Content

20 'Content' stories April 2013 - February 2016

The Logic Pros: How to move MIDI and audio tracks between sessions with ease

Justin Kahn Feb 28 2016 - 4:04 pm PT

In this week’s episode of The Logic Pros, we are diving into the media browser. More specifically, ways in which we can move ideas and tracks between sessions. While saving presets is a very handy feature, is doesn’t help as much when we want to move entire channel strips, along with the associated midi/audio performances, sends, I/O, and more from session to session:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple debuts new Apple TV ad showcasing tvOS apps & content

Chance Miller Dec 8 2015 - 5:22 pm PT

3 Comments

Apple today has unveiled a new ad for the fourth-generation Apple TV that highlights the plethora of apps and content available on the new tvOS platform. The ad, which runs 1-minute long, follows a series of shorter advertisements all focused on specific apps and games available on the device.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple reportedly preparing in-house video productions, bid on Top Gear successor

Chance Miller Aug 31 2015 - 4:36 pm PT

24 Comments

According to a new report out of Variety, Apple is looking to enter the TV and movie production industry in a way similar to how Netflix has recently done. The report claims that Apple has been looking to hire both actors and directors to create production divisions that would produce exclusive long-form content in-house.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio station partners w/ MTV to exclusively announce VMA nominees

Jordan Kahn Jul 20 2015 - 10:46 am PT

3 Comments

Apple is putting a big focus on exclusive content with its new Apple Music streaming service. In addition to the debut of exclusive music, interviews, and content uploaded directly by artists on the fly, it appears the service’s 24/7 live radio station, Beats 1, will also be the source of exclusive industry news and events.

The proof of that comes in the form of an announcement today that the station will exclusively reveal nominees for the upcoming Video Music Awards. Clearly Apple has partnered with MTV in order to be first to make the announcements, and it’s obvious from the effort that Apple hopes Beats 1 won’t just be the venue for new music, but also a source for music fans when it comes to news and other industry related events.

In addition to exclusive music from artists and industry news and events, Apple is also hiring music video producers and other creatives to help work alongside artists in creating Apple-produced music videos and other original content for the service.

Beats 1 will announce the MTV VMA nominees on Tuesday at 7AM PT/10AM ET.

[tweet https://twitter.com/beats1/status/623132759951847424]

Spotify focusing on content discovery through playlists following Apple Music’s launch

Zac Hall Jul 20 2015 - 8:27 am PT

27 Comments

Screenshot via <a href="http://recode.net/2015/07/20/spotifys-personalized-computer-generated-playlists-are-here-and-theyre-pretty-good/" target="_blank">Re/code</a>

With custom playlists at the center of Apple Music’s discovery experience, Apple’s biggest streaming competitor Spotify is also focusing its efforts on playlists for its latest feature called Discover Weekly. It’s not exactly a “me too” feature, though, as Apple’s and Spotify’s approaches each differ in how playlists are created. While Apple highlights having human editors curating its featured playlists, Spotify is basing its new feature around listening behavior to deliver weekly recommendations…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Upcoming refreshed Apple TV reportedly will not feature support for 4K video

Chance Miller Apr 5 2015 - 12:37 pm PT

57 Comments

BuzzFeed reports today that Apple’s next-generation Apple TV will not support 4K video streaming. Citing “sources in position to know,” the report claims that due to the lack of TVs that support the latest video standard, as well as the lack of streaming 4K content, Apple has no plans to implement it into its upcoming refreshed set-top box.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe Slate lets you publish magazine-like stories from your iPad without design expertise

Zac Hall Apr 2 2015 - 6:00 am PT

3 Comments

Adobe is out today with its latest app for content creators on the iPad. The new Adobe Slate app is available for free and joins the similar Voice app Adobe launched last May. Where Adobe Voice focused on using the iPad and later the iPhone for story telling with the spokenword backed by visual elements, the new Adobe Slate app pairs text with fluid and customizable attractive layouts that look great whether you’re a designer or not.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple defends against EU 14-day refund abuse with App Store alert for customers with excessive refunds on file

Benjamin Mayo Jan 13 2015 - 2:27 am PT

32 Comments

Last week, we reported on a flaw with the EU’s new no-questions-asked 14-day refund policy that meant customers could effectively get paid apps for free, as refunding the app does not delete it from customers’ devices.

In response, Apple has adjusted its App Store purchases slightly for customers who have an excessive number of refunds on file. This means people with a track record of refunding purchase effectively lose the right to refund their purchase.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple TV adds revamped YouTube app (with ads), new channels from DailyMotion, UFC and more

Benjamin Mayo Dec 9 2014 - 7:09 am PT

26 Comments

Apple TV is receiving a flurry of new channels today. Most prominently is a brand new YouTube app, to bring the client up-to-date with some of the other platforms. The new app reflects the design of other set-top box clients, with easier access to subscriptions and search functions. For the security conscious, the YouTube app now uses OAuth to login rather than naive password entry (by visiting youtube.com/activate)

Unfortunately, this YouTube update also means that Apple TV users will start seeing ads for the first time on the platform. Naturally, some users will be disappointed by this addition — it is not possible to opt out of the update.

Aside from YouTube, Apple TV is also getting four entirely new channels from various providers. Rolling out today are channels for Conde Nast’s ‘The Scene’, ‘Fusion’, Dailymotion (a video upload site from France) and UFC for premium subscription fighting and martial arts content.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple’s high-performance Content Distribution Network reportedly moves forward as deals are made with ISPs

Jonathan Kizer May 20 2014 - 10:40 am PT

4 Comments

Apple is quietly negotiating with some of the largest ISPs in the country in order to roll out their own Content Distribution Network, which would help ensure faster and more reliable downloads for iTunes content, iCloud data, and software (via StreamingMediaBlog). Apple has previously made strides to improve its networking infrastructure, including purchasing hardware to boost performance and creating a team dedicated to improving download speeds. It is also opening new Data Centers at a frenetic pace.

The creation of these deals with Internet Service Providers comes amid a firestorm surrounding net neutrality and peering deals of this type. Apple recently declined to join a group of 100 tech companies backing Net Neutrality in a written statement to the FCC.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Adobe Voice debuts on iPad with simple and powerful tools for telling stories through multimedia

Zac Hall May 7 2014 - 9:30 pm PT

6 Comments

Adobe is out today with a new app for iPad that leverages the use of multimedia and speech to create simple and creative animated videos. The app is called Adobe Voice (it may look familiar to you if you recall Ginger) and the creative software company thinks it can make you a better story teller using your iPad. Adobe Voice combines the use of narration, photographs, text, and iconography with a number of templates which include music to create a really neat experience for making crafty videos. Check out my experience (and videos) below.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple updates App Store content ratings system with new descriptions and market-specific ratings

Mike Beasley Apr 22 2014 - 3:27 pm PT

4 Comments

Apple has made some changes to the way it handles content ratings in the App Store, as outlined in an email (included below) sent to developers today. These ratings aren’t the five-star reviews that users assign apps, but the age-based restrictions assigned to each app based on the type of content in the app. While most apps are rated 4+ (the lowest), some that contain violent or potentially offensive content may have higher ratings (as seen above).

Starting today, developers will be able to assign a few new content descriptions to their apps in order to help better determine what age group the software is appropriate for. These new descriptions include “Medical/Treatment Information, Gambling and Contests, and Unrestricted Web Access.” That last one is good news for many developers previously forced to use a 17+ rating just because their app included a web browser that could be used to accesss anything on the web.

Expand
Expanding
Close

ABC streaming Oscars to its apps for some, ESPN adds conference feeds to Apple TV

Zac Hall Feb 27 2014 - 1:05 pm PT

5 Comments

(via Oscar Blog)

Even before Apple introduces an expected refresh to its streaming set top box sometime this year, several content providers are making the current platform even richer with more and more content. Two big players, ESPN and ABC, will be providing content new to the Apple TV very soon, Variety reports. Starting with ABC, the network will stream the Oscars on Sunday live through its Watch ABC apps for subscribers in select cities (details below). ESPN, for its part, has announced dedicated channels within its Watch ESPN app on Apple TV and Roku for following 15 different conferences.
Expand
Expanding
Close

NFL Mobile iOS app adds access to live content from NFL.com

Jordan Kahn Oct 4 2013 - 2:56 pm PT

0 Comments

The official NFL Mobile app has been updated today to version 8.6 and with it comes the ability to access live content from the NFL.com/Live website. The feature, which is only available to premium subscribers, will provide the live content previously only streamed on the NFL website in addition to the LIVE NFL games on Thursday, Sunday and Monday nights for both preseason and regular season games offered as Premium features.

Premium features of the app are currently only available to Verizon customers and also offer live streams of NFL RedZone on Sunday afternoons and NFL Network 24/7. Unfortunately, it looks like the app still doesn’t include support for AirPlay.

@9to5mac @JordanKahn still no airplay support? Ah well

— Charles Raymond (@Whathechuck0819) October 4, 2013

What’s New in Version 8.6

– Added Fantasy Lineup Reminder alert
– Access to NFL.com/Live content for premium subscribers
– Fixed Fantasy login retention bug
– Performance enhancements and general bug fixes

Apple adds Vevo and NHL channels to Apple TV in Germany (Update: UK gets NHL too)

Jordan Kahn Oct 1 2013 - 7:32 am PT

1 Comment

German Apple blog Macerkopf notes that Apple TV users in Germany today have been greeted with new content in a server-side update that includes Vevo and NHL channels. Vevo first landed on the Apple TV for US, Canada, and other countries back in August alongside a big update for the platform that also brought content from Disney, the Weather Channel, Smithsonian, and others. The National Hockey League channel, however, has been available in many countries since an Apple TV update back in 2011.

Apple has been adding a ton of new content to Apple TV in recent months fueling rumors that a major revamp to the platform could be on the way. Most recently the company added new content from Major League Soccer and Disney Junior in the US.

Update: Users in the UK are also reporting receiving access to the NHL channel:

There's @NHL now on #AppleTV !! Get in!! New season starts… tomorrow? Here's hoping the UK sub options are good!

— Tony McGuire (@tmcgvideo) October 1, 2013

https://twitter.com/betterthan/status/384985585146146816

ESPNNews and ESPN Deportes added to Apple TV, iOS app

Mark Gurman Aug 28 2013 - 2:18 pm PT

2 Comments

Following yesterday’s addition of several new content partners to the Apple TV, including The Weather Channel, Smithsonian, Vevo, and Disney, the Apple TV has been updated with new ESPN Sports content. In June, the WatchESPN service made its way to the Apple TV, and as Apple notes on its website, this allows Apple TV users to access some of ESPN’s different channels:

Enjoy live sports coverage and original programming from the entire family of ESPN channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, Buzzer Beater, and Goal Line.

Today, WatchESPN on Apple TV has added ESPNNews and ESPN Deportes. The new content should also be available via ESPN’s WatchESPN app on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. ESPN says that other devices that offer the WatchESPN service will also be able to access to the new content:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple TV updated with Vevo, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Weather Channel, Smithsonian apps

Mark Gurman Aug 27 2013 - 7:21 am PT

26 Comments

Today, Apple has issued an over-the-air update to the Apple TV that brings several new content apps. Notably, in line with expectations, an app for the Vevo Music Video service has arrived. Also new are Disney Channel and Disney XD apps.

With Apple’s deep partnership with Disney, it is about time that Disney has been fully integrated into the Apple TV. Apple TV users will now also be able to access Weather information via a new app from The Weather Channel. An app for the Smithsonian is also now present.

The Disney apps require cable provider authentication, while The Weather Channel, Smithsonian, and Vevo are available immediately for all users.

Earlier this year, the Apple TV was updated with ESPN, HBO Go, and SkyNews. Time Warner Cable integration is reportedly in the works for later this year.

Images of the new content offerings below:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Free content begins showing up in Apple Store iOS app amid sales push

Mark Gurman Aug 2 2013 - 6:32 am PT

5 Comments

Two weeks ago, we reported that Apple would update its Apple Store iOS app with the ability to receive free content. The app was updated a couple of weeks ago to lay the groundwork for this feature, and now free content has begun appearing. The first paid app (normally $0.99) for free is Color Zen, and Apple will provide either a new app, piece of iTunes media content, or iBook each week.

The functionality works both in Apple Stores and actually if you are not in a store. A user just needs to pull up a store inside of the app’s store panel (see image above). When you click the free content option, you are taking to a screen to finalize your download.

We previously reported that Apple Store employees are instructed to install this application on a new iOS Device during Personal Setup (After a purchase). At an internal event in San Francisco last month, Tim Cook revealed that only a small percentage of Apple customers are aware of the app, but Cook wants to use the app as an element of his plan to boost iPhone sales in his stores.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Amazon reportedly plans to get into the set-top-box game this fall

Mark Gurman Apr 24 2013 - 9:37 am PT

0 Comments

Following in the footsteps of Apple and Google attempts at the set-top-box market, Amazon is planning to release a set-top-box, according to Bloomberg.

They say the box will plug into TVs and give users access to Amazon’s expanding video offerings. Those include its a la carte Video on Demand store, which features newer films and TV shows, and its Instant Video service, which is free for subscribers to the Amazon Prime two-day shipping package. The Amazon set-top box will compete with similar products like the Roku, Apple TV and the Boxee Cloud DVR, along with more versatile devices like the Playstation 3 and the Xbox. An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.

The device is reportedly being developed in Amazon’s Cupertino based labs and could launch this fall. The project is reportedly being spearheaded by a former Apple and Cisco employee:

The project is being run by Malachy Moynihan, a former vice president of emerging video products at Cisco (CSCO) who worked on the networking company’s various consumer video initiatives. Moynihan also spent nine years at Apple (AAPL) during the 1980s and 1990s.

Perhaps this future product is the reason that Apple and Amazon have no deal for Amazon content streaming on the Apple TV.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Vu news app for iPhone has unique interface, recommends content

Mark Gurman Apr 18 2013 - 2:52 pm PT

0 Comments

We’ve been testing a new, free iPhone news app called Vu that presents content based on what you have previously read/viewed within the app via an easy to use, fast interface. The app recently gained article saving and improved article sharing features, and we think it is worth taking a look at. Like other news apps, you can sync content between your iPhone, iPad, and your computer. You can access content you have saved for later via a web browser on non-iPhone devices.