Sat Nov 21 2009
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Online music retailer Lala is preparing to launch an iPhone application that its co-founder says paves the way for the end of downloading songs in the mp3 format.
The app allows users to buy the right to stream songs from a digital locker forever for just 10 cents each. The song quality is lower than what Apple Inc.'s iTunes offers, but "intelligent caching" lets the tracks load and play in seconds, with playback possible even outside of cell phone coverage.
An existing iTunes library can be synchronized with one's Lala account, meaning a person doesn't have to repurchase songs to listen to them within the app.
In a demonstration for Associated Press, songs began playing in about two seconds, compared to the more than two minutes it took to download an iTunes song over the AT&T 3G cell phone network. Consumers are allowed one full-length free preview of each song.
"There's no downloading, no links to click on, it's just there," said Lala co-founder Bill Nguyen, who described the concept as the start of "the end of the MP3."
The advantage of having songs in MP3 files is that they can be downloaded and played on a variety of devices and computers. Meanwhile, streaming services pump music directly to a computer or mobile device, but not in a form that the user can store and play any time, even while offline.
Lala's iPhone app aims to get around that downside of streaming while taking advantage of the device's power as a music player (it has an iPod inside it, after all) and undercutting the prices charged on iTunes, where songs generally cost 69 cents to $1.29.
Once users pay 10 cents to have a song streamed from Lala, they can hear the track essentially any time. The songs that a user listens to most often in the app or designates as favorites are automatically loaded in the phone's memory, which is the step that allows them to be heard any time, even out of cell phone range.
The songs are streamed at as few as 32 kilobits per second, depending on cell phone reception -- which is about the same as some smaller radio stations stream online but far lower quality than the 256 kilobits per second common to iTunes. It can lead to a flatter, fuzzier sound. Nguyen said sound quality could improve as cell phone networks become stronger.
Lala will also sell higher-quality versions of the same songs as MP3s for 89 cents each. But that requires hooking the user's phone to an Internet-connected computer.
The app, which itself is free, is set to debut on Apple Inc.'s iTunes app store next month pending approval. Apple had no comment.
-- Ryan Nakashima, AP Business Writer.
------ Google expands availability of its free voice mail
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Google Inc. wants to answer your mobile phone calls when you can't or just don't want to talk.
In its latest bid to become a bigger player in telecommunications, the Internet search leader is giving people a chance to have its free voice mail service answer calls to their cell phones.
The voice mail feature is part of Google Voice, a fledging service striving to become a hub for phone calls to people's mobile, home and office numbers.
Taking advantage of all of its tools requires getting a new number from Google Voice, a leap that many people aren't ready to make.
So Google has come up with a way to tie existing mobile phone numbers to its voice mail service. The process requires requesting an invitation from Google and then following a few steps outlined at http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html. Invitations also are available from Google Voice's current users.
"We see this as a perfect step for getting familiar with Google Voice without a lot of change," said Vincent Paquet, a senior product manager.
The caveat: People choosing to stick with their existing phone numbers won't be able to take advantage of all Google Voice features, such as directing calls to a home or office number.
But the voice mail option will provide more bells and whistles than what most major mobile phone carriers offer in their standard packages.
Among other things, Google's voice mail service automatically transcribes messages and lets users customize greetings for frequent callers.
As part of its expansion efforts, Google developed a voice application for the iPhone that didn't get approved by Apple Inc. The snub triggered a Federal Communications Commission inquiry into whether Apple and the iPhone's U.S. carrier, AT&T Inc., might have been trying to stifle a potential competitor.
-- Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer.
------ Metallica debuts finger-tapping app in iPhone
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Headbangers have a reason to steady their gaze a bit now that Metallica has made its way onto iPhones with a finger-tapping music app called "Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica."
In the game, players tap areas on the screen in time with the music, much like players strum or drum plastic instruments in video games such as "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero," except on a smaller scale.
The iconic rockers could probably make more money performing one or two shows live. The 10 songs on the game, including "Enter Sandman," sell for $4.99 each.
But the band took part to stay relevant with younger fans, said drummer Lars Ulrich, 45, the father of 11-year-old and 8-year-old boys.
"It's one more thing that'll keep me semi-cool in my kids' eyes for another six months until the next thing comes out," Ulrich said. "It's not about the money or revenue or some master plan. This stuff all falls in the fun category."
Last year, Metallica released its new album "Death Magnetic" through the "Guitar Hero: Metallica" video game as well as traditional outlets.
Metallica's recording company, Warner Bros. Records, expects the game to make it into the top 10 paid music apps on Apple Inc.'s iTunes store.
"We're not expecting this to be some sort of golden miraculous thing that changes the economics of record labels," said Jack Isquith, senior vice president of digital music for the unit of Warner Music Group Corp. "The main driver was to have it stand up to scrutiny from hardcore Metallica fans now. We think it's a cool game."
"Tap Tap Revenge 3," by Palo Alto-based developer Tapulous Inc., is already the top paid app on the store. Most versions of the game have been free, but Tapulous also sells premium versions, featuring bands such as Lady Gaga, Coldplay and Nine Inch Nails.
It shares 30 percent of its sales with Apple and splits the rest between itself and recording and music publishing companies.
-- Ryan Nakashima, AP Business Writer.
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