Spotify finally has subscription sharing for an extra $5 per user

Spotify finally has subscription sharing for an extra $5 per user

Steve Dent

Engadget

Spotify has just addressed one of the main beefs with its service: the lack of ability to share a premium subscription. With Spotify Family, you can now share your $9.99 plan with up to four other folks for an extra $5 per. That means the price starts at $14.99 for you and one friend, going up to $29.99 with five people altogether, for a savings of $5 to $20. They won't be stuck with your musical taste, either, as each member will get their own account with separate playlists, recommendations and more. That makes Spotify's premium service pretty tempting, and don't worry if your family or friends aren't music lovers -- that never stopped Sprint's Framily subscribers.
Source: Spotify

Read More

How Justin Bieber Could Spoil Instagram’s Plan to Introduce Ads

How Justin Bieber Could Spoil Instagram’s Plan to Introduce Ads

Marcus Wohlsen

Wired

It finally happened: Snapchat will now have ads. Pinterest is also experimenting with advertising, as is Instagram. All three of these companies are in the enviable position of running wildly popular online platforms, but also in the less enviable position of not having a great, obvious way to make money off of them. Ads seem like the most direct plan, but there’s a problem, a problem summed up by one man.
His name is Justin Bieber.

If you have an internet connection, chances are you know who Justin Bieber is. He was discovered on YouTube. His 55.7 million followers make him the second-most followed person on Twitter, ahead of the President of the United States. The internet is his medium, and he is its master.

That mastery was on full display earlier this month in the form of a poorly shot video selfie of Bieber walking through a plaza in Italy. Here’s how Adweek describes the compelling footage: “To commemorate the event on Instagram, he shoots a quick social video where he utters ‘fettuccine Alfredo’ in his best fake Italiano and then asks his bodyguard whether he wants to get some. (The helpful hulk, in case you are wondering, answered his boss with a ‘yes.’)”

Italy was pretty awesome, could find me in your city next – #imatourist #nowork #sightseeing #fettucciniAlfredo #imthatguywithafannypack #ifuseemeletmeenjoymyvisit #illbebackfortouripromise


During the second week of October, the video received nearly 735,000 likes and almost 50,000 comments, according to Adweek ‘s weekly survey of Instagram activity. The number is impressive in itself. But what’s potentially worrisome for Instagram’s ad ambitions is just how thoroughly the size of Bieber’s engaged audience crushes that of other, more traditional brands—that is, potential advertisers.

The most popular Instagram video in the consumer electronics category, for example, was a GoPro scene of two guys on an amusement park ride that was “liked” 134,000 times. BMW topped the car category with almost 44,000 likes for one video, and Urban Outfitters the retail category with more than 50,000 likes. Not bad, but nothing like the Biebs.

The paradox for the latest online platforms is that, while their popularity is driven by user-generated content like Bieber’s, that content totally eclipses anything an advertiser is likely to offer, especially since users are already accustomed to no ads. An ad in your Instagram feed, if it doesn’t outright annoy you, is easy to ignore if Justin Bieber in Italy is a thumb-swipe away. Or the catnip of your friend’s next selfie Snap. How can any ad compete for those precious microseconds of your attention?

Pinterest is in the best position to capitalize on ads, since it’s so well designed as a place to browse for stuff you want to buy. But as with Instagram, brands don’t have to advertise to get on the thing. You can simply act as users with their own accounts and promote their stuff for free. Of course, advertisers will probably keep trying, and at least for a while keep paying these companies in hope of connecting with all the attention the Biebers of the world help them to capture. Maybe paid ads will help push traditional brands’ feeds in front of more users, causing their popularity to surge. But only seeing is Beliebing.

Read More

Demi Lovato Shows Off Vibrant New Pink Hair Extensions

Demi Lovato just found a whole new way to kick up her rainbow-colored hairstyle without the committment of permanent dye! She added some super bright pink hair extensions from her brand new Secret Color line, and we love how perfectly the shade blends with her edgy blue-streaked cut!

We never realized you could use Demi's hair extensions brand to add color to your 'do without necessarily adding length, but it's such a clever way to (temporarily!) go pink!

Read More

Taylor Swift Previews 'Welcome to New York' Song

Taylor Swift Previews 'Welcome to New York' Song

Taylor Swift has released the 30-second preview for her brand new song“Welcome to New York” 

The 24-year-old singer debuted the clip on Good Morning America on Monday (October 20) and also released a video of herself talking about the track.

“The first song on 1989 is a song called ‘Welcome to New York’ and I wanted to start the album with this song because New York has been an important landscape and location for the story of my life in the last couple of years,”Taylor said in the clip.

 “You know, I dreamt about moving to New York. I obsessed over moving to New York and then I did it. The inspiration that I found in that city is kind of hard to describe and hard to compare to any other force of inspiration I’ve ever experienced in my life. 

It’s like an electric city and I approached moving there with such wide-eyed optimism and sort of saw it as a place of endless potential and possibilities. You can kind of hear that reflected in this music and in this first song especially. This is a song I did with Ryan Tedder called ‘Welcome to New York.’”

Get the new song tonight at 11:59pm on iTunes!

Read More

You can't upgrade the new Mac mini's RAM

You can't upgrade the new Mac mini's RAM

Jon Fingas

Engadget

If you're planning to snag the new Mac mini and load it up with aftermarket memory, you may want to reconsider your strategy. Macminicolo owner Brian Stucki (among others) has discovered that the RAM in Apple's latest tiny desktop isn't upgradable, much as you'd expect with the company's laptops and the 21-inch iMac. The move isn't completely surprising given that the Mac mini is basically a MacBook in different clothing, but it's a step backward given how relatively easy it was to upgrade the previous generation. All that you can do now is replace the hard drive, provided you're willing to void your warranty. You'll have to consider buying either a higher-end model or a custom order to get more RAM, and both of those options are typically more expensive than adding RAM yourself. This limitation isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but it's unfortunate if you like the idea of upgrading a Mac on your own terms.

Source: Brian Stucki (Twitter)

Read More

Leak gives a clearer look at Motorola's upcoming Droid Turbo

Leak gives a clearer look at Motorola's upcoming Droid Turbo

Jon Fingas

Engadget

So far, the pictures we've seen of Motorola's soon-to-launchDroid Turbo have been... incomplete. You won't have to wonder exactly what this Verizon-only smartphone looks like any longer, though. Evan Blass (@evleaks) has posted a press image (available through Verizon's web code) which provides a good look at the phone, including its frequently elusive front. In short, this is a hybrid between last year's Kevlar-laden Droid Maxx and the styling cues of 2014 Motorola flagships like the new Moto X and Nexus 6. The biggest upgrades over the Maxx are likely to be in the guts, such as the 21-megapixel camera, the rumored Quad HD screen and a speedy Snapdragon 805 chip. Whether or not the Turbo is as tough as it looks, you'll know the full story when the phone launches in nine days.

Source: Evan Blass (Twitter)

Read More

Here's every device getting Android 5.0 Lollipop so far

Here's every device getting Android 5.0 Lollipop so far

Jon Fingas

Engadget

If you're a die-hard Android fan, you're probably champing at the bit waiting for that Lollipop upgrade -- when will you get it? Are you going to get it? Thankfully for you, a number of companies have already promised to upgrade some of their devices to this candy-flavored OS. Google's Nexus 4, 5, 7 and 10 models are naturally first in line, as are Android One and Google Play Edition hardware; its outgoing Motorola brand is equally on top of things with plans to patch the Moto E, G and X alongside Verizon's Droid Mini, Maxx and Ultra. HTC and OnePlus don't have full details, but they're both pledging to give their recent flagships a taste of Lollipop within 90 days of receiving finished code. NVIDIA and Sony, meanwhile, are being a bit vague. While they're respectively teasing plans to update the Shield Tablet and the Xperia Z series, they won't say exactly when just yet; Sony has committed to the "beginning of 2015" for Z2 and Z3 models.
As for other manufacturers? Well, don't hold your breath. LG tellsTechRadar that it has nothing to say on "if / when" Lollipop will reach the G3, let alone older gear. The upgrade is likely coming, but the statement is far from reassuring. Mum's the word from Samsung as well, although leaks show that a Lollipopped version of TouchWiz is in the works. It's also reasonable to expect that relatively large brands like Acer, ASUS, Huawei and Xiaomi are on deck -- just don't be shocked if their older devices don't make the cut.Source: HTC (Twitter), Motorola, Sony Mobile Blog

Read More

Taylor Swift  Looks Beautiful Even Without Makeup – No Makeup Pictures!

Unlike other celebrities, Swift looks gorgeous even without makeup. Here are a few pics of Taylor Swift without makeup to prove our point.

Taylor swift was photographed carrying a guitar case in her hand, wearing very casual but classy clothes. The singer wore a semi striped red and white top and teemed it with a pair of maroon quarters. Her hair was braided and she was carrying a sling bag. Her face looked so pretty even without makeup.

A smile is the best make up one can wear. And that is all Taylor Swift needs. She doesn’t need to hide behind make up. A picture of her wearing a blue shirt and carrying a bowl of vanilla and chocolate chipped ice cream shows her natural beauty abundantly.

Taylor swift was photographed in an over sized tee shirt in a field. She had one hand on her waist and her hair was let down on her shoulder. Her hair looked like a series of wavy curls and made her look magnificent, even without makeup.

Taylor swift was spotted wearing a polka dot shirt with brown pants and a red beanie with a navy blue blazer. She had a sling bag and her hair fell as golden locks from under the beanie. Taylor hardly had any makeup on her face but looked absolutely fabulous.

Taylor looks as good on screen as she does off it. She makes an adorable celebrity on the red carpet but when she’s off it and without makeup she looks natural and perfect. A picture of her wearing a black blazer with her wonderful curly hair falling down on her shoulder is a sufficient example of her natural beauty.

Read More

Google's Nexus Player gets FCC approval, right on cue

Google's Nexus Player gets FCC approval, right on cue

Jon Fingas

Engadget 

Well, that didn't take long. Just a couple of days after Google stopped pre-orders of the Nexus Player while it waited for the FCC's all-clear, its Android TV puck has received approval. There aren't any surprises in the regulatory filing, but it should let you both pre-order the WiFi media hub soon and (hopefully) get it around that originally promised November 3rd release date. If you were worried that you'd have to make do with a Chromecast for a little while longer, you can relax.

Read More

Microsoft to launch its wearable fitness band in coming weeks

Microsoft to launch its wearable fitness band in coming weeks

Tom Warren

The Verge 

Microsoft is planning to launch its own wearable fitness band in the coming weeks.
Forbes reports that the announcement is due "within the next few weeks," and The Verge can confirm this is accurate.
Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the launch of Microsoft’s wearable fitness band is imminent, and the device will be stocked at retailers in time for the holiday season.
Microsoft’s wearable launch will mark 10 years since the company announced its SPOT smartwatch in 2004 that used FM radio signals to send instant messages from Windows Messenger, news headlines, stock information, and weather forecasts to your wrist.

Smartwatch features, but primarily focused on fitness
Although Microsoft’s fitness band will have some smartwatch features, it will be primarily focused on fitness activities.
We’re told the fitness band will track steps, heart rate, calories burned, and other key health attributes thanks to a number of sensors embedded in the device.

Microsoft has also been testing the ability to monitor heat rate through the day and night, and is expected to ship a final device that has around two days of battery life.

The key part of Microsoft’s fitness band will be its support for Windows Phone, iOS, and Android.
Microsoft is developing separate apps for each mobile operating system to help support the features of its fitness band sensors, and smartphone notifications to the band will also be supported.

It's unlikely that Microsoft will brand its fitness band under the Lumia or Surface monikers, mainly because the device will work across all three mobile operating systems. Images surfaced earlier this year of a fitness band in Microsoft patent filings, and previous rumours suggested the company was working on a 1.5-inch display with removable wrist bands.

With Microsoft on the verge of announcing its fitness band, we’ll find out exactly what the company has to offer in the wearables space very soon.
* Microsoft publishes MSN and the Bing Daily News and Finance apps

Read More

Apple Has No Plans To Build A Touchscreen Mac, Says Software Chief (AAPL)

Apple Has No Plans To Build A Touchscreen Mac, Says Software Chief (AAPL)

Dave Smith

Business Insider

 

If you're hoping Apple will come out with a laptop or desktop computer with a touchscreen, keep dreaming.
Craig Federighi, Apple's senior VP of software, told CNET on Thursday that the company has no plans to bring a touchscreen interface to the OS X ecosystem.

"We don't think it's the right interface, honestly," he said. "Mac is sort of a sit down experience."
He said it would be "awkward and uncomfortable" for users to continually reach out to their computer screen while sitting at a desk; the iPad and iPhone are much different in this way, since you're supposed to be using those devices while sitting in any position, or on the go.

"We've really focused on building the best track pads we can, something where it feels [like] your posture's relaxed, it's a comfortable machine to use," he told CNET. "And, of course, over the years we've experimented with all the technology, but we found it just wasn't good. ... We're not all that interested in building one."

Federighi has been pretty consistent on this front. In a January interview with Macworld, Federighi (along with fellow Apple execs Phil Schiller and Bud Tribble) insisted iOS and OS X will remain separate platforms, denying the possibility of bringing a touchscreen experience to the Mac, or potentially bringing a full version of OS X to mobile devices.

"[It's] absolutely a non-goal," Federighi said. "You don't want to say the Mac became less good at being a Mac because someone tried to turn it into iOS."

Well, there you have it. Apple's going to keep the hardware and software across its mobile and desktop lines separate but integrated. Still, hopefully Apple will take a few tools and features from OS X — like a true filing system, for example — and port them to the rumored jumbo iPad, which would make it a true beast in the enterprise.

Read More

Why Apple Pay May Be the Company’s Most Challenging Move Yet

Why Apple Pay May Be the Company’s Most Challenging Move Yet

Victor Luckerson

Time 

Our smartphones have already become our de facto camera, music player, navigational device and personal assistant. Now Silicon Valley wants to make them our wallet, too.
Several tech firms have spent the last few years trying to convince consumers their phone is a more convenient payment method than cash or plastic. Most shoppers have balked. But on Monday, Apple is entering the fray, and experts say that could be a turning point for the long-hyped mobile payments industry.

Apple's service, dubbed Apple Pay, allows customers to buy goods in physical stores with a simple tap of their iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or Apple Watch smartwatch, when that device hits shelves in early 2015. Apple Pay users load their credit card information onto the phone, then press their device’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the checkout line to authenticate the purchase. The process is faster than using a debit card — and more secure. Apple generates a unique ID number for each transaction, meaning users' credit card data numbers are not shared with merchants.

Apple Pay is launching just as the smartphone is becoming a central point of commerce for the average shopper. Consumers spent $110 billion via their mobile devices last year, according to research firm Euromonitor, and they used their phones plenty more to research products before buying them in stores. Meanwhile, person-to-person payment apps like Venmo have made people comfortable loading their phones with dollars to make simple transactions.
“All of that is really conditioning consumers to trust their phones when it comes to payments,” says Michelle Evans, a senior consumer finance analyst at Euromonitor.

But consumers are still reluctant to give up their credit cards. Mobile payments generated $4.9 billion in sales in 2014, a paltry figure compared to the year's $4.8 trillion in card transactions, according to Euromonitor. Google’s own mobile payments service, Google Wallet, offers much of Apple Pay’s functionality but hasn’t seen widespread adoption. Startup Square abandoned its much-hyped mobile wallet platform earlier this year, instead pivoting to an order-ahead service like Seamless. PayPal, which is spinning off from eBay in 2015, has also struggled find a mobile formula that works in stores.
“It’s definitely starting to catch on, but I don’t think anybody has quite nailed the overarching reason to pull out your phone to pay,” says Anuj Nayar, PayPal’s senior director of global initiatives.
The transition to mobile payments is a challenging one because it requires buy-in from so many different players. Consumers have to be convinced it’s worth their time to learn a new buying behavior. Retailers have to pay for new equipment so their point-of-sale systems can accept payment from phones and smartwatches. Banks and credit card issuers also have to buy in. “It’s a lot of people to get in lockstep,” says Evans.

Apple does have a few key advantages over its competitors. The company has a knack for convincing people to change their digital lifestyles, whether by downloading MP3s, surfing the web on a phone or using a large tablet to watch videos. And thanks to the iTunes Store, Apple has more than 500 million credit cards already on file. Those customers will be able to seamlessly start using the same accounts they use to buy apps and music to buy goods in the real world when they first boot up Apple Pay. “We’ve never had this large of a base in a starting country" for a mobile payment system, says Matt Dill, Visa’s senior vice president for Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, Commerce and Network Payments.

However, analysts say convincing shoppers to give up credit cards, which are already fairly painless to use, will take more than just offering convenience. The most successful mobile payments platform to date is the Starbucks app, which rewards customers who pay via their phones with free drinks and other perks. Today, Starbucks processes about 15% of all its transactions on the app, or about 6 million per week.
“The customers really feel It’s not just about payments,” says Ben Straley, Starbucks’ vice president for digital products. “It’s also about being rewarded for their loyalty.”

But even if Apple can convince consumers to take their money mobile, some merchants aren't playing ball. Wal-Mart, America’s largest retailer, won’t support Apple Pay at launch. Instead, it and other big-box stores like Best Buy are developing a competing mobile payments platform called CurrentC, set to launch sometime next year. Such merchants would have to be the driving force behind any effective loyalty rewards program that convinced shoppers to abandon their credit cards.
With so many competitors offering mobile payment options, analysts expect the segment will finally take off soon. Euromonitor projects in-store purchases via phone will rise to $74 billion by 2019 — though that's still a far cry from the trillions in card purchases we see today.

Mobile devices are already becoming a common tool for buying things in the virtual world. It could very well happen in the real world, too. “It’s just shopping, whether you’re buying it in a store or buying it online,” says PayPal’s Nayar. “The lines between what that looks like have started to disappear.”

Read More