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iTunes 11 launch imminent, says music firm

Apple may be gearing up to launch the next-generation iTunes 11 software "within the next days," according to a report by MacRumors, citing a German music distribution service.

Germany-based Feiyr emailed artists to submit high-resolution imagery for the music player's new layout, saying Apple will release iTunes 11 in the coming days. "Users have the possibility to view picture and galleries to every artist in iTunes," says the email.

While the email isn't a direct communiqué from Apple, it's possible that Apple is warning music distribution firms and … Read more

Apple turns iTunes up to 11: Software at a crossroads

Twelve years ago Apple was lagging.

Consumers with PCs were ripping music to their hard drives and creating mixes. They were even taking those mixes and burning them onto CDs for listening to in the car, or on the go. The same experience could not be had easily on a Mac.

Apple's solution was iTunes. A piece of software that promised to do all those things, but with more simplicity than rivals, and only on a Mac.

iTunes quickly became a case study in the benefits of tightly integrated hardware and software. You had to own a Mac to … Read more

AC/DC finally coming to iTunes

AC/DC, known for such heavy metal hits as "Back in Black," "Thunderstruck," and Highway to Hell" will finally be rocking iTunes.

Apple announced today that the band has made its entire catalog available for download. Fans can buy the whole albums or individual songs. AC/DC was one of the high-profile acts, a group that once included The Beatles and Kid Rock, choosing not to distribute their music at online stores.

The partnership is a stark reversal from 2008, when AC/DC refused to sell individual songs. Brian Johnson, the group's lead singer … Read more

iTunes chief joins Ferrari board

Ferrari, one of the iconic names in high-performance sports cars and Formula 1 racing, has invited Apple's iTunes' chief to join its board of directors.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president for Internet software and services, said in a statement released by the Italian car company that he is "proud to become a member of the board."

Cue owns a collection of sports cars, including a Ferrari, according to people who were interviewed for a CNET profile on Cue that was published last week.

In the statement about his board position, Cue said that five years … Read more

How to set up your iPad Mini

Setting up your iPad Mini doesn't take a lot of time or effort, but for those first-time iOS owners who aren't too sure about the process, it can be a bit intimidating. Don't let it be. Below you'll find a slideshow of the entire setup process, from start to finish, explaining what each screen is and means to your end experience.

Before you begin, it's a good idea to have access to a Wi-Fi connection or a computer connected to the Internet with iTunes installed. You'll need one or the other to complete the … Read more

Is the iPad Mini worth it?

The iPad Mini is here! The 7-inch tablet market is going to be one of the hottest this holiday season, but did Apple do enough with the iPad Mini to justify its $329 starting price point?

iTunes 11 is pushed back to November, which is something to be thankful for after seeing what happens when Apple rushes out features like Siri and Maps.

The new fourth-generation iPad is also here, and it's a beast when it comes to performance. Plus, we'll break down Apple's big management shake-up and tell you how it might affect you. One thing'… Read more

Boxee set to battle Apple TV, Roku

While CNET's New York office waits for power to come back after the storm, we're bringing you the Update show from our San Francisco office. Thursday's top tech stories include:

- Boxee TV arrives at Walmart for $99 and offers perks for early adopters, including three months of free service and a discounted DVR subscription afterward.

- AT&T and T-Mobile have activated a new service that blocks smartphone thieves from using a stolen phone on GSM networks.

- AT&T launched the AT&T Locker app that offers 5GB of free cloud storage … Read more

How to update the iPhone 5 to iOS 6.0.1

Apple just released the first update to iOS 6, set to fix a few bugs and improve performance. iOS 6.0.1 is available through the usual methods, over-the-air (OTA) or iTunes. But, if you use an iPhone 5, you will be presented with the screen above when you attempt to update using the OTA method.

To begin the process, launch the Settings app, tap on General, and then Software Update. Once you do that, you'll see the above message. Tap on Learn More to begin the process of fixing a bug that prevents your iPhone 5 from updating … Read more

Apple reminds iTunes Match subscribers of auto-renewal

With the one-year anniversary of iTunes Match fast approaching, Apple is reminding annual subscribers that their plan will automatically renew.

The company sent out e-mails to subscribers this morning, noting that the automatic renewal can be turned off just like in-app subscriptions for newspaper and magazine feature Newsstand.

iTunes Match stores music tracks in the cloud, and makes them available on any device with iTunes. It can also tidy up old collections of ripped CDs with high-quality versions from Apple's digital store.

The $24.99-a-year service launched last November following a three-week delay.

Apple was the first out of … Read more

Right on Cue: Can iTunes chief fix Apple's maps and Siri?

In Apple's never-ending negotiations with record labels, iTunes boss Eddy Cue often played the good cop to Steve Jobs' bad cop. But for current CEO Tim Cook, Cue may well be Mr. Fix-It.

In a surprising executive shuffle, Apple announced Monday that Scott Forstall, who runs software development for the iPad and iPhone, would be leaving the company, along with retail chief John Browett. Cue, an Apple employee for 23 years who was chief of iTunes since it launched in 2003, has now absorbed control of the Siri voice recognition service and the disappointing Apple Maps.

For the affable … Read more