how to fix it.
December 1, 2023Source

Spotify for iPhone wishlist: 3 things I'd like to see
With Spotify Wrapped having launched this past week, I can't help but think of three specific feature requests I'd like to see implemented into Spotify. As someone who works from home and spends a lot (76,589 minutes this year, to be exact) of time with Spotify on in the background, I am intimately familiar with the app and its foibles.
December 1, 2023Source

This faux AI chatbot will judge your music taste and make you laugh (hopefully)
If you were proud of your Spotify Wrapped results, you might feel differently after this site roasts your streaming choices.
December 1, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 30th, 2023

Apple Music Replay 2023: How to get yours
Not on Spotify? There's a wrap-up for you too.
November 30, 2023Source

Here's How to Share and Customize Your 2023 Spotify Wrapped Results
Share your top genres, top artists, Sound Town and more this Spotify Wrapped season.
November 30, 2023Source

How to find your music stats with Apple Music Replay
Apple Music Replay is a great way to find your music stats for the past year: the most played songs, artists and albums in the last 12 months. Similar to Spotify Wrapped and the like, your annual Apple replay is a fun way to see what tracks you listened to most in 2023.
November 30, 2023Source

No, Burlington wasn't the most popular Spotify Wrapped sound town
Neither was Cambridge or Berkeley.
November 30, 2023Source

Spotify Wrapped 2023: Rewatch Your Top Moments and Find Your Sound Town
Relive your favorite tracks of 2023 and check out your Spotify Wrapped now. Didn't get a Sound Town? We know why.
November 30, 2023Source

Your YouTube Music 2023 Recap is Now Live
People were mad on the internet yesterday, not for politics or sports, but for recaps. Spotify made its end-of-year recaps available, which is an event for some people, while YouTube Music had yet to push theirs. It turned into a meme on social media, as if YouTube Music was for lesser-than individuals. Ridiculous. One day later and here we go, YouTube Music 2023 recaps are live for users.
November 30, 2023Source

YouTube Music 2023 Recap follows Spotify Wrapped with a look back at your year
Wrap up your year with the YouTube Music 2023 Recap.
November 30, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 28th, 2023

Apple Music Replay is back — and it's still mostly a web experience
Apple Music's yearly recap is here with your most-listened-to songs and artists of 2023.
November 28, 2023Source

Apple Music Replay is here, and it's still no Spotify Wrapped
Apple's year-end review and answer to Spotify Wrapped, Apple Music Replay, has arrived, but it's still no match for Spotify's personalized look back at your year in music. The Apple experience — available via a URL at replay.music.apple.com — will show you your top songs, albums, artists, genres, and other information about your listening history in 2023. However, compared with Spotify's Wrapped, what Apple's experience misses is the creation of unique, sharable experiences like Spotify's "Audio Aura" in 2021 or its "Listening Personality" feature in 2022.
November 28, 2023Source or Source

How To Fix Apple One Not Sharing With Family
I'd hate to label it a nightmare or a source of conflict when Apple One, a subscription bundle encompassing services like Apple Music and iCloud storage, fails to share with my family. Trust me, you don't want your mother or siblings calling during work, worried if you've removed them from sharing your Apple One family plan.
November 28, 2023Source

When Does Spotify Wrapped Come Out In 2023?
Since 2016, the Spotify music streaming service has presented Spotify Wrapped to its users. Spotify Wrapped serves as a quick, stylish summary of the music you listened to over the course of the year, including the new songs you found, the artists you favored, the genres you dove deep into, and the total amount of time you spent listening to music.
November 28, 2023Source

When does Spotify Wrapped's tracking period end?
One of modernity's most important questions.
November 28, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 29th, 2023

After a year of new AI features, Spotify Wrapped 2023 celebrates the 'real stuff'
'We wanted to make it as a push to the onslaught of augmented stuff that came our way,' a Spotify rep tells Mashable.
November 29, 2023Source

Android embraces its media player instead of notifications for Cast media controls
Google has made a significant change to the way Cast media controls appear on Android devices. Instead of residing in the notification shade, Cast controls now sit within the dedicated Android media player. This brings Cast controls in line with other media playback controls, making it easier to manage multiple media sources simultaneously.
November 29, 2023Source

Apple Music Replay 2023: Your year in music is here
Curious about your impact on making Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" the most-listened song on Apple Music in 2023? Well, now you can find out!
November 29, 2023Source

Controversial star Morgan Wallen scoops most-streamed song on Apple Music for 2023
Just two years after being taken off the platform.
November 29, 2023Source

How to find your Spotify Wrapped 2023, YouTube Music Recap, or Apple Music Replay
Re-live the year through music.
November 29, 2023Source

Something's up with Spotify Wrapped and Burlington, VT
Happy Spotify Wrapped Day! It's that time of year again where half of your social media feed is clogged with graphics from Spotify's annual, personalized roundup, and the other half is people whining that they don't care about your Spotify Wrapped.
November 29, 2023Source

Spotify Wrapped 2023 hooks you up to your musical soulmate city
Spotify's latest Wrapped is now available on the web for the first time.
November 29, 2023Source

Why is everyone's Spotify Wrapped 'sound town' Burlington, Vermont?
Spotify responds.
November 29, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 23rd, 2023

Spotify is testing the ability to tuSpotify changes are afoot.
Spotify changes are afoot.
November 23, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 22nd, 2023

Endlesss Clubs is like a Discord server for making music
You can test it out for yourself now.
November 22, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 21st, 2023

Google trial exposes sweetheart deal with Spotify
Now that the cat is out of the bag, everyone is going to want a better deal
November 21, 2023Source

Spotify Open-Sources Voyager Nearest-Neighbor Search Library
Spotify Engineering recently open-sourced Voyager, an approximate nearest-neighbor (ANN) search library. Voyager is based on the hierarchical navigable small worlds (HNSW) algorithm and is 10 times faster than Spotify's previous ANN library, Annoy.
November 21, 2023Source

Spotify says its upcoming royalty model changes will generate $1B for artists over five years
Spotify's upcoming royalty model changes will generate $1 billion in five years for new and popular artists, the streaming service announced on Tuesday. As previously reported, Spotify is changing its royalty system to direct more money to popular artists and record labels, while raising the minimum payment threshold for music streaming on the platform and tackling streaming fraud.
November 21, 2023Source

Under-the-radar agreement with Google let Spotify avoid Android's app store charges
Earlier this month, the second trial of Epic v. Google kicked off. Epic Games, the brains behind Fortnite, is suing Google, claiming that the tech giant is offering substantial sums to big developers to persuade them to keep their apps on the Play Store. As the trial unfolds, it has come to light that Google proposed $147 million to Epic Games for the launch of Fortnite on the Play Store, and now, more intriguing details are emerging in the courtroom.
November 21, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 20th, 2023

A secret Google deal let Spotify completely bypass Android's app store fees
Spotify pays 0 percent in commission fees when it uses its own payment processor or 4 percent to pay with Google.
November 20, 2023Source

Apple Music found out how to deal with phony streams and the fraud fell by 30%
Apple is keeping a close eye on Apple Music and for the last year, it has cranked up its protection against so-called streaming manipulation (via 9to5Mac).
November 20, 2023Source

Here's How Spotify Wrapped Actually Works
The holidays are now upon us. 'Tis the season for family, twinkly lights, and, of course, gifts. One of the most anticipated presents for music lovers each year is the data treasure trove that is "Spotify Wrapped."
November 20, 2023Source

Spotify Wrapped 2023 is dropping soon. How to view yours when it releases.
Your annual musical recap is on its way.
November 20, 2023Source

YouTube's new AI is cranking out music using voices from real singers
YouTube's Dream Track lets creators sample iconic voices without the hassle of paying royalties.
November 20, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 17th, 2023

Is AI Getting Too Good, Will AI-Generated Music Replace Musicians?
AI has been dominating the news in the past year, especially with how publically accessible various models are for image generation, information summaries, and even music generation. It's all fantastic and impressive technology but at what point is it going too far?
November 17, 2023Source

Spotify expands partnership with Google to improve its platform
Spotify continues to double down on AI tools with a new strategic partnership meant to improve various aspects of its platform. The music streaming company announced earlier today it has decided to expand its partnership with Google Cloud, Spotify's preferred cloud provider since 2016.
November 17, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 16th, 2023

Spotify partners with Google Cloud to reshape content discovery with Gen AI
Spotify has a few core services in its crosshairs to get an AI overhaul.
November 16, 2023Source

Spotify partners with Google to use AI for better recommendations
It seems that everyone and their grandmother wants to get in on the large language model (LLM)-powered AI revolution. Spotify is the latest company to get in on the action explaining that it's partnering with Google to use its AI to provide better recommendations on its platform.
November 16, 2023Source

YouTube's first AI-generated music tools can clone artist voices and turn hums into melodies
Musicians like John Legend and Troye Sivan are lending their voices.
November 16, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 14th, 2023

Ableton Live 12 can create MIDI riffs and has a new synth to play them
There's also a new distorion effect, key and scale tools and deep improvements to library management
November 14, 2023Source

TikTok adds Spotify and Amazon Music integration in the US and UK
TikTok has just announced a brand-new feature that will allow users in the US and UK to save the songs they discover on its social app on various music streaming services, including Amazon Music and Spotify.
November 14, 2023Source

TikTok now lets you save songs directly to Spotify and Amazon Music
Saving TikTok songs, made easy.
November 14, 2023Source

Trying To Find TikTok Music On Spotify? Use This New Feature To Skip The Search
We've all been there. You're scrolling through TikTok and stumble across a post with a particularly catchy song. Your first instinct is probably to open the comments section and ask if someone knows the song's name. But that doesn't always work.
November 14, 2023Source

YouTube to remove AI-generated music and content that impersonates people
YouTube is already full of AI-generated content, so the social company is now trying to somewhat limit the amount of synthetic content produced by creators. Although all content published on YouTube is subject to the company's Community Guidelines, AI introduces new risks and requires new rules.
November 14, 2023Source

YouTube will let musicians and actors request takedowns of their deepfakes
The company is also rolling out clearer labels on content created using AI.
November 14, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 13th, 2023

Apple launches new analytics tool for artists on its music service
Just like many other streaming platforms, Apple has a bunch of analytics tools for artists that are using its music service. Over the weekend, the Cupertino-based company released a new feature, Listening Now, which promises to provide real-time data for listening analytics to Apple Music artists.
November 13, 2023Source

Deezer's new Shaker feature lets you share music across streaming services
After rebranding itself and completely revamping its mobile app, Deezer announced a brand-new feature that allows users to share their favorite music across streaming services.
November 13, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 9th, 2023

Spotify for TV Gets Big Redesign and Dark Mode
If you use Spotify on your supported smart TV or Android-powered media box, be on the lookout for a big update now rolling out. Inside, you'll find a redesigned Home page, Dark mode, and plenty else.
November 9, 2023Source

Spotify for TVs gets a new look and features to match the mobile app
The update makes it easier to view and control what plays next.
November 9, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 7th, 2023

13 best websites to analyze your Spotify data
For when Spotify Wrapped just isn't enough.
November 7, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — November 2nd, 2023

Apple discontinues cheap Apple Music Voice Plan
The hitherto cheapest means of accessing Apple Music is no more. Apple has announced that it is killing off the $4.99 per month Apple Music Voice Plan.
November 2, 2023Source

If you use Apple Music's 'Voice Plan', we've got bad news
This may be all your fault, Siri.
November 2, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 30th, 2023

How to play multiple music services on an Amazon Echo
Smart speakers are quickly becoming the norm for many households. People have a variety of reasons to add one to their homes, from controlling smart home devices to using them as an intercom. But perhaps the most common use is as a speaker to play audio. Whether music, podcasts, or audiobooks, smart speakers are great for listening to audio — especially Amazon Echo devices.
October 30, 2023Source

Media Player Classic — Home Cinema v2.1.0 Download
Media Player Classic — Home Cinema ( MPC-HC ) is a free and open-source video / audio player for Windows. MPC-HC is based on the original Guliverkli project of the Media Player Classic from Gabest and contains many additional functions and bug fixes.
October 30, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 27th, 2023

Focus Mode in iOS 17.2 will not add any guilty pleasures to your Listening History in Apple Music
It's not a coincidence that the more Tom Waits songs you listen to, the more Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Van Morrison recommendations you get in your music streaming service of choice — that's how listening history and algorithms work.
October 27, 2023Source

This Spotify hack transformed my music — thanks to Taylor Swift
Prepare for a sonic revelation, courtesy of a Swifty.
October 27, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 26th, 2023

Shazam can tell you what concerts to go to now
The concert discovery features from Apple Maps and Apple Music make it over to Shazam and Spotlight search.
October 26, 2023Source

Spotify is changing its royalty structure to combat fraud and eliminate micro payments
Spotify's changes are sure to ruffle some feathers
October 26, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 24th, 2023

Apple Releases iTunes for Windows Update With Option to Listen to Podcasts and Audiobooks
Apple today released an iTunes 12.13 update for Windows users, with the update adding new functionality for podcasts and audiobooks.
October 24, 2023Source

Create a Spotify-Style Lyric View in SwiftUI
How to make an interactive lyric scrolling view in SwiftUI using ScrollProxy
October 24, 2023Source

How To Set Default Music Player for AirPods
It is frustrating that whenever I wore my Apple AirPods Pro and played music, my iPhone would play from Apple Music library. Now, I don't hate Apple Music; I wished I could choose to have my AirPods continue playing a podcast, audiobook, or music from my preferred app.
October 24, 2023Source

Spotify gains more paid subscribers despite recent price hike
Despite the price hike earlier this year, Spotify's paid subscriber count has reached a new high. The company reported in its Q3 2023 earnings call that the number of paid subscribers on its platform is now 226 million.
October 24, 2023Source

Spotify swings to profit as user numbers grow
Music streaming giant Spotify on Tuesday said it registered 26 percent growth in active users for the third quarter as it reported a rare quarterly profit.
October 24, 2023Source

YouTube Music adds generative AI to the mix, reveals new music discovery feature, and more
YouTube has announced the latest features to its YouTube Music app, making it easier for users to find new songs, build a music community, and enjoy a personalized experience.
October 24, 2023Source

YouTube Music Launches Custom AI-Generated Playlist Art: Here's How To Use It
YouTube's dedicated music streaming app is getting some new features that will make it easier to find your favorite tracks and add some artistic pizzazz to custom playlists in the coming months. The first one is a new Speed Dial segment on the Home Page, which hosts the most frequently listened tracks in one place. The second addition is the ability to make custom playlist posters using generative AI.
October 24, 2023Source

YouTube Music now lets you create custom AI-generated playlist art
YouTube is introducing a new feature that lets users create customized playlist art using generative AI, the Google-owned company announced on Tuesday. The new experimental feature is rolling out starting today for English language users in the United States. The company plans to bring the feature to additional regions and languages in the future.
October 24, 2023Source

YouTube Music now lets you generate your own AI playlist art
You can design the the cover art right in the app.
October 24, 2023Source

YouTube Music rolls out new AI playlist art generator feature
YouTube Music has made significant strides recently in its efforts to compete with the likes of Spotify and Apple Music to become your de facto music app. In an effort to communicate to its users all the recent changes the app has gone through, Google took to its official YouTube Blog today to share the list.
October 24, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 23rd, 2023

Apple HomePods now have native YouTube Music support
You can use Siri to start playing music straight from Google's streaming service.
October 23, 2023Source

Listen To A Soundtrack Preview For The Outlast Trials Now, Vinyl Release Details Announced
by Wesley LeBlanc on Oct 23, 2023 at 11:00 AMThe Outlast Trials launched into Early Access on PC earlier this year, and players have been enjoying it, with more than 27,000 Steam reviews falling into the "Very Positive" category. If playing the game isn't enough, you can soon listen to the game's soundtrack on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and more starting this week.
October 23, 2023Source or Watch Video

Sony drops iconic game scores on Spotify for your extreme Main Character Energy
Pop on the 'Shadow of the Colossus' score for a little wander.
October 23, 2023Source

YouTube Music now available natively on Apple HomePods
Alphabet subsidiary YouTube has officially launched YouTube Music support on Apple HomePod to all “Premium” and “Music Premium” members globally.
October 23, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 20th, 2023

YouTube works on an AI tool that allows you to sing like your favorite music artist
Lately, Artificial intelligence is in the spotlight, making its way into the products and services of big tech players. Meta has introduced its AI Assistant, finding a home on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Google, not to be outdone, has its AI-powered chatbot, Bard, and the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are loaded with a slew of AI-powered features. And the tech giant isn't stopping there; it's all about AI these days.
October 20, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 19th, 2023

Spotify's new merch hub is just another thing that Apple Music doesn't offer
You can almost do everything in one app.
October 19, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 16th, 2023

Spotify's app gets a dedicated hub for artist merchandise
It's been less than a week since Spotify's last announcement and the company is back in the news with yet another interesting functionality: a merch shop. One of the biggest streaming services in the United States revealed today a dedicated Merch Hub in the Spotify app, which will serve fans who want to support their favorite artists.
October 16, 2023Source

Know Apple Music's next song at a glance with LivePod app [Awesome Apps]
Wish you didn't have to open the Apple Music app to see what song will play next? The new iOS app LivePod turns your Apple Music Up Next queue into a Live Activity on your Lock Screen. And with newer iPhones, it shows up in the Dynamic Island.
October 16, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 13th, 2023

Best Music Streaming Service of 2023
The competition between Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and others is hotter than ever. Here are the best streaming services
October 13, 2023Source

Ghostwriter, the guy behind the viral Drake/Weeknd song, thinks AI music is like fanfiction
Why he think AI is the future of music and more revelations from his first-ever interview.
October 13, 2023Source

How To Find And Recover Your Old Spotify Playlists
Over the years, Spotify has stood out as the top music streaming platform. In a competitive environment populated by formidable rivals such as Amazon and Tencent Music, its most significant competitor is Apple Music. People prefer Spotify because of its simplistic but feature-packed interface.
October 13, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 11th, 2023

Spotify starts rolling out new tools for podcast creators
Announced earlier this year, Spotify's new creator tools for podcasters are now rolling out globally. Designed to help content creators to engage with their listeners in new ways, these new features are slowly making their way to Spotify users.
October 11, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 6th, 2023

Spotify’s expensive "Supremium" plan leaks again
Spotify revealed plans to launch a “super” Premium plan about one year ago, but the already confirmed tier hasn’t arrived yet. The streaming service has been mum on anything related to what was previously known as Spotify Hi-Fi tier.
October 6, 2023Source

Spotify's 'Supremium' tier might arrive sooner than you think
Looks like there's even more to expect while the latest speculation doubles down on past rumors.
October 6, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 5th, 2023

Spotify's new artist profiles highlight music, Stories, merch and events
Spotify today is rolling out a big change in terms of how users connect with artists on its streaming music platform. With the newly debuted artist profile pages, content has been reorganized under three main tabs, including Music, Events and Merch.
October 5, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 3rd, 2023

Here's what Spotify boss Daniel Ek finds insane about Apple and Google
Best of foes, Spotify and Apple are at it again: Spotify's CEO Daniel Ek spoke to the Financial Times, taking aim at the Cupertino giant yet again.
October 3, 2023Source

Spotify is giving paid subscribers 15 hours of audiobook listening per month
It will launch first in Australia and the UK, and in the US this winter
October 3, 2023Source

Spotify Premium Is Getting Audiobooks, But Don't Expect Unlimited Streaming
Spotify is once again betting on the charm of audiobooks as it aims to outpace the likes of Apple and Amazon. The company has today announced that Spotify Premium subscribers will be able to enjoy 15 hours of free audiobook listening each month.
October 3, 2023Source or Watch Video

Spotify to include a selection of 150K audiobooks with its Premium subscription
Spotify today unveiled what's next for the future of its audiobooks service. At an event hosted in its New York offices on Tuesday afternoon, the company announced a new business model where it will now provide Spotify Premium subscribers with access to a subset of its audiobooks catalog — a total of 150,000 titles — without an additional charge.
October 3, 2023Source

YouTube Music now lets you automatically download new podcast episodes
After adding podcasts to the platform, the service gets an "auto-download" feature.
October 3, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — October 2nd, 2023

Spotify could be working on an AI-powered feature to create unique playlists
Recently, Spotify’s name has been popping around with mentions of AI-powered features. Last week, it introduced Spotify Jam as a collaborative way of listening to music and making playlists.
October 2, 2023Source

Spotify rolls out new podcast-related features and improvements
Every major music streaming service is doubling down on podcasts, a sign that more and more people are finding podcasts entertaining and worth listening to on a regular basis.
October 2, 2023Source

Spotify spotted developing AI-generated playlists created with prompts
Following the successful launch of Spotify’s AI-powered DJ feature and, more recently, added support for AI-translated podcasts, Spotify now appears to be developing another means of using AI in its app: AI-powered playlists.
October 2, 2023Source

Spotify ‘unfairly held back’ by Google and Apple, CEO says
Daniel Ek wants more rules for big tech, but says attempts to control AI will soon become obsolete
October 2, 2023Source

What’s Up With YouTube Music Radio Stations?
Is it just me or have YouTube Music radio stations never been good? It’s a somewhat silly question, because I’m confident that there are plenty others who feel this way. What’s my beef? Let me explain.
October 2, 2023Source

YouTube Music now allows users to auto-download podcast episodes
After the news that Google — notorious for its ax-wielding obsession (think of the now shut down YouTube Originals, Google Stadia, YouTube Go, and more) — is going to put Google Podcasts to sleep, they’ve packed YouTube Music with a fancy new feature.
October 2, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 28th, 2023

Spotify will use OpenAI's tech to translate podcasts to more languages
An AI-powered feature to provide a more authentic and personal listening experience
September 28, 2023Source or Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 27th, 2023

Spotify now using AI to clone podcaster's voice into Spanish
Meanwhile Google pushes podcast listeners toward YouTube Music
September 27, 2023Source

Spotify uses AI to clone and translate podcaster voices in new pilot program
Feature hopes to remove language barriers, but will speakers know if translations are faulty?
September 27, 2023Source

YouTube Music adds 'Song details' for extra discoverability
A little blurb if you're looking for more.
September 27, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 26th, 2023

Apple podcasts gets new haul of shows for Apple Music, News Plus subscribers, and more
Apple is adding more than 100 new podcasts to its Apple Podcasts app for subscribers of Apple Music, Apple News Plus, and apps like Calm and Lingokids.
September 26, 2023Source

How To Use Spotify's New Jam Feature (And Where To Find It)
Spotify is arguably one of the most popular audio streaming services out there to date, and it's largely due to the many ways listeners can discover new music. 
September 26, 2023Source

Spotify announces Jam, a new collaborative listening queue experience
Today, Spotify has announced the launch of its new social listening feature called Jam. This feature is designed to be used in real-time where both Free and Premium users can contribute to a playlist, while it also draws from all of the participant's listening preferences to find song suggestions which match everybody's listening tastes.
September 26, 2023Source or Source or Source or Source or Watch Video

Spotify won't remove all AI-generated content, as it rolls out some of its own
Weeks after removing AI-generated songs that mimic real artists, Spotify's new podcast feature does exactly that.
September 26, 2023Source

The best MP3 players you can buy right now
Yes, MP3 players still exist. The best MP3 players can even sync with services like Spotify to let you listen to your music without a phone.
September 26, 2023Source

YouTube is getting rid of its Premium Lite subscription plan
The ad-free plan, available in some pockets of Europe, is being cancelled.
September 26, 2023Source

YouTube Music scheduled to completely replace Google Podcasts in 2024
YouTube Music officially launched support for audio and video podcasts earlier this year, slowly signaling the eventual death of Google's native Podcasts app as it was poised to become its replacement. Today, Google confirmed this, announcing that Google Podcasts will be discontinued in 2024.
September 26, 2023Source

YouTube's ad-free Premium Lite tier is going away
The $7-a-month subscription plan will only be around until October 25.
September 26, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 25th, 2023

Spotify is adding a new AI feature to translate podcast host voices in different languages
We have seen AI being used more and more for creating human-sounding voices, including their use in creating "fake news". Today, the audio streaming service Spotify announced it is launching an AI-generated voice feature, but one that is supposed to be used for good, not evil.
September 25, 2023Source

Spotify's latest use of AI translates podcasters' voices into different languages
¡Hola, bienvenidos a Spotify!
September 25, 2023Source

Spotify's long-awaited HiFi tier with lossless audio may come soon
The new plan could arrive at $20 a month.
September 25, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 22nd, 2023

Everything You Need to Know About Apple Music
The largest music streaming service is packed with features.
September 22, 2023Source

Niura's EEG-implemented earbuds scan your brain health and recommend music to your mood
Niura has developed a pair of earbuds that monitor brain activity and, it claims, can both watch for potential health issues and match music to a user's mood.
September 22, 2023Source

Spotify's HiFi tier price and features leak ahead of launch
Spotify kind of jumped the gun on its HiFi tier. Officially introduced back in 2021, the premium tier is still MIA with no actual time frame for its release. The most recent report that mentions Spotify's HiFi tier dates from June 2023 and claims the tier was renamed to "Supremium."
September 22, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 21st, 2023

Spotify code suggests HiFi tier is coming with lossless audio for $20 / month
Spotify's long-awaited HiFi tier could feature 24-bit lossless audio, AI playlists, advanced mixing tools, and more.
September 21, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 19th, 2023

Spotify versus Apple: A fight for fair play in the tech world
Spotify has been talking for a while about its issues with Apple's App Store rules, and those worries don't seem to be disappearing, as a recent statement from Spotify reveals.
September 19, 2023Source

This iOS 17 Apple Music feature is the only reason I updated my iPhone
Spotify envy, be gone! Crossfade and Collaborative Playlists promise to recharge your Apple Music streaming experience. Here's how to use them.
September 19, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 18th, 2023

YouTube Music now suggests you "Cry", one of five new mood filters
YouTube Music is changing things once again — after the addition of live lyrics and a redesigned Now Playing interface — now things to be summarized with the following: turn on the waterworks!
September 18, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 14th, 2023

Ever wish your life had a soundtrack? Spotify's new Daylist feature comes close
Just like our moods are ever-changing throughout the day, Spotify's new playlist option seeks to match your energy.
September 14, 2023Source

Spotify will promote artists' music on your Home feed, if they pay
Showcase will let musicians promote both new and old music.
September 14, 2023Source or Source

The best DACs for Apple Music Lossless in 2023
All the equipment you need to listen to hifi audio wherever you are.
September 14, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 13th, 2023

Spotify’s new Showcase tool lets artists pay to promote their music in the Home feed
Spotify this week launched a new tool called Showcase that allows artists to promote their work directly in the streaming app’s revamped Home feed introduced earlier this year. With Showcase, artists can create a mobile card that they can use to introduce their music, including new and catalog releases, which then appears as a sponsored recommendation on listeners’ mobile Home Screen.
September 13, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 12th, 2023

Spotify launches personalized playlist that changes throughout the day
Daylist evolves to match your listening habits.
September 12, 2023Source

Spotify's New 'Daylist' Changes As You Move Through The Day
If you're not sure what you feel like listening to throughout the day, Spotify has a new feature called "Daylist" that could have you covered. The streaming music platform has launched a new customized, dynamic playlist for its users that will periodically update itself, providing "niche music and microgenres you usually listen to during particular moments in the day or on specific days of the week."
September 12, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 11th, 2023

How to Fix AirPods Blinking/Flashing Orange
AirPods are convenient. We are used to convenience and hence pick the AirPods over wired earphones. However, if AirPods stop working, it can be very frustrating. Especially if you're commuting or traveling. Many people are facing an issue where their AirPods are blinking/flashing the orange light which prevents them from using their AirPods.
September 11, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 8th, 2023

Spotify appears to be planning free audiobook trials for subscribers
The pilot program will reportedly give subscribers up to 20 free hours of audiobooks per month.
September 8, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 7th, 2023

Best music streaming services 2023
Play all your favorite tunes on any and all devices.
September 7, 2023Source

Spotify is testing a lyrics paywall: pay to sing along!
After announcing price hikes in over 50 countries (including the US and UK) in July, Spotify is once again bringing "joy and happiness", this time to its free-tier users. The number one music streaming service in the US is testing a new feature that is essentially a paywall for the in-app lyrics panel.
September 7, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 6th, 2023

Apple buys 50-year-old record label to grow Apple Music Classical app
Sweden's BIS Records is known for early and contemporary classical music.
September 6, 2023Source

The Grammys will consider that viral song with Drake and The Weeknd AI vocals for awards after all
'Heart on my Sleeve' may be eligible for songwriting honors.
September 6, 2023Source

Universal Music Group lands new royalty model that boosts popular artists
Universal Music and streaming service Deezer agreed to new terms that will award higher payouts to professional artists over other content.
September 6, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 5th, 2023

Apple acquires classical music label BIS Records
Apple has acquired the major classical music record label BIS Records which will become a part of Apple Music Classical and Platoon. Platoon is an artist services, A&R, and music distribution company owned by Apple.
September 5, 2023Source or Source or Source

Forget old-fashioned turntables — this mini record player spins itself
Anybody who ever owned a record collection knows those slender discs aren't just a bygone way to deliver sound. They're a way to connect tangibly with your music and supply an earthy sound you just can't replicate with Apple Music and other streaming services.
September 5, 2023Source

How criminal networks in Sweden use false Spotify streams to launder money
Gangs and artists provide different kinds of legitimacy for one another
September 5, 2023Source

Spotify founder Daniel Ek admits he initially 'didn't get' the appeal of the flagship feature, Discover Weekly
Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek made a surprising confession in a recent post to X (formerly Twitter), where he admits not only that he didn't come up with the idea for Spotify's flagship feature, the streamer's "Discover Weekly" playlist, he didn't even understand the appeal at first when it was presented.
September 5, 2023Source

Spotify is testing making lyrics a Premium-only feature
Spotify is on the lookout for anything it can find that might make users pay up for their music service. And not even song lyrics are safe.
September 5, 2023Source

Spotify may be working on a new 'surprise' way to share your favorite music tracks
Users can reportedly share a song as a surprise to others by hiding the album art.
September 5, 2023Source

Spotify reportedly locks white noise podcasters out of an ad program
The move will impact podcasters' earnings and boost the company's bottom line.
September 5, 2023Source

Swedish criminal gangs laundering money through Spotify: media
Criminal gangs behind a surge of bombings and shootings in Sweden in recent years are using fake Spotify streams to launder money, a Swedish newspaper reported Tuesday.
September 5, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — September 4th, 2023

Spotify is reportedly limiting ad payouts for white noise podcasters
Starting October 1st, 'white noise podcasters' will no longer be permitted to participate in Spotify's Ambassador Ads program.
September 4, 2023Source

Spotify reportedly locks white noise podcasters out of an ad program
The move will impact podcasters' earnings and boost the company's bottom line.
September 4, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 31st, 2023

Find new music you'll love with Apple Music's Discovery Station
You can find new music on the Apple Music Discovery Station, which gives you a tailored playlist to suggest new artists and jams you've never heard before but should like based on your personal musical tastes.
August 31, 2023Source

How Spotify Improved its LLM Chatbot in Sidekick
While using a Large Language Model chatbot opens the door to innovative solutions, Spotify engineer Ates Goral argues that crafting the user experience so it is as natural as possible requires some specific efforts in order to prevent rendering jank and to reduce latency.
August 31, 2023Source

How to Change and Customize iPhone Charging Sound
Apple's signature charging sound or chime is permanently etched in our minds. The sound signals successful charging, without a need to look at the iPhone screen. But what if you want to change the charging sound on your iPhone? That, too, without the risk of jailbreaking. We've got you covered.
August 31, 2023Source

How To Use VLC Media Player to Trim Video Clips
Hey Geeks, do you have a video that is too long or has some parts that you don't want to keep? Maybe you want to make shorter clips for your social media reels or save some storage space.
August 31, 2023Source

YouTube Music gets more social, adds comments to the 'Now Playing' screen
YouTube Music redesigned its "Now Playing" screen recently, with the most notable update being a new comments section, which allows users to read and write comments directly from the app. The latest upgrade also includes easily accessible buttons, larger cover art and more.
August 31, 2023Source or Source or Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 28th, 2023

In support of widgets, Spotify added new ones for Android
Alright, let's hear it. "Widgets suck!", "they are archaic!" and "nobody uses them!". Did I get that right? Well, mister-sir, if that was the case, then would one of the biggest streaming platforms — Spotify, which we all got installed on some of the best phones available today — update its widget selection for Android?
August 28, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 24th, 2023

Following Apple, Spotify launches its own analytics tools for podcast creators
Spotify has just announced a handful of helpful tools for podcast creators, which have the same functionality as the ones introduced by Apple earlier this week. In addition to the new podcast creator tools for subscriptions, Spotify also revealed some improvements that will make it easier to discover podcasts.
August 24, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 15th, 2023

How to pair Apple AirPods with an Android device
You don't need iOS to use Apple's earbuds.
August 15, 2023Source

YouTube Music debuts Samples, a TikTok-style feed for music discovery
If you've used basically any social media app lately, you'll be familiar with this interface.
August 15, 2023Source or Source or Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 14th, 2023

Find out if Apple Music deleted one of your favorite songs
Here's how you can find out if any songs in your library have been removed from Apple Music. Songs are taken off Apple Music all the time if there's a problem with licensing or if a controversial artist has been broadly disgraced. Spotify was caught up in similar heat last year, losing Neil Young's discography in a protest of the streaming service's association with podcaster Joe Rogan.
August 14, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 9th, 2023

Android might be getting Apple Music's iOS 17 redesign
New features for all
August 9, 2023Source

Apple Music gains a new Spotify-like Discovery Station
The new station can be found next to your Personal Station.
August 9, 2023Source

Finding new bangers with Apple Music is about to get much easier
Play it again, Apple Music.
August 9, 2023Source

How to Fix Apple Music Not Playing Songs
Apple Music not loading, not playing songs, keeps crashing, etc. are some of the most common complaints about the music streaming service. The reason you're facing these issues can range anywhere from a poor internet connection to the Apple Music server being down.
August 9, 2023Source

Patreon creators can now publish subscriber-only podcasts on Spotify
They only need to sync the two accounts to get started.
August 9, 2023Source or Source or Source

Spotify's DJ feature should ship to broad availability already. Everyone should experience this AWESOMENESS
AI-powered listening experience on Spotify ships to more users.
August 9, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 8th, 2023

Apple Music finally adds personalized recommendations, while Spotify expands AI DJ
Regardless of what music streaming app you use, more custom listening experiences are coming your way.
August 8, 2023Source or Source

Apple Music silently gets a new algorithmic feature
If you're using Apple Music for your entertainment needs, you'll be happy to know that the streaming service has just received a new feature that allows you to find new artists to listen to quicker and smoother.
August 8, 2023Source

Apple Music's new 'Discovery Station' helps subscribers discover new music
Spotify's "Discover" feature uses a custom algorithm to diagnose user taste and recommend new songs based on likes and behavior. It's "Discover Weekly," playlist, which is unique to every user and offers 30 new songs each week, has been highly successful.
August 8, 2023Source

X's takeover of @music handle hints toward possible music plans
X, the company formerly known as Twitter, appears to be hinting toward plans to move deeper into the music industry or collaborate with artists and labels with its recent takeover of the @music handle on the social network.
August 8, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 4th, 2023

Spotify introduces new product to help software development teams with A/B testing
Spotify is introducing a new commercial product for software development teams called "Confidence," which is based on its homegrown experimentation platform. Confidence is designed to make it easy for teams to set up, run, coordinate and analyze their own user tests so they can quickly optimize their ideas. Confidence is currently only available as a private beta.
August 4, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 3rd, 2023

A 2001 iPod just sold for an unbelievable world-record price
The original iPod from 2001 is arguably the product that paved the way for today's iPhone 14 and beyond, and it became an icon not just for Apple but for a generation. It wasn't cheap at $399, but that's a bargain compared to the price one just sold for.
August 3, 2023Source or Source

Apple Music launches a Discovery Station to help you find new songs
The new station will play a curated selection of songs based on what you've been listening to but haven't heard before.
August 3, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — August 1st, 2023

Using Spotify's AI DJ has turned the tables on Apple Music for me
Asking X to give me some tracks surprised me after a week.
August 1, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — July 25th, 2023

Spotify CEO teases potential AI-powered capabilities surrounding personalization, ads
During Spotify's second-quarter earnings call this morning, CEO Daniel Ek teased a few ways the streaming service could introduce additional AI-powered functionality. Ek touched on how AI could be used to create more personalized experiences, summarize podcasts and generate ads.
July 25, 2023Source

Spotify grew far more than expected, but is still losing money
The company blames its losses on podcasts and company restructuring.
July 25, 2023Source

Spotify reports strong user growth, raises prices
Spotify reported Tuesday a bigger-than-expected rise in active users at the end of the second quarter, a day after the music streaming giant announced price increases for its premium service.
July 25, 2023Source

The number of people paying for Spotify rose to 220 million
The number of paid subscribers to the music streaming service Spotify, which is based in Sweden, has now reached 220 million. The company announced in its Q2 2023 earnings call that its subscribers grew by 17% year-over-year. Meanwhile, with a 27% increase, Spotify's monthly active users (MAU) count has reached 551 million.
July 25, 2023Source

The Spotify Price Increase Is A Sign Of A Bigger Problem
The choice of where to listen to music is always changing. In previous decades and years, you may have listened to music on different mediums like vinyl, tapes, and CDs. 
July 25, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — July 21st, 2023

Apple's Hidden Social Network Needs a Friend
There's a social network woven into Apple Music, but it's hard to find anyone who wants to use it.
July 21, 2023Source

I used an iPod Classic in 2023, here's what happened
How does Apple's iconic MP3 player hold up in the modern world?
July 21, 2023Source

iOS 17: How to set and adjust crossfade in Apple Music
After years of longing for this feature, you can finally crossfade tracks in Apple Music on iPhone and iPad.
July 21, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — July 20th, 2023

Audacity turns your computer into a full-fledged sound studio — for free
The free Audacity software is all you need to edit audio, whether it's podcasts or music. Here's how the latest version works.
July 20, 2023Source

Spotify updates Tesla app with audiobooks and more
The update brings a few key new features.
July 20, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — July 19th, 2023

TikTok's Apple Music competitor reaches new countries as a US launch beckons
Apple Music might be about to get some new competition following the news that video-based social network TikTok is set to continue the rollout of its music streaming service to new markets.
July 19, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — July 14th, 2023

Spotify reportedly makes users' private playlists public
In what is shaping up to be a widespread privacy controversy, Spotify has come under scrutiny following allegations by users that the music streaming service made their private playlists public without their consent.
July 14, 2023Source

YouTube Music Support For Podcasts Is Finally Rolling Out To All Users Internationally
It has been over a year since YouTube Music gained support for podcasts. However, at launch, the feature was only available in the U.S. That changes today because the app is now getting an update, and the feature is now rolling out to all users globally.
July 14, 2023Source

Electronics — Media Players — Resources

Archos 604 Media Player
The ARCHOS 604 is the perfect companion for people on the move: its 30 GB hard drive capacity allows you to store up to 130 hours of video encoded with a PC, the equivalent of 85 movies.
Provides ProductsSource

Blu-Ray.com
FAQ — Frequently asked questions.
Provides InformationSource

Prime Focus
Call to place your order on receivers, 4DTV receivers, DVD players plus other audio and electronics accessories, including surge protectors, cordless phones and more.
Provides ProductsSource

Radio Shack
Personal radios, wireless telephones, batteries, gadgets, adapters, wires and plugs sit alongside computer equipment and stereo components on their shelves. Convenient online ordering also available.
Provides ProductsSource

Replace iPod Battery
Robust Battery Replacement Kits Juice your iPod.
Provides ProductsSource

SongSpy
A graphical peer-2-Peer mp3-only sharing network designed from the ground up by music addicts for music addicts. Earn Karma Points good toward prizes just for sharing.
Provides ProductsSource

Spotify
Spotify is a music streaming and media services provider that offers access to millions of songs, albums, and podcasts. Spotify also offers curated playlists and audiobooks. (Subsciption Required for premium features.)
Streaming ServiceSource

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