itunes

CNET TV Apple Byte: Apple to stream music?

CNET TV's Brian Tong discusses the latest news in the world of Apple. This week, Apple purchases streaming music service Lala; magazine publishers agree to a digital standard; and even more rumors on the Apple Tablet. You'll also learn a "neat" trick for your MacBook and get a peek at the UStream iPhone App. If you need to catch up with top Apple stories, take a look at the Byte.

Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums. Do you have questions, issues, or stories you would like to see on … Read more

iTunes Store: App updates still wanting to update after updating

Apps from Apple's popular iTunes App Store are not properly updating after users attempt to download the newer versions of their mobile programs. Users experience symptoms such as downloading the updated App only to have the previous version still installed, installing the newer App and receiving notification that they need to update their App (despite running the latest version), and not being able to download the update at all.… Read more

Lala chief could steer iTunes away from downloads

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the digital music format used at Apple's iTunes. Apple uses the AAC format.

Apple was engaged in a bidding war with Google when it acquired music service Lala, The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported on Friday. That helps to explain why Apple agreed to pay $85 million, a sum that I (and others) believed was far too much for a down-on-its-luck start-up.

What has surprised some in the music sector, however, is that Apple is considering a plan to create some kind of streaming-music service and is turning to … Read more

Buzz Out Loud Podcast 1124: Alexandria, the greatest hard-drive crash

So, Apple bought Lala, and Ars Technica thinks it has a source who knows what Apple's going to do with it-- it's going to make a Web site that sells music and stores it in the cloud. Kind of like what Lala already is, but it's going to be all iTunes-ified. And that has Rafe worrying about cloud failure again. We also kvetch about Facebook, a Mozilla employee complains about Google, and the "New Moon" videotaper is set free.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) … Read more

Need a new headlight bulb? There's an app for that

Finding a replacement headlight bulbs just got easier for folks who have an iPhone 3GS, 3G, or an iPod Touch. Osram Sylvania offers a free iPhone app for the 3GS and 3G and iPod Touch from the iTunes App Store.

You can select a vehicle's make, model, and year of manufacture, and the app will display a list of nearby retailers are displayed.

"When drivers need to replace an automotive bulb, they don't always have their owner's manual handy or have access to our online automotive lamp replacement guide," Joe Verbanic, marketing manager for Sylvania … Read more

iTunes Store: Genius feature not updating

Several users, for the last few days, have been reporting issues surrounding the Genius feature in iTunes. Genius mixes allow users to forget about taking all that time it takes to search through you iTunes Library to find the perfect array of songs that blend seamlessly into an original set of tunes by doing it all for you. With data gathered by the iTunes Store and synced to your specific list of songs, iTunes can create perfect playlists in seconds. Issues with syncing, however, have limited this function in recent days for some users.… Read more

Does Apple need to refresh iTunes? Probably

Apple's purchase of streaming music service Lala reportedly represents a shift in the company's iTunes strategy. The aim: Make iTunes more Web friendly.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is looking to give consumers more ways to access and manage iTunes without a download of the software.

The larger questions: Does Apple need to rethink the iTunes model? Is Apple missing a shift to Web listening habits? Can iTunes, the largest music service around, be getting tired?

Those questions can be answered with one word: Yes.

Read more of "Does Apple need to refresh iTunes? Probably … Read more

iTunes Rewind shows off best-selling content of 2009

Apple has just put out a feature in the iTunes Store, called Rewind, that shows off the best and best-selling music, movies, TV shows, and apps from 2009. This year's edition is crammed full of information and I encourage you to browse through (iTunes link). The results are pretty interesting, although there are no real shockers. iTunes didn't provide download figures; it simply ranked the top-sellers. Here is a quick rundown of what stands out.

Not surprisingly, in the music category, iTunes staff picked Michael Jackson as artist of the year, with Kings of Leon taking home album … Read more

Did Apple pay $80 million or $17 million for Lala?

Two prominent technology writers are reporting vastly different stories about what Apple paid for music service Lala.

Peter Kafka, from The Wall Street Journal-owned blog All Things Digital, cited anonymous sources in a Monday report who said Apple plunked down $80 million for Lala. In a story published Tuesday, Michael Arrington at TechCrunch cited his own sources who disputed that price and said Lala was acquired for $17 million.

I wish I knew who was right, but my reporting came up with nothing solid. I will say that from the second I heard Kafka's number I was skeptical. After … Read more