As iPods fade out, Apple's iTunes turns up the volume
Apple's iPod business has shrunk to the point where the company no longer even mentions it among its main product list at quarterly earnings. And while unveiling this year's latest iPhones last month, Apple rolled out a new iPod color without little fanfare.Some way to treat a product that sold26.4 million units in the past 12 months and helped pave the way to the company's current riches. But as time goes by there's simply no arguing that the iPod has become a less important Apple product, especially because it generates less and less revenue for the company. On the flip side, Apple's iTunes business -- which includes the App Store, iBookstore, and sales of music, movies, and TV shows -- has evolved from the iPod's sidekick into the matriarch of Apple's offerings. It's become a major part of how Apple differentiates its gadgets from competitors. For its fiscal year, which ran through September and was fully reported on Monday, Apple sold 26.4 million iPods, down 35 percent from last year. That amounted to $4.4 billion in sales, or down 30 percent in revenue from the year before. By comparison, the iTunes Store and its surrounding businesses (which grew out of the iPod) brought in $15 billion in sales and grew by 22 percent. Related storiesThe iTunes Store turns 10: It's Apple's empire to loseli>Apple extends new 'Space Gray' color to iPods, tooApple's Q4 racks up $37.5B in salesApple iTunes Radio notches 20M listeners, 1 billion songsThat's a far cry from the massive strides the store made in the early days, which were fueled by an ever popular and growing iPod line. But that growth has continued amid the iPod's dwindling popularity.How iTunes stacks upiTunes and its related software and services have become a key to how Apple makes money. In the last year, the profitability of Apple's iTunes, software, and services business was second only to iPhone among all of the company's business units, even though it only represents 8.2 percent of the sales Apple generated in the just-ended fiscal year. However, iTunes has bumped up against some ceilings. Music-related products and services have grown in overall size, but they've been shrinking to a smaller slice of Apple's revenue every year as the company's hardware business has exploded. Rewind to 2008 and it was iTunes' heyday as the world's go-to place to legally acquire digital entertainment. And the App Store had only just begun. Today, the world has a surfeit of retailers willing to sell you digital music, movies, and shows. In many cases, Apple is delivering consumers to its competition. Mobile music listening is gravitating toward subscription services like Spotify or online radio services like Pandora. Apple, through its App Store, is what's bringing those services to device owners -- as it must. The revolutionary premise of the iPhone was that the apps turned the device into a digital Swiss Army knife. The iPod as a walled garden evolved into a more open device, despite Apple's desire to control every part of it. CNETEven when Apple jumps on the bandwagon with a service like iTunes Radio, there are signs that the competitor may not suffer as a result. Last week, Apple revealed that iTunes Radio hit 20 million users, streaming a billion songs in about five weeks. It's strong growth, but don't forget iTunes Radio was more than halfway toward that user milestone in only five days. From that data, B. Riley analyst Sameet Sinha crunched that iTunes Radio users spend 75 percent less time listening to the service than listeners of Pandora. Even with Apple's reach and even though initial users of iTunes Radio are largely early adopters and Apple fans, Pandora is sticky. A Canaccord survey of 860 consumers revealed that almost all of them who had tried iTunes Radio -- 92 percent -- said they still use Pandora. Two-thirds said they use Pandora at least as much as or more than iTunes Radio. One other metric to look at then is the App Store itself, which has fueled Apple's iTunes growth. Apple attributed as much in an earnings call with Wall Street analysts on Monday, saying that users have cumulatively downloaded 60 billion apps. Also, the company has paid out $13 billion to developers since the store launched in mid-2009. Apple doesn't go into as much detail on how its financials break down for that business unit. For instance, you won't get how much of that revenue was in music tracks, movies, TV shows, books, or apps. Getty ImagesFor the iPod, though, its decline is simply a side effect of Apple's success in other areas. Nearly all of its key functions (short of a low price) could be found in the iPhone, beginning with the first version in 2007. This cannibalization has been touted by the company, particularly CEO Tim Cook, who refers to the products that replace these as a "huge opportunity."The very same thing is happening right now with Apple's Mac sales, which have shrunk amid the growth of the iPad. "Our core philosophy is to never fear cannibalization. If we don't do it, someone else will," Cook told analysts back in January. "We know that the iPhone has cannibalized some of our iPod business. That doesn't worry us. We know that iPad will cannibalize some Macs. But that's not a concern."In other words, Apple values progress more than it treasures the iPod. It's been the same story with several other products, which faded into the sunset in the name of something newer and better -- from the original iPod Mini to plastic MacBooks. For the iPod, the iPhone fulfilled many of those same promises in 2007, making it an unlikely survivor, though one whose future now seems more uncertain than ever.
Nutsie brings iTunes to Android via the cloud_0
Nutsie brings iTunes to Android via the cloud
As I watched Melodeo engineering Vice President Bob Wise demonstrate the new Nutsie on a Motorola Droid at the company's Seattle office on Monday, I had to wonder why Google doesn't have its own Nutsie-like app. The basic idea behind the current version of Nutsie is simple: you have a bunch of songs stored in iTunes on your computer that you'd like on your phone, but you don't want to buy an Apple iPhone (perhaps because of AT&T). For $19.95, you can download the Nutsie app for phones running Google's Android, Research In Motion's BlackBerry, Microsoft's Windows Mobile, and various other mobile platforms, then grab the Nutsie uploader for your computer, and it will automatically sync your iTunes library to your mobile phone. You never need to plug your phone into your computer, and any changes to iTunes are automatically synced to the cloud and then to your phone. Nutsie also recommends other songs based on the contents of your library, then integrates those songs into your iTunes playlists. (This function forms the basis of Effin Genius, an iPhone app that creates playlists based on your library; Melodeo basically stripped the Serendipity feature out of Nutsie and made it into an iPhone app.)There has been one big drawback to Nutsie: it required you to use playlists, and you couldn't navigate to single songs, as you could do with iTunes on an iPhone. It was more like Internet radio than a true iTunes clone. This all changes with the new version of Nutsie, which is slated to come out for Android phones this quarter. Whereas past versions uploaded only data about songs, then streamed copies of those songs from Nutsie's servers, the forthcoming version is more like a digital storage locker: it will let users upload their entire iTunes library to Nutsie's servers, then access that content from their Android phone. The playback experience will be almost exactly the same as if they were using an iPhone. Nutsie will also cache songs to the device, so once users have played a particular song, they won't need to have an active Internet connection to play it again. So why hasn't Google made something like Nutsie an Android standard? Android's music sync is one of its worst features--users have to mount the device as a hard drive before they can transfer files to it--and the onboard storage for the Nexus One is a paltry 4GB (expandable, but still).If any company has embraced the cloud, it's Google. So why not make local storage obsolete? Untether users' music libraries from their PCs and stream them from the cloud instead. It would make sense for users and would provide a treasure trove of information about users--their musical tastes--to help Google target advertisements even more effectively.The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. After all, Google has already added playable music streams to its search results, and Apple reportedly bought Lala in part to keep it out of Google's hands. If it agrees, the question is, will Google build it or buy it?Correction, 4:48 p.m. PST: This post mischaracterized how the upcoming version of Nutsie will function. It will upload songs directly from users' computer-based iTunes libraries to Nutsie's servers, then allow users to access those songs from their phones.
As I watched Melodeo engineering Vice President Bob Wise demonstrate the new Nutsie on a Motorola Droid at the company's Seattle office on Monday, I had to wonder why Google doesn't have its own Nutsie-like app. The basic idea behind the current version of Nutsie is simple: you have a bunch of songs stored in iTunes on your computer that you'd like on your phone, but you don't want to buy an Apple iPhone (perhaps because of AT&T). For $19.95, you can download the Nutsie app for phones running Google's Android, Research In Motion's BlackBerry, Microsoft's Windows Mobile, and various other mobile platforms, then grab the Nutsie uploader for your computer, and it will automatically sync your iTunes library to your mobile phone. You never need to plug your phone into your computer, and any changes to iTunes are automatically synced to the cloud and then to your phone. Nutsie also recommends other songs based on the contents of your library, then integrates those songs into your iTunes playlists. (This function forms the basis of Effin Genius, an iPhone app that creates playlists based on your library; Melodeo basically stripped the Serendipity feature out of Nutsie and made it into an iPhone app.)There has been one big drawback to Nutsie: it required you to use playlists, and you couldn't navigate to single songs, as you could do with iTunes on an iPhone. It was more like Internet radio than a true iTunes clone. This all changes with the new version of Nutsie, which is slated to come out for Android phones this quarter. Whereas past versions uploaded only data about songs, then streamed copies of those songs from Nutsie's servers, the forthcoming version is more like a digital storage locker: it will let users upload their entire iTunes library to Nutsie's servers, then access that content from their Android phone. The playback experience will be almost exactly the same as if they were using an iPhone. Nutsie will also cache songs to the device, so once users have played a particular song, they won't need to have an active Internet connection to play it again. So why hasn't Google made something like Nutsie an Android standard? Android's music sync is one of its worst features--users have to mount the device as a hard drive before they can transfer files to it--and the onboard storage for the Nexus One is a paltry 4GB (expandable, but still).If any company has embraced the cloud, it's Google. So why not make local storage obsolete? Untether users' music libraries from their PCs and stream them from the cloud instead. It would make sense for users and would provide a treasure trove of information about users--their musical tastes--to help Google target advertisements even more effectively.The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. After all, Google has already added playable music streams to its search results, and Apple reportedly bought Lala in part to keep it out of Google's hands. If it agrees, the question is, will Google build it or buy it?Correction, 4:48 p.m. PST: This post mischaracterized how the upcoming version of Nutsie will function. It will upload songs directly from users' computer-based iTunes libraries to Nutsie's servers, then allow users to access those songs from their phones.
Cisco CEO beats on the consumer electronics drum
Cisco CEO beats on the consumer electronics drum
This increased focus will likely mean a "steady stream of product announcements, partnership announcements and acquisitions" from the company as it grows this market, Chambers said.Cisco initially got into the home networking businessin 2003 with its acquisition of Linksys and it increased its presence a couple of years later with the acquisition of set-top box maker Scientific Atlanta. With these products as the corner stone of its consumer business, Cisco claims it has sold some 160 million home routers and set top boxes. But Chambers said the company plans to make a much more aggressive push moving forward, especially over the next 12 months."We are really committed to this market and we're putting the whole company behind it," he said. "We will be very aggressive." Chambers said he hopes to grow Cisco's consumer business to between $5 billion and $10 billion over the next few years.Cisco has been talking about increasing its presence in the home for more than a year. And Wednesday it announced new home networking products and a bold new service designed for big media companies to help bring more rich content to consumers.The first set of products come from the Cisco's Linksys home-networking business unit. And they're designed to let consumers share music throughout their home.The Wireless Home Audio system sends music over a standard Wi-Fi network to speakers in multiple rooms. The bundle of products, which starts at about $999 for two rooms, even allows music from Apple iPods and iTunes to be accessed through a single controller and played throughout the home. Cisco also introduced a new Media Hub, a storage device that allows people to access content remotely over the Internet.The product, which comes in different storage capacities up to 500 gigabytes, starts at $299. In addition to providing remote access, the Media Hub provides back-up of digital files, such as photos and music. And in an effort to help big media and entertainment companies provide richer interactive content to consumers, Cisco announced its new Eos hosted software platform. Cisco will offer the Eos technology as part of a service, which media and entertainment companies will use to create, manage, and grow online communities. The idea is to streamline the process for building new Web sites, while also allowing media companies to add interactivity and social-networking components.Chambers said that more is to come over the next several months. But he emphasized that Cisco's focus on consumer electronics is not just about individual products, but about building a platform and an architecture that can be sustained in the future.For all its fervor, Cisco's consumer ambitions may not be so easy to achieve. The consumer electronics market is full of competitors. For example, the home audio system that Cisco announced Wednesday is very similar to what's already offered from Sonos. And there are plenty of companies already offering media hubs. What's more Cisco's pricing is not much different from its competitors. Additionally, Cisco is still struggling to provide a consistent brand to the market. Today's new products for the home are branded Linksys by Cisco. But the company is in the process of migrating its branding solely toward Cisco."Cisco is the main brand," said Ned Hooper, senior vice president of corporate development for Cisco's Consumer Business Group. "But we also have existing brands that have generated significant value. So Linksys will be a family brand."
This increased focus will likely mean a "steady stream of product announcements, partnership announcements and acquisitions" from the company as it grows this market, Chambers said.Cisco initially got into the home networking businessin 2003 with its acquisition of Linksys and it increased its presence a couple of years later with the acquisition of set-top box maker Scientific Atlanta. With these products as the corner stone of its consumer business, Cisco claims it has sold some 160 million home routers and set top boxes. But Chambers said the company plans to make a much more aggressive push moving forward, especially over the next 12 months."We are really committed to this market and we're putting the whole company behind it," he said. "We will be very aggressive." Chambers said he hopes to grow Cisco's consumer business to between $5 billion and $10 billion over the next few years.Cisco has been talking about increasing its presence in the home for more than a year. And Wednesday it announced new home networking products and a bold new service designed for big media companies to help bring more rich content to consumers.The first set of products come from the Cisco's Linksys home-networking business unit. And they're designed to let consumers share music throughout their home.The Wireless Home Audio system sends music over a standard Wi-Fi network to speakers in multiple rooms. The bundle of products, which starts at about $999 for two rooms, even allows music from Apple iPods and iTunes to be accessed through a single controller and played throughout the home. Cisco also introduced a new Media Hub, a storage device that allows people to access content remotely over the Internet.The product, which comes in different storage capacities up to 500 gigabytes, starts at $299. In addition to providing remote access, the Media Hub provides back-up of digital files, such as photos and music. And in an effort to help big media and entertainment companies provide richer interactive content to consumers, Cisco announced its new Eos hosted software platform. Cisco will offer the Eos technology as part of a service, which media and entertainment companies will use to create, manage, and grow online communities. The idea is to streamline the process for building new Web sites, while also allowing media companies to add interactivity and social-networking components.Chambers said that more is to come over the next several months. But he emphasized that Cisco's focus on consumer electronics is not just about individual products, but about building a platform and an architecture that can be sustained in the future.For all its fervor, Cisco's consumer ambitions may not be so easy to achieve. The consumer electronics market is full of competitors. For example, the home audio system that Cisco announced Wednesday is very similar to what's already offered from Sonos. And there are plenty of companies already offering media hubs. What's more Cisco's pricing is not much different from its competitors. Additionally, Cisco is still struggling to provide a consistent brand to the market. Today's new products for the home are branded Linksys by Cisco. But the company is in the process of migrating its branding solely toward Cisco."Cisco is the main brand," said Ned Hooper, senior vice president of corporate development for Cisco's Consumer Business Group. "But we also have existing brands that have generated significant value. So Linksys will be a family brand."
The 404 431- Where we can eat a peach for days
The 404 431: Where we can eat a peach for days
Like most social-networking sites, Twitter isn't immune to lurkers, fakes, and creeps. The 404 Twitter account received over 600 followers in the last 24 hours, which leads us to believe that we're either becoming wildly popular or more likely, the new adds are demonized accounts; in other words, people that had their accounts taken over by a spam bot. This has to stop, Biz--stop teasing our egos!In other ridiculous news, the CBS video print ad we picked apart in Episode 411 is fetching up to $400 on eBay--what the what? If we'd known that prices would skyrocket on the black market, we would have ganked a few more copies from our parent company, CBS! This is a great example of how you can buy practically anything online, including an 800 thread count Egyptian Cotton duvet cover or a set of custom-made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle drapes from your humble host's childhood...don't ask, just watch the show. After the break, we get to a few Calls From the Public, including one from a caller all the way in the Caribbean! We also run down the 20 best cartoons from the 1990s, but they forgot about the X-Men cartoon! And where is "Teenage Mutant Ninja Frickin Turtles?!" Take a look at the list and let us know your favorites!EPISODE 431PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Like most social-networking sites, Twitter isn't immune to lurkers, fakes, and creeps. The 404 Twitter account received over 600 followers in the last 24 hours, which leads us to believe that we're either becoming wildly popular or more likely, the new adds are demonized accounts; in other words, people that had their accounts taken over by a spam bot. This has to stop, Biz--stop teasing our egos!In other ridiculous news, the CBS video print ad we picked apart in Episode 411 is fetching up to $400 on eBay--what the what? If we'd known that prices would skyrocket on the black market, we would have ganked a few more copies from our parent company, CBS! This is a great example of how you can buy practically anything online, including an 800 thread count Egyptian Cotton duvet cover or a set of custom-made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle drapes from your humble host's childhood...don't ask, just watch the show. After the break, we get to a few Calls From the Public, including one from a caller all the way in the Caribbean! We also run down the 20 best cartoons from the 1990s, but they forgot about the X-Men cartoon! And where is "Teenage Mutant Ninja Frickin Turtles?!" Take a look at the list and let us know your favorites!EPISODE 431PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Modern-day Magellans and the quest for entertainment
Modern-day Magellans and the quest for entertainment
Finding out about shows and figuring out how to view them can be an adventure. Viewers are learning to navigate to the new offerings, and marketers like CBS are adapting our marketing strategies to keep pace with their behavior and preferences. There are essentially three areas where we focus our attention:1)Navigation2)Search3)Discovery Navigation is the traditional world of marketing and advertising. It's going to where the viewers are and showing them the product. In all of our on-air ads (promos), we make it clear to viewers how, when, and where to find our shows. Search is now an ingrained part of consumers' expectations. On a laptop, you can type in a few words and find just about anything in seconds. Not so with television--electronic program guides on TV sets have historically been very clunky and "user-unfriendly." But that's beginning to change. We are working with tech partners and distributors to better showcase their content offerings and enhance video search on television. CBSDiscovery is the act of stumbling upon something new. It's what Magellan did when he discovered a passageway from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, while in search of the Spice Islands. It's those acts of serendipity that deliver us to new people, places, perspectives, and shows. Given the nature of discovery, it is hard to control. But as marketers we can seek out selected opportunities to spark "off the grid" excitement and empower brand evangelists to spread the word virally. We do this by making sure our shows have a strong presence on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, by rewarding fans of our shows, and by interacting with social influencers on a regular basis. Regardless of what, where, or how you want to watch, our job is to make it as simple and enjoyable for viewers to learn about, find, and watch our shows. And in a few short months we will have some new ones to introduce. So get ready for a new adventure...and stay tuned!!
Finding out about shows and figuring out how to view them can be an adventure. Viewers are learning to navigate to the new offerings, and marketers like CBS are adapting our marketing strategies to keep pace with their behavior and preferences. There are essentially three areas where we focus our attention:1)Navigation2)Search3)Discovery Navigation is the traditional world of marketing and advertising. It's going to where the viewers are and showing them the product. In all of our on-air ads (promos), we make it clear to viewers how, when, and where to find our shows. Search is now an ingrained part of consumers' expectations. On a laptop, you can type in a few words and find just about anything in seconds. Not so with television--electronic program guides on TV sets have historically been very clunky and "user-unfriendly." But that's beginning to change. We are working with tech partners and distributors to better showcase their content offerings and enhance video search on television. CBSDiscovery is the act of stumbling upon something new. It's what Magellan did when he discovered a passageway from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, while in search of the Spice Islands. It's those acts of serendipity that deliver us to new people, places, perspectives, and shows. Given the nature of discovery, it is hard to control. But as marketers we can seek out selected opportunities to spark "off the grid" excitement and empower brand evangelists to spread the word virally. We do this by making sure our shows have a strong presence on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, by rewarding fans of our shows, and by interacting with social influencers on a regular basis. Regardless of what, where, or how you want to watch, our job is to make it as simple and enjoyable for viewers to learn about, find, and watch our shows. And in a few short months we will have some new ones to introduce. So get ready for a new adventure...and stay tuned!!
Get a $90 Mac app bundle for free
Get a $90 Mac app bundle for free
There's no such thing as a free lunch, right? Actually, my favorite Chinese place gave me a punch card good for a free trip to the buffet after 10 punches, so there literally is such a thing as free lunch. (I know, you have to buy 10 not-free lunches first. Let's not ruin my analogy with semantics, shall we?)There's also such a thing as free software -- if you know where to look. For a limited time, a site called AppyFridays is offering a free Mac software bundle. Combined value of the six included apps: $90.All you do is enter your e-mail address to subscribe to the AppyFridays newsletter. Immediately thereafter I received an e-mail with download links and, where necessary, activation codes for the software. Make sure you take note of the message in that e-mail: "Grab your apps and activate them before the deal ends." (The deal ends one week from today: November 19.)So, what does your e-mail address buy you? These guys:Colorado Desktops: 290 scenic wallpapers from the incomparably gorgeous Rocky Mountains of Colorado.Hider: True to its name, it hides important files for added security.MacCleanse: Hard-drive optimization utility.Musictube: Turns YouTube into an iTunes-style jukebox.Picturesque: Liven up your photos by applying one of five visually arresting effects.Tunes Cleaner: Cleans up, organizes, and repairs your iTunes music library.So, yeah, nothing really earth-shattering, but a nice collection of apps all the same. Tunes Cleaner alone normally sells for $29.99. Also, if you're willing to clue in your friends about the deal (i.e., share it on Facebook and Twitter), you can score a seventh freebie: Photo Importer, a "small and user-friendly...Mac application which will automatically import photos from a selected folder."What's not to like?
There's no such thing as a free lunch, right? Actually, my favorite Chinese place gave me a punch card good for a free trip to the buffet after 10 punches, so there literally is such a thing as free lunch. (I know, you have to buy 10 not-free lunches first. Let's not ruin my analogy with semantics, shall we?)There's also such a thing as free software -- if you know where to look. For a limited time, a site called AppyFridays is offering a free Mac software bundle. Combined value of the six included apps: $90.All you do is enter your e-mail address to subscribe to the AppyFridays newsletter. Immediately thereafter I received an e-mail with download links and, where necessary, activation codes for the software. Make sure you take note of the message in that e-mail: "Grab your apps and activate them before the deal ends." (The deal ends one week from today: November 19.)So, what does your e-mail address buy you? These guys:Colorado Desktops: 290 scenic wallpapers from the incomparably gorgeous Rocky Mountains of Colorado.Hider: True to its name, it hides important files for added security.MacCleanse: Hard-drive optimization utility.Musictube: Turns YouTube into an iTunes-style jukebox.Picturesque: Liven up your photos by applying one of five visually arresting effects.Tunes Cleaner: Cleans up, organizes, and repairs your iTunes music library.So, yeah, nothing really earth-shattering, but a nice collection of apps all the same. Tunes Cleaner alone normally sells for $29.99. Also, if you're willing to clue in your friends about the deal (i.e., share it on Facebook and Twitter), you can score a seventh freebie: Photo Importer, a "small and user-friendly...Mac application which will automatically import photos from a selected folder."What's not to like?
Get a $17.50 music credit with an eMusic subscription trial
Get a $17.50 music credit with an eMusic subscription trial
eMusic is the little music service that could.The company has been around since just about the dawn of the MP3 era, yet it's rarely mentioned in the same breath as Amazon and iTunes or Rhapsody and Spotify. Heck, it's rarely mentioned at all.And yet it chugs along, offering one of the better deals on music downloads you'll find anywhere. In fact, if you sign up for a free 14-day trial, the deal just got a little sweeter.Specifically, when you register for an eMusic subscription, you'll get a $17.50 credit, which is good for up to 35 songs. Previously the credit was only $10. That's not quite double the free-music goodness, but it's still a few albums' worth of songs for a total cost of zero.After your two-week trial expires, you'll be on the hook for an eMusic subscription -- unless you cancel first, which is totally your prerogative. If you do cancel, you get to keep your downloads. (They're DRM-free MP3s, after all.)That said, allow me to make the case for keeping your subscription going. eMusic's membership plans start at $11.99 per month. That lets you browse some 10 million tracks, which are priced as low as 49 cents apiece.So let's say you want to buy Neon Trees' "Picture Show." iTunes charges $7.99 for the album; Amazon, $6.99. eMusic's price: $5.99. The service is typically a couple bucks less on albums, and sometimes as much as 50 percent less on individual tracks.To put it another way, if you typically buy at least 12 dollars' worth of music each month, eMusic offers the biggest bang for the buck. And if your monthly music budget is even higher, you can save even more: higher subscription plans net you more credit. For example, the $20.99/month plan gives you $22.99 to spend.Of course, if you buy only the occasional song or album, an eMusic subscription doesn't make much sense. But a free no-obligation trial with a $17.50 credit? That makes all kinds of sense.
eMusic is the little music service that could.The company has been around since just about the dawn of the MP3 era, yet it's rarely mentioned in the same breath as Amazon and iTunes or Rhapsody and Spotify. Heck, it's rarely mentioned at all.And yet it chugs along, offering one of the better deals on music downloads you'll find anywhere. In fact, if you sign up for a free 14-day trial, the deal just got a little sweeter.Specifically, when you register for an eMusic subscription, you'll get a $17.50 credit, which is good for up to 35 songs. Previously the credit was only $10. That's not quite double the free-music goodness, but it's still a few albums' worth of songs for a total cost of zero.After your two-week trial expires, you'll be on the hook for an eMusic subscription -- unless you cancel first, which is totally your prerogative. If you do cancel, you get to keep your downloads. (They're DRM-free MP3s, after all.)That said, allow me to make the case for keeping your subscription going. eMusic's membership plans start at $11.99 per month. That lets you browse some 10 million tracks, which are priced as low as 49 cents apiece.So let's say you want to buy Neon Trees' "Picture Show." iTunes charges $7.99 for the album; Amazon, $6.99. eMusic's price: $5.99. The service is typically a couple bucks less on albums, and sometimes as much as 50 percent less on individual tracks.To put it another way, if you typically buy at least 12 dollars' worth of music each month, eMusic offers the biggest bang for the buck. And if your monthly music budget is even higher, you can save even more: higher subscription plans net you more credit. For example, the $20.99/month plan gives you $22.99 to spend.Of course, if you buy only the occasional song or album, an eMusic subscription doesn't make much sense. But a free no-obligation trial with a $17.50 credit? That makes all kinds of sense.
iBeacon location-sensing tech put to use at grocery stores
iBeacon location-sensing tech put to use at grocery stores
Apple's iBeacon location-sensing technology appears to be having a major breakthrough. Mobile shopping startup InMarket announced Monday that it's beginning to use the platform in more than 150 grocery stores across the US, according to The Associated Press.This means the 20 million people who use InMarket's apps on its Mobile to Mortar platform will be able to get grocery list reminders, deals, and reward points at supermarkets like Safeway and Giant Eagle. To use the technology, shoppers have to opt in by downloading specific apps, like InMarket's Checkpoints. Apple debuted iBeacon late last year on devices running iOS 7. The location-sensing technology works by sending off short-range transmitters that notify mobile devices when they are within 100 feet of a beacon. This type of location-sensing technology can be used for indoor navigation, automatic ticketing, and location-relevant promotions.iBeacon has already been used at Apple retail stores, is in testing mode with MLB at certain baseball stadiums, and will even be used for a scavenger hunt at this week's Consumer Electronics Show. Starbucks, Macy's, and American Airlines are also said to be testing the technology. InMarket's iBeacon feature will be in more than 150 stores in Seattle, San Francisco, and Cleveland within the next two weeks; and the company plans to expand to thousands of grocery and retail stores by the end of 2014, according to the AP.Here are some of the features InMarket's iBeacon platform gives users:
Apple's iBeacon location-sensing technology appears to be having a major breakthrough. Mobile shopping startup InMarket announced Monday that it's beginning to use the platform in more than 150 grocery stores across the US, according to The Associated Press.This means the 20 million people who use InMarket's apps on its Mobile to Mortar platform will be able to get grocery list reminders, deals, and reward points at supermarkets like Safeway and Giant Eagle. To use the technology, shoppers have to opt in by downloading specific apps, like InMarket's Checkpoints. Apple debuted iBeacon late last year on devices running iOS 7. The location-sensing technology works by sending off short-range transmitters that notify mobile devices when they are within 100 feet of a beacon. This type of location-sensing technology can be used for indoor navigation, automatic ticketing, and location-relevant promotions.iBeacon has already been used at Apple retail stores, is in testing mode with MLB at certain baseball stadiums, and will even be used for a scavenger hunt at this week's Consumer Electronics Show. Starbucks, Macy's, and American Airlines are also said to be testing the technology. InMarket's iBeacon feature will be in more than 150 stores in Seattle, San Francisco, and Cleveland within the next two weeks; and the company plans to expand to thousands of grocery and retail stores by the end of 2014, according to the AP.Here are some of the features InMarket's iBeacon platform gives users:
Hulu blocks access to overseas Apple TV owners, report says
Hulu blocks access to overseas Apple TV owners, report says
International Apple TV owners are complaining that they have been blocked from Hulu Plus.According to The Next Web, which has obtained images of an error message displayed when users try to stream a show or film from Hulu Plus, those with an Apple TV and U.S. iTunes account are able to browse Hulu's selection of titles. Upon choosing one of those titles, however, a "Geo Restriction" pops up, telling them they cannot access the particular video."We're sorry. Currently our video library can only be streamed within the United States," the message reads, according to images posted by The Next Web.Related storiesTV fans, name the best shows missing on HuluNew York Times can't build its pay wall aloneHands-on: Is Intel's Wireless Display a game changer?Could cable lose its grip on TV business?Roku Player gets more niche video channelsHulu Plus quietly made its way to the Apple TV yesterday. Upon restarting their Apple TVs, U.S.-based owners with an $8-per-month Hulu Plus subscription were able to start streaming its selection of movies and television shows. Based on The Next Web's report, it appears international Apple TV owners also saw the app, despite not being able to access its videos.Hulu has been slow to roll out its service internationally. In September, the company launched Hulu Japan, but so far, it hasn't gone elsewhere. In an FAQ on its site, Hulu says that it doesn't "have a timetable for any news regarding expansion beyond Japan at this time." So, international users might be waiting some time before they can finally access Hulu Plus' programming.CNET has contacted Hulu for comment on The Next Web's report. We will update this story when we have more information.
International Apple TV owners are complaining that they have been blocked from Hulu Plus.According to The Next Web, which has obtained images of an error message displayed when users try to stream a show or film from Hulu Plus, those with an Apple TV and U.S. iTunes account are able to browse Hulu's selection of titles. Upon choosing one of those titles, however, a "Geo Restriction" pops up, telling them they cannot access the particular video."We're sorry. Currently our video library can only be streamed within the United States," the message reads, according to images posted by The Next Web.Related storiesTV fans, name the best shows missing on HuluNew York Times can't build its pay wall aloneHands-on: Is Intel's Wireless Display a game changer?Could cable lose its grip on TV business?Roku Player gets more niche video channelsHulu Plus quietly made its way to the Apple TV yesterday. Upon restarting their Apple TVs, U.S.-based owners with an $8-per-month Hulu Plus subscription were able to start streaming its selection of movies and television shows. Based on The Next Web's report, it appears international Apple TV owners also saw the app, despite not being able to access its videos.Hulu has been slow to roll out its service internationally. In September, the company launched Hulu Japan, but so far, it hasn't gone elsewhere. In an FAQ on its site, Hulu says that it doesn't "have a timetable for any news regarding expansion beyond Japan at this time." So, international users might be waiting some time before they can finally access Hulu Plus' programming.CNET has contacted Hulu for comment on The Next Web's report. We will update this story when we have more information.
Huawei unveils 7-inch Android 3.2 tablet
Huawei unveils 7-inch Android 3.2 tablet
Chinese telecom heavyweight Huawei has announced a new 7-inch tablet.The device, called MediaPad, will come with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and will support full 1080p HD video playback. The device will ship with a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, as well as a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, boasting auto-focus and HD video recording. The MediaPad will feature Wi-Fi and HSPA+ (14.4Mbps) connectivity.The platform will be what Huawei calls the "world's first 7-inch Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet." Android 3.2 will reportedly feature the same functionality as Android 3.1, but will be optimized for the 7-inch display.The MediaPad isn't Huawei's first foray in the tablet space. Earlier this year, the company unveiled another 7-inch tablet running Android, called the Ideos S7 Slim. That device is running Android 2.2 (Froyo).Huawei's MediaPad is joining an increasingly crowded tablet space with Motorola, Samsung, RIM, and others all jostling for position. However, those companies are trying to catch up to Apple, which said earlier this month that it has sold 25 million iPads since that tablet's launch last year.Android tablets, meanwhile, have had some difficulty attracting customers, and last month, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, gave several reasons for the trouble Android devices are experiencing in the marketplace."It's a point-of-sales problem. It's an expertise-at-retail problem. It's a marketing problem to consumers. It is a price-point problem," he said.Huawei did not immediately respond to request for information on the MediaPad's pricing and availability.
Chinese telecom heavyweight Huawei has announced a new 7-inch tablet.The device, called MediaPad, will come with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and will support full 1080p HD video playback. The device will ship with a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, as well as a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, boasting auto-focus and HD video recording. The MediaPad will feature Wi-Fi and HSPA+ (14.4Mbps) connectivity.The platform will be what Huawei calls the "world's first 7-inch Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet." Android 3.2 will reportedly feature the same functionality as Android 3.1, but will be optimized for the 7-inch display.The MediaPad isn't Huawei's first foray in the tablet space. Earlier this year, the company unveiled another 7-inch tablet running Android, called the Ideos S7 Slim. That device is running Android 2.2 (Froyo).Huawei's MediaPad is joining an increasingly crowded tablet space with Motorola, Samsung, RIM, and others all jostling for position. However, those companies are trying to catch up to Apple, which said earlier this month that it has sold 25 million iPads since that tablet's launch last year.Android tablets, meanwhile, have had some difficulty attracting customers, and last month, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, gave several reasons for the trouble Android devices are experiencing in the marketplace."It's a point-of-sales problem. It's an expertise-at-retail problem. It's a marketing problem to consumers. It is a price-point problem," he said.Huawei did not immediately respond to request for information on the MediaPad's pricing and availability.
HTC Thunderbolt one pricey smartphone to make
HTC Thunderbolt one pricey smartphone to make
That's according to a recent study by IHS, who found that the phone's bill of materials was $262, the highest total out of any smartphone the firm has ever torn down. The high price was largely due to the 4G components, which added $39.75 to the cost of the smartphone. The company says the higher cost provides some insights on the issues Apple may have when it constructs a 4G-compatible iPhone. "The next iPhone's (build-of-materials) value certainly will increase substantially compared to the iPhone 4 if LTE is implemented in the same manner as in the HTC Thunderbolt," said Wayne Lam, an analyst at IHS. Related coverage• iPhone 5 rumor roundup• Four years of the iPhone• Why things are looking good for VerizonIn comparison, the CDMA variant of the iPhone 4 has a build-of-materials cost of $171.35. The firm estimates the cost would go up to $211.10 if Apple used the same LTE components that HTC did. While there remains speculation--mostly wishful thinking--that the next iPhone will be compatible with Verizon's 4G LTE network, many remain skeptical. Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said in April that the first generation of LTE components would force compromises that the company wasn't willing to make. The wireless carriers are eager to push 4G service, seen by many as the key to their continued growth. IHS, however, does note that there are more cost-efficient components available now than there were when the Thunderbolt was being designed. Still, any 4G components would require a radical redesign of the hardware.
That's according to a recent study by IHS, who found that the phone's bill of materials was $262, the highest total out of any smartphone the firm has ever torn down. The high price was largely due to the 4G components, which added $39.75 to the cost of the smartphone. The company says the higher cost provides some insights on the issues Apple may have when it constructs a 4G-compatible iPhone. "The next iPhone's (build-of-materials) value certainly will increase substantially compared to the iPhone 4 if LTE is implemented in the same manner as in the HTC Thunderbolt," said Wayne Lam, an analyst at IHS. Related coverage• iPhone 5 rumor roundup• Four years of the iPhone• Why things are looking good for VerizonIn comparison, the CDMA variant of the iPhone 4 has a build-of-materials cost of $171.35. The firm estimates the cost would go up to $211.10 if Apple used the same LTE components that HTC did. While there remains speculation--mostly wishful thinking--that the next iPhone will be compatible with Verizon's 4G LTE network, many remain skeptical. Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said in April that the first generation of LTE components would force compromises that the company wasn't willing to make. The wireless carriers are eager to push 4G service, seen by many as the key to their continued growth. IHS, however, does note that there are more cost-efficient components available now than there were when the Thunderbolt was being designed. Still, any 4G components would require a radical redesign of the hardware.
HTC CEO slams Apple settlement estimates, calls them outrageous
HTC CEO slams Apple settlement estimates, calls them outrageous
HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou said today that he was happy with the settlement reached with Apple, and called the estimates floating around "outrageous."Earlier this month, Apple and HTC struck a 10-year cross-licensing agreement, putting to bed a long-running and bitter legal battle. While the companies didn't disclose the terms of the deal, analysts had surmised that HTC was on the losing end, and would pay upwards of $6 to $8 per Android phone. Related storiesAnalysts predict bold growth for Google AndroidHTC expecting sales turnaround with new lineupHTC's next super phones waiting in the wingsThe 411: Sorry, no Chocolate for youWanted at Google: Nexus One phone support Chou, speaking to reporters, including Reuters, at a product event in Japan, slammed the estimates as inaccurate and "baseless," but didn't provide any additional numbers. HTC President Jason MacKenzie told CNET earlier that he was happy with the settlement and that the deal wouldn't significantly impact the company's financials. HTC was the first company Apple targeted in its legal attack on Android, and its settlement with HTC have some hoping for a similar resolution to a similar legal clash with Samsung Electronics. Samsung said yesterday that it wanted to see the details of the Apple-HTC settlement because the deal may involve similar patents. A Samsung executive said it didn't intend to negotiate with Apple. HTC, meanwhile, gets to put away the distraction of multiple lawsuits and can get back to focusing on its turnaround efforts.
HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou said today that he was happy with the settlement reached with Apple, and called the estimates floating around "outrageous."Earlier this month, Apple and HTC struck a 10-year cross-licensing agreement, putting to bed a long-running and bitter legal battle. While the companies didn't disclose the terms of the deal, analysts had surmised that HTC was on the losing end, and would pay upwards of $6 to $8 per Android phone. Related storiesAnalysts predict bold growth for Google AndroidHTC expecting sales turnaround with new lineupHTC's next super phones waiting in the wingsThe 411: Sorry, no Chocolate for youWanted at Google: Nexus One phone support Chou, speaking to reporters, including Reuters, at a product event in Japan, slammed the estimates as inaccurate and "baseless," but didn't provide any additional numbers. HTC President Jason MacKenzie told CNET earlier that he was happy with the settlement and that the deal wouldn't significantly impact the company's financials. HTC was the first company Apple targeted in its legal attack on Android, and its settlement with HTC have some hoping for a similar resolution to a similar legal clash with Samsung Electronics. Samsung said yesterday that it wanted to see the details of the Apple-HTC settlement because the deal may involve similar patents. A Samsung executive said it didn't intend to negotiate with Apple. HTC, meanwhile, gets to put away the distraction of multiple lawsuits and can get back to focusing on its turnaround efforts.
Apple ready to roll out new retail service
That secret meeting for Apple retail employees we've been hearing about? The agenda might not be nearly as exciting as some would hope.Apple store employees have reportedly been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements in advance of a meeting this Sunday night. Boy Genius Report says it's heard that the big secret employees will learn at that meeting is a new small-business-oriented IT support service called Joint Venture.BGR says it's "an extension of Apple's current Genius Bar services" but that's aimed at small-business owners and "prosumers." The service will cost money, but it will reportedly enable subscribers to either go into the Genius Bar for hardware and software troubleshooting, or simply call up a Genius--the latter is not a service Apple offers to anyone currently.Apple has made other moves recently showing it is targeting the small- and medium-size business crowd. It canceled its line of Xserve servers used by large corporate clients last month and in its place offered the Mac Pro Server. It's a setup large companies would be hard-pressed to use but that could be adequate for smaller businesses.
Apple ready to launch new iMacs, report says
Apple is getting ready to launch new iMacs, according to a new report.Fox News' Clayton Morris is reporting today, citing several sources, that Apple will soon update its iMac line. According to Morris, the computers will come with Intel's Ivy Bridge processors, as well as better graphics and USB 3.0.Apple's iMacs have been in desperate need of a refresh for some time. The all-in-one computers, which were last updated in May 2011, come in the customer's choice of 21.5- and 27-inch models. The iMacs currently offer quad-core Intel Core i5 processors.The word from Morris' sources that the iMacs will launch with Ivy Bridge follows a report that surfaced in May from benchmarking site Geekbench. A benchmark test was found on the site for an iMac 13,2, a new model that has yet to be released. It was believed at the time that the iMac was a new 27-inch model.Although we're still in rumor territory, some signs do tend to point to a 27-inch model launching soon. CNET examined Amazon's iMac listing, and found that while the 21-inch model is available for purchase, the 27-inch version is "temporarily out of stock." Apple's online store, however, is showing the 27-inch model as in-stock.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the Fox News report. We will update this story when we have more information.
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