Spotify launches in-app Messages for sharing music, podcasts and audiobooks
Spotify, which three weeks ago announced plans to raise its prices again, has launched an in-app feature called Messages that gives users a new way to share music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly with friends and family. The rollout starts this week for Free and Premium users, with the company describing it as a more personal way to recommend content.
Millions of users already share tracks, shows, and audiobooks on Spotify across social media and messaging platforms. Messages will provide a central space for that sharing inside the app, while keeping external sharing options such as Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok intact.
Spotify is raising its prices yet again
Spotify has announced an increase in subscription prices for users around the world. For now, the US does not get a mention, but with fees being raised in pretty much every region, it is hard to imagine that the same will not happen stateside as well.
The new pricing is due to kick in for existing subscribers in September, but sooner for new subscribers.
Facebook introduces the biggest change to text posts in years
Facebook posts take many forms – images, videos, links, reels, and text. The company has tweaked and added to the posting options over the years and has now just announced a neat new option for text-based posts.
Just as is possible on other social media platforms, Facebook users are being given the chance to embellish their text posts with background music. Working in a similar way to adding background music toa video post, there is a limit library of tracks to choose from.
Android Auto’s Spotify update adds new playlist options for long trips
Spotify and Android Auto is a perfect pairing, and with the latest update to the app things just got even better. There is something of a UX-enhancing face-lift to the app, but the update also sees the arrival of new collaborative playlist options.
Jams are not usually a good thing on car journeys, but in the case of Spotify Jam it’s a little different. The feature lets everyone in the vehicle add their own music to a queue and create a playlist that will include something for everyone’s taste.
Spotify reveals new tools to give you greater control over your music discovery journey -- and banish earworms
Spotify remains one of the most popular music streaming services currently available, but popularity does not mean perfection. There are many things that Spotify users complain about, such as the oddities of the discovery algorithms. The company is getting better at listening to feedback and is taking steps to improve things.
Spotify has just announced new tools and controls to help with music discovery, playlist curation and recommendations. There’s something for everyone to benefit from, so let’s take a look at what’s new.
WhatsApp now lets you add music to your Status update
WhatsApp is primarily about keeping in touch with people, be that friends, family, colleagues, businesses or some other group. But there is also the option to update your Status to indicate what you’re up to, how you’re feeling, or any other number of creative possibilities.
Now WhatsApp has opened up a new option -- adding music to Status updates. This gives you the option of complementing a photo or video Status with a backing track, and WhatsApp says it has millions of songs that you can use.
Microsoft makes massive MIDI improvements for musicians using Windows 11
The MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard is decades old, but still going strong. It continues to serve musicians, making it possible to reliably connect a range of instruments to computers. With the latest update to Windows 11, Microsoft ushers in some significant MIDI improvements.
The launch of Windows 11 build 27788 sees the arrival of Windows MIDI Services Public Preview. Microsoft describes this as “our complete rewrite of MIDI on Windows with a focus on a great experience for musicians and a strong foundation for future expansion and enhancement”. Importantly, there is now full support for MIDI 2.0.
Spotify launches new audiobook features
Not content with providing access to music on demand, it did not take long for Spotify to branch out and start hosting podcasts. More recently, audiobooks were introduced, and now the company has announced a series of new audiobook features.
Books and video may not seem like natural bedfellows, but this is one of the things that is currently being tested. Other new features include author pages which are similar to artist pages, and an interesting “follow-along” option.
Spotify adds Offline Backup feature that automatically creates offline playlists
With mobiles connected to the internet on a near-permanent basis, it is easy to take for granted. This means that whenever a connection is not available, it is very apparent. Now Spotify is taking steps to help reduce the impact of a loss of connection.
While it is already possible to create offline playlists, this is something that needs to be done manually and it’s all too easy to find yourself on a flight with the sudden realization that you forgot to set it up. And this is precisely where the new Offline Backup mode helps, creating offline playlists automatically, based on your recent listening.
Spotify launches new collaborative playlist feature called Jam
Streaming music service Spotify has announced Jam, a group playlist feature that can be used by up to 32 people. Spotify describes the new social feature as a "personalized, real-time listening session for your group to tune into together".
It is, in many ways, an amalgamation of several existing features of Spotify, such as Blend, personalized playlists and collaborative playlists. All users of Spotify -- free and paying -- are able to contribute to a Jam, but the ability to create them is limited to Premium Subscribers.
Monoprice launches Monolith MTM 100 Watt Bluetooth aptX HD powered speakers
Nowadays, our computers often serve as our centralized media centers. We use laptops and desktops to both watch videos and listen to music. Long gone are the days of having big stereo receivers paired with independent media devices such as CD and DVD players. Streaming is superior.
Unfortunately, many consumers rely on the terrible speakers that are integrated into their laptops or the ones that came with their desktop. These people are missing out on what is truly possible from computer audio. By upgrading to higher quality speakers, a whole new world of audio can be experienced.
Spotify has an intriguing new incentive to become a Premium subscriber
A lack of ads and unlimited track skipping are both pretty good reasons to cough up for a Spotify Premium subscription, but for some people it is not enough.
The streaming audio service apparently agrees that paying subscribers do not currently get enough for their outlay and is adding features to increase value for money. So, what does Spotify think will entice would-be subscribers into taking the plunge? New control buttons; buttons most people would reasonably expect to be included in an audio app as standard, rather than as a premium feature.
Apple Music finally comes to Google's Waze
If you have ever driven a car and needed directions, there's a good chance you have tried Waze. The Google-owned service is very popular thanks to its crowdsourced traffic information -- any user can report traffic jams, police speed traps, and more. It really is a useful app that can reduce travel times.
One of the coolest features of Waze is the ability to integrate with music-streaming services, such as Spotify, so you don't have to exit the navigation app to interact with music controls. This isn't just for convenience, but for safety purposes too. Sadly, the wildly popular Apple Music has not been compatible with the aforementioned Waze feature, but today, this finally changes.
Apple Music comes to Roku
Apple Music is the best streaming music service. Yes, it is much better than Spotify. This is fact. I know this to be true, as I have used both and found Apple's offering to be superior. Apple Music isn't limited to the company's own devices like iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV either -- it can also be accessed on Android and the web, for instance.
Today, Apple Music comes to yet another platform -- Roku. Yes, whether you have a Roku media box or TV with Roku integrated, you can now access Apple Music with it. How cool is that?
'Kyiv Calling': Ukrainian punk band turns to The Clash and YouTube to help its country
For the past month, I have been updating a story on the Russia-Ukraine war from a tech perspective, covering the many online entities being blocked by Russia and the ways groups like Anonymous have been feverishly working to cause Putin, his government, and the Russian military as many headaches as it can. I've even looked at the ways that have sprung up to track things like weapons and Oligarch private jets. Those updates are officially over now, as the number passed twenty, and the page became too much to reasonably expect a person to scroll.
The end of the daily updates does not, unfortunately, mean an end to war and the deaths and displacements it is causing. So, we'll continue to bring you the important news as it happens.
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