At it's annual Fall product launch yesterday, Apple introduced two revamped iPod models; the iPod Nano and a new iPod Touch.
The new iPod Touch has four primary new features: Face Time, Retina Display, DV Video Recording, and Improved Gaming. Retina Display is the improved screen resolution that is a dramatic improvement on the appearance of photos, games, etc. "Apple engineers were able to pack four times the number of pixels into the same size screen found on earlier iPod touch models" HD VIdeo Recording (and editing!) is now availabe on the iPod Touch -- delivering HD 720p from the rear camera. The demo video on the Apple website shows a stunning piece of video that was reportedly shot on the new iPod Touch. I plan to get out to the Apple Store next week (when these units hit the shelves) myself and see firsthand the quality. But it appears to be quite phenomenal. Coupled with the opportunity to add the iMovie App ($4.99) - you can shoot and edit on your iPod Touch, and then upload directly to Facebook or other social network (and you can sync the video with your desktop computer (both Mac or WIndows) if you prefer other editing/sharing. The Apple A4 chip is behind, or rather underneath, all the fun you can have on iPod touch. Apple engineers designed the A4 chip to be a remarkably powerful yet remarkably power-efficient mobile processor. With it, iPod touch can easily perform complex jobs such as multitasking, editing video, and placing FaceTime calls. All while maximizing battery life. And fun. Improved Gaming on the new iPod Touch is achieved by the addition of the built-in three-axis gyroscope and the accelerometer. These hardware enhancements allow more accurate movement sensing and what Apple says is greater accuracy for a much improved gaming experience. What's new with the iPod Nano ? For starters the design is totally revamped, with a Nano that is just less than 1/2 smaller than it's previous models, and it utilizes Multi-Touch — "the same technology that makes iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch so amazing." You can read more about the new iPod Nano on the Apple website . To read more about these new iPod models, see the WIRED Magazine - Gadget Labs review of the new models: Hands-On With New Apple iPods Face Time brings a new camera on the front of the unit which allows you to hold a video-call with a friend (who would also have to have a new iPod Touch, or new iPhone 4 using Wi-Fi for the connection).
Music
Lala - Where Music Plays... but only until May 31st
Back in November 2009, I posted an article with my praise of the online music store Lala.com. Then about 1 month late, Apple purchased the service. At that time there was concern and curiosity with Apple's intention (frankly, their service was so good many thought it was a potential threat to the iTunes store. Well, this morning we learn that Lala is closing - and will be unavailable after May 31, 2010.
Here is the message that members see once you log in "You will be able to access and play all music in your Lala
collection
through May 31, 2010. Any mp3 songs purchased and downloaded
from Lala
will continue to play as part of your local music library.
You can
continue to purchase mp3 songs through May 31st using your
wallet
balance or other payment methods.
As of today, web songs, wallets, and gift cards are no
longer available
for purchase on Lala. Uploads have been discontinued, and we
are not
accepting new users for the service." There is great speculation on what Apple's next move is -- some theorize Apple is heading towards an internet based iTunes (instead of the current software/application model). You can read this article on PC World's website about that suspicion: Apple's Shutdown of Lala Fuel Rumors of Web-based iTunes
Royalty Free Production Music Collections - Almost Free to You
The folks at FootageFirm have just announced a new, limited time offer. I have in the past taken advantage of their 'FREE' stock footage (video clips/scenes) on DVD. They announce these free promotions throughout the year to interest folks in their services. I found the video clips to be of good quality and useful. I should clarify the 'FREE' mention, they are charging you nothing for the actual product but ask you to pay for the shipping & handling, which is $8.41 for each disk or collection. Today's announced promotion features their 'Production Music' which is instrumental music for use in video and other media productions. If you are looking for some music for your videos and want to avoid the copyright police, these kinds of collections can be very useful. I use music from SmartSound and some production music from Music 2 Hues but this looks like a good collection as well. I always recommend giving a listen to the music you are considering prior to purchase to avoid disappointment with the music you receive. You can check out the specifics here: FootageFirm Production Music
Free Holiday Music packaged in a new 'iTunes LP' from Apple
For a limited time, Apple's iTunes music store is offering a free iTunes LP! Twenty Christmas/Holiday songs for free... you download the Album in iTunes and then can sync it with your MP3 player (iPod, iPhone or other iTunes compatible device).
Now the collection of music is not necessarily one that will thrill music lovers as this is about as diverse an album as you could pull together - from Wheezer to Barry Manilow, Mannheim Steamroller to Steven Colbert. There are 20 songs on the digital iTunes LP.
There are a few cuts I think anyone could find enjoyable... but the reason Apple is providing a free special iTunes LP, and not just a bunch of free songs is that it is designed to get you to try (and hopefully enjoy the new iTunes LP concept:
"The visual experience of the record album returns with iTunes LP. Download select albums and experience a beautifully designed, interactive world right in your iTunes library on a Mac or PC — many are created by the artists. While you listen to your favorite songs, you can dive into animated lyrics and liner notes, watch performance videos, view artist and band photos, and enjoy other bonus materials."
To launch the iTunes LP from this special Holiday sampler, click on the 'iTunes Holiday Sampler line (as seen between 'We Three Kings' and 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' from my iTunes menu below).
This opens a new screen in iTunes with the cute graphic (at the top of this article) and a small interactive menu that lets you 1. Play the entire sampler 2. Play a specific song (while viewing the album artwork) or 3. Learn about the artist of a particular track (with short bio and photos).
* To experience the iTunes LP - you must have the free iTunes Version 9.0 or later (on both Windows PC or Mac computers)
Here is the official Apple announcement with direct links to each song in iTunes
(so you can just go to that specific song if you are interested.
For your convenience I have listed here the songs on this special Holiday iTunes LP:
1. O Come All Ye Faithful
Amy Grant
3:01
2. The First Noel
David Archuleta
4:32
3. Silent Night
Sarah McLachlan
3:48
4. Carol of the Bells / Jingle Bells
Barry Manilow
2:45
5. It Snowed
Meaghan Smith
3:39
6. Above the Northern Lights
Mannheim Steamroller
4:33
7. Baby, It's Cold Outside
Lady Antebellum
3:34
8. We Three Kings
Toby Keith
2:26
9. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Rascal Flatts
3:54
10. Silent Night
Wynonna
3:26
11. Twelve Days of Christmas
Mexicani Marimba Band
4:16
12. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Weezer
1:26
13. A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like a Kiss)
Glasvegas
4:22
14. Another Christmas Song
Stephen Colbert
2:39
15. Greensleeves
Vince Guaraldi Trio
5:28
16. Dream a Dream
Charlotte Church
3:49
17. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 2: Character Dances (Divertissement) - Dance of the Reed Pipes
Kirov Orchestra & Valery Gergiev
2:13
18. Angels We Have Heard On High
Aretha Franklin
5:25
19. O Holy Night
Musiq Soulchild
4:21
20. Auld Lange Syne
The Lonesome Travelers
2:52
Apple buys Lala, entering the streaming music business
I just knew it was a great technology - earlier last month, I shared my appreciate for the streaming music website LaLa and I have continued enjoying using the 'cloud' service, where you can listen to _any_ of their songs for free and the whole song, where you can purchase a song for only 10-cents (and listen to that song on any computer in the world with an internet connection).
Well - it was announced this week that Apple Computer (the number 1 music retailer - because of the success of the iPod and the iTunes) purchase LaLa.
This brings Apple computer into the streaming music business. Apple declined to discuss its plans for the service -- there is some speculation as to whether Apple intends to move iTunes over to a more 'cloud' based service instead of the current computer application based service that we currently have.
You can check out LaLa yourself here http://www.lala.com/
Read the USA Today article about the Apple Acquisition here: Apple buys Lala, entering the streaming music business
Here is my previous article on LaLa: Lala Land - Where Online Music Plays For You
Lala Land - Where Online Music Plays For You
This internet based music host service launched in October (2009) with over 7 million songs in their catalog. They are apparently the only service that has agreements with the four major record labels that allow them to play any (yes, any) song in their collection for free. Not a snippet of the song but the whole song!
Here is the catch, if you were waiting, that full length listen is free the first time. If you go to play that song again you get 30-seconds (like iTunes and others). But you can purchase a song to listen to again and again in your computer for only 10-cents.
Here is the difference between iTunes or another application that 'sits' on your computer is that LaLa saves the music on their servers. So you are using an interface/menu that is based in a web browser.
The cool part about this, is that you can log into your LaLa account from any computer that has internet access... so over at a friends house, while visiting family, at your office - you can connect and listen to the music you have in your LaLa collection.
As I mentioned previously, you can 'own' or add any song in their collection to your LaLa account (they call it your collection) for only 10-cents. If you wish to export that song you pay a fee of 89-cents for each song that is exported as an MP3 file (the file format that most portable music devices use). For those who wish to use these songs in their videos - you can extract the file as an MP3 file and bring it into your editor as a file or burn to a CD as well. And I should add, that if you already purchased a song for 10-cents that is deducted for those songs you wish to export as MP3 files!
Thanks to LaLa.com I have been listening to some songs I all but forgot.
This is a really cool find!
Google's New Audio Preview Function is Heaven for Music Searches
Google just last week introduced a new function that is built-in to their search engine - an audio preview. This is a fun tool but also very, very useful for those of us who embellish our video projects with appropriate music.
Here's what it is and how to use it. Simply go to the regular search page for Google with the search function set to 'Web' (which is the default/regular setting when you visit the page).
Enter the name or a song -- for example, I entered 'Sometimes' which is a great song for tribute and family memory videos (recorded by the Carpenters). My initial search result turned up too much other info but when I added 'Carpenters' to the search it brought up just what I wanted
So what you may say, I have used Google for years and get search results like this... but this IS different. The little blue icon (play triangle) when clicked instantly opens a small new window in your browser and begins playing back the song. And you can listen to the entire song! You can click on that same window a link where you can buy the MP3 version of that song or the album it comes from as well.
This is very cool! I have listened to many a song in the past week that I have barely remembered... until I heard them again. I should note that after you listen to the song one time, you can then only listen to a 30-second sample.
And, if you enter a search term that is the name of an album and you'll get several songs to listen to from that album. For example, I entered 'Pet Sounds' (a 1966 album from the Beach Boys) and got this:
And this search works when you enter an artist (singer or band) as well!
Google developed this new function due to the popularity of music searches... apparently some 20% of all online searches are music related. And Google, being the clever business people they are, partnered with MySpace (which just acquired the music web service iLike) and another (new) online music site Lala.
Google also partnered with Pandora, imeem and Rhapsody to include links to their respective web sites where you can discover music related to your queries as well.
You can read more about this new Google search feature in the official Google Blog
