Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Banshee music player now works in Windows, supports Amazon MP3 downloads]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/banshee-music-player-now-works-in-windows-supports-amazon-mp3-d/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/banshee-music-player-now-works-in-windows-supports-amazon-mp3-d/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/banshee-music-player-now-works-in-windows-supports-amazon-mp3-d/#comments A few moments ago, version 2 of the Banshee music player for Linux was released, bringing with it a whole slew of new features, and the addition of an official -- but alpha-quality -- Windows build. The Mac OS X build of version 2 is due later today.

The most notable new feature is support for the Amazon MP3 store -- you can buy and download music from within Banshee -- but unfortunately it's only available in the Linux build at the moment (OS X and Windows support are planned, however). There have also been some significant improvements to artist, album, and queue interactions -- and yes, you can finally right click a track, album or artist and select 'play after' to insert it into the queue.

Beyond actual playback, the user interface has been tidied up -- it now looks a whole lot smarter -- and the Ubuntu One Music Store and SoundMenu extensions have been made official. For a complete list of changes, additions and bug fixes, check the change log.

When Windows support initially appeared in February, we found it rough around the edges and fraught with stability issues. With version 2, Banshee for Windows is still a bit unstable, but it's shaping up to be a good alternative to Winamp, iTunes, or whatever other music library manager you use. It's almost as attractive as its GNOMEish brother, too!

Download Banshee 2 for Linux and Windows (Mac OS X coming soon)

Download SquadBanshee music player now works in Windows, supports Amazon MP3 downloads originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsbansheebanshee 2Banshee2cross platformcross-platformCrossPlatformgnomelinuxmacmac os xMacOsXmusicmusic playerMusicPlayerosxubuntuwindowsWed, 06 Apr 2011 11:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Grooveshark gets kicked out of the Android Market]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/grooveshark-gets-kicked-out-of-the-android-market/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/grooveshark-gets-kicked-out-of-the-android-market/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/grooveshark-gets-kicked-out-of-the-android-market/#commentsGrooveshark logoGoogle has removed Grooveshark from the Android Market. The move, which comes many months after Apple kicked the music app from its App Store, has to do with (what else?) accusations from several top music labels that Grooveshark violates copyright law.

It's unclear whether Google plans to also remotely remove the app from Android smartphones on which it's already been installed, something that Google has the power to do but has only in the past used to get rid of malware-ridden apps.

In response to questions regarding Grooveshark's removal from the Android Market, a Google spokesperson only had this to say: "We remove apps from Android Market that violate our terms of service." The spokesperson did not mention what violations Grooveshark has committed in relation to the Market's terms of service. Google has also, understandably, not said anything about this happening in response to pressure from the music industry -- yet what else could have triggered this removal?

In an interesting coincidence, Google is set to outline its anti-piracy efforts before the House of Representatives' Judiciary committee today. Google has been accused numerous times that it profits from piracy by allowing 'pirate' sites to post Google ads. The company is expected to deny this as well as issue a tougher stance on piracy at today's hearing.

As for Grooveshark, it looks like it's quickly running out of mobile app stores on which it's allowed to exist. Do consider however that you'll probably still be able to get the Android app from Grooveshark directly -- since (unless you have an AT&T Android device) Android does allow you to install apps that don't come from the Market.

Download SquadGrooveshark gets kicked out of the Android Market originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>android marketAndroidMarketanti-piracyantipiracyappsaudiogoogleGroovesharkgrooveshark for androidGroovesharkForAndroidmusicpiracyWed, 06 Apr 2011 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaked Android Music app images and hands-on review]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/leaked-android-music-app-hands-on/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/leaked-android-music-app-hands-on/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/leaked-android-music-app-hands-on/#comments Android Music player This morning, an updated version of the stock Android Music app was leaked along with a new version of Android Market. The new Music app, which is labeled 'version 3', is similar to the leaked build from December, but it has received a ton of polish -- and indeed, it looks almost ready for prime time.

If you don't have Android 2.3 -- or don't want to root your phone to install the leaked Music app -- take a look through our gallery, and then read on for our initial hands-on impressions.

Gallery: Leaked Honeycombish Android Music app

Continue reading Leaked Android Music app images and hands-on review

Download SquadLeaked Android Music app images and hands-on review originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsgoogle musicGoogleMusichands-onleakedmobilemusicmusic appmusic playerMusicAppMusicPlayerTue, 05 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A sneak peek at the next version of Android Market and Music app]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/a-sneak-peek-at-the-next-version-of-android-market-and-music-app/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/a-sneak-peek-at-the-next-version-of-android-market-and-music-app/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/a-sneak-peek-at-the-next-version-of-android-market-and-music-app/#commentsAndroid Honeycomb'ish smartphone Music appUpdate: Tech From 10 seems to be offline -- but we have lots of images and a hands-on review if you want to see what the new Music app is like.

In what is probably a bit of a big-G whoopsie, the folks at Tech From 10 woke up to find a new, test version of Android Market installed on their Galaxy S.

Visually, the new version is almost identical. The carousel of featured apps has been updated slightly, and apps now have a 'Content rating,' but that's it (image after the break). The interesting bit, however, is the inclusion of alpha and beta apps -- most notably, there's a new version of the Music app, which looks like a scaled-down version of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb Music app (see right).

Also available from the test Android Market is 'Google Gallery 3D New 10.2', 'Google - Camera v12' and 'Google Desk Clock 10' -- but, curiously, all of the apps refused to launch on Tech From 10's Galaxy S (Vibrant) smartphone. Are they Honeycomb apps? Or, more likely, are they destined for the next Android smartphone OS, Ice Cream?

If you want to try out the new Honeycombish Music app, Tech From 10 has made the APK available for download. You can also download the three Google apps, if you want to have a poke around.

Continue reading A sneak peek at the next version of Android Market and Music app

Download SquadA sneak peek at the next version of Android Market and Music app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid marketAndroidMarketappsaudiohoneycombmobilemusicmusic appMusicAppTue, 05 Apr 2011 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-hands-on-review-functional-not-mind-blowin/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-hands-on-review-functional-not-mind-blowin/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-hands-on-review-functional-not-mind-blowin/#commentsAmazon Android Cloud Player appIt's hard to believe: our world-spanning network, our Internet, which is the cornerstone of free speech and free society -- which, on a good day, is capable of causing populist revolutions -- is still crippled by banal geolocation restrictions. We are, of course, talking about Amazon's two latest offerings, both of which are only available in the United States. Last week it was the excellent Android Appstore for Android, and today it's the Amazon Cloud Player for Web and Android.

Along with Cloud Player, Amazon also launched Cloud Drive, which is basically just like any other cloud storage digital locker. It's not particularly feature rich, and there's no real reason to use it over something like SugarSync or SkyDrive -- it does work outside the US, however.

Its primary purpose, as far as we're concerned, is that it stores your your Cloud Player music in a subdirectory. You get 5GB of Cloud Drive storage for free, and then it's $1 per gigabyte per year if you need more space.

The Amazon Cloud Player itself will not, to put it bluntly, blow your mind. It works, but it's very much an early, and possibly rushed, release. Let's dive in to the Web and Android players for a closer look.

Gallery: Amazon Cloud Player and Cloud Drive: on Web and Android

Continue reading Amazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only

Download SquadAmazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon cloudamazon cloud driveamazon cloud playeramazon mp3amazon+cloud+player+reviewamazon+cloud+reviewAmazonCloudAmazonCloudDriveAmazonCloudPlayeramazoncloudplayerreviewamazoncloudreviewAmazonMp3androidappsaudiocloudcloud drivecloud playercloud storageCloudDriveCloudPlayerCloudStoragedigital lockerDigitalLockerfeaturesfile storageFileStoragehands-onmobilemusicstreamingwebweb appsWebAppsTue, 29 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Songbird media player for Android exits beta, adds Facebook Like and scrobbling support]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/16/songbird-media-player-for-android-exits-beta-adds-facebook-like/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/16/songbird-media-player-for-android-exits-beta-adds-facebook-like/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/16/songbird-media-player-for-android-exits-beta-adds-facebook-like/#commentsLess than two weeks after releasing the third beta of its Android app, Songbird has announced that it has now gone stable. Songbird 1.0 is available for download form the Android Market and it's packing plenty of slick features, like:
  • Matching widget with album art
  • Flickr photo-stream and Facebook 'Like' on the go!
  • Playlist creation and editing
  • Set track as your ringtone
  • Scrobbling to Last.fm support
Since Beta 3, Songbird has gotten a bit more responsive and several touch-ups have been made to both the app and its widgets.

Scan the QR code after the break, or download Songbird 1.0 from the Android Market. Once you've had a chance to kick the tires, share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Continue reading Songbird media player for Android exits beta, adds Facebook Like and scrobbling support

Download SquadSongbird media player for Android exits beta, adds Facebook Like and scrobbling support originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsaudiomobilemp3musicmusic playerMusicPlayersongbirdWed, 16 Mar 2011 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[AOL Play for Android helps you discover and share great music]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/aol-play-for-android-helps-you-discover-and-share-great-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/aol-play-for-android-helps-you-discover-and-share-great-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/aol-play-for-android-helps-you-discover-and-share-great-music/#commentsaol play androidLooking for a way to share what you're listening to and discover some great new music at the same time? Check out Play by AOL. It's a new Android app which lets you post what you're listening to on Facebook or Twitter, sample free downloads from Spinner, and see what your friends are listening to. [Disclosure: Play, Spinner and Download Squad are all owned by AOL.]

There's also the promise of "exclusive" tracks, but we're guessing that means exclusive to AOL -- so you'll see the same tracks offered in Winamp as well.

Play also features Rdio integration, which comes courtesy the company's freshly-released API. From time to time, Play will also offer exclusive video streams. All in all, it's a nice, free app that Android-toting music lovers should take for a spin!

iOS users, you're getting an app too. While no release date has been specified, it's said to be "coming soon."

Download SquadAOL Play for Android helps you discover and share great music originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidaolaol playAolPlayappsaudiodiscoverydownloadsmobilemp3musicrdiosharesharingspinnerstreamingMon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rdio gets the jump on Spotify with API release, affiliate program]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/rdio-gets-the-jump-on-spotify-with-api-release-affiliate-program/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/rdio-gets-the-jump-on-spotify-with-api-release-affiliate-program/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/rdio-gets-the-jump-on-spotify-with-api-release-affiliate-program/#comments rdio Rdio is a much-beloved streaming music service, and it's got one serious advantage over Spotify at the moment: it's already available in the U.S. So while Americans continue to wait for the arrival of Spotify, Rdio is doing its best to strengthen its position in the marketplace.

To that end, Rdio is enlisting the aid of developers by releasing an API for the service and announcing an affiliate program. The API is already in use in a few places, like AOL's new Play app for Android devices and the GRAMMY's MusicIsLifeIsMusic site.

Affiliates receive 2-3% commission per month per subscriber for as long as they remain an Rdio user, which makes for an enticing residual income opportunity. Rdio has done well to increase its reach before more competitors arrive in the U.S., and we're interested to see just how ubiquitous the streaming service can become.

Download SquadRdio gets the jump on Spotify with API release, affiliate program originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apiappsaudiodeveloperdeveloperslistenmobilemusicplayradiordiospotifystreamstreamingwebMon, 14 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple releases Garageband and updated iMovie for iOS]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/apple-releases-garageband-and-updated-imovie-for-ios/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/apple-releases-garageband-and-updated-imovie-for-ios/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/apple-releases-garageband-and-updated-imovie-for-ios/#comments GarageBand and iMovie for iOS To coincide with the release of the iPad 2 today, Apple's let loose both an update to the iOS iMovie app, supporting Apple's newest tablet, as well as a brand new GarageBand app for iPad. Released yesterday, both apps can be had for $5 a piece, and with some positive reviews coming in already, $4.99 seems quite a deal for the amount of utility you get, especially with GarageBand.

Both apps support the iPad 2, with iMovie also supporting the iPhone 4 and 4th generation iPod touch running iOS 4.2.6 or higher. GarageBand supports Apple's first-generation iPad too, but Apple has chosen not to support the original iPad with iMovie. The original iPad can run the application if you can get it installed however, and we've got a quick guide to show you how to just that without jailbreaking your iPad.

If you're an iPad owner and you've ever wanted to edit video on that 9.7-inch screen whilst out and about, or fancy yourself a budding musician, then iMovie and GarageBand are well worth checking out.

Download SquadApple releases Garageband and updated iMovie for iOS originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleappsiOSiPadmoviesmusicutilitiesvideoFri, 11 Mar 2011 05:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Winamp 1.0 for Android review: now with free MP3 downloads and streaming]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/10/winamp-1-0-for-android-review-now-with-free-mp3-downloads-and-streaming/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/10/winamp-1-0-for-android-review-now-with-free-mp3-downloads-and-streaming/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/10/winamp-1-0-for-android-review-now-with-free-mp3-downloads-and-streaming/#commentsMoments ago, Nullsoft released Winamp 1.0 on to the Android Market. It's free to download, and we can safely say that it's best music player for Android. It's so good that it might even whip the llama's ass. [Disclosure: Nullsoft and Download Squad are both owned by AOL]

With the bump to version 1, Winamp for Android introduces a bunch of cool new features. Most notably is the ability to download and stream MP3s from Spinner, but there's also a new Featured SHOUTcast Stations area and extensive UI changes throughout.

The lock screen player has been redesigned, and you can now control audio playback with swipe gestures. Accessing vast amounts of artist information and news directly from the Now Playing screen is now really easy -- and finally, Wi-Fi sync of music from your desktop PC is now a lot more stable!

Read on for our hands-on experiences with each of Winamp 1.0's main features.

Gallery: Winamp 1.0 for Android: beautiful and functional

Continue reading Winamp 1.0 for Android review: now with free MP3 downloads and streaming

Download SquadWinamp 1.0 for Android review: now with free MP3 downloads and streaming originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aolappsaudiofeaturesfree mp3free musicFreeMp3FreeMusichands-onmobilemp3musicnullsoftonline radioOnlineRadioreviewsshoutcaststreamingwinampwinamp for androidWinampForAndroidThu, 10 Mar 2011 16:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Pyrcast for Mac is a simple, clutter-free Pandora app]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/09/pyrcast-for-mac-is-a-simple-clutter-free-pandora-app/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/09/pyrcast-for-mac-is-a-simple-clutter-free-pandora-app/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/09/pyrcast-for-mac-is-a-simple-clutter-free-pandora-app/#comments Pyrcast for Mac Pyrcast for Mac is a Pandora desktop application. It integrates Pandora's streaming radio service with the Mac desktop -- and also eliminates Pandora's ads. Pyrcast is minimalist and clutter-free, letting you focus on the music and not so much on the app delivering it.

Pyrcast lets you listen to stations from your existing Pandora account and features station management, song history, album artwork, and configurable global keyboard shortcuts. It also lets you rate songs, as well as receive Growl notifications for each song that plays. The latest version has also brought a number of bug fixes, a redesigned UI, volume controls, improved audio playback, and the app now remembers your login details so you don't have to enter them each time you start it.

The drop-down Menubar icon that normally lets you control your stations has been taken out of version 2.0 due to some bugs, but the developer promises that it will be back in the next update.

Pyrcast requires a free Pandora account (only available to those in the US) to work, and it runs on Mac OS X 10.6 or newer. Pyrcast costs $4.99. You can get it from the Mac App Store.

Download SquadPyrcast for Mac is a simple, clutter-free Pandora app originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiomusicmusic on demandMusicOnDemandOSXpandorapyrcastradioWed, 09 Mar 2011 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Like.fm aggregates, simplifies your music discovery and sharing]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/09/like-fm-aggregates-simplifies-your-music-discovery-and-sharing/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/09/like-fm-aggregates-simplifies-your-music-discovery-and-sharing/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/09/like-fm-aggregates-simplifies-your-music-discovery-and-sharing/#comments Those of you who spend a lot of time online discovering and listening to music may want to check out Like.fm, a new app which is designed to automatically track and share what you play. It's a sort of 'discovery aggregator,' pulling in tunes from services like YouTube, Pandora, Rdio, and Grooveshark -- which already offer their own discovery tools.

Like.fm aims to provide one-stop shopping, so you and your friends don't have to remember to follow each other on a dozen different services. By aggregating data from a wide variety of sources, Like.fm hopes to make itself the place to get your new music recommendations. Facebook Connect support is also built-in, making it easy to find and follow your friends as you build out your Like.fm profile.

There's still a lot of construction going on at Like.fm, but browser extensions are already available for Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. There's also a Windows desktop client to scrobble your plays in iTunes and Winamp.

Download SquadLike.fm aggregates, simplifies your music discovery and sharing originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiobrowserdiscoveryfacebooklisteningmusicrecommendationsocialsocial networkingsocial-networkingSocialNetworkingsongswebwindowsWed, 09 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rdio for Mac brings streaming music to your desktop]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/07/rdio-for-mac-brings-streaming-music-to-your-desktop/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/07/rdio-for-mac-brings-streaming-music-to-your-desktop/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/07/rdio-for-mac-brings-streaming-music-to-your-desktop/#comments rdio mac app Rdio, a streaming music subscription service, has just added a native Mac app to its web-based and iPhone-based players. Both web and mobile subscribers will be able to use the new Mac version of Rdio.

The app offers easy access to your Rdio stations, top artists, queue and listening history. It's also slicker and faster than the existing Adobe Air app for Rdio, with none of the Flash issues Mac users experience on the web or in the Air app. You can even use the media keys on your Mac to play, pause and skip in Rdio. It also supports Growl notifications, for those OS X users who are addicted to the popular systemwide alert app.

Download SquadRdio for Mac brings streaming music to your desktop originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsmacmusicosxrdio for macRdioForMacstreamingsubscriptionMon, 07 Mar 2011 16:02:00 EST<![CDATA[iTunes to add unlimited downloads for purchased music, MobileMe going free?]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/itunes-to-add-unlimited-downloads-for-purchased-music-mobileme-free/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/itunes-to-add-unlimited-downloads-for-purchased-music-mobileme-free/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/itunes-to-add-unlimited-downloads-for-purchased-music-mobileme-free/#commentsWhen headlines began cropping up about unlimited iTunes music downloads, we'll admit it raised a few eyebrows in the DS bunker. As it turns out, though, the "unlimited" isn't about an all-you-can-download music buffet, or even the Lala-powered iTunes streaming service you might be waiting for. No, it's about being able to re-download songs you've already purchased through iTunes with less hassle.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is currently working on deals with the big four recording labels which would give users permanent download access to songs purchased with their iTunes accounts. That means if you ever have a catastrophic hard drive failure (or four) you just need to install iTunes, log in, and pull down all your purchases again. It also means you'll be able to download onto your iPhone and iPad without needing to sync via iTunes on your desktop.

The Bloomberg report also mentions that Apple is still considering turning MobileMe into a free service, something which was reported previously by the Wall Street Journal and verified by the ever-popular "sources familiar with the situation."

Download SquadiTunes to add unlimited downloads for purchased music, MobileMe going free? originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleappsbloombergiOSipadiphoneipoditunesmobilememusicsyncFri, 04 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rhapsody offers 60 days of free music ahead of Spotify's U.S. launch]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/02/rhapsody-offers-60-days-of-free-music-ahead-of-spotifys-u-s-launch/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/02/rhapsody-offers-60-days-of-free-music-ahead-of-spotifys-u-s-launch/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/02/rhapsody-offers-60-days-of-free-music-ahead-of-spotifys-u-s-launch/#comments As the blogosphere continues murmuring about the impending (but repeatedly delayed) arrival of Spotify on U.S. soil, Rhapsody is taking advantage of the extra time by doubling down on free music. New users can now enjoy a full 60 days of free tunes on their computers and mobile devices.

The hope, obviously, is that users will like Rhapsody enough to become paying customers and stick around. Rhapsody offers a very similar experience to Spotify after all, but Rhapsody is already available to the music-hungry masses in the U.S. With iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry apps, offline storage support, and a reduced monthly rate of $10, Rhapsody is definitely worth taking for a test drive.

Download SquadRhapsody offers 60 days of free music ahead of Spotify's U.S. launch originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiofreemobilemusicmusic on demandMusicOnDemandrhapsodysongsspotifystreamingWed, 02 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rdio arrives on Roku boxes everywhere]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/rdio-arrives-on-roku-boxes-everywhere/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/rdio-arrives-on-roku-boxes-everywhere/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/rdio-arrives-on-roku-boxes-everywhere/#commentsRdio logoOn-demand music streaming service Rdio, the offspring of Skype (and Kazaa, let's not forget) founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström, has now sauntered into your living room.

Rdio is available as a channel on Roku boxes, marking the first time that Rdio is to be found on anything other than a website or mobile platform. The Rdio channel on Roku lets subscribers search for songs, listen to playlists, as well as access queues of songs built on the Web or inside the various Rdio mobile apps.

If you have a Roku box and also happen to have a subscription to Rdio, you'll be very happy today -- and if you just own a Roku box, this might be a good time to check out what Rdio has to offer.

Download SquadRdio arrives on Roku boxes everywhere originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiomusicmusic streamingMusicStreamingrdiorokuThu, 24 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[DAR.fm is a cloud-based DVR for radio]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/dar-fm-is-a-cloud-based-dvr-for-radio/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/dar-fm-is-a-cloud-based-dvr-for-radio/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/dar-fm-is-a-cloud-based-dvr-for-radio/#comments DAR.fm

DAR.fm is a new startup that aims to become the DVR for radio. It works on the same basic principle, and DAR even stands for Digital Audio Recorder. DAR.fm has been created by Michael Robertson, previously the founder of MP3.com.

Just like DVR allows you to record your favorite television shows, DAR.fm lets you schedule recordings of your favorite radio shows. Only DAR.fm does all this in the cloud, without the need for a box anywhere near your radio equipment. DAR.fm browses radio stations that broadcast their content online and indexes it, letting you search by either station or show. Then you just select the shows you want to hear and hit the magic 'Record' button. DAR.fm will then record the shows you've selected when they air. After that, you can listen to the recordings whenever you want, and you can do so from your Web browser or from DAR.fm's mobile applications (currently available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, and Palm devices).

An interesting fact about DAR.fm is that it allows navigation between songs within an individual recording. So if you've recorded, say, a show that played 10 songs during a 30 minute period, you'd be able to skip directly to either of those tracks without having to listen to the whole recording. It's unclear how DAR.fm accomplishes this, but it is nevertheless quite exciting.

Asked about the legal implications of such a service, Michael Robertson said that there's some precedent in the cable industry, with such recordings being legal as long as the viewer (or, in this case, listener) presses the 'Record' button himself or herself -- apparently regardless of whether that button is a physical one or just a virtual, cloud-based affair. We'll see if the courts will decide to rule otherwise on radio content, but until then, enjoy DAR.fm -- it looks like a very neat idea. Be aware though that it's in alpha stage right now, so not everything may work exactly as intended.

Download SquadDAR.fm is a cloud-based DVR for radio originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiodardar.fmdigital audio recorderDigitalAudioRecorderdvrmediaMP3.commusicThu, 24 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[7digital for Android now plays your local music library]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/17/7digital-for-android-now-plays-your-local-music-library/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/17/7digital-for-android-now-plays-your-local-music-library/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/17/7digital-for-android-now-plays-your-local-music-library/#comments
The 7digital app for Android is a great way to listen to music you previously purchased via its service on your device. 7digital version 1.5 is even better, adding support for even more of your songs -- the ones stored in your local music library.

To add your existing library to 7digital, just tap the menu button on your device and then tap the settings icon. Check the 'show local music' box, then back out, tap menu again, and then tap sync. You can then build a play queue using both your 7digital cloud locker and local Android music library!

As you can see, 7digital also now features a landscape mode, and the new update also adds Last.fm scrobbling support so that you can track your listening via the popular discovery service.

Download 7digital for Android (QR code after the break)

Continue reading 7digital for Android now plays your local music library

Download Squad7digital for Android now plays your local music library originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7digitalandroidappsaudiolibrarymobilemp3musicplayerThu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rdio reveals version 1.0 of iPhone app, slicker, faster, better than Spotify]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/rdio-reveals-version-1-0-of-iphone-app-slicker-faster-better/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/rdio-reveals-version-1-0-of-iphone-app-slicker-faster-better/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/rdio-reveals-version-1-0-of-iphone-app-slicker-faster-better/#commentsRdio, the subscription-only music-on-demand service, has massively overhauled its iPhone, iPad and iPod app. Initial response seems positive: the previous version of the app surfed around the 2 1/2-star mark on iTunes, and the new one is already racking up plenty of 5-star reviews. It's still only available in North America, incidentally.

The new interface is beautiful (and boy does it make the Android version look ugly -- as always), but more importantly, Rdio 1.0 for iOS also adds a few vital features that bring it into line with Spotify's mobile offering. You now have complete control over offline syncing, and you can easily see what albums and playlists are available for offline play. The music player now sits at the bottom of the screen, no matter which part of the app you're in, too.

In the social arena, Rdio continues to kick Spotify's ass. Now when you log in, you'll be greeted with a plethora of exciting options, including quick access to Top Charts, Recommended and New Releases. Spotify, meanwhile, only has "What's new." Search has been boosted, too: not only can you search through millions of individual tracks and albums, but you can now also search for playlists and people; neither of which Spotify can do.

Here's hoping that the Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 incarnations of the Rdio app all receive similar updates in the next few weeks! And that Spotify does something with its almost non-existent social layer...

Download Rdio for iOS from iTunes

Gallery: Rdio 1.0 for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

Home screenHeavy RotationRecent activityNew releasesMusic player

Download SquadRdio reveals version 1.0 of iPhone app, slicker, faster, better than Spotify originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsiosipadiphoneipod touchIpodTouchmobilemusicmusic on demandMusicOnDemandon demandOnDemandrdiostreamingwebWed, 16 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[djtxt: Collaborative Grooveshark music playlists via SMS, Twitter and email]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/15/djtxt-collaborative-grooveshark-music-playlists-via-sms-twitter-email/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/15/djtxt-collaborative-grooveshark-music-playlists-via-sms-twitter-email/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/15/djtxt-collaborative-grooveshark-music-playlists-via-sms-twitter-email/#comments Fresh from the fragrant and bohemian confines of the New York 2011 Music Hack Day comes djtxt, a surprisingly awesome Web app that lets you collaborate on the perfect Grooveshark party music playlist.

All you have to do is run the djtxt 'client' (which is just a matter of opening Grooveshark and clicking a bookmarklet) on a computer that's attached to some (preferably loud) speakers. Anyone can then SMS, tweet or email to add songs to the playlist. It's surprisingly easy and it works really well! Songs are added within a few seconds of an email or tweet being received by the djtxt robot -- we didn't test SMS, but presumably it's just as fast.

If you want to see it in action, just follow the first two steps on the djtxt website, then follow the instructions on the Grooveshark page. We'll be listening to the demo playlist in the Download Squad bunker, so feel free to entertain us with your choice of funky beats! If you like what you see (hear?), set up your own djtxt party, turn the volume up to 11, and rock on. Incidentally, if there's a song that you don't like, you can even send djtxt a 'skip' message -- but you can only do it once every 20 minutes!

If you're at work and unable to test it out, there's a video demonstration after the break.

Continue reading djtxt: Collaborative Grooveshark music playlists via SMS, Twitter and email

Download Squaddjtxt: Collaborative Grooveshark music playlists via SMS, Twitter and email originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocollaborationdjtxtemailgroovesharkmusicmusic hack dayMusicHackDayradiosmsstreamingtwitterTue, 15 Feb 2011 08:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Groovylists makes Grooveshark playlists from iTunes, Last.fm, or Spotify]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/14/groovylists-makes-grooveshark-playlists-from-itunes-last-fm-or/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/14/groovylists-makes-grooveshark-playlists-from-itunes-last-fm-or/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/14/groovylists-makes-grooveshark-playlists-from-itunes-last-fm-or/#commentsGroovylists If you love music site Grooveshark for its huge streaming music library, but hate the process of recreating your favorite playlists for Grooveshark use, you'll love Groovylists. This little web app copies any playlist you've set up in iTunes, Spotify, or Last.fm, right over to Grooveshark, with a few limitations.

Groovylists can't import playlists bigger than 200 songs, so you can't use it to pull in your entire library at once. It also can't make songs that aren't on Grooveshark magically appear there. If the 'Shark doesn't have the songs you need, you'll have to upload them yourself.

The sudden popularity of Groovylists means it occasionally hits Grooveshark's API rate limit and stops working for a while. There's not too much Groovylists can do about the problem, other than setting up a partnership with Grooveshark to get the rate limit lifted (we can hope!), so just be patient and try again later if it's not working for you.

UPDATE: We've received word from Groovylists that there was a fix for the rate limit problem, and everything should be working as normal again!

Download SquadGroovylists makes Grooveshark playlists from iTunes, Last.fm, or Spotify originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsconvertergroovesharkgroovylistsituneslast.fmmusicplaylistsspotifywebMon, 14 Feb 2011 05:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2011 torrent lets you download 4.5 gigs of free music]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/11/sxsw-2011-torrent-lets-you-download-4-5-gigs-of-free-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/11/sxsw-2011-torrent-lets-you-download-4-5-gigs-of-free-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/11/sxsw-2011-torrent-lets-you-download-4-5-gigs-of-free-music/#comments Each year in the months leading up to the SXSW music festival, a massive collection of songs from participating performers gets assembled. The collection gets rolled up into a jumbo-sized torrent, and then given to the masses for free. The 2011 SXSW torrent packs almost four and a half gigs of musical goodness -- nearly 800 songs! The best part is that this is all guilt-free, legal-to-download-and-enjoy music.

If you're not keen on downloading the whole shebang, you can also listen to the included songs via Shoutcast -- all you need is a compatible player, like Winamp.

Download SquadSXSW 2011 torrent lets you download 4.5 gigs of free music originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiobittorrentdownloaddownloadsfreemp3musicsxswsxsw 2011Sxsw2011torrenttorrentsFri, 11 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Genius recommendations come to the iTunes mobile store]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/07/genius-recommendations-come-to-the-itunes-mobile-store/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/07/genius-recommendations-come-to-the-itunes-mobile-store/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/07/genius-recommendations-come-to-the-itunes-mobile-store/#commentsmobile Genius recommendationsGenius recommendations have now made it onto the mobile version of the iTunes Store. Though present in the desktop version of the store for a long while, recommendations had been notably absent from the iPhone and iPod touch experience.

To get to the Genius recommendations in the iTunes Store on your mobile device, tap on More once you've launched the iTunes app. You'll then see the new feature alongside the usual options. Genius recommendations work exactly like they do on the desktop. You can view recommendations based on your purchase history for music, movies, and TV shows (assuming your local iTunes Store sells them). You can preview recommendations, as well as rate them by using a 'thumbs up'/'thumbs down' system. Music recommendations can be filtered to show only songs, albums, or a specific genre.

As with the case of the addition of search filters to the iPad's App Store, there's absolutely nothing you need to do to get this new functionality onto your iDevice. The update happens at the back end, which means that the next time you open the iTunes app the Genius recommendations will just magically appear.

Download SquadGenius recommendations come to the iTunes mobile store originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleappsaudiogeniusIOSitunes storeItunesStoremoviesmusicvideoMon, 07 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Winamp sneak peek: Android app to bring UI updates, voice and genre search]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/05/upcoming-version-of-winamp-for-android-ui-updated-voice-genre-search/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/05/upcoming-version-of-winamp-for-android-ui-updated-voice-genre-search/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/05/upcoming-version-of-winamp-for-android-ui-updated-voice-genre-search/#commentsNullsoft, now with over 250,000 Winamp for Android downloads under its belt, is gearing up for a new release in March, and we've been lucky enough to get our hands on an early alpha build. You may want to leap straight into the gallery to look at the updated UI -- but if not, read on! [Disclaimer: Nullsoft and Download Squad are both owned by AOL.]

The most obvious change is a completely-overhauled UI. The home screen features bigger buttons, and the Search button has been replaced with Genre -- yes, you can now search and browse by genre -- and everything looks slightly darker, slicker and cooler.

The Now Playing screen has been updated to match the home screen's aesthetic. The UI is tighter, tidier, but a little bit 'Web 2.0' if we're brutally honest. Now Playing also features left- and right-swipe gestures to go back and forward through an album or playlist. Hopefully we'll see even more gestures added in later versions, like double tapping to pause and swiping up to return to your playlist.

Gallery: Winamp for Android, sneek peek at version 0.9.3

The new home pageThe home page, in landscapeNow Playing, with the little toast window that pops upNow Playing, with extra buttons showingMaking a playlist from an album

Continue reading Winamp sneak peek: Android app to bring UI updates, voice and genre search

Download SquadWinamp sneak peek: Android app to bring UI updates, voice and genre search originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hands-onllamamusicmusic playerMusicPlayernullsoftwinampwinamp for androidWinampForAndroidSat, 05 Feb 2011 10:50:00 EST<![CDATA[BlackBerry Radio app now in beta, partnered with Slacker and more]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/03/blackberry-radio-app-now-in-beta-partnered-with-slacker-and-mor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/03/blackberry-radio-app-now-in-beta-partnered-with-slacker-and-mor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/03/blackberry-radio-app-now-in-beta-partnered-with-slacker-and-mor/#commentsBlackBerry Beta Zone users in the U.S. can now test out BlackBerry Radio, an all-in-one radio app that combines popular radio sources like Slacker, Clear Channel, and Corus in one place. BlackBerry Radio lets users listen to a variety of stations and genres from any of the partner services, and download those services' premium apps from within BlackBerry radio.

BlackBerry Radio is integrated into the existing BlackBerry Media player, which means it's part of the music menu on your BlackBerry. It also means you can quickly jump to Amazon's Mp3 store to buy the song you're listening to. The coolest part of BlackBerry radio, though, is that you'll be able to try its partner services out for free -- without subscribing to each individual service.

Download SquadBlackBerry Radio app now in beta, partnered with Slacker and more originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsblackberryblackberry beta zoneblackberry radioBlackberryBetaZoneBlackberryRadiomusicslacker radioSlackerRadioThu, 03 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Music and Web-based Android Market to be unveiled tomorrow?]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/01/google-music-and-web-based-android-market-to-be-unveiled-tomorro/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/01/google-music-and-web-based-android-market-to-be-unveiled-tomorro/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/01/google-music-and-web-based-android-market-to-be-unveiled-tomorro/#commentsOnline Android Market
Google is hosting an Android-related event tomorrow morning at its Mountain View headquarters. This event will involve extensive demos of Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the fully tablet-optimized version of the operating system. Yet according to a rumor originating at Android and Me there may be more to it, as a source has said that tomorrow we'll finally see the official announcement of Google Music and the Web-based front end to the Android Market.

Sneak peeks of both of these were first offered during Google I/O in May of 2010, when Android 2.2 Froyo got its official announcement. However, there hasn't been word on progress for either feature since then.

According to a BusinessWeek article from a few days ago, the hold up with Google Music had to do with (what else?) the labels. It seems that after Android head honcho Andy Rubin got personally involved, an agreement was able to be reached (possibly as recently as last Friday). If past rumors are to believed, Google Music will allow you to store your music in 'the cloud,' and access it from any computer or Android device.

Continue reading Google Music and Web-based Android Market to be unveiled tomorrow?

Download SquadGoogle Music and Web-based Android Market to be unveiled tomorrow? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid marketAndroidMarketgooglegoogle musicGoogleMusicmusicmusic syncMusicSyncwebweb-basedTue, 01 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Qriocity Music Unlimited rolls out streaming tunes to France, Germany, Italy and Spain]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/24/sonys-qriocity-music-unlimited-rolls-out-streaming-tunes-to-fra/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/24/sonys-qriocity-music-unlimited-rolls-out-streaming-tunes-to-fra/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/24/sonys-qriocity-music-unlimited-rolls-out-streaming-tunes-to-fra/#commentsMusic Unlimited by Qriocity logoSony has announced the immediate availability of Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity, its subscription streaming music service, in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The service has been available in the UK since December, and it offers two subscription plans.

The Basic subscription costs £3.99 per month in the UK and €3.99 in the four other countries, and gives you a virtual radio station, complete with personalized channels categorized by genre, era or mood. The Premium subscription adds on-demand access to the entire catalog of millions of songs for £9.99 or €9.99, respectively. It also lets you create personal playlists and allows you to listen to Premium Top 100 channels, which are regularly updated with the latest hits.

Both subscriptions work from a great variety of Sony hardware, such as Blu-ray players, TVs, the PlayStation 3, as well as Vaio laptops and other computers. Support for portable devices and smartphones is reportedly on the way.

Download SquadSony's Qriocity Music Unlimited rolls out streaming tunes to France, Germany, Italy and Spain originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiomusicmusic subscriptionmusic unlimitedMusic Unlimited powered by QriocityMusicSubscriptionMusicUnlimitedMusicUnlimitedPoweredByQriocityqriocitySONYstreaming musicStreamingMusicsubscriptionMon, 24 Jan 2011 10:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Spotify secures deal with Sony BMG, moves closer to U.S. launch]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/20/spotify-secures-deal-with-sony-bmg-moves-closer-to-u-s-launch/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/20/spotify-secures-deal-with-sony-bmg-moves-closer-to-u-s-launch/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/20/spotify-secures-deal-with-sony-bmg-moves-closer-to-u-s-launch/#commentsSpotify, at long last, and after monumentally failing to hit is initial U.S. launch deadline of 'before 2011,' has finally signed one of the big four music labels.

Sony BMG, which represents 25% of the U.S. music market, is second only to the Universal Music Group. To enter the U.S. successfully, though, Spotify needs to secure at least Universal, and preferably both Warner and EMI too. There is no information about whether Spotify is close to closing deals with any other labels.

Microsoft's Zune, incidentally, has been available in the U.S. for some time. Zune, however, doesn't have a free option. Spotify lets anyone listen to up to 20 hours of music per week, absolutely free, with two levels of subscription: a £5/month option (which will probably be $5, if it launches in the U.S.) which removes the ads, and a £10/month option that both removes the ads, and lets you listen to your entire Spotify collection on your smartphone.

Download SquadSpotify secures deal with Sony BMG, moves closer to U.S. launch originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>sonysony bmgSonyBmgspotifystreamingstreaming musicStreamingMusiczuneThu, 20 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia kills off Comes With Music in all but 6 countries]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/17/nokia-kills-off-comes-with-music-in-all-but-6-countries/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/17/nokia-kills-off-comes-with-music-in-all-but-6-countries/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/17/nokia-kills-off-comes-with-music-in-all-but-6-countries/#comments Nokia's experiment with the OVI Unlimited Music service -- which the company branded as "Comes With Music" on many of its handsets -- is winding down. A Nokia spokesperson has stated that the service just hasn't gained enough traction to keep it going. Competition from other services -- like Spotify and iTunes -- ultimately proved to be too much in certain markets. Unlimited Music will still be available in a handful of countries, however (just 6 out of 33). Nokia will continue to offer 1-year subscriptions in China, India and Indonesia, and 6-month subs in Brazil, South Africa, and Turkey.

Users who currently hold an active subscription will be able to download music until their service runs out -- and will always be able to listen to their downloaded songs. Nokia has also stated that the decision to "rethink" Unlimited Music won't affect the OVI Music Store or other music-related services it is currently developing.

Download SquadNokia kills off Comes With Music in all but 6 countries originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiocomes with musicComesWithMusicdownloaditunesmobilemp3musicnokiaovi music storeovi unlimited musicOviMusicStoreOviUnlimitedMusicsongsspotifySymbianMon, 17 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mflow is a snazzy new music discovery Web app]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/15/mflow-is-a-snazzy-new-music-discovery-web-app/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/15/mflow-is-a-snazzy-new-music-discovery-web-app/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/15/mflow-is-a-snazzy-new-music-discovery-web-app/#comments
Mflow is a new music discovery app I came across in the Chrome Web Store -- though as with many "apps" there, it was little more than a bookmark with a pretty icon. In truth, the mflow (yes, it's all lower case...) beta works in any browser.

Sign yourself up, or simply log in with your Facebook account and choose a username. After that, it's all about searching, following, and "flow"-ing. When you flow a track, it gets added to your profile page (here's mine) and you can choose to cross-post it to Facebook, Buzz, or Twitter. You can follow mflow users, artists and hashtags, and updates will appear on your feeds page. Mflow even curates some "official" tags so you can see what its staff is recommending. With a catalog of more than 5 million songs, mflow offers a bit of everything -- though I wasn't able to find a few of my favorite bands like Tool and Rancid. Every song can be streamed or purchased for download, with most priced at £.79 or £.99 (about $1.50 US).

Mflow also features a discovery page which lets you listen to users' recently-flowed songs by hovering over their avatar. Unfortunately, the discover page's massive 22 by 9 grid takes a while to load and feels a bit sluggish once it has finished loading. The experience would also be improved if hovering didn't begin playback but perhaps displayed a list of the user's recently flowed songs -- which you could then click to play.

In order to get some publicity for itself, mflow is offering free tracks for those who share a flow on Facebook or Twitter. Since mflow proclaims itself to be U.K.-only at the moment, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it allowed me to download Fury of the Storm for free after sharing the track on Google Buzz. Mflow will give you up to ten tracks for free, which is enough to make it worthy of at least a quick test drive.

Try out the mflow beta

Download SquadMflow is a snazzy new music discovery Web app originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiobetadiscoverydownloadfacebookgoogle buzzGoogleBuzzmflowmp3mpemusicpurchasesocialsongsstreamingtwitterwebSat, 15 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[YouTube app for Android gets pre-roll ads, access to Vevo's music video library]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/13/youtube-app-for-android-gets-pre-roll-ads-access-to-vevos-musi/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/13/youtube-app-for-android-gets-pre-roll-ads-access-to-vevos-musi/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/13/youtube-app-for-android-gets-pre-roll-ads-access-to-vevos-musi/#commentsYouTube for Android Vevo videosHot on the heels of Vevo launching its music video app for Android, the YouTube app for Google's mobile operating system has also received access to Vevo's extensive music video library. To watch the videos your phone needs to be running at least Android 2.2, and your YouTube app has to be version 2.x. The latest version of the YouTube app is available in the Android Market.

Within YouTube for Android, music videos are now clearly marked with a music note symbol. You can also read the artist's bio while watching the video. The 'artist tracks' tab lets you easily discover more music from the same singer, and the 'related artists' tab will give you suggestions for similar bands or singers.

Additionally, YouTube for Android will begin showing pre-roll ads for "tens of thousands of YouTube partner videos", and although Google has tested ads on YouTube mobile before this will be the largest step they've ever made towards mobile monetization.

Ads on mobile YouTube were clearly coming, of course, since this is Google we're talking about after all, but perhaps some Android device owners will still be surprised at just how many they'll start seeing all of a sudden. Mobile ads on other platforms will be the next step for Google, but for now, Android users are alone in this.

Finally, while announcing all of the above in a blog post, YouTube also shared an interesting stat with the world: it now gets more than 200 million views a day from mobile devices, an increase of 300% over 2009 levels.

Download SquadYouTube app for Android gets pre-roll ads, access to Vevo's music video library originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsmusicvevovideoyoutubeyoutube mobileYoutubeMobileThu, 13 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Better Grooveshark user script shows lyrics, hides ads, adds current song to tab title]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/10/better-grooveshark-user-script-shows-lyrics-hides-ads-adds-current-song/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/10/better-grooveshark-user-script-shows-lyrics-hides-ads-adds-current-song/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/10/better-grooveshark-user-script-shows-lyrics-hides-ads-adds-current-song/#commentsBetter Grooveshark user script
Better Grooveshark is a user script that works with Grooveshark's redesigned HTML5-based user interface, and enhances your Grooveshark experience in a few cool ways. First off, the ads are hidden. Those of you who know (and love) what an ad blocker is will see no benefit from this, but for the majority of those surfing the Internet these days, this may improve the look of the site and remove a distraction.

Better Grooveshark also adds the title of the currently playing song to the title of the tab where Grooveshark is open in your browser. This will let you know exactly which song is playing at a quick glance.

But perhaps the most useful feature that this user script adds to Grooveshark is the lyrics sidebar that it places on the right side of the site. Once you hit Search, you'll be able to choose which site Better Grooveshark should get lyrics from. Possible results are then aggregated in a dropdown menu.

Better Grooveshark used to also 'emulate' some features which are normally reserved for those opting for a paid Grooveshark subscription, such as last.fm scrobbling support, crossfading and removing ads (as opposed to just hiding them). However, the developer has recently decided to take those features out of the script in order to support the work of the Grooveshark team.

Better Grooveshark is available from Userscripts.org and should work on Firefox with Greasemonkey, Safari, Chrome and Opera.

Download SquadBetter Grooveshark user script shows lyrics, hides ads, adds current song to tab title originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audioBetter GroovesharkBetterGroovesharkgreasemonkeyGroovesharklyricsmusicuser scriptUserScriptUserScriptsuserscripts.orgWebMon, 10 Jan 2011 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Slacker Radio launches iPad app, on-demand streaming subscription]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/07/slacker-radio-launches-ipad-app-on-demand-streaming-subscription/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/07/slacker-radio-launches-ipad-app-on-demand-streaming-subscription/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/07/slacker-radio-launches-ipad-app-on-demand-streaming-subscription/#commentsSlacker Radio for iPadSlacker Radio has announced that it will have an application for the iPad out before the end of January. The app will feature artist bios, album reviews, artist images and full-size album art. It will also naturally work with Slacker's newly unveiled on-demand streaming plan, called Slacker Premium Radio. This will give you on-demand access to Slacker's entire song library, top charts, and station playlists. The subscription will work with all of Slacker's clients -- for Web, iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry.

By offering on-demand song access, Slacker has one-upped Pandora and joined the likes of MOG and Rdio, and will probably become a more interesting proposition for serious music listeners than it was before.

Slacker Premium Radio will also become available before the end of January. Canadian listeners can now also benefit from unlimited access to the free Slacker Radio, and the company promises to support Nokia smartphones and Verizon 4G LTE devices soon.

Download SquadSlacker Radio launches iPad app, on-demand streaming subscription originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudioIOSipadmusicslackerSlacker Premium Radioslacker radioSlackerPremiumRadioSlackerRadioFri, 07 Jan 2011 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Spotify's U.S. launch delayed by cash demands from record labels?]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/05/spotifys-u-s-launch-delayed-by-cash-demands-from-record-labels/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/05/spotifys-u-s-launch-delayed-by-cash-demands-from-record-labels/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/05/spotifys-u-s-launch-delayed-by-cash-demands-from-record-labels/#comments As Spotify -- the popular online music service -- nears profitability in Europe, the situation isn't quite as rosy across the pond. With Spotify's hopes of a 2010 U.S. launch officially dashed, the company is still facing an uphill climb in the States. The sticking point, according to sources cited by The Telegraph, may be financial demands from the U.S. record labels. Concerned that users will heavily favor Spotify's free service, the labels (EMI, Sony, Universal, and Warner) are apparently requiring "extremely high cash advances" to secure access to their catalogs.

Spotify is reportedly now seeking additional funding, though there's no telling how much longer it will take to get the service up and running in the U.S. At this point, Spotify is saying only that "negotiations are ongoing."

Download SquadSpotify's U.S. launch delayed by cash demands from record labels? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudioemifreemiumlabelslaunchmusicradiorecordsonyspotifystreaminguniversalwarnerwebWed, 05 Jan 2011 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[exfm music discovery extension for Chrome adds recommendations and infinite scroll]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/04/exfm-chrome-extension-adds-recommendations-and-infinite-scroll/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/04/exfm-chrome-extension-adds-recommendations-and-infinite-scroll/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/04/exfm-chrome-extension-adds-recommendations-and-infinite-scroll/#commentsexfm 2.0.4 recommendations
exfm, previously known as ExtensionFM, is an extension for Google Chrome which allows you to build a library of all the music you discover while surfing the net. You can then listen to the songs you discover from within exfm itself (instead of re-visiting websites) and share your finds on social networks.

Version 2.0.4 of the extension has been made available in the Chrome Web Store, and this version brings a couple of new and interesting features: recommendations and 'infinite scroll'. Recommendations for You has been designed to make it easier to see what tracks the users you follow are enjoying. The Noted tab will now display the songs other users have liked but you haven't noted yet.

Also new is infinite scrolling in list view -- which was previously limited to 50 songs per page. Passwords can now be reset from the settings page and there are many bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements as well.

Install exfm for Google Chrome

Download Squadexfm music discovery extension for Chrome adds recommendations and infinite scroll originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsaudiochromeexfmextensionextensionfmgoogle chromeGoogleChromeInternetmp3musicWebweb appsWebAppsTue, 04 Jan 2011 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Tune Pop for Android lets you easily see what song is playing]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/31/tune-pop-for-android-lets-you-easily-see-what-song-is-playing/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/31/tune-pop-for-android-lets-you-easily-see-what-song-is-playing/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/31/tune-pop-for-android-lets-you-easily-see-what-song-is-playing/#commentsTune Pop for Android, music notification Notifications on the Android platform a bit, er, awful. The notification bar at the top of the screen just simply doesn't cut it when it comes to displaying important information -- it's completely out of the way, and it garbles anything longer than a few words. Basically, it's only useful if you actively check -- let's see if I have any messages.. -- which isn't really the point of notifications.

Tune Pop isn't a fix for all of Android's notification problems, but it does make listening to music a whole lot easier. Tune Pop shows a toast box in the middle of your screen, whether you are currently in your music player app or not. Obviously, this doesn't help if you are actively using your phone as a music player -- but if you've started some music, then switched to the Web browser or GPS navigation, Tune Pop's notifications are pretty damn handy! Don't worry if you miss the first notification, either: just shake your phone and the toast window will pop back up.

Tune Pop is free [AppBrain], and works with most Android media players, including the built-in apps, Grooveshark, Winamp, MixZing, and more. If you want to customize the notification windows, you'll need to pick up the Pro version for 99 cents. There's a QR code for the free version after the break.

Continue reading Tune Pop for Android lets you easily see what song is playing

Download SquadTune Pop for Android lets you easily see what song is playing originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappscubed3mixzingmusicmusic playerMusicPlayernotificationnow playingNowPlayingtoastutilitieswinampFri, 31 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Radiohead for Haiti charity DVD now available on BitTorrent and YouTube as donationware]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/radiohead-for-haiti-charity-dvd-now-available-on-bittorrent-and-youtube-donationware/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/radiohead-for-haiti-charity-dvd-now-available-on-bittorrent-and-youtube-donationware/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/radiohead-for-haiti-charity-dvd-now-available-on-bittorrent-and-youtube-donationware/#commentsRadiohead, a British band that made waves by offering its latest studio album for free or "pay what you want", has just endorsed a community-made DVD of its Haiti earthquake charity concert from January 2010. The DVD is downloadable for free via BitTorrent, and you are strongly encouraged to donate as much as you can to Oxfam's Haiti Earthquake and Recovery Fund.

Creation of the video was a labor of love; video footage from 14 cameras has been used, and you can choose from four different audio tracks, all recorded by different people. Three Radiohead fans, inez, formengr and andrea, have spent the last year collecting the various sources and compiling them into the definitive video of the concert, and boy have they done a good job.

For more details, check inez's blog (but be warned, there is liberal use of fuchsia and aqua), and if you don't fancy an 8GB download, a full-resolution version is also available to watch on YouTube (watch it after the break). If you like it, don't forget to donate!

Continue reading Radiohead for Haiti charity DVD now available on BitTorrent and YouTube as donationware

Download SquadRadiohead for Haiti charity DVD now available on BitTorrent and YouTube as donationware originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charityhaitihaiti earthquakeHaitiEarthquakemediamusicoxfamradioheadvideowebThu, 30 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vevo 'HD' app for iPad brings free music videos to your tablet, along with exclusives, originals, and live events]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/vevo-hd-app-for-ipad-brings-free-music-videos-to-your-tablet/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/vevo-hd-app-for-ipad-brings-free-music-videos-to-your-tablet/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/vevo-hd-app-for-ipad-brings-free-music-videos-to-your-tablet/#commentsVevo HD for iPad
Vevo, the self-proclaimed 'Hulu for music videos', has had an iPhone app in the iTunes App Store for quite a while now, but recently that has been joined by Vevo HD -- a special version for the iPad.

Vevo HD serves high-quality (but obviously not HD, as the iPad's display isn't capable of rendering 720p) music videos from over 7,500 artists, but the app's rich content isn't limited to music videos. There are many exclusives, such as behind-the-scenes looks at making videos, original content, music video premieres, and even live streams of music events. Vevo HD also features 'Music Map,' which you see what videos are being watched in your geographical proximity.

Videos can be watched full-screen or at a size that allows you to browse through a side-panel of related content at the same time. If you like something, you can share it via email or to Facebook or Twitter and even buy the song from iTunes. The app is ad-supported, and as such you will see sponsors' messages from time to time.

Download Vevo HD for free from the iTunes App Store

Download SquadVevo 'HD' app for iPad brings free music videos to your tablet, along with exclusives, originals, and live events originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsIOSipadmediamusicmusic videoMusicVideovevovevo hdVevoHdvideoTue, 28 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SoundHound for iOS and Android now does unlimited music recognition for free]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/27/soundhound-for-ios-and-android-now-does-unlimited-music-recognit/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/27/soundhound-for-ios-and-android-now-does-unlimited-music-recognit/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/27/soundhound-for-ios-and-android-now-does-unlimited-music-recognit/#commentsSoundHound logo
SoundHound, a music recognition service that has quickly become Shazam's No.1 competitor on both iOS and Android, has just announced that its free app for those platforms will now let you do unlimited music IDs. Previously, only the paid SoundHound app let you do that, while the free version allowed just five song identifications each month. This was a model very similar, if not identical, to the one still employed by Shazam.

From now on though, both the free and the paid versions of SoundHound for iOS and Android will let you tag an unlimited number of songs. The freemium model doesn't go away, though. The free app will contain ads, while the paid app won't -- and more unique features may be added to it the future.

In addition to recognizing songs, SoundHound is also able to recognize hums and your attempts at singing any song you'd like to know the name to. Lyrics also show up in-app, you can perform a music search by voice, and you can also buy tracks from within the app.

SoundHound is also available for Nokia Symbian smartphones, but only in paid form.

You can get SoundHound for your mobile operating system of choice from its respective app store.

Download SquadSoundHound for iOS and Android now does unlimited music recognition for free originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsaudioIOSmusicmusic identificationMusicIdentificationrecognitionsoundhoundMon, 27 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The 20 iPad apps Gorillaz used on their new album, 'The Fall']]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/27/20-ipad-apps-gorillaz-album/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/27/20-ipad-apps-gorillaz-album/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/27/20-ipad-apps-gorillaz-album/#commentsGorillaz delivered a new album to their fans this Christmas, with a unique twist: it was created mostly on Damon Albarn's iPad. Albarn has revealed the list of 20 different apps he used to make "The Fall," and they're all available in the App Store for any aspiring musician who might want them. Unfortunately, buying up the iPad software to make your own Gorillaz-style album will run you just upward of $120, not including the additional hardware Albarn probably connected to his iPad.

The priciest apps on the list are the professional synths, like the $20 Korg iElectribe and the $11.99 Mellotronics M3000. AmpliTube, a software-based effects pedal that you can use by plugging a guitar or bass into your iPad, is also $20 (it also requires a $40 iRig adapter to connect your instruments). AmpliTube could run you even more, though, because some additional equalizers are available via in-app purchase.

Of course, not all of the apps used on the album require a rock star budget. Mugician is a powerful free synth -- although it's designed to be run through an amp -- and Gliss is a 99-cent sequencer that you control by drawing on the screen with your finger.

If you want to hear what Gorillaz did with all of these apps, download "The Fall" for free by signing up to the Gorillaz fan club mailing list. Below, you can check out the full list of the album's 20 apps (with handy App Store links included).

Continue reading The 20 iPad apps Gorillaz used on their new album, 'The Fall'

Download SquadThe 20 iPad apps Gorillaz used on their new album, 'The Fall' originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsfeaturesgorillaziosipadmusicrecordingsynthesizerthe fallTheFallMon, 27 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST