Google might be working on a “monthly movie pass”
Recently, select users of the Google Opinion Rewards app were sent a very interesting questionnaire. The first question asked whether or not they had a “monthly movie pass” from Google. No, there is not a video streaming service from Google that exists today or has even been announced.
Any other details were not included with the questionnaire; therefore, Google’s approach can go in two ways: follow Netflix or place a limit on the amount of films rented. The latter seems more likely because the Netflix model requires new, specialized deals for unlimited streaming. Google already has thousands of films available through the Play Store, meaning that placing a limit on rentals could be easier. For example, imagine paying $10 per month for ten rentals. Some people are not in need of Netflix’s messy catalog and only have a few things to watch each month.
The company that released the questionnaire on Google Opinion Rewards was not named. Because of this, Google may or may not have been the company to ask the question. Take a grain of salt with this one, folks.
Source: Hugo Seijas (Google+)
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Apple Music heads to Android this fall
The day has come where Apple brings a service to a competing mobile platform, unofficially returning the favor that Google has been doing for years. At WWDC 2015 today, Apple announced that its new music streaming service will be heading to Android later this year. Apple Music combines on-demand music, a live radio station, and social networking in one package.
On June 30, Apple Music goes live with two pricing options that will look familiar to anyone that has ever subscribed to a music streaming service. For $9.99, the same amount Spotify requests, a single user gains access to everything the service has to offer. Families, though, will need to pay $14.99 per month to support up to six people. The first three months of Apple Music will be free for all customers.
Apple Music launches first with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, and PC. Android, in addition to Apple TV, will see it arrive this fall.
Do you plan on subscribing to Apple Music? Let us know in the comments.
Introducing Apple Music — All The Ways You Love Music. All in One Place.
Worldwide Debut June 30
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today unveiled Apple Music™, a single, intuitive app that combines the best ways to enjoy music — all in one place. Apple Music is a revolutionary streaming music service, a pioneering worldwide live radio station from Apple broadcasting 24 hours a day and a great new way for music fans to connect with their favorite artists. Apple Music combines the largest and most diverse collection of music on the planet with the expertise of world-class music experts who have programmed playlists for your iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch®, Mac®, PC, Apple TV® and Android phones.* Apple Music will be available starting on June 30 in over 100 countries.
“We love music, and the new Apple Music service puts an incredible experience at every fan’s fingertips,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “All the ways people love enjoying music come together in one app — a revolutionary streaming service, live worldwide radio and an exciting way for fans to connect with artists.”
“Apple Music is really going to move the needle for fans and artists,” said Jimmy Iovine. “Online music has become a complicated mess of apps, services and websites. Apple Music brings the best features together for an experience every music lover will appreciate.”
Apple Music
Apple Music is a revolutionary streaming service and app that puts the entire Apple Music catalog at your fingertips across your favorite devices. Starting with the music you already know — whether from the iTunes Store® or ripped CDs — your music now lives in one place alongside the Apple Music catalog with over 30 million songs. You can stream any song, album or playlist you choose — or better yet, let Apple Music do the work for you.
Curation is the soul of every playlist created on Apple Music. Apple has hired the most talented music experts from around the world, dedicated to creating the perfect playlists based on your preferences, and they become better curators the more you listen. The “For You” section of Apple Music provides a fresh mix of albums, new releases and playlists, which have been personalized just for you.
In addition to human curation, Siri® is also dedicated to helping you enjoy great music and have fun with Apple Music. Ask Siri to, “Play me the best songs from 1994,” “Play the best FKA twigs song,” or “What was the number one song in February 2011?”
Apple Music Radio
Beats 1℠, Apple’s first ever live radio station dedicated entirely to music and music culture, will broadcast live to over 100 countries. Beats 1 is a 24-hour listening experience led by influential DJs Zane Lowe in Los Angeles, Ebro Darden in New York and Julie Adenuga in London. Listeners around the globe will hear the same great programming at the same time. Exciting programs on Beats 1 will offer exclusive interviews, guest hosts and the best of what’s going on in the world of music.
Apple has also redesigned radio with human curation taking the lead. Apple Music Radio gives you stations created by some of the world’s finest radio DJs. The new stations range in genres from indie rock to classical and folk to funk, with each one expertly curated. With membership, you can skip as many songs as you like, so you can change the tune without changing the dial.
Apple Music Connect
Artists and fans now have an incredible way to connect with one another directly in Apple Music with Connect. Through Connect, artists can share lyrics, backstage photos, videos or even release their latest song directly to fans directly from their iPhone. Fans can comment on or like anything an artist has posted, and share it via Messages, Facebook, Twitter and email. And when you comment, the artist can respond directly to you.
Pricing & Availability
Starting on June 30, music fans around the world are invited to a 3-month free membership, after which a $9.99/month subscription fee will apply. There will also be a family plan providing service for up to six family members available for just $14.99/month.
Requires initial sign up. At the end of the trial period, the membership will automatically renew and payment method will be charged on a monthly basis until auto-renewal is turned off in account settings. Family plan requires iCloud® Family Sharing. Seewww.apple.com/icloud/family-sharing for more information.
*Apple Music is available on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and PC starting June 30. Apple Music will be coming to Apple TV and Android phones this fall.
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, the Mac and Apple Watch. Apple’s three software platforms — iOS, OS X and watchOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.
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Canadian carriers geting the LG G4 on June 19
The LG G4 has found much fanfare across the globe since its launch a few weeks ago. And now the device is finally reaching Canadian shores on June 19.
“With a breath-taking camera and unique leather-back design, the LG G4 is our most ambitious smartphone yet. LG Canada is thrilled to join with our carrier partners — Bell, Rogers, TELUS, Videotron and WIND Mobile —to bring this stunning smartphone to the Canadian market,” said Ross Snow, Vice-President, Mobile Communications, LG Electronics Canada.
While this high-end smartphone comes loaded with top of the line specifications such as a 5.5-inch QHD display, Snapdragon 808 chipset and 3GB of RAM, it is the 16-megapixel stunning snapper that steals the show.
It primary camera sensor sports an aperture of f/1.8 making it an ideal device to click pictures with in low light conditions. And its 8-megapixel wide angle front snapper is bound to attract selfie lovers. Not to forget its raw footage shooting capability that is a dream come true for any photography enthusiast who doesn’t want to miss any moment worth capturing.
The LG G4 to Launch in Canada June 19th
Leather-Clad Smartphone with Best-in-Class Camera hits Canadian Market
TORONTO, June 4, 2015 /CNW/ – Canadians can get their hands on the much anticipated LG G4 smartphone beginning June 19th. Since its global introduction, the LG G4 has been widely praised for its exceptional camera, vivid and expansive display, and willingness to set new rules defining what a premium mobile device can deliver.
“With a breath-taking camera and unique leather-back design, the LG G4 is our most ambitious smartphone yet. It represents an industry game-changer, re-imagining what is possible in smartphone photography, display and design,” said Ross Snow, Vice-President, Mobile Communications, LG Electronics Canada. “LG Canada is thrilled to join with our carrier partners — Bell, Rogers, TELUS, Videotron and WIND Mobile —to bring this stunning smartphone to the Canadian market.”
Highlights of the LG G4 include:
- Handcrafted, genuine full grain leather back cover in addition to a metallic grey cover inspired by artisan design included with purchase (see LG’s leather craft at work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_QWdvNvLLQ)
- First flagship smartphone available for sale in Canada with a F1.8 aperture rear lens and 16MP resolution supported by Colour Spectrum Sensor (CSS) and a new Manual Mode (video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5fqV7j0Cmk)
- Front 8MP camera and Gesture Interval Shot for perfect selfies every time which can then be saved to the removable microSD card*
- Vivid IPS Quantum Display which offers 20 per cent greater colour reproduction, 25 per cent improvement in brightness and 50 per cent greater contrast**
- First smartphone to utilize Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon™ 808 Processor with X10 LTE for the best balance of performance and power savings
- High-capacity 3,000mAh removable battery
- Slim Arc exterior design for a more comfortable grip and greater durability if dropped
Pricing will be determined by carriers. For more information please visit: LGG4.ca
*Sold separately
**Compared to the LG G3About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company
LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is an innovator and trend leader in the global mobile communications industry. LG is driving the evolution of mobile forward with its highly competitive core technologies in the areas of display, battery and camera optics and strategic partnerships with noted industry leaders. LG’s consumer-centric products — including the flagship premium G Series models — incorporate unique, ergonomic designs and intuitive UX features that enhance the user experience. The company remains committed to leading consumers into the era of convergence, maximizing inter-device connectivity between smartphones, tablets and a wide range of home and portable electronics products. For more information, please visit http://www.LG.comAbout LG Electronics Canada
The LG brand was established in 1995. The company is a global leader in electronics, information and communications products, with more than 117 operations around the world, and annual worldwide revenues of more than US $49 billion. LG Canada is comprised of five business units – Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, Home Entertainment, Business Solutions and Commercial Air Conditioning. The company has offices in Toronto and Vancouver. LG Canada is focused on delivering award-winning products known for blending style and technology. These innovative products include cell phones, flat screen TVs, laptop computers and home appliances. For more information please visit http://www.LG.com
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Apple Pay’s new Square Reader will make you a compulsive shopper
Apple really wants its users to be shopaholics. The tech giant first introduced Apple Pay and made life easier for iPhone 6 and Apple Watch users in the US last fall. Despite the initial skepticism from retailers, the contactless payment service has been gaining momentum. Jennifer Bailey, VP of Apple Pay, announced at WWDC today that the service will soon be available at one million locations across the country. In its quest to become ubiquitous in the retail world, the company also introduced a Square Reader that will be Apple Pay compatible. When the reader goes live later this year, the service will become accessible virtually everywhere.
The company’s emphasis on making mobile payments easier, both online and in the physical world, is evident. In addition to your debit and credit cards, you will now be able to use reward cards via Apple Pay to tap-and-buy stuff you may or may not need. With those loyalty points coming into play, the Passbook is going to become useful and has been renamed Wallet.
To make your shopping habits worse, the company is also working with Pinterest to include Buyable Pins, so you’ll soon be able to splurge directly from your Pinterest Board. This is an iOS only service starting later this month. And, as predicted in the weeks leading up to WWDC, Apple’s introducing its payment service in the UK next month. In addition to retailers like Boots, Costa Coffee and Marks & Spencer’s, the service will also be available on the London public transportation system for daily commutes.
Filed under: Apple
Apple brings side-by-side multitasking to the iPad in iOS 9
Frustrated that your iPad has all that screen real estate, but you still have to use one app at a time? That won’t be a problem when iOS 9 arrives — Apple has revealed that its new mobile software will bring side-by-side app multitasking to its tablets. The feature will let you display two live apps at once, Windows 8-style, if you’re using an iPad Air 2 (which has extra memory and performance); otherwise, you can pin apps to the side of the screen to get back to them quickly. There’s a picture-in-picture mode that will let you watch a video without disrupting what you’re doing, too. This upgraded multitasking will only be available for the iPad Air, iPad mini 2 and other relatively recent Apple slates, so you’ll definitely want to ditch that old iPad 2 if you’re eager to juggle multiple programs.
Apple CarPlay will also control your vehicle’s apps
Apple’s in-car operating system, CarPlay, is about to get a major boost. The company has announced at WWDC 2015 that it will soon let you control additional parts of your vehicle, directly from the iPhone-powered software. This means CarPlay can work together with apps created by manufacturers, making it easier for them to integrate their auto features with the service. As a result, you should expect to see other useful tools in CarPlay mode — like monitoring fuel efficiency and more, similar to what’s on the Watch. On stage, Apple CEO Tim Cook also highlighted CarPlay’s ability to pair with infotainments wirelessly, which was introduced in iOS 8.3.
Filed under: Transportation, Apple
iOS 9 public beta available in July
On stage at WWDC Apple announced that a public beta of iOS 9 would be available in July. The beta will include an enhanced Siri, a more proactive experience based on your location, time and recent apps, updated Apple Pay with support for loyalty cards and transit directions in Maps. The beta version of Apple’s mobile operating system will be available on the iPad 2 from 2011 and later and iPhone 4S and later. Apple launched the public version of its beta program at last year with access to early builds of iOS and OS X. You can sign up for the beta today.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Software, Apple
Source: Apple
Apple HomeKit now supports more sensors and security systems
It’s been just over a year since Apple announced HomeKit, its plan to allow you to control your smart home with an iOS device. Compatible products have only just started trickling onto shelves, and there’s been some confusion about how exactly the company is going to turn this idea into a coherent experience. That’s still not entirely clear, but Apple has at least given us a little more information with the addition of support for new category types including security systems, smart locks and carbon monoxide detectors. It also announced that you’ll be able to control devices remotely using iCloud.
So what can you actually do with HomeKit right now? Not a whole lot. Elgato, Ecobee, Lutron, iHome and Insteon have all announced their products are coming in the next few months, and HomeKit will also play nice with other standards like ZigBee and Z-Wave, the two biggest biggest names in home autonomy right now. That’s why we saw Philips, makers of the Hue lightbulb range, announce compatibility with HomeKit will arrive this fall — Hue utilizes the ZigBee standard. As for how Apple’s going to tie all this together? The rumor is there’ll be an app called “Home” for iOS 9 — likely to be announced this fall — that’ll control everything. I guess we’ll wait a little longer, then.
Apple’s Swift programming language is going open source
Last year, Apple introduced Swift, its very own programming language which was focused on making it easier to build apps. Now, in a bid to make it more palatable to developers, Apple is making another big move: It’s making Swift open source. That’ll give developers full access to all of Swift’s inner workings, and it might even tempt over people who were worried about adopting a proprietary Apple language. “We think Swift is the next big programming language, the one that we’ll all be doing application and system programming on for 20 years to come,” Apple’s SVP of software engineering, Craig Federighi, said during WWDC today. “We think Swift should be everywhere and used by everyone.” The language is also getting some upgrades this year with Swift 2, which includes support for new optimization technology, protocol extensions and much shorter compile times.
Apple Music unites streaming, radio and social for $10 a month
It’s finally here. Well, it will be soon, but at least the announcement is official. At WWDC today, Jimmy Iovine revealed Apple Music: the long-rumored music service that follows the purchase of Beats last year and it provides all of your music content in a single app. That’s a streaming service, radio, album purchases and more all in the same place. Yes, you read that correctly: radio. Apple will offer live radio 24-hours a day with stations that are curated by real humans — like Beats Music’s playlists. What’s more, “tens of millions” of iTunes songs will be available for streaming or saving for listening offline. There are recommendations based on your listening habits too, but instead of using some algorithm to find something you may like, experts “who know and love music” will serve up the suggestions. For artists, Apple Music has Connect where they can post exclusive tracks, tour photos, new material and more, giving fans a glance at what’s going on behind the scenes. So, what about unsigned artists? They can share music through Apple’s new effort, too.
When you open up the new app, you’ll be greeted with a collection of your recently added tunes for quick and easy access. The software’s UI got a refresh over the player that’s in iOS 8 now, with cleaner a look and simplified controls. Once you start playing a song, a single tap lets you browse the rest of iTunes for other albums/songs from the artists. Just like Beats Music — we’re talking exactly like it — Apple Music takes some of your preferences in the For You section and selects tracks based on your input. If the app finds something you like, you can add those tracks to a playlist for later. And yes, music videos are available here, too. If you’re a big fan of using Siri to pick songs, you’ll be able to do that with Apple Music. The virtual assistant can pick tracks based on the year of release, artist or chart position for a given month and year (April 2012, for example). During the demo, though, when asked to play songs from the movie Selma, Siri pulled the band Imagine Dragons instead.
If you’re itchin’ to give it a go, you’ll have to wait until the end of June. On the 30th, you can try Apple Music for free for three months, but after the trial period expect to pay $10 a month. Like Spotify, Rdio and others, there’s a family plan that allows up to six people access for $15 a month through iCloud Family Sharing. There’s no word on an on-going free tier like Spotify, Pandora and the like offer. As you might expect, the service will be available on iOS first, but it’s heading to Android and Apple TV this fall. It’ll be available in over 100 countries at launch, equipping iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Windows devices with the music-streaming repository and content at the end of the month.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Internet, Software, Apple
Source: Apple
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