playlists

In Slacker Radio, curated stations that are organized by musical genre meet algorithmically generated playlists based on artists you pick (a la Pandora). As with Slacker Radio on other mobile platforms, the Android app lets you stream music from preprogrammed genres and stations, or from stations you set up yourself. As you listen, you can view album art and bios, block a song or vote it a favorite, and skip ahead (limited for free users). If you like what you hear, you can share a link to that station on SlackerRadio.com via e-mail, text message, or Twitter.

Over the … Read more

My iTunes library is a graveyard. It's a place for my media to slip away and die in silence.

Sure, there are some well-worn albums in my iTunes collection, but there's also an increasing portion of dusty, old podcasts, audiobooks, TV shows, and random music that I honestly don't remember how (or why) I acquired.

To break free from all the crud in my iTunes collection while leaving the good stuff intact I could methodically comb through the collection and delete the duds. But frankly, I'd rather chew a mouthful of tacks.

Wouldn't it be … Read more

iPad users challenged by the Music app's tiny controls may appreciate an alternative audio player dubbed Deck.

Selling for $1.99 in the Apple Store, Deck provides a large interface with simple features and big controls so you don't need to struggle to manage and play your favorite music. I've been using the app frequently since Apple -- in my opinion -- screwed up the tablet's Music app with iOS 5.

Launching Deck displays its hefty audio player with all the standard buttons--Play, Pause, Back, Forward, Volume, and more. You tap on the Menu button to … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week people wrote in with questions about apparent incorrect file size and disk usage calculations in the Finder, recreating a lost playlist after upgrading iTunes, whether Lion install media should be kept updated, and Mail messages appearing blank. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present answers here, we welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: File size and disk space calculations not adding up MacFixIt reader Malcolm asks:

Answer: The folders … Read more

For many people, the first part of every workday is spent turning on their computer and then opening the various programs, documents, and Web sites that they regularly use to do business. If you'd rather go get a cup of coffee instead of staring at your screen while you launch each individual program and file, try Instant File Opener. This easy-to-use program can automatically launch everything you need, saving you time and letting you focus on something else while your computer gets its act together.

The program's interface is plain and intuitive, and we had no trouble getting … Read more

If you were lucky enough to get an invite to the newly arrived Spotify, you'll notice that the streaming-music service is centered around playlists. Once you know the basics--creating, editing, and sharing--it's time to learn the more advanced tricks and tips for Spotify playlists.

Use search operators. In the Spotify search bar, use advanced search syntax. For example, searching "year:1970-1980" will give you a list of popular songs from that decade. Or, search "genre:rap year 1994" for rap music from 1994. For a full list of search operators, go … Read more

AirMusic is a unique music app that lets you stream music on your iPhone to popular gaming consoles. Some readers may already use Apple's Airplay feature that streams music to your Apple TV. But with AirMusic, you can stream music to your XBox 360, PS3, or a PC running Vista or Windows 7.

To get started, you'll need to be on a shared Wi-Fi network with the console or computer to which you're going to stream. Then, you simply turn on Air Tunes via a slider within the app and navigate to your music folder on your … Read more

Minimash is a DJ app that automatically matches beats from songs in your iTunes library, but it doesn't always produce great results. Immediately upon launching Minimash, you'll notice a unique artistic style to the interface. The hand-drawn-looking controls and bright colors are easy on the eyes, but it's difficult to know immediately what each control does. Fortunately, you can touch an information button that explains how to use each control and get your music up and running quickly.

The app has you start by "Preparing" your tracks--Minimash runs an analysis algorithm to scan each track'… Read more

Clear Channel Communications is one of the companies taking a serious look at the assets of Playlist.com, the once promising digital music service that filed for bankruptcy protection last summer, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

Details are few, but apparently Clear Channel, the media conglomerate with a large stake in broadcast radio, concert promotion, and billboard advertising, is interested in the user interface and other technology belonging to the defunct Playlist.com, once known as Project Playlist.

Playlist.com, which enabled users to create and share music playlists with friends, filed for bankruptcy protection in … Read more