Are record shops worth saving? (Part 3)
By now you've read what I love about record stores, and whatI could live without. In this third--and final--installment, I'm going to throw out some ideas for how to bring record shops into the 21st century. If record stores are to survive, what's the way forward? I'm sure these mom and pop shops are asking this question every day, so if you have any ideas beyond what I've outlined below, let's hear 'em.I may be a romantic, but I still believe that in spite of our access to music downloads, fans need a physical space to explore and consume music, and to mingle with their peers. But to work, the High Fidelity throwbacks need to evolve.The trick is to leverage digital music to give customers the best of both worlds, and to do it without losing what makes your store unique. If I could sit down with my old boss and give him some advice, here's what I'd offer:Offer MP3s, even if you're skirting the lawBack in the day, indie record stores allowed you to rent new releases, so you could dub them at home and return them within a few days. With today's combination of iPods, Flash memory cards, and lightening-fast CD-R/W drives, why not offer a service that rips any five used CDs to a store-branded USB Flash drive for a flat, $10 fee? If your store has free Wi-Fi, why not host a shared iTunes library with new releases? Better yet, charge $5 for Wi-Fi, but offer a rotating stash of MP3 downloads over Intranet. Get people hooked on the experience of coming into the store for new music, even if it's just 10 free downloads that come with the price of their morning latte.Go big or go nicheThe Web has made available every song, every album, and every utterance or photo of any band in history. Plus, the Web never runs out of stock, and it's always open. If you're going to compete, you'll either need to try and match the Web's selection, or cater to a specific, loyal, and needy audience. Existing in the middle ground between is a recipe for mediocrity.California's Amoeba Records is an independent chain that gambled on going big. Stepping into Amoeba is like stepping into a stadium of music. By dealing in volume, their prices are often cheaper than buying online and they do an admirable job keeping releases in stock. They've also got enough selling power to attract some big name performers into the store for special performances and CD signings.Amoeba is a circus, though, requiring a certain amount of courage on the part of the consumer just to navigate the aisles. Going to Amoeba for just one CD is like going to Home Depot for a single nail. Once an operation scales to that size, you lose a lot of the intimacy and personal attention that makes retail special.On the other end of the spectrum you've got a place like The Groove Yard, a local jazz record shop in my old Oakland neighborhood. These guys do just one thing: they sell jazz, mostly rare vinyl releases. A store like this survives on the backs of a loyal base of collectors and jazz aficionados who appreciate the special attention and the staff's deep knowledge of a narrow corner of the music world.Other Music in NYC tweets their new stock with links to song previews.Twitter new arrivals with previewsI know that our culture is hitting Twitter overload right now, but tweeting your new arrivals is one of those practical excuses for Twitter on par with bakeries tweeting when they have fresh scones. Better still, link those tweets to song previews to really help people immediately evaluate whether the release appeals to them. To see a great example of record store tweets in action (as well as a killer e-mail newsletter), check out Other Music from NYC.Give them a reason to be loyalIf you could get your diehard customers to commit to $20 a month, what could you give them in return? Discount pricing on used CDs? Free shipping on special orders? One free new release of their choosing every month? Half-priced coffee? Whatever you offer, the point is to get good customers hooked and keep them coming back. Memberships breed loyalty and provide a steady stream of income, but regularly giving away freebies like promo CDs and stickers to anyone off the street is a fine idea too. Most music fans I know would rather spend money in their community than send another penny to Apple or Amazon, but they need an incentive to stay loyal and stay local.Be everything the MP3 can't beMP3s are one of the most convenient music formats ever devised, but that's about the only good thing that can be said about them. There's no personality to an MP3, no presentation, nothing to hold onto--and don't even get me started on audio fidelity. MP3 files have more in common with Excel spreadsheets than they do with rock 'n' roll, and yet, they've brought an industry to its knees.Remind people about what makes music exciting, messy, and physical. Arrange in-store music performances, CD signings, and listening parties. Stock posters, band photos, magazines, stickers, patches, and T-shirts. Focus attention on all the fetish-worthy boutique vinyl being created these days by labels such as Sub Pop and Ghostly International. Sponsor a free New Wave dance night at a local club.Unite the mom-and-popsWhen record shops lose customers these days, it's not to a competitor down the street, it's to the Amazons and Apples. One of the biggest motivations people have to do their shopping online is improved selection. If I call a local record store asking for the latest Dave Matthews CD and I'm turned away, the next place I'm going is online, and I may never bother calling again.If independent music stores could pool their inventory and open it up for other local stores to pull from, there's a better chance at keeping up with customer demand. A group like the Coalition for Independent Music Stores is a step in the right direction, but only connects 29 indie music chains nationwide.In a perfect world, every time a customer asks for a release that isn't in stock, retailers should be able to look up inventory at other local stores or offer an free MP3 version of the release on the spot (thumbdrive or e-mailed) if the customer agrees to special order it. Think of StarbucksPercyWhen you think music retail, you probably don't think of Starbucks, but the coffee chain keeps CDs and free song-a-day download cards right next the cash register at every one of their 16,000 stores. If it weren't working for them, they wouldn't be doing it.Starbucks' expertise as a music retailer offers a few lessons. For starters, Starbucks is an example of a company that goes niche with the music they stock. The niche isn't a particular music genre, but a consistent, tightly-curated, weekly rotation of pleasant, popular music. Some will turn their nose, but when Sir Paul McCartney launches his CD at Starbucks, that's saying something.Another lesson music shops could learn from Starbucks' strategy is an overriding focus on creating a space for people to hang out. This quote is pulled directly from Starbucks' corporate mission statement, but could easily be describing my favorite record store."When our customers feel this sense of belonging, our stores become a haven, a break from the worries outside, a place where you can meet with friends. It's about enjoyment at the speed of life--sometimes slow and savored, sometimes faster. Always full of humanity. "The reason Apple decided to partner with Starbucks on their Pick of the Week download promotion isn't because they sell a ton of coffee, it's because the stores successfully attract and retain customers who hang out at the store, browse the Web, and listen to music.I'm not saying that every music store needs to start serving coffee, setting up couches and offering Wi-Fi, but it's certainly not a terrible idea. Just be careful--creating the music cafe hybrid isn't as easy as it sounds. I've seen places that have awkwardly slapped a coffee bar onto the front of their store, and give untrained staff free reign to make awful espresso drinks. I've also seen great cafes with out-of-the-way CD bins that invite only dust.Will it be enough?I don't have an MBA. I don't really know how to make record stores relevant anymore, or if it's even possible. I'm just a guy who loves record stores, but paradoxically hates shopping in them. I also just can't shake the feeling that our culture needs a public space beyond concerts and clubs where music fans can circulate and break out of the iPod cocoon every now and then.What do you think? Are we better off in a world where music stores are antique curiosities and all our music discovery and discussions take place online? Is there a way to run a brick and mortar music store in the iTunes era? Let me know how you feel, and please, share some examples of stores that are getting it right.
No revelations in IT pricing inquiry hearing
No revelations in IT pricing inquiry hearing
The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) presented in the morning, but the information it imparted revealed nothing that we hadn't heard already.In its written submission to the inquiry (PDF), the AIIA outlined several possible areas in which the cost of doing business in Australia might be higher.It expanded on its claims yesterday morning, stating that rent, wages and warranties cost more in Australia.Suzanne Campbell, CEO of the AIIA, said, "One of our members said [Australia's] consumer warranty landscape is the most expensive in the world," reported ZDNet Australia. "A life cycle of a product could be three years, and that makes provisioning of warranty of those products very expensive in this market."But consumer organisation Choice refuted that claim later in the afternoon.Choice head of campaigns, Matthew Levey, said, "We fail to see evidence of how offering warranty in the Australian market under the ACL [Australian Consumer Law] could be that much more expensive than offering that requirement under the US legislation. We understand that it's part of doing business, and there may be some jurisdictions out there that don't have sophisticated consumer legislation ... but we don't believe the difference between Australia and the US market would justify that."He explained that Choice believes the price disparity is caused by suppliers and wholesalers artificially setting higher prices at the outset."We think the most obvious reason and likely reason in fact for these price differences is international price discrimination, so that's actually the practice of the international businesses who manufacture these products who own the copyright actually charging more in the Australian market," he said, according to the ABC.Meanwhile, Apple and Microsoft were conspicuously absent â€" Microsoft provided a public submission (PDF) that cited labour, regulation, marketing and supply chain costs.Apple, on the other hand, had a private hearing with the committee last week, following a request that its submission be kept private. According to The Australian Financial Review, it laid the blame for higher prices in iTunes on Australian taxes, warranties and copyright holders.Adobe, which was slammed last week by Labor backbencher Ed Husic for not making a submission to the inquiry, attended but did not speak. It finally made a submission Friday, 27 July (PDF) saying that it did not make an individual submission because it contributed to the AIIA submission.
The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) presented in the morning, but the information it imparted revealed nothing that we hadn't heard already.In its written submission to the inquiry (PDF), the AIIA outlined several possible areas in which the cost of doing business in Australia might be higher.It expanded on its claims yesterday morning, stating that rent, wages and warranties cost more in Australia.Suzanne Campbell, CEO of the AIIA, said, "One of our members said [Australia's] consumer warranty landscape is the most expensive in the world," reported ZDNet Australia. "A life cycle of a product could be three years, and that makes provisioning of warranty of those products very expensive in this market."But consumer organisation Choice refuted that claim later in the afternoon.Choice head of campaigns, Matthew Levey, said, "We fail to see evidence of how offering warranty in the Australian market under the ACL [Australian Consumer Law] could be that much more expensive than offering that requirement under the US legislation. We understand that it's part of doing business, and there may be some jurisdictions out there that don't have sophisticated consumer legislation ... but we don't believe the difference between Australia and the US market would justify that."He explained that Choice believes the price disparity is caused by suppliers and wholesalers artificially setting higher prices at the outset."We think the most obvious reason and likely reason in fact for these price differences is international price discrimination, so that's actually the practice of the international businesses who manufacture these products who own the copyright actually charging more in the Australian market," he said, according to the ABC.Meanwhile, Apple and Microsoft were conspicuously absent â€" Microsoft provided a public submission (PDF) that cited labour, regulation, marketing and supply chain costs.Apple, on the other hand, had a private hearing with the committee last week, following a request that its submission be kept private. According to The Australian Financial Review, it laid the blame for higher prices in iTunes on Australian taxes, warranties and copyright holders.Adobe, which was slammed last week by Labor backbencher Ed Husic for not making a submission to the inquiry, attended but did not speak. It finally made a submission Friday, 27 July (PDF) saying that it did not make an individual submission because it contributed to the AIIA submission.
Canadian public TV to try out BitTorrent
Canadian public TV to try out BitTorrent
Canada's Next Great Prime Minister, an annual competition in which young adults propose ways to improve the country in hopes of winning 50,000 Canadian dollars, attracted more than 1 million viewers in 2007. While broadcast shows in the United States regularly reach more than 8 million viewers, for a Canadian broadcast program, 1 million is a huge success.Tessa Sproule, the CBC manager in charge of the show's digital outreach, is a regular reader of the BoingBoing blog, which earlier this month highlighted the use of BitTorrent by Norway's public broadcaster for one of its most popular shows. Sproule was inspired by the Norweigan experiment and pushed for something similar at CBC.While plenty of TV networks have experimented with offering shows online for free, it is CBC's use of DRM-free BitTorrent downloads that is the most interesting. Guinevere Orvis, one of the interactive producers on the show, told me that the motivation for this choice was their desire for the "show to be as accessible as possible, to as many Canadians as possible, in the format that they want it in." As for DRM, she said: "I think DRM is dead, even if a lot of broadcasters don't realize it." She added that "if it's bad for the consumers, it's bad for the company."Michael Geist, a copyright guru and law professor at the University of Ottawa, hailed CBC's move, writing on his blog that "this development is important not only because it shows that Canada's public broadcaster is increasingly willing to experiment with alternative forms of distribution, but also because it may help crystallize the net neutrality issue in Canada."Rogers Cable, one of Canada's largest Internet providers, has adopted Comcast-style BitTorrent filtering, so CBC's use of the technology is sure to heat up the debate. CBC is conducting the entire BitTorrent effort in-house. The show will be encoded into multiple formats (including an iPod-friendly version), Orvis said, and the BitTorrent server will be running on a CBC server.The BitTorrent version will be available for download to anyone in the world, which is a significant change from previous online TV efforts. The iPlayer platform made by England's BBC is only available to consumers with U.K. network addresses. Similarly, Hulu, the joint effort between Fox and NBC, blocks Net users who are outside the United States. Orvis told me that BitTorrent made the global distribution possible, as it meant that Canadian taxpayers were not subsidizing the cost of delivery to foreign viewers.Sadly, here in the U.S., TV networks are nowhere nearly as enlightened. NBC and Fox have some of their shows available for free via low-quality streams online. Comedy Central, seemingly tired of sending take-down letters to YouTube, made its entire archive of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report available online, via low-quality, free streams. Even PBS provides streams for some of its content.The only way for U.S. consumers to download high-quality shows is, unfortunately, via iTunes, which charges $1.99 for a DRM-locked copy of the show. Linux users need not apply.Of course, Net users can always turn to BitTorrent for DRM-free, high-quality downloads. It's is easy to use--easier than iTunes in many cases--and offers a wider selection. However, it remains, for now, illegal.When will U.S. broadcasters get a clue, ditch DRM, ditch iTunes, and adopt BitTorrent?
Canada's Next Great Prime Minister, an annual competition in which young adults propose ways to improve the country in hopes of winning 50,000 Canadian dollars, attracted more than 1 million viewers in 2007. While broadcast shows in the United States regularly reach more than 8 million viewers, for a Canadian broadcast program, 1 million is a huge success.Tessa Sproule, the CBC manager in charge of the show's digital outreach, is a regular reader of the BoingBoing blog, which earlier this month highlighted the use of BitTorrent by Norway's public broadcaster for one of its most popular shows. Sproule was inspired by the Norweigan experiment and pushed for something similar at CBC.While plenty of TV networks have experimented with offering shows online for free, it is CBC's use of DRM-free BitTorrent downloads that is the most interesting. Guinevere Orvis, one of the interactive producers on the show, told me that the motivation for this choice was their desire for the "show to be as accessible as possible, to as many Canadians as possible, in the format that they want it in." As for DRM, she said: "I think DRM is dead, even if a lot of broadcasters don't realize it." She added that "if it's bad for the consumers, it's bad for the company."Michael Geist, a copyright guru and law professor at the University of Ottawa, hailed CBC's move, writing on his blog that "this development is important not only because it shows that Canada's public broadcaster is increasingly willing to experiment with alternative forms of distribution, but also because it may help crystallize the net neutrality issue in Canada."Rogers Cable, one of Canada's largest Internet providers, has adopted Comcast-style BitTorrent filtering, so CBC's use of the technology is sure to heat up the debate. CBC is conducting the entire BitTorrent effort in-house. The show will be encoded into multiple formats (including an iPod-friendly version), Orvis said, and the BitTorrent server will be running on a CBC server.The BitTorrent version will be available for download to anyone in the world, which is a significant change from previous online TV efforts. The iPlayer platform made by England's BBC is only available to consumers with U.K. network addresses. Similarly, Hulu, the joint effort between Fox and NBC, blocks Net users who are outside the United States. Orvis told me that BitTorrent made the global distribution possible, as it meant that Canadian taxpayers were not subsidizing the cost of delivery to foreign viewers.Sadly, here in the U.S., TV networks are nowhere nearly as enlightened. NBC and Fox have some of their shows available for free via low-quality streams online. Comedy Central, seemingly tired of sending take-down letters to YouTube, made its entire archive of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report available online, via low-quality, free streams. Even PBS provides streams for some of its content.The only way for U.S. consumers to download high-quality shows is, unfortunately, via iTunes, which charges $1.99 for a DRM-locked copy of the show. Linux users need not apply.Of course, Net users can always turn to BitTorrent for DRM-free, high-quality downloads. It's is easy to use--easier than iTunes in many cases--and offers a wider selection. However, it remains, for now, illegal.When will U.S. broadcasters get a clue, ditch DRM, ditch iTunes, and adopt BitTorrent?
The 404 423- Where we can't buy love
The 404 423: Where we can't buy love
If you're even remotely interested in The Beatles, today's episode of The 404 is a must listen. CNET Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg helps us out today for all things Beatles. To set it all up, Steve gives the three of us a lesson in how the band essentially shaped a decade of music and culture and how they became innovators in the way that bands record music. For example, did you know that it only took the band 4 hours to record and mix the song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band?" Later on in the show, Steve tells us about how the Beatles used a vacuum tube-based machine to record their earlier albums and later switched to solid-state, with adverse affects to the low-end sounds. Lots more Beatles trivia on the show!We also talk extensively about the latest Beatles Remasters and whether or not they're worth the extra investment. Some claim that there are "near-miraculous improvements in the key areas of information retrieval, hidden details, expanded midrange, etc...," but Steve makes the argument that simply remastering doesn't necessarily improve sound quality. Check out the Audiophiliac blog for Steve's Beatles box set review coming soon, but in the meantime you can enter for a chance to win the entire remastered Beatles CD collection!EPISODE 423PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
If you're even remotely interested in The Beatles, today's episode of The 404 is a must listen. CNET Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg helps us out today for all things Beatles. To set it all up, Steve gives the three of us a lesson in how the band essentially shaped a decade of music and culture and how they became innovators in the way that bands record music. For example, did you know that it only took the band 4 hours to record and mix the song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band?" Later on in the show, Steve tells us about how the Beatles used a vacuum tube-based machine to record their earlier albums and later switched to solid-state, with adverse affects to the low-end sounds. Lots more Beatles trivia on the show!We also talk extensively about the latest Beatles Remasters and whether or not they're worth the extra investment. Some claim that there are "near-miraculous improvements in the key areas of information retrieval, hidden details, expanded midrange, etc...," but Steve makes the argument that simply remastering doesn't necessarily improve sound quality. Check out the Audiophiliac blog for Steve's Beatles box set review coming soon, but in the meantime you can enter for a chance to win the entire remastered Beatles CD collection!EPISODE 423PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Microsoft's online chief holds music search patent
Microsoft's online chief holds music search patent
The Seattle Post Intelligencer's Microsoft reporter, Joe Tartakoff, did a little digging on Tuesday to uncover exactly what kinds of patents Lu holds. Most interesting to me, one of them relates to music.Specifically, it describes a PC application that could take a snippet of a song or audio file, break it down into component parts, analyze them, and then recommend similar songs. It sounds superficially similar to what Shazam does, but the method is very different and more complicated. From what I can tell, Shazam simply takes a sound sample and matches it against a database with millions of audio files. Getting a fast result requires some fast data crunching, but there's not much deep analysis going on there. Lu's patent (shared with two other engineers) proposed breaking the song all the way down to very small components like measures and individual notes, analyzing those components to find patterns--for example, a repeated sequence of notes might be the refrain or chorus--and then analyzing the relationships among those parts. For instance, a pop song is typically constructed of several repeated verses and choruses, with a bridge somewhere in the middle. This is how the application would be able to identify and recommend songs that are similar to the song being played. Instead of Shazam, the end result might have been more like Apple's recently introduced Genius feature, which builds playlists of songs based on the song you're currently playing. I suspect that Apple's relying on data from all its iTunes users (Genius asks to collect data about your playing habits) and song meta data--for example, it often recommends songs by the same artist, or other artists in the same genre, or other songs released in the same era. That's much easier--both to program and for your CPU--than trying to analyze audio data for patterns.Lu received this patent in 2000, which means that he was probably working on it several years before that. Check it out.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer's Microsoft reporter, Joe Tartakoff, did a little digging on Tuesday to uncover exactly what kinds of patents Lu holds. Most interesting to me, one of them relates to music.Specifically, it describes a PC application that could take a snippet of a song or audio file, break it down into component parts, analyze them, and then recommend similar songs. It sounds superficially similar to what Shazam does, but the method is very different and more complicated. From what I can tell, Shazam simply takes a sound sample and matches it against a database with millions of audio files. Getting a fast result requires some fast data crunching, but there's not much deep analysis going on there. Lu's patent (shared with two other engineers) proposed breaking the song all the way down to very small components like measures and individual notes, analyzing those components to find patterns--for example, a repeated sequence of notes might be the refrain or chorus--and then analyzing the relationships among those parts. For instance, a pop song is typically constructed of several repeated verses and choruses, with a bridge somewhere in the middle. This is how the application would be able to identify and recommend songs that are similar to the song being played. Instead of Shazam, the end result might have been more like Apple's recently introduced Genius feature, which builds playlists of songs based on the song you're currently playing. I suspect that Apple's relying on data from all its iTunes users (Genius asks to collect data about your playing habits) and song meta data--for example, it often recommends songs by the same artist, or other artists in the same genre, or other songs released in the same era. That's much easier--both to program and for your CPU--than trying to analyze audio data for patterns.Lu received this patent in 2000, which means that he was probably working on it several years before that. Check it out.
Garmin debuts four apps for iPhone, Android
Garmin debuts four apps for iPhone, Android
Although technically one of the first GPS manufacturers to market a mapping app for portables with its Garmin Mobile 10 software for PDAs and Palm, Garmin has been notably absent from the smartphone navigation app marketplace as of late (discounting the aging and ridiculously overpriced Garmin Mobile for Blackberry). Today, Garmin jumps back into the fray, challenging apps from TomTom, Magellan, and Navigon with not one, but four of its own GPS-centric apps, including the new StreetPilot navigation app for iPhone and three new GPS apps for Android devices.The StreetPilot name hearkens back to the original Garmin StreetPilot GPS navigator announced at CES 1998. The app essentially brings all of the features that one would expect from a standalone Garmin Nuvi navigation device to the iPhone's touch screen, including a simple menu and map interface, turn-by-turn directions with text-to-speech spoken street names, and graphic lane guidance. Because the app can take advantage of the iPhone's hardware and software, users also have access to free traffic alerts, address book integration, and access and control of their iTunes library. iOS 4 devices can also utilize multitasking to take phone calls while the app handles background navigation.The Garmin StreetPilot app is currently available in the iTunes App Store for $39.99.Joining StreetPilot is a trio of non-navigation GPS apps for iPhone and Android devices. The first is the free Garmin Tracker for iPhone and Android devices, which allows users to monitor the location of the also newly announced Garmin GTU 10 tracking device. Also available now is the free My-Cast Lite app brings local weather forecasts and radar monitoring to Android phones. Finally, available in February 2011 is Garmin's myMechanic app which will allow users to pair their Android phone to the Garmin EcoRoute HD module via Bluetooth for monitoring vehicle performance metrics such as horsepower or fuel efficiency./p>
Although technically one of the first GPS manufacturers to market a mapping app for portables with its Garmin Mobile 10 software for PDAs and Palm, Garmin has been notably absent from the smartphone navigation app marketplace as of late (discounting the aging and ridiculously overpriced Garmin Mobile for Blackberry). Today, Garmin jumps back into the fray, challenging apps from TomTom, Magellan, and Navigon with not one, but four of its own GPS-centric apps, including the new StreetPilot navigation app for iPhone and three new GPS apps for Android devices.The StreetPilot name hearkens back to the original Garmin StreetPilot GPS navigator announced at CES 1998. The app essentially brings all of the features that one would expect from a standalone Garmin Nuvi navigation device to the iPhone's touch screen, including a simple menu and map interface, turn-by-turn directions with text-to-speech spoken street names, and graphic lane guidance. Because the app can take advantage of the iPhone's hardware and software, users also have access to free traffic alerts, address book integration, and access and control of their iTunes library. iOS 4 devices can also utilize multitasking to take phone calls while the app handles background navigation.The Garmin StreetPilot app is currently available in the iTunes App Store for $39.99.Joining StreetPilot is a trio of non-navigation GPS apps for iPhone and Android devices. The first is the free Garmin Tracker for iPhone and Android devices, which allows users to monitor the location of the also newly announced Garmin GTU 10 tracking device. Also available now is the free My-Cast Lite app brings local weather forecasts and radar monitoring to Android phones. Finally, available in February 2011 is Garmin's myMechanic app which will allow users to pair their Android phone to the Garmin EcoRoute HD module via Bluetooth for monitoring vehicle performance metrics such as horsepower or fuel efficiency./p>
Gameloft's top hits are its first apps ready for the new iPad
Gameloft's top hits are its first apps ready for the new iPad
Though many developers were initially tight-lipped about when they would release optimized games for the new iPad--now that the device is here--the news has started rolling in.Gameloft announced today that four popular games, Order and Chaos Online, Modern Combat: Fallen Nation, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, and Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, are now optimized for Apple's Retina Display and ready for the new iPad.Coming from four different genres, the four games now updated for the iPad have already seen huge success in the iTunes App Store. Order and Chaos Online is an expansive MMO that strongly resembles Blizzard's World of Warcraft. Modern Combat: Fallen Nation is a first-person shooter with online multiplayer, and already looked great on older devices. Asphalt 6: Adrenaline is a 3D arcade racing game with tons of tracks and cars to unlock. The fourth game is Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, a 3D sandbox game where you complete missions to gain money and power in the dangerous underworld of Rio. Asphalt 6: Adrenaline is an arcade racer with pick ups, power boosts, and more that will look great with the higher resolution.Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNETWith only about a 10 days since the new iPad was announced, Gameloft probably didn't have time to optimize all of its huge catalog of games, but it seems the company wanted to get its most popular games ready as soon as possible for the new device.All four games are available now at the iTunes App Store. It's also important to note that Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation (along with several other Gameloft titles, but not including the other three listed here), is usually $6.99, but is currently on sale for 99 cents, as reported earlier today by Rick Broida.
Though many developers were initially tight-lipped about when they would release optimized games for the new iPad--now that the device is here--the news has started rolling in.Gameloft announced today that four popular games, Order and Chaos Online, Modern Combat: Fallen Nation, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, and Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, are now optimized for Apple's Retina Display and ready for the new iPad.Coming from four different genres, the four games now updated for the iPad have already seen huge success in the iTunes App Store. Order and Chaos Online is an expansive MMO that strongly resembles Blizzard's World of Warcraft. Modern Combat: Fallen Nation is a first-person shooter with online multiplayer, and already looked great on older devices. Asphalt 6: Adrenaline is a 3D arcade racing game with tons of tracks and cars to unlock. The fourth game is Gangstar Rio: City of Saints, a 3D sandbox game where you complete missions to gain money and power in the dangerous underworld of Rio. Asphalt 6: Adrenaline is an arcade racer with pick ups, power boosts, and more that will look great with the higher resolution.Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNETWith only about a 10 days since the new iPad was announced, Gameloft probably didn't have time to optimize all of its huge catalog of games, but it seems the company wanted to get its most popular games ready as soon as possible for the new device.All four games are available now at the iTunes App Store. It's also important to note that Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation (along with several other Gameloft titles, but not including the other three listed here), is usually $6.99, but is currently on sale for 99 cents, as reported earlier today by Rick Broida.
Heads up Apple, here comes Samsung's 8-core chip
Heads up Apple, here comes Samsung's 8-core chip
Think Apple's A6 chip packs a punch? It appears to have some stiff competition from Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa, slated for commercial production in the second quarter, the company announced today.Featured in Samsung's Galaxy S4, Octa means it integrates a whopping eight CPU cores. Apple's A6 has two, by comparison.While a raw core count comparison may be too simplistic, Samsung's chip, on paper, should make Apple worry -- especially since Samsung is simultaneously manufacturing the Exynos chip and Apple's A6. Related storiesCNET's Galaxy S4 reviewThe Exynos 5 Octa uses technology from chip designer ARM called big.LITTLE.In other words, there are four "big" high-performance cores (up to 1.8GHz) and four "little" power-efficient cores (up to 1.2GHz), referred to as Cortex A15 and A7, respectively. ARM describes the Cortex A15 as suited for "heavy workloads," like gaming, and the Cortex A7 for doing more mundane workloads, such as managing operating system activities.And Samsung is giving the graphics processor a boost too. The Exynos 5 Octa "enhances the...3D graphics processing capabilities by more than two times over the Exynos 4 Quad," Samsung said in a statement. All that processing power is needed to drive the S4's high-resolution 5-inch, 1,920x1,080 display (that's 440 pixels per inch versus the iPhone 5's 326 pixels per inch for those keeping count).Other Exynos 5 Octa specs include: Very-high-resolution displays: Drives up to a 2,560x1,600 (WQXGA) display.USB 3.0:Uses an e-MMC (embedded multimedia card) 5.0 and USB 3.0 interface for fast data transfer speeds. Video hardware: Incorporates full HD 60fps (frame per second) video hardware. Camera:an embedded 13 mega-pixel 30fps image signal processor interface. Memory: 12.8GB/s memory bandwidth interface.
Think Apple's A6 chip packs a punch? It appears to have some stiff competition from Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa, slated for commercial production in the second quarter, the company announced today.Featured in Samsung's Galaxy S4, Octa means it integrates a whopping eight CPU cores. Apple's A6 has two, by comparison.While a raw core count comparison may be too simplistic, Samsung's chip, on paper, should make Apple worry -- especially since Samsung is simultaneously manufacturing the Exynos chip and Apple's A6. Related storiesCNET's Galaxy S4 reviewThe Exynos 5 Octa uses technology from chip designer ARM called big.LITTLE.In other words, there are four "big" high-performance cores (up to 1.8GHz) and four "little" power-efficient cores (up to 1.2GHz), referred to as Cortex A15 and A7, respectively. ARM describes the Cortex A15 as suited for "heavy workloads," like gaming, and the Cortex A7 for doing more mundane workloads, such as managing operating system activities.And Samsung is giving the graphics processor a boost too. The Exynos 5 Octa "enhances the...3D graphics processing capabilities by more than two times over the Exynos 4 Quad," Samsung said in a statement. All that processing power is needed to drive the S4's high-resolution 5-inch, 1,920x1,080 display (that's 440 pixels per inch versus the iPhone 5's 326 pixels per inch for those keeping count).Other Exynos 5 Octa specs include: Very-high-resolution displays: Drives up to a 2,560x1,600 (WQXGA) display.USB 3.0:Uses an e-MMC (embedded multimedia card) 5.0 and USB 3.0 interface for fast data transfer speeds. Video hardware: Incorporates full HD 60fps (frame per second) video hardware. Camera:an embedded 13 mega-pixel 30fps image signal processor interface. Memory: 12.8GB/s memory bandwidth interface.
Heads up Apple, here comes 64-bit Android on Intel
Heads up Apple, here comes 64-bit Android on Intel
Apple's A7 chips will feel some 64-bit heat from Intel and Android next year.Intel is readying a 64-bit Bay Trail Atom platform for Android, according to Hermann Eul, Intel's general manager, mobile and communications group, speaking at the company's investor day on Thursday. "It's not only about Windows 64-bit, we've been talking about Android as well," Eul said. An assistant then proceeded to demo on stage "the first ever showing of a 64-bit kernel running on Bay Trail with Android." Eul continued."We have 64-bit Windows shipping next quarter and, needless to say, we'll run fast to make this happen on Android as well." Intel's Bay Trail processor -- which is currently powering a growing number of tablets and 2-in-1 devices from Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo -- today is 64-bit but runs Windows 8.1 in 32-bit mode. That will be rectified next quarter when Bay Trail tablets run in full 64-bit Windows 8.1 mode. Today, Android on smartphones and tablets is a 32-bit affair.Apple garnered lots of headlines in September when it unveiled the 64-bit A7 processor -- that chip now powers the iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and iPad Mini Retina. A slide shown Thursday by Hermann Eul, general manager, mobile and communications group at Intel.IntelGoing to 64-bit allows a device to address more memory -- more than the 4GB limitation in many cases for 32-bit processors. But that's not all.A 64-bit platform can allow data-intensive applications to handle large chunks of data more efficiently than 32-bit -- and that can have implications in gaming, for instance. Intel won't be alone, though, making a run at Apple.A report earlier this month said Samsung will launch a flagship smartphone with a 64-bit CPU in 2014.
Apple's A7 chips will feel some 64-bit heat from Intel and Android next year.Intel is readying a 64-bit Bay Trail Atom platform for Android, according to Hermann Eul, Intel's general manager, mobile and communications group, speaking at the company's investor day on Thursday. "It's not only about Windows 64-bit, we've been talking about Android as well," Eul said. An assistant then proceeded to demo on stage "the first ever showing of a 64-bit kernel running on Bay Trail with Android." Eul continued."We have 64-bit Windows shipping next quarter and, needless to say, we'll run fast to make this happen on Android as well." Intel's Bay Trail processor -- which is currently powering a growing number of tablets and 2-in-1 devices from Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo -- today is 64-bit but runs Windows 8.1 in 32-bit mode. That will be rectified next quarter when Bay Trail tablets run in full 64-bit Windows 8.1 mode. Today, Android on smartphones and tablets is a 32-bit affair.Apple garnered lots of headlines in September when it unveiled the 64-bit A7 processor -- that chip now powers the iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and iPad Mini Retina. A slide shown Thursday by Hermann Eul, general manager, mobile and communications group at Intel.IntelGoing to 64-bit allows a device to address more memory -- more than the 4GB limitation in many cases for 32-bit processors. But that's not all.A 64-bit platform can allow data-intensive applications to handle large chunks of data more efficiently than 32-bit -- and that can have implications in gaming, for instance. Intel won't be alone, though, making a run at Apple.A report earlier this month said Samsung will launch a flagship smartphone with a 64-bit CPU in 2014.
Heads up Apple, Android to make big gains in 2014, IDC predicts
Heads up Apple, Android to make big gains in 2014, IDC predicts
Google's Android ecosystem will be breathing down Apple's neck in 2014, according to IDC, which offered predictions for 2014. Google Play/Android downloads and revenues "are making dramatic gains and the app ecosystem value gap will be significantly narrowed" with Apple in 2014, according to IDC.That was one of the predictions published Tuesday, among a bevy of predictions for 2014. Here's what IDC said:The mobile device onslaught will continue in 2014 with sales of tablets growing by 18% and smartphones by 12%. The Android community, led by Samsung, will maintain its volume advantage over Apple, while Apple will hold onto its value edge with higher average selling prices and an established ecosystem of apps.But Google Play (Android) app downloads and revenues are making dramatic gains and the "app ecosystem value gap" will be significantly narrowed in 2014. And the clock will be ticking louder for Microsoft, which needs to quickly double mobile developer interest in Windows.Bolstering all of this mobile activity will be a surge in spending on the cloud.Cloud spending will surge by 25 percent in 2014, reaching over $100 billion, IDC said."A pitched battle will be joined for the developers that can create the cloud-based applications and solutions that will fuel the market's growth," according to the researcher.And the bad news?The PC market ""will remain under stress," with worldwide revenues down 6 percent year over year.
Google's Android ecosystem will be breathing down Apple's neck in 2014, according to IDC, which offered predictions for 2014. Google Play/Android downloads and revenues "are making dramatic gains and the app ecosystem value gap will be significantly narrowed" with Apple in 2014, according to IDC.That was one of the predictions published Tuesday, among a bevy of predictions for 2014. Here's what IDC said:The mobile device onslaught will continue in 2014 with sales of tablets growing by 18% and smartphones by 12%. The Android community, led by Samsung, will maintain its volume advantage over Apple, while Apple will hold onto its value edge with higher average selling prices and an established ecosystem of apps.But Google Play (Android) app downloads and revenues are making dramatic gains and the "app ecosystem value gap" will be significantly narrowed in 2014. And the clock will be ticking louder for Microsoft, which needs to quickly double mobile developer interest in Windows.Bolstering all of this mobile activity will be a surge in spending on the cloud.Cloud spending will surge by 25 percent in 2014, reaching over $100 billion, IDC said."A pitched battle will be joined for the developers that can create the cloud-based applications and solutions that will fuel the market's growth," according to the researcher.And the bad news?The PC market ""will remain under stress," with worldwide revenues down 6 percent year over year.
HDTV maker Loewe surges, even as it nixes Apple rumor
HDTV maker Loewe surges, even as it nixes Apple rumor
An unconfirmed report that was ultimately dismissed by management isn't enough to turn shareholders off to German HDTV maker Loewe.The company's shares today are up 22 percent to 5.55 euros following rumors that it would be acquired by Apple as early as this week. AppleInsider, an Apple-tracking Web site, reported on Saturday that it had received a report from a source claiming Apple had offered a buyout deal for a slight premium on the company's stock price, and Loewe's financial advisers had "been advised" to take the offer.AppleInsider made it clear that it had been unable to confirm the claim, and said only that it was being shared "in the interest of discussion." Loewe quickly followed that up with a statement to German Web site Heise (Translate), saying that there was "absolutely nothing to" the rumor.Considering Apple's penchant for secrecy and its decisions in the past to keep acquisitions out of the spotlight, shareholders are seemingly not too sure they can trust the company's comments on the matter.For its part, Apple hasn't commented publicly on any plans to acquire an HDTV maker, let alone Loewe. In fact, the company hasn't even said whether it will build a television, despite countless rumors saying that it will.Just last week, Foxconn chief Terry Gou said in a news conference, according to China Daily, that his company is currently preparing its facilities for an Apple television, but "development or manufacturing has yet to begin."(Via Reuters)
An unconfirmed report that was ultimately dismissed by management isn't enough to turn shareholders off to German HDTV maker Loewe.The company's shares today are up 22 percent to 5.55 euros following rumors that it would be acquired by Apple as early as this week. AppleInsider, an Apple-tracking Web site, reported on Saturday that it had received a report from a source claiming Apple had offered a buyout deal for a slight premium on the company's stock price, and Loewe's financial advisers had "been advised" to take the offer.AppleInsider made it clear that it had been unable to confirm the claim, and said only that it was being shared "in the interest of discussion." Loewe quickly followed that up with a statement to German Web site Heise (Translate), saying that there was "absolutely nothing to" the rumor.Considering Apple's penchant for secrecy and its decisions in the past to keep acquisitions out of the spotlight, shareholders are seemingly not too sure they can trust the company's comments on the matter.For its part, Apple hasn't commented publicly on any plans to acquire an HDTV maker, let alone Loewe. In fact, the company hasn't even said whether it will build a television, despite countless rumors saying that it will.Just last week, Foxconn chief Terry Gou said in a news conference, according to China Daily, that his company is currently preparing its facilities for an Apple television, but "development or manufacturing has yet to begin."(Via Reuters)
Hacker of Apple iPad-AT&T site reportedly in plea talks
Hacker of Apple iPad-AT&T site reportedly in plea talks
A hacker accused of breaking into an AT&T Web site and stealing data of iPad users is negotiating a plea agreement a month after an alleged co-conspirator pleaded guilty, Reuters reported today.Andrew Auernheimer was indicted three weeks ago by a Newark, N.J., grand jury on one count of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers and one count of identity theft. Auernheimer, who lives in Fayetteville, Ark., is free on bail. U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton put Auernheimer's case on hold yesterday, saying "plea negotiations are currently in progress and both the United States and the defendant desire additional time to finalize a plea agreement, which would render trial of this matter unnecessary."Co-defendant Daniel Spitler pleaded guilty on June 23 to the same charges and faces up to 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines. Spitler wrote a script called the "iPad 3G Account Slurper" and used it against AT&T servers a year ago to harvest e-mail addresses and associated unique iPad numbers, and plotted with Auernheimer on how to take advantage of the security hole, according to the U.S. Department of Justice office in Newark, New Jersey. In an interview with CNET last year, Auernheimer admitted that the hackers had compromised the AT&T 3G iPad customer Web site and released data on 120,000 accounts but said they did so with the intention of warning AT&T and protecting consumers. A spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman declined to comment to Reuters.
A hacker accused of breaking into an AT&T Web site and stealing data of iPad users is negotiating a plea agreement a month after an alleged co-conspirator pleaded guilty, Reuters reported today.Andrew Auernheimer was indicted three weeks ago by a Newark, N.J., grand jury on one count of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers and one count of identity theft. Auernheimer, who lives in Fayetteville, Ark., is free on bail. U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton put Auernheimer's case on hold yesterday, saying "plea negotiations are currently in progress and both the United States and the defendant desire additional time to finalize a plea agreement, which would render trial of this matter unnecessary."Co-defendant Daniel Spitler pleaded guilty on June 23 to the same charges and faces up to 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines. Spitler wrote a script called the "iPad 3G Account Slurper" and used it against AT&T servers a year ago to harvest e-mail addresses and associated unique iPad numbers, and plotted with Auernheimer on how to take advantage of the security hole, according to the U.S. Department of Justice office in Newark, New Jersey. In an interview with CNET last year, Auernheimer admitted that the hackers had compromised the AT&T 3G iPad customer Web site and released data on 120,000 accounts but said they did so with the intention of warning AT&T and protecting consumers. A spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman declined to comment to Reuters.
Apple releases iOS 7.0.2 to fix lock screen security bug
update, which went out Thursday morning, fixes a bug that would let users bypass the passcode security on the lock screen. That security issue was discovered just hours after the public update was released, and would give anyone direct access to applications and user data. Apple last week said it was working on a fix, though did not offer an estimate on when it would arrive. CNETAlong with the security fix, Apple says the update brings back the capability to use a Greek keyboard when typing in passcodes, something that was apparently missing in the early release.Lock screens offer the primary means of defense against unwanted use of mobile devices. When introducing the iPhone 5S earlier this month, Apple claimed that only about half of smartphone users actually had passcode security enabled. That was just before debuting Touch ID, a new fingerprint scanning technology that's baked into the iPhone 5S and can unlock a phone without users having to enter in their passcode. The feature is expected to be included in all future iOS devices.
Apple releases iOS 6.1.3 beta with passcode bug fix in tow
someone gain access to your iPhone by sneaking past the lock screen. Through a small series of steps, including making an emergency call, a person could bypass the passcode in order to make phone calls, listen to voice mail, and check contact photos.Apple acknowledged the bug last week. promised to squash it in a future iOS release. iOS 6.1.3 will fix that problem, the company said, according to 9to5Mac.The new beta also offers some enhancements to the Maps app for Japan.Apple has been on a roll lately with iOS updates to resolve various flaws.The company released iOS 6.1.1 early last week, an update targeted only to the iPhone 4S to patch up an issue with cellular performance. On Tuesday, iOS 6.1.2 rolled out for all iOS devices with a fix for an Exchange calendar bug that caused the battery to drain.iOS 6.1.3 beta 2 is available only for registered developers and supports the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
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