Major UK music body sues SoundCloud over unpaid royalties
With 175 million unique listeners each month, SoundCloud has established itself as a major player in the streaming space. Despite its size, the company has faced an uphill battle to convert its huge community into customers who are willing to pay for “unprecedented access to the world’s largest community of music & audio creators.” SoundCloud has struck deals with some major labels and independent artists, but in the UK, the Performing Rights Society for Music (PRS) has decided to take legal action against the music sharing service for allegedly not paying artists the royalties they deserve.
In an email sent to members, PRS for Music notes: “Following five years of unsuccessful negotiations, we now find ourselves in a situation where we have no alternative but to commence legal proceedings.” It believes that SoundCloud should acquire a license to offer music created by its 111,000 members and says that while it has asked the company “numerous times to recognise their responsibilities,” its demands “have not been met.”
PRS for Music also documents proof of SoundCloud’s non-compliance. It says that the streaming service only removed 250 “posts” when it was provided with a list of 4,500 musical works created by its members. When asked for comment, SoundCloud acknowledged that while it takes PRS for Music’s claims “extremely seriously”, the legal notice is “entirely devoid of merit and foundation, and it is our intention to vigorously defend and contest the claim.”
“SoundCloud is a platform by creators, for creators. We respect creators and their work, and give all copyright owners full control over their content on the platform,” it adds. “We are working hard to create a platform where all creators can be paid for their work, and already have deals in place with thousands of copyright owners, including record labels, publishers and independent artists.”
Therein lies the rub. While SoundCloud may host some infringing content, most creators willingly choose to upload and share new music on the service. If someone is unhappy that they’re not getting paid, they can choose to remove tracks from the site. However, with SoundCloud now recognized as one of the primary sources of new music, artists often upload early versions of their work to gauge opinion and interact with fans before releasing them via a label.
“It is regrettable that PRS has chosen to reconsider continuing its commercial negotiations,” says SoundCloud. “We believe this approach does not serve the best interests of any of the parties involved.” PRS for Music is steadfast in its belief that “all digital services should obtain a licence which grants them permission to use [its] members’ music and repertoire” (services like Spotify and Rdio have already struck deals) — even if it could negatively affect the bond between an artist and their fans.
Source:
Record Of The Day
Tags: copyright, hdpostcross, music, prs, prs for music, royalties, soundcloud
Mini review video: our verdict of the Galaxy Note 5 in under a minute
Samsung’s pen-toting Galaxy Note series has never been for everyone, and still isn’t, but the latest iteration, the Note 5, might just be refined enough to change a few minds. Though the fifth-generation version has a large 5.7-inch, QHD screen, it’s actually the smallest Note to date and, not surprisingly, the most comfortable to hold. Under the hood, it brings enough software tweaks that the S Pen feels less like a gimmick than it used to. Even if you never use the pen, though, you’ll enjoy the excellent camera, fast performance, brilliant screen and long battery life. Hopefully, you can see why we scored it 91 out of 100, though for some folks, the lack of expandable storage and a 128GB storage option will be dealbreakers. That’s the gist of the abridged mini review video we have for you today, but if you have time, head on over to our full review for a much deeper dive.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Tags: mobilepostcross, review, samsung, video
IDC Estimates Apple Watch Sales Totaled 3.6 Million in Second Quarter
The latest data from market research firm IDC estimates Apple Watch sales totaled 3.6 million worldwide in the second quarter of 2015, making it the second most popular wearable device during the three-month period ending June 30. Apple was within striking distance of market leader Fitbit, which sold an estimated 4.4 million fitness trackers in the second quarter.
IDC estimates that Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi trailed in third place with 3.1 million wearables shipped in the quarter, representing 17.1% market share. Garmin and Samsung rounded off the top with 700,000 (3.9%) and 600,000 (3.3%) wearables shipped respectively, while all other vendors accounted for a combined 5.7 million shipments and 31.5% market share.
Last month, Strategy Analytics estimated 4 million Apple Watch sales in the second quarter, so IDC’s estimate is within close range. Apple has not disclosed Apple Watch sales numbers since it launched in April, instead grouping the wrist-worn device with iPod, Apple TV and Beats Electronics accessories under an “Other Products” category in quarterly earnings reports.
Apple CEO Tim Cook vaguely mentioned that Apple Watch sales have “exceeded expectations” during an earnings call last month.
‘iPhone 6s’ Display Panel With Mystery Chip Is Slightly Heavier and Thicker Than iPhone 6 Version
Following our look at a partially functioning “iPhone 6s” built from parts earlier this week, we’re now getting some more details on the iPhone 6s display assembly itself. While the part has been seen in a few leaks over the past several weeks, a source has now provided us with some new information and high-quality photos of the part.
Display assemblies from iPhone 6 (left) and iPhone 6s (right)
Numerous rumors have pointed toward the iPhone 6s including support for Force Touch, which will allow the device to sense how hard the user is pressing on the screen and present different interface options or functionality based on the amount of pressure. We’ve yet to see confirmation that such functionality is present in these display assemblies that have been circulating, but there are some tantalizing differences from the corresponding iPhone 6 part.
Top portion of iPhone 6s display assembly with unknown chip
The first is a small rectangular chip visible on the rear of the display. It has been seen in all leaked parts seen so far, and its function remains unconfirmed, but our source suspects it is indeed related to Force Touch. The chip is visible due to a cutout in the metal shielding behind the display.
Read more 
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 possibly heading to India
Samsung seemed to have upset a few of its customers when it announced that the Galaxy Note 5 wouldn’t be launching in every region right away, but Indian consumers may be a little luckier. SamMobile has come across some test firmware for an Indian version of the handset with a build date created recently in August.
The build, version number N920GDDU1AOH2 (where H is apparently for August), is said to still be a work in progress for the Galaxy Note 5. However, the fact that development is still ongoing is a promising sign that Samsung may be planning to launch the device in India sometime soon. The country was not mentioned on the official list of launch regions, and Samsung decline to confirm or deny the rumor, so make of this what you will.
A similar work in progress build has previously been spotted for Europe, but it was last updated back in June, suggesting that development has been paused, at least for now. This certainly doesn’t mean that a European launch won’t happen at some point, but it likely won’t take place before any Indian launch.
Galaxy Note 5 videos:
.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;
body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;
Although Samsung’s decision not to globally launch the Note 5 may be infuriating for some potential customers, Samsung apparently misjudged and struggled to meet demand for its smaller S6 Edge display earlier in the year. Perhaps this is Samsung’s way of keeping tighter control over its display supply this time around?
Do you think that the Galaxy Note 5 would go down well in India?
(Deal) Start from the ground up with this Android Coding Bundle for only $29
We know how it is. You have an idea for an app, but you don’t know how to code and develop. And it costs too much to put your idea into the hands of others. Well today’s deal from AndroidGuys aims to help you out.
The Hot Java Android Coding Bundle is a bundle of five different courses for you to learn how to code any app or game that you have. The first course goes over the basics of Android Lollipop and Marshmallow development. From there, you move into Java Development, and really start getting your feet wet.
Next up in this bundle of Android courses, is Play Framework Development with Java. This will teach you how to set up Java Web Apps, and give you a more in-depth look into Java. The final course will teach you how to re-skin applications for the Play Store. Think about re-making a game like Galaga or Flappy Birds, that’s where this final course will come into play.
Normally, this bundle of courses would run you over $650, but today, you can grab all five courses for only $29. These courses will give you everything you need to start your journey to coding apps and games for Android. From the basics to re-making games, there’s a little bit of something for everyone.
If you like this deal, and want to see more of these, let us know in the comments below. Until then, head over to the AndroidGuys deal page, and grab this deal, or another one today. You can find this, and many other great tech bargainst hrough our Deals Page. Backed by StackCommerce, there are daily promos, giveaways, freebies, and much more!
The post (Deal) Start from the ground up with this Android Coding Bundle for only $29 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung Pay hits the US home front in beta form
Have you been wanting to use Samsung Pay on your brand new Galaxy Note5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+? Well you won’t have to wait too much longer. Samsung has started to roll out the beta for Samsung Pay in the US.
There are a few prerequisites that need to be met before being able to sign up for the beta. You must own a compatible device; Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy Note5, or Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. You also must have both a Samsung Account, and a credit or debit card from Bank of America, MasterCard, Visa, or US Bank. If you meet these requirements, you’re good to go. Head on over to Samsung’s site now and sign up for the beta.
It’s worth noting that the only carrier that isn’t currently supporting Samsung Pay is Verizon. However, if you have Sprint, T-Mobile or AT&T, you should be good to go and be able to sign up without hesitation for the Samsung Pay Beta.
Source: SamMobile via: Samsung
The post Samsung Pay hits the US home front in beta form appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Don’t expect to see many more devices from Lenovo Mobile
A few weeks ago, Lenovo reported that Motorola would still operate under their namesake and device development would be held in house. Today, a report came out stating that due to Lenovo’s less than stellar sales numbers in their mobile department, that those devices would be rolled into Motorola. This is a logical move for Lenovo since their devices never really catch any type of hype, and are not doing too well in terms of sales.
Lenovo rolling their mobile device division into Motorola would give the team a breath of fresh air, and incorporate some of the best of both worlds. In terms of design itself, Lenovo hasn’t been rolling out the most beautiful devices, while Motorola continues to release home-run products.
Currently, Lenovo’s largest focus is in China, so making the move to completely roll Lenovo Mobile into Motorola is a bit of a gamble. One of which, Lenovo is hoping that it pays off in the long term. We aren’t sure whether there will be more Motorola devices will be showing their faces in China, but we do know that there won’t be any Lenovo devices doing so.
After merging in 2014, Lenovo had maintained that the entities would operate separately, however, after the reported losses for the last quarter, a decision had to be made. After those losses were announced, this move really didn’t come as much of a surprise, instead, it was a question of when, and not if.
Let us know what you think about the impending changes coming to Lenovo and Motorola, and whether this is a smart move or something that should have been revisited.
Source: Xiaomi Today
The post Don’t expect to see many more devices from Lenovo Mobile appeared first on AndroidGuys.
‘Lara Croft GO’ Launches Today on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone
The anticipated mobile game “Lara Croft GO” launches today on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices. Announced by Square Enix during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June, the game takes the themes and characters of the Tomb Raider games and merges them with a more stylized look and turn-based controls of the “GO” series, which the company is calling a “celebration of our iconic franchises.”
The second game in the “GO” series of games created by Square Enix’s Montréal studio, Lara Croft GO follows in the footsteps of Hitman GO with a simplified approach to player movement that brings a board game-like feel to each player and enemy move.
Hitman GO saw players attempt to puzzle out the order in which to eliminate or avoid various guards to complete a level, or what the studio refers to as distilling the series down to the “Essence of Assassination.” Now, Lara Croft GO presents users with the same move and counter-move structure of the previous game, but with a new Tomb Raider setting, new enemies, and over 75 puzzles to solve in the whole game, with a shifting focus on the “Essence of Adventure.”
Lara Croft GO is a turn based puzzle-adventure set in a long-forgotten world. Explore the ruins of an ancient civilization, discover well-kept secrets and face deadly challenges as you uncover the myth of the Queen of Venom.
• Experience lush visuals and a captivating soundtrack
• Navigate using simple swipe-to-move controls
• Fight menacing enemies, overcome dangerous obstacles and escape deadly traps
• Solve more than 75 puzzles split into 5 chapters
• Collect ancient relics and unlock new outfits for LaraFollowing the award-winning Hitman GO, Square Enix Montréal brings yet another beloved franchise to mobile with this unique take on the iconic heroine’s adventures.
Lara Croft GO [Direct Link] is available for download on the App Store for $4.99. Notably, in apparent tandem with the new game’s launch, Hitman GO [Direct Link] is discounted currently at $0.99.
Samsung could bring the Note 5 to India before the end of 2015
The fact that the Galaxy Note 5 is only being launched in the US and Asia has been well-documented since the handset was launched on August 13th, with a great fuss and even a petition (10,000 signatures so far) has been raised about Europe having to make do with the Galaxy S6 Edge+. But what about the other regions? Even India, with its fast-growing smartphone market, was ignored, but that could change in the near future.
Thanks to some digging by SamMobile, it has now been discovered that a test firmware build for the Indian Note 5 with a build date for August exists. The build version is N920GDDU1AOH2, with N920G being the model number of the Indian variant of the Note 5. Samsung India has said it can neither confirm nor deny whether the existence of the test firmware means anything at this point. Which, depending on your level of optimism, could be a sign that the Note 5 will launch in India before the end of 2015. Especially when considering the next snippet of news.
Before my fellow European consumers get their hopes up, this means diddly for us, as the last firmware for the European variant, N920F, was created way back in June with build number N920FXXE0AOFT. Still, at least it means that Samsung is at least starting to turn its thoughts to expanding availability of the Note 5, albeit extremely slowly. If you live in India, are you excited by the possibility of the Note 5 being released before the end of 2015? Or have you decided to order a different handset? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung could bring the Note 5 to India before the end of 2015
AIVAnet 