Libratone Live and Lounge AirPlay Speakers Bring Simplicity to iPad, iPhone
The more we look around, the more we see people streaming music and taking their favorite tunes wherever they go. CD’s are relics of a time past.
However, the new generation of wireless speakers have brought elegant and powerful designs for your lifestyle. The idea should be simple – take your music anywhere you please, but sometimes you may want to accomplish that with aesthetical sense and impressive high-end audio technology.
If you are looking for a new and elegant wireless speaker for your home, Denmark based Libratone has announced two new speaker systems that are compatible with Apple’s AirPlay technology. The Libratone Live and the Libratone Lounge will let you stream music directly from AirPlay enabled devices such as the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Mac computers.
Libratone Live and Lounge speakers play like acoustic instruments, dispersing sound waves in multiple directions, reflecting them off the walls. Libratone has designed its speakers with two different kinds of wireless technology.
Libratone Lounge and Live use Apple’s AirPlay technology, but the company also offers Libratone Beat, which uses wireless transmitters (USB and 30-pin). Libratone claims the sound quality between both technologies is the same. However, with AirPlay you don’t need any transmitters, you just simply set the system up and press play from your iOS devices.
On the other hand, with the transmitter-driven Libratone Beat, you’re not forced to use only your wireless network. You can play everywhere, even outside, and the Beat transmitters will work with all Apple products. Both technologies work great with more than one unit: With AirPlay you can set up a multi-room system, streaming to multiple Libratone units simultaneously. With the transmitters you can have the music follow your every step, as the units fade out and fade in when you move around.
For more information on how you can configure the Libratone speakers, click here. You can configure your speakers by using a multiple Libratone Beat connection, or Airplay, or wired connections.
The Libratone speakers will go on sale in Apple stores starting in September. The Libratone Live will set you back £599 (approx. $970), while the Libratone Lounge will retail for £1,099 (approx. $1,770). If you’re looking for wireless speaker options for your home or business, the Libratone speakers will certainly offer the elegant style you might be looking for. The following video previews both speakers.
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- JBL to release AirPlay-compatible ‘On Air Wireless’ Speaker Dock
- JBL Unveils iPad and iPhone AirPlay Ready Speaker Dock
- JBL, Pioneer, Philips Unveil AirPlay-Compatible Products
Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: acoustic instruments, AirPlay, apple products, audio technology, bring, different kinds, Ipad, iphone, Libratone, Live, Lounge, mac computers, new generation, relics, simplicity, sound quality, sound waves, speaker systems, speakers, stream music, streaming music, tunes, wireless speaker, wireless speakers, wireless technology, wireless transmitters
Putting Your Head in the iCloud
Opinions and commentary are flying freely now that Apple has announced the iCloud. My belief is that the mistake is in comparing this service to the Amazon Cloud Player and the Google Music service. While the iCloud may be Apple’s entry against those competitors, the comparison isn’t, if you’ll pardon the pun, apples to apples.
Let’s start with a simple assumption. Apple isn’t trying to win over Android or RIM users with iCloud. Apple is trying to win over Apple users. The second we start to accept this reality, we can really start evaluating whether the iCloud is a quality product.
There is no question that cloud storage, in whatever form, makes sense. Centrally located music, photos, apps, calendars, documents available across all of your wireless devices makes sense. If you have to use two services to get all these features, you automatically lose some of the charm. I can live without a web-based equalizer, but I want seamless integration and support for every type of data I may want to share –not just my media. iCloud gives me this.
John Gruber hit it home when he said, that “Music storage is a feature of iCloud; iCloud is not a music service.” If device market-share means anything, his suggestion that iCloud is essentially the next version of iTunes might actually be a positive thing rather than the limitation it sounds like.
With no native apps available to bring the Amazon Cloud Player or Google Music services to iOS devices, it makes sense that their users will turn to iTunes. Sure, there is web access to stream music through a browser using the competition but that is hardly an ideal option. For an iPhone, iPod or iPad that is a work-around.
It’s true that iCloud requires you to use iTunes to upload your music. It’s also true that iTunes is going PC Free, so why is this a problem? Like iTunes or not, it’s more stable than most web apps and it’s well established. Most complaints, such as making it easier to download previously purchased content are being addressed.
If you buy your music from iTunes, it will be available in your iCloud with no additional work or cost. If you want to store your entire music collection, you can do so for a $25 a year fee. For this fee, iTunes will scan your collection and hook you up with the content already in the iTunes library. This saves you a lot of uploading and minimizing your need for large amounts of storage. If your song isn’t available, not a problem, you can add it.
Unlike Amazon and Google, a portion of this fee is filtered back to the music industry. This has been met with a lot of criticism and suggestion that this legitimizes piracy when in actuality it seeks to reimburse the industry for monies being lost because of it.
There are also criticisms that investing in a closed system, by paying Apple to host your music means users will lose control over their media. But a more objective look at this commentary would tell you that it wouldn’t matter where users uploaded their songs, this is a possibility. Apple isn’t forcing anybody to delete their local copies of things.
For other content beyond music, no syncing is required. Add an appointment to your calendar, a photo to your album or a new contact and it’s available on all of your devices with no additional effort on your part. And as Jobs says “It just works.” No need to be a skeptic on this either, this type of syncing has been available with MobileMe for quite some time now.
Now with all of that said, once the iCloud and iTunes Match are fully launched we will know more about performance and whether the features deliver as advertised, until then we’ll wait right here on the edges of our seats.
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- iCloud is Finally Here With Lots of Bells and Whistles!
- Details Emerge About Apple’s iCloud Service
- Apple Puts Ducks in a Row for iCloud
Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: amazon, android, apple users, apples to apples, equalizer, google, Head, iCloud, Ipad, iphone, itunes, john gruber, music photos, music service, music services, music storage, native apps, putting, quality product, seamless integration, stream music, web access, web apps
Top 5 iPad Accessories for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is just a few days away, so it’s time to buckle down and pick out the perfect gift. Flowers and chocolates are nice, but we all know what your mom really wants: an iPad 2. Make her day this year and get her something that will last long after the flowers have dried out and the chocolates have been eaten.
Here at Padgadget, we’ve prepared a list of the top 5 perfect companion gifts for that shiny new Apple tablet. If your mom already happens to have an iPad or an iPad 2, you can still pick up one of these great gadgets that she can use along with it.
- Sonos S5 Music System
Your mom can use the Sonos S5 Music System to control music in every room of the house, using just an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. The compact, portable S5 gives her the ability to stream all her favorite music straight from the Internet anywhere in the house. Stream music from iTunes, Rhapsody, Pandora, Sirius, and more. Your mom can access any artist, song, or album at any time – it’s like her own personal jukebox! Check out our review of the Sonos System here. Available at Amazon for $399. - Apple iPad Keyboard Dock
The iPad Keyboard Dock is compatible with both versions of the iPad and will provide mom with a place to charge her iPad and a full-sized keyboard, perfect for emails, work documents, and Facebook updates. The keyboard includes special keys that activate iPad features, and the dock plugs in to an electrical outlet using the USB power adapter. Compatible with both the original iPad and the iPad 2. Available at Apple.com for $69. - Hard Candy Stylus
If your mom likes to sketch, draw, or write notes on her iPad, this stylus from Hard Candy makes a perfect gift. On one side, it’s a stylus that can be used on the iPad, while the other end is a regular pen that can be used everywhere else. It’s a great multi-tasker, just like mom! The Hard Candy stylus is accurate and smooth, plus it keeps fingerprints off of the iPad’s screen. Available at Best Buy or Amazon for $34.95. - iPad Camera Connection Kit and an HP Envy AirPrint enabled printer
With the Apple Camera Connection Kit, your mom can upload all of those embarrassing photos of you straight on to her iPad, and print them instantly and wirelessly using the HP Envy All-in-One printer, which is AirPrint compatible. The Envy has a high resolution touchscreen and prints up to 25ppm in color. It also includes a flatbed scanner and USB 2.0/WiFi 802.11n connectivity. Available at Amazon for $179.99, with cheaper models also available. - Bose On-Ear Headphones
If your mom likes to rock out like my mom does, you won’t go wrong with these amazing on-ear headphones from Bose. These headphones are compact and lightweight, but deliver rich, clean sound. Just slip them on and enjoy high-performance sound from your iPod or iPhone. These headphones are so comfortable that mom will be able to listen to wear them for hours while playing games or listening to her favorite tunes. Available at Amazon ($161.95) and Apple stores near you for $179.95.
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Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: Accessories, amazon, apple ipad, apple tablet, artist song, electrical outlet, favorite music, fingerprints, gift flowers, hard candy, Ipad, iphone, Mother’s, multi tasker, music system, perfect companion, perfect gift, power adapter, sirius, sized keyboard, Sonos, stream music, work documents
Clear Channel’s iHeartRadio iPad App Available Now
Are you constantly hunting for online radio music stations? How about an app that gives you access to your favorite stations and artists in a compelling visual way.
Clear Channel has extended its iheartradio Internet radio app to the iPad, and just like the iPhone version, the iPad app lets you stream music from any of the company’s 750 radio stations that simulcast online.
The iheartradio app lets you browse and stream music from all of Clear Channel’s digital stations located across 150 cities in the U.S., along with the company’s digital-only commercial free stations.
The app gives you access to lots of radio stations. You can browse content by station name, location, genre (sports, news, talk), tagline and more. If you want to know what’s playing on a given station, simply tap the station icon and a pop-up comes up showing you the “Now Playing” tune, and you can tap on the “Listen” button to jump directly onto that station.
The application certainly brings much more than simply streaming music. Clear Channel has added lots of content and social features to it. You can share stations and videos via Facebook, Twitter and email. If you want to keep up with with your favorite artists you can check out photos, videos, and you can even display a station’s Twitter feed when users listen to the station. While you’re listening to a radio station, the app will scroll images of bands.
The iheartradio app is also compatible with AirPlay, which allows you to stream music over an Apple TV in case you want to entertain your guests with your favorite radio stations.
The iheartradio is available now for download free of charge.
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Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: AirPlay, apple tv, Available, Cablevision, Channel’s, Clear, clear channel, iHeartRadio, internet radio, Ipad, iphone, marantz, music player, online radio music stations, orb, radio music, radio station, radio stations, simulcast, social features, stream music, streaming music, tv channels, twitter
JBL Unveils iPad and iPhone AirPlay Ready Speaker Dock
Having to run a cable to your iPad every time you want to listen to music is a drag. JBL’s On Air speaker dock looks to solve this hassle by incorporating Apple’s new AirPlay technology allowing you to wirelessly stream music from your iPad or iPhone.
The On Air speaker system is designed as an iPhone and iPod Touch speaker dock but iPad users aren’t left out of the game. Users can wirelessly stream music to the JBL On Air speaker dock from their iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac or PC using their home WiFi network.
The speaker system has a built-in color LCD screen that displays song information and album artwork for the currently playing music track. JBL has even added the ability for users to control the playback of their music through a convenient remote control. With the included remote, owners can play, pause or skip to the next or previous song regardless where their iPad may be in the house.
The JBL On Air can also serve as your nightstand alarm clock with a built-in clock and dual alarms. The addition of an integrated FM radio with RDS lets owners wake up to their favorite local news, weather or music.
Apple unveiled AirPlay at the end of last year to allow customers to connect their iOS device to an Audio/Video receiver or directly to a wireless speaker system over WiFi. AirPlay replaces Apple’s older AirTunes wireless streaming technology.
The JBL On Air will be available in the US later this month at local Apple Retail Stores and Best Buy locations. The system carries a suggested retail price of $349.
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Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: AirPlay, alarm clock, album artwork, apple retail stores, audio video receiver, best buy, color lcd screen, Dock, fm radio, game users, ihome, Ipad, iphone, music track, playing music, raquo, rds, Ready, Speaker, speaker system, stream music, streaming technology, Unveils, wireless speaker
Synology Releases iPad-optimized DiskStation NAS and Apps
The last couple of years have shown a tremendous growth in the multi-media market segment. Many of us, and I mean many, are simply consuming much more multi-media over our very own home networks.
It’s evident consumers have become more “tech savvy”, and are simply streaming video, movies and music. It’s no surprise that last year, NAS (Network-attached storage) devices, gained more popularity as a convenient method of sharing files among multiple computers.
But why? It’s simple. The potential benefits of network-attached storage, compared to file servers, include faster data access, easier administration for the home user, and most products offer a simple setup or configuration for your home. In addition, the price of NAS devices has decreased significantly in recent years, which makes it easier for us to setup a flexible network-based storage system at home for little more than the cost of a regular USB or FireWire external hard disk.
One option worth looking at is the Synology DiskStation DS411slim. Synology has introduced this new product targeted at homes and small offices. The DS411slim comes with four 2.5-inch drive bays for a maximum capacity of up to 4TB and uses less than 17W when in use, or just 9.6W in hibernation. In addition, the company has added a faster 1.6GHz processor and 256MB of RAM.
You may be asking what does this has to do with my iPad? Well, the new DS411slim NAS offers a bundled DiskStation Manager software that has an integrated DLNA-certified media server for streaming multimedia. The new software will include some applications for your iPad and iPhone to make your life easier. DS Photo+ and DS Audio apps for the iPad will allow you to manage photos and stream music. And, printing from either the iPad or iPhone will be enabled through AirPrint support.
If you own a Synology DiskStation NAS device, or plan to buy one, keep in mind that DS photo+ allows you to easily browse through photos and videos. You can also find out the location where the photo is taken, and you can download and store the pictures onto your iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch and enjoy the flashbacks anytime, anywhere.
With DS audio you can stream your own music stored on a DiskStation NAS device with your iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch where network connection is available. DS audio also comes with the remote control feature which provides an intuitive interface to browse through your music library. You can also browse music by folders or genres, and play music in the background with iOS 4.
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Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: 6w, apps, audio apps, DiskStation, external hard disk, flexible network, inch drive bays, Ipad, iPadoptimized, iphone, locatio, market segment, media server, multiple computers, nas devices, nas network attached storage, network attached storage, network attached storage devices, option worth, Releases, storage system, stream music, streaming multimedia, Synology
Apple Announces Sale of One Millionth Apple TV
It wasn’t long ago that Apple released its new version of the Apple TV and analysts were busy predicting its quarterly sales numbers. Based on the report provided by Apple today, sales of the new Apple TV are expected to reach one million devices sometime this week.
I purchased one of the new Apple TVs when it first came out and it has been great. I find myself using it every day to watch movies I missed in the theaters and enjoy my favorite TV shows. Whether I’m streaming Cake Boss with the Apple TV’s new Netflix capability, watching the latest viral video on YouTube or viewing last summer’s vacation pictures via MobileMe, my Apple TV gets a workout.
One thing I think is a big improvement in comparison to the first generation Apple TV is AirPlay. Now with AirPlay, I’m also able to wirelessly stream music, video and photos from an iPad straight to our Apple TV, it’s a great way to share content. Our iPad lets us control our Apple TV with the free Remote app too.
According to today’s announcement, it sounds like there are lots of other users taking advantage of all the Apple TV has to offer as well. Apple reports iTunes users are currently renting and purchasing over 400,000 TV episodes and 150,000 movies each day.
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Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: Announces, Apple, apple reports, apple tv, boss, capability, favorite tv, generation apple, Ipad, live tv, millionth, music video, netflix, one million, quarterly sales, Sale, sales numbers, share content, stream music, theaters, tv episodes, tvs, viral video, workout
Marantz Extends AirPlay Support to their Audio Gadgets
When Apple announced AirPlay several weeks ago, it was going to be a matter of time for large companies to start releasing AirPlay compatible equipment.
Given that AirPlay lets you stream music wirelessly throughout your entire house, many folks will certainly want their speaker docks, AV receivers, and stereo systems leveraging Apple’s latest technology. It’s a way to enjoy your entire iTunes library in any room and anytime.
Marantz is one of those companies that has already unveiled Airplay certified equipment. They have released their Melody Media receiver, which is designed for the tech savvy consumers. Not only can you play CDs, but you also have the choice of streaming audio from Apple’s Airplay compatible devices including your iPad and iPhone, you can also play WMA files from CD-R/RW, or you can connect it to your PC via its Ethernet input.
The Melody Media receiver is also a DLNA certified device that plays streaming music from Internet radio stations from around the globe using its built-in Vtuner. The receiver also comes in with a DAB and DAB + capable receiver that allows you to tune into digital radio broadcasting and outputs music at 60W RMS peak power.
This week, Marantz expanded AirPlay support to three additional devices. The company has confirmed it will be supporting AirPlay for the SR7005 receiver, the AV7005 AV preamp, and the NA7004 network audio player. No details have been provided yet for release dates and cost.
Keep in mind that AirPlay does more than just stream your music to external speakers. Apple’s technology will also stream information about your music such as song titles, artists, album names, elapsed and remaining time, and album artwork. All this information can be displayed on AirPlay-enabled speakers with graphical displays. AirPlay works over Wi-Fi or an Ethernet connection, or a combination of both. So you can stream music directly from your home network if you’re near an Ethernet port or connect wirelessly if you’re not.
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- Orb’s Music Player Fits Nicely With Your iPad
- Apple Releases iTunes 10 with Ping Social Network Feature
Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: AirPlay, album artwork, album names, Audio, compatible devices, compatible equipment, digital radio broadcasting, Extends, external speakers, gadgets, graphical displays, internet radio stations, Ipad, iphone, marantz, media receiver, peak power, remaining time, savvy consumers, song titles artists, stereo systems, stream music, streaming music, Support, Their, wirelessly, wma files
Sonos Releases iPad App – A Convenient Music Remote System
Sonos Releases iPad App – A Convenient Music Remote System
Sonos has released their much awaited iPad app onto the App Store. Sonos’ app will turn your iPad into a very convenient mobile music controller for connected WiFi Sonos players around your house. You will be able to play your own music and stream music from a variety of online services. Stay tuned for our upcoming App Review later this week.
In case you’re not familiar with Sonos systems, the company provides a modular set of digital appliances that work with end-user supplied or built-in speakers to form a zoned audio system. You can basically have different music zones around your house that may play the same or different audio.
I downloaded the app last night and started playing with it along with the two S5 systems that Sonos sent us for review. The Sonos iPad app features a very slick design, which makes the whole experience very easy to manage your music library as well as manage popular online music services like Rhapsody, Pandora, Last.fm and others. Via the Sonos app you can basically play your iTunes music library or any other music library you may have created, as well as play music from online radio stations and satellite radio subscriptions.
The Sonos iPad app is available now on the App Store for FREE. Keep in mind that you will need a Sonos music ZonePlayer in order to try all the features associated with this app. Stay tuned for our upcoming in-depth review, which will include the Sonos app and the S5 ZonePlayer.
Categories: iPad Latest News Tags: Convenient, different music, digital appliances, Ipad, mobile music, music, music controller, music library, music player, music services, online radio stations, orb, own music, pandora, play music, Releases, Remote, rhapsody, satellite radio, september 29, slick design, Sonos, SpeakerCraft, stream music, System
