Apple Focused on Improving Apple Music Ahead of Android Launch
Just over two months after the launch of Apple Music, the streaming music service has received a mix of praise and criticism from early adopters. Beats 1 and curated playlists are among the most acclaimed features of Apple Music, while a confusing user interface and iTunes library issues have caused frustration among some users.
Addressing those issues, iTunes executive Oliver Schusser told The Guardian on Thursday that the company is actively working to improve Apple Music, ahead of its launch on Android and Sonos-connected hi-fi systems in the fall.
“There’s a lot of work going into making the product better. Our focus is on editorial and playlists, and obviously we have teams all around the world working on that, but we’re also adding features and cleaning up certain things,” Oliver Schusser, vice president, iTunes International, told the Guardian.
Schusser also said Apple still has “a bit of homework to be done” to improve Apple Music Connect, a social platform for artists to connect with fans. Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine admitted last month that Apple Music Connect is a work in progress.
“Apple Music Connect is growing big-time with more and more artists connecting to their fans, but we still have a bit of homework to be done for the rest of the year.”
Apple Music launched for iOS, Mac and PC on June 30, with some 11 million users signing up to take advantage of the service’s free three-month trial period. That trial will expire for some users soon, meaning they will have to choose between paying $9.99 per month or using iTunes or other methods of listening to music.
“If you follow the industry and look at the numbers, the download business has been really, really healthy. iTunes is a big part of our business, still, and will continue to be, so we focus just as much time and energy on maintaining that, editorially and working on features,” said Schusser.
Schusser assures that Apple is only interested in the long-term picture for Apple Music, rather than constantly measuring how many users are signing up. Starting later this month, it should become clearer just how many users are interested in using the service as paid subscribers.
‘Steve Jobs’ to Premiere at Telluride Film Festival This Weekend Ahead of October Release
Although it was believed that Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs film would see its world debut as the Centerpiece for the New York Film Festival on October 3, today it was announced that the new movie is actually set to debut this weekend at the 42nd Annual Telluride Film Festival in Colorado (via Entertainment Weekly).
Scheduled around the Labor Day weekend, there is no date set for the premiere of Steve Jobs as of yet, but the festival runs from September 4 through September 7, so it will air for festival attendees sometime this weekend. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is also headed to the festival.
“We are thrilled to present such an exhilarating, diverse program for the 42nd Telluride Film Festival,” said executive director Julie Huntsinger. “This year was an abundance of riches, particularly within the documentary category, and we feel privileged to celebrate these films and their artists with our audience in one of the most beautiful locations in the world.”
It was also announced that director Danny Boyle would receive one of the 2015 Silver Medallion Awards, which are “given to recognize an artist’s significant contribution to the world of cinema.” Although the caliber of talent behind the scenes is impressive, there have of course been little to no rumblings as to how the Aaron Sorkin-penned version of the former Apple CEO will compare with 2011’s jOBS. With the premiere set to happen sometime this weekend at Telluride, that could begin to change as word of the movie begins to come out of the festival screenings.
‘6S Marketing’ Ad Agency Asks Apple to Rename ‘iPhone 6s’
6S Marketing, an ad agency located in New York, is hoping to persuade Apple to change the name of its upcoming iOS device, the iPhone 6s, to the iPhone 7. The company has written an open letter addressed to Apple and rented several billboards, one in Times Square, reading “Dear Universe, Please call it the iPhone 7. Sincerely, 6S Marketing.”
6S Marketing has also tagged its billboards with a campaign hashtag, #WeAre6S, which it says it uses to “highlight our unique and fun company culture.”
In the letter posted on its website, 6S Marketing goes on to say the company has heard rumors the next-generation iPhone will be called the iPhone 6s, and urges Apple to “reconsider” before detailing the company’s long history.
See, our company name is 6S Marketing, but our clients, friends, and colleagues simply refer to us as good ol’ “6S.” It’s a small name but a big part of our identity — one we’ve been using since 2000, when we started this company in my tiny apartment. At that time, we didn’t think that one of the biggest, and most well-respected, companies would use it to name a mobile device. (We were still using Motorola flip phones at the time, after all.)
The reason we chose the name “6S” is that it sound like “success” (get it?).
As we’re now less than a week away from the unveiling of the next-generation iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, there would be no time for Apple to change its own marketing materials and packaging even should it choose to consider 6S Marketing’s plea, a fact the company likely knows, making this more of a publicity stunt than a genuine request.
Apple’s iPhone naming scheme has been the same for multiple years in a row, having kicked off with the iPhone 3GS. 6S Marketing’s publication of its letter at this late date in Apple’s development cycle suggests the company is simply hoping to garner some attention ahead of the September 9 introduction of the next-generation iPhone.
6S Marketing ends its open letter with the following: “Hopefully, this message will reach you in time and you’ll reconsider leaving “6S” to the originals — we’ve been rocking it since the millennium, after all.”
T-Mobile adds video calling functionality
T-Mobile has been shaking the industry like crazy the past couple of years. I mean, they’re the reason that Verizon has gotten rid of contracts. Well, as John Legere has said many times, the Un-carrier isn’t showing any signs of slowing down as today they’ve announced video calling functionality from within the phone’s dialer.
Dubbed T-Mobile Video Calling, T-Mobile is seeking to allow video calling functionality right out of the box. All it takes is placing a phone call, and then selecting either video call, or voice call. That’s it. Nothing more
Contacts that can receive video calls will have a small camera icon on them. Those that cannot receive them will have the same icon, but greyed out. T-Mobile says they’re working to make this functionality available to all, among all carriers. This will be accessible on both Wi-Fi and LTE, and T-Mobile says if you move from one of those connections to a slower connection, the call will transfer “seamlessly” to a voice call.
Currently this is only available on the Samsung Galaxy S6+ and Note 5 through a software update, and the S6 and S6 Edge will be available next week. T-Mobile plans to have three more devices available by the end of the year.
Video calling has been a functionality available for awhile, but being able to do this through a carrier will more than likely make the experience much easier, especially for those not as tech-savvy.
What do you think? Are you excited for this ability? Anyone received the update already and used it? Let us know in the comments below.
SOURCE: T-Mobile Newsroom
The post T-Mobile adds video calling functionality appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Ball Climb
Ball Climb is a great game for someone who simply doesn’t have time to play strenuous racing or zombie-killing games. You can play whenever, wherever thanks to the fact that it doesn’t require internet. Ready? Bounce!
Setup
As you may have guessed, Ball Climb is a simple game that doesn’t require many resources. As such, there is very little settings and setup that you have to through. You’re prompted to connected to a Google account for Play Games, and then you’re through. The only tutorial you get is “Tap!”, which is quite frankly all you need.
Gameplay
It’s probably not the only one of its kind, but it does seem to offer original gameplay. You’re basically a ball that bounces between two walls. Each time you tap, it moves higher up. The trick is to avoid the spikes on the wall as you move up. While it is kind of addictive, challenges and achievements are absent, leaving you with repetitive gameplay. There are however milestones in Google Play Games, but it’s not quite the same as if they were built in the app. To e fair, there are diamonds that you collect in order to get new balls, so there is at least some motivation to play.
Everything was smooth and responsive. Adverts do make minor appearances, but they’re not intrusive or annoying. Overall I quite liked the idea of it and playing the game.
Is it for me ?
If you’re a fan of Indie type games, or simply looking for something simple, Ball Climb is likely the thing you’ve been looking for.
What we liked:
- Fun gameplay
- The sounds
- Clean UI and graphics
And not so much…
- Lack of levels
- Lack of challenges
Ball Climb offers entertaining gameplay with being simple at the same time. While the challenges and levels/stages may only be something to look forward to, it still offers fine, smooth gameplay and certainly provides some entertainment. It’s one of the better games out there.
The post Ball Climb appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Moto 360 (2nd Gen) first look
The very popular Moto 360 finally gets an update that Motorola introduced at an event at IFA 2015 in Berlin. Here is our first look, as we go hands on with the Moto 360 (2nd Gen).
For starters, the second generation of the Moto 360 will be available in a few different iterations, two of which can be seen in action in the video above, with only preview units of the Moto 360 Sport being showcased for now. The Moto 360 (2nd Gen) will now feature two different size options, 46 mm and 42 mm, that will also feature different options in the finishes and the bands.
The 46 mm version comes with a 400 mAh battery under the hood, and a 1.56-inch LCD display with 360 x 330 resolution. On the other hand, the more compact 42 mm variant comes with a 1.37-inch LCD display, with a 360 x 325 resolution. The displays of both variants are protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 panel.
Looking at the back of both is where you will once again find the heart rate monitor, which will be useful with Moto Body, which is the app and ecosystem used by Motorola to help cover the fitness needs of users. The actual design of the body has some noticeable aesthetic changes as well, with the power button now being moved to the 2 o’clock position, giving it a more distinguishable look when compared to its predecessor.
What is even more distinct are the lugs at the top and bottom, which makes it far easier to swap out the watch bands to any other standard watch band available, which addresses one of the big issues with the first generation smartwatch. The lugs also give the device the look of a more conventional watch, and more akin to other smartwatches we’ve seen from the competition.
The Moto 360 (2nd Gen) is now also a part of the Moto Maker family, so you will now be able to customize the smartwatch to better suit your tastes, by choosing between various watch bands, and even changing the colors and finishes on the actual body itself.
So there you have it for this first look at the Moto 360 (2nd Gen)! The non-sport variants of the latest Moto 360 smartwatch are already available for pre-order from the Google Store, Motorola.com, and even Best Buy. The price point falls in the range of $299 and $429, depending on what customizations you end up going for using Moto Maker, and will be available to users by the end of September. We are really excited to get this device in our hands, or rather, on our wrists, and see whether the second generation Moto 360 lives up to what the original started in the round smartwatch revolution.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Stay tuned with Android Authority for more from Motorola, and all the other great coverage from IFA 2015!
Disney is selling a Millennium Falcon drone starting tomorrow
Star Wars merchandise is big business. So big, in fact, that the films’ stewards are streaming an unboxing marathon for all of the Force Awakens toys coming out on “Force Friday” tomorrow. We weren’t going to pay much interest, but two items in particular have grabbed our attention: a remote-controlled Millennium Falcon and X-Wing starfighter. With minimal assembly, you’ll be able to launch and fly both of these legendary spacecraft in your living room, pestering family members or reliving the final battle from Return of the Jedi. The Millennium Falcon is basically a quadcopter drone — it has four tiny propellors built into the body, and is built from a “high density foam” to ensure it can take the odd knock and TIE fighter attack. Both the X-Wing fighter and Millennium Falcon are being manufactured by Air Hogs, a company with plenty of experience in remote controlled vehicles — when we hear anything concrete around pricing and stockists, we’ll be sure to let you know.
Filed under:
Misc
Source:
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (YouTube)
Tags: drone, milleniumfalcon, quadcopter, starwars, theforceawakens, UAV, UnmannedAerialVehicle, xwing
IFTTT brings one-touch app control to Android Wear devices
The recipe-based automation software IFTTT delivered its one-button control app to phones back in February, and now it’s putting it on your wrist. Android Wear gadgets can now employ the DO Button to complete any number of tasks that you assign to it. Rather than waiting for certain criteria to be met in order to trigger an action or swiping over to the requisite app, a single button push handles the chore. We’re talking about things like setting your Nest thermostat to 68 degrees or turning off those Phillips Hue lights. Looking to take the DO Button for a spin? Grab the app from Google Pay and you’ll be able to do just that.
Introducing DO Button for Android Wear — control hundreds of apps right from your wrist http://t.co/eqXv1Z8zMa pic.twitter.com/G0dWkjta8Z
— IFTTT (@IFTTT) September 2, 2015
Filed under:
Wearables
Source:
Google Play
Tags: android, androidwear, app, do, dobutton, ifttt, software
Watch the trailer for the BBC’s GTA drama ‘The Gamechangers’
Today we got our first glimpse of the BBC’s upcoming Grand Theft Auto docudrama, which examines the game’s development and public scrutiny in 2002. The Gamechangers, starring Daniel Radcliffe as Rockstar president Sam Houser, covers the franchise’s growth in the PlayStation 2 era and the criticism that followed regarding its portrayal of violence. Bill Paxton is playing Jack Thompson, a former attorney that famously campaigned against the series, and based on this new trailer it’s clear their thorny relationship is the centerpiece of the show. In May, Rockstar said it would be filing a lawsuit against the BBC over trademark infringement — the developer said it’s had “no involvement” with the project and seemingly disapproves of it altogether. The broadcaster appears unfazed by the legal action though, as it’s scheduled to air on September 15th, at 9pm on BBC Two in the UK. If you live elsewhere, however, there’s no word just yet on an international release.
Filed under:
Gaming
Source:
YouTube
Tags: BBC, danielradcliffe, docudrama, documentary, grandtheftauto, gta, rockstar, thegamechangers
Withings unveils a sleep-savvy clock and more Android support
Like the idea of Withings’ Aura improving your sleep cycles, but don’t need a $300 gadget tracking every last nuance of your slumber? You’re in luck. Withings is rolling out a lower-cost device, the $190 Connected Alarm Clock, that keeps the sleep-regulating light and sound patterns while ditching the biometric sensor. And speaking of audio, both the clock and the Sleep System are getting a Spotify tie-in — you can now use the streaming service’s music catalog to fall asleep or wake up, complete with suggested playlists based on both their effectiveness and your genre tastes.
Today is also a good day if you’re an Android user. Withings has announced that its entire device lineup will support Android, not just a handful of devices — if you want to control the Home HD security camera
from your Galaxy or Nexus, you can. It hasn’t detailed the exact rollout, but Android support for the Home HD should be available now.
Filed under:
Household, Mobile
Source:
Withings
Tags: android, aura, auraconnectedalarmclock, aurasleepsystem, auratotalsleepsystem, clock, health, homehd, household, ifa, ifa2015, mobilepostcross, sleep, spotify, wellness, withings
AIVAnet 