Apple adds Genius recommendations to iPad App Store
Apple has updated the iPad App Store this week, allowing tablet owners to use Genius recommendations when looking for apps.
Opening the App Store on your tablet will give you the option to “Genius” (right next to “Updates”). After enabling it, users are given a list of apps they may want to try out, based on their past choices and downloads.
The iPhone/Touch App Store has had the option for a couple of years now, but now iPad tablet owners have the same ability.
Apple’s Genius recommendations for the iPad work exactly like the iPhone/Touch version, giving an option to upgrade from free apps to their paid counterparts, as well. If you are completely uninterested in an app, tick “not interested” to ensure the same app will not show up again.
The company recently debuted “Try Before You Buy” for the App Store, as well, which gives users a chance to demo paid apps before buying it.
IFPI is a big fan of recent Chinese anti-piracy actions
Over the past few months, the Chinese Ministry of Culture has identified 185 sites that infringe on copyrights, adding that the sites violate regulations and do not have licenses to distribute music.
Since April, 23 of those sites have shut down, and the Ministry is still actively investigating the others.
The IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) has applauded the recent actions:
“It is good news that the authorities are taking action against some infringing websites, but there are many more illegal music services that continue to operate with impunity,” says Leong Mayseey, IFPI regional director for Asia, (via Billboard).
“Only 23 of the original 185 websites identified by the Ministry of Culture have been taken down and it is not clear what penalties, if any, their operators face. If China wants its creative sector to punch its weight globally, it must do more to create a widespread climate of respect for intellectual property.”
Continuing, the director says: “We hope to see the authorities following this welcome development with further action against services that illegally build their businesses by abusing other people’s rights.”
UMG music videos removed from MTV.com, VH1.com
Billboard is reporting this week that UMG (Universal Music Group) has pulled its artist’s music videos from MTV.com, due to a breakdown in negotiations over licensing fees.
UMG has long licensed music directly to MTV but it now does all its direct licensing through Vevo, the joint venture site which includes Sony Music, YouTube and AT&T as stakeholders.
MTV’s deal with UMG has now expired and Vevo was in negotiations with MTV before the talks broke down. The deal is only for online properties and also includes the sites for VH1 and CMT.
The popular TV network had this to say on the matter:
“For almost 30 years, we have enjoyed long and colorful partnerships with all the music labels, including UMG and their talented roster of artists on MTV, VH1 and CMT. As the industry evolves, we continue to seek out new and innovative ways to connect artists with their fans that are mutually beneficial to everyone. However, during our recent discussions with Vevo, we were unable to reach a fair and equitable agreement for rights to stream UMG artists’ music video content. As a result, UMG has elected to pull their music videos from our web sites. We are disappointed by this move and sincerely hope that UMG will work with us toward a fair resolution and allow their artists to once again connect with the millions of music fans who visit MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT.com every month.”
UMG struck back with the following:
“MTVN has been unwilling to negotiate a fair syndication deal with Vevo to carry our artists’ videos and consequently our videos will not be shown on their online properties. We believe that using Vevo as our online music video syndication platform is the best way to maximize revenue for our artists, our songwriters and ourselves, while bringing our videos to the widest possible audience. In less than 8 months since its launch, Vevo has already become the web’s #1 rated video network with over 49 million unique visitors monthly, dramatically eclipsing those on MTV’s online properties, while attracting scores of major advertisers and tens of millions in advertising dollars. As a result, our artists are enjoying tremendous exposure on Vevo on YouTube and Vevo.com, and will enjoy even more as Vevo continues to complete syndication deals supplementing the existing arrangements with leading destinations as AOL and CBS Interactive.”
iTunes, Beatles still in standoff, says Ono
Yoko Ono, the widow of the late John Lennon has said this week that negotiations between Apple and The Beatles are still at a standstill, so don’t expect the popular catalog to hit iTunes or other MP3 stores anytime soon.
The band remains one of the few to not go legally digital, instead selling physical CDs like they did last year, with the catalog remastered.
Apple Corps (not to be confused with iTunes owner Apple), the group’s holding company still cannot come to terms with the EMI Group, the label which licenses the Beatles’ recordings.
Says Ono: “[Apple CEO] Steve Jobs has his own idea and he’s a brilliant guy. There’s just an element that we’re not very happy about, as people. We are holding out. “Don’t hold your breath … for anything.”
Apple Corps is jointly owned by Ono, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star and Olivia Harrison, widow of former member George Harrison.
While the company may seem closed off to new digital ideas, the band’s music was reissued on CD last year, is available via the “Beatles: Rock Band” video game and through the Cirque du Soleil “Love” stage show.
Leaked pics of upcoming Verizon world phone surface
AndroidGuys has posted some photos this weekend of HTC’s alleged “world phone,” one that runs both GSM and CDMA bands.
The pictured prototype is for Verizon, and the site says they don’t expect the phone to be released until 2011.
Showing off its dual-network capabilities, the smartphone had a Vodaphone SIM card, as well.
The other specs are up for interpretation but it appears to have a 4-inch mulitouch display, a 4-row QWERTY keypad and a 1.2 Ghz processor.
Furthermore, the device is expected to launch with at least Android 2.2.
200,000 Android devices sold every day
Google CEO Eric Schmidt has said today that about 200,000 new Android devices are now being sold daily, leading to huge growth in revenue for the search giant thanks to mobile search traffic.
When asked about the recent studies showing Android outpacing the iPhone handily, Schmidt added: “People are finally beginning to figure out how successful Android is. The number was about 100,000 (a day) about two months ago. It looks like Android is not just phenomenal but incredibly phenomenal in its growth rate. God knows how long that will continue.”
While Google does not directly gain revenue from Android (which is free and open source), the more successful the operating system is, the more people are connected to the Web from their mobile phones, leading to an increase in search.
“Trust me that revenue is large enough to pay for all of Android’s activities and a whole bunch more,” Schmidt added, via Cnet. “I should also say that we love the success of the iPhone because the iPhone also uses Google’s search and we get a chunk of that revenue when people search on the iPhone.”
Schmidt was also asked about the upcoming Chrome OS to which he responded: “Maybe we can get the same success out of Chrome OS (as Android). Chrome OS is targeted at a different part of the market.”
The first Chrome OS netbooks will hit in November.
Google purchases ‘Slide’ social gaming service
Google has acquired the social networking gaming company Slide, according to multiple reports.
The startup was created in 2005 by Max Levchin, the co-founder of PayPal.
NYTimes reports the acquistion price at $228 million while TechCrunch says $182 million. Regardless, the price is a lot cheaper than the $500 million valuation the service was given in 2008.
When Slide began, Levchin used it as a third-party photo sharing service but it quickly evolved into a widget and app service, used in social networking giants like Facebook and MySpace.
The company’s two most popular apps are SuperPoke and SPP Ranch. The first allows you to adopt a virtual pet, and exchange money for virtual goods.
Google has been spending significant amounts of money in an effort to start a social gaming platform, investing $150 million in market leader Zynga among other purchases.
Dish to let mobile users watch TV on their devices
The Dish Network has announced this week that it plans to let subscribers watch satellite TV programming on their mobile devices, for free, in the near future.
Starting in September, the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and BlackBerry devices will get the free functionality via an app.
Android devices will get the service a month later.
While on the surface the announcement sounds great for Dish owners, unless you have a dual-tuner DVR at home, you will have to watch whatever channel is on at home on your smartphone or tablet, without the ability to change it.
You will also be required to purchase a SlingBox, or SlingBox-supportive DVR from Dish.
More smartphones with Android than iOS by 2012, says iSuppli
According to the research firm iSuppli, more smartphones will be using the Android operating system by 2012 than are using the Apple iOS.
Google recently announced 200,000 Android phones being activated each day.
iSuppli says Android will be used in 75 million smartphones in 2012, up 1500 percent from 2009, when 5 million Android devices were sold.
In the same period, Apple iOS devices will jump to 62 million from 25 million.
At that time, Android would control 19.4 percent of the global smartphone market while Apple would have just under 16 percent.
“The flexibility Android offers for hardware designs and its appealing business model in terms of revenue sharing have attracted vigorous support from all nodes in the value chain, including makers of high-end smart phone models,” says iSuppli senior analyst Tina Teng.
Barnes & Noble now up for sale
Barnes & Noble has said this week, somewhat surprisingly, that it plans to put itself up for sale after suffering large losses in the battle for leader in the digital books market.
After the news, shares of the company jumped as high as 27 percent, finishing the day up 19 percent.
Founder and largest shareholder Leonard Riggio said he would consider being part of an investment group that could purchase the company.
The news appears to signal that the company is in desperate need of strong decisions that may not be so easy as a public company.
Says Forrester analyst James McQuivey: “They might feel they want to buy the company back now and take it public later and reap the windfall. But there aren’t a lot of investors who will be that certain about the probable outcome of that bet.”
The company has now formed a “special committee of four independent directors to consider all options for increasing shareholder value.”
While the company remains the top brick-and-mortar book store in the world, it has faced increasing pressure from Amazon and Wal-Mart.
