No iTunes In The Cloud for the UK Until 2012?

The Telegraph and MacRumors have highlighted a quote from a spokesperson for the Performing Right Society.  The spokesperson it quoted as saying that Apple are “a long way off from any deals being signed.”

The articles also refer to a music executive at a major UK record label quoting “no one expects to see the cloud music service live on this side of the pond until 2012.”

This adds further to our post earlier this week regards a delay in the service outside of the US.

Lets us know your thoughts.

MB

 

Apple iBooks Launches on iTunes

The iBooks store now available on iTunes represents a huge choice of reading over 24 categories and includes content from fiction, novels, reference and comics.  There is also a huge range of free books to download and read.   Make sure you install the latest version of iBooks for your iOS device.

Enjoy.

MB

iTunes 10.3 Now Available

We have just picked up the newest version of iTunes through Software Update on a Mac.  Here is the Apple description;

What’s new in iTunes 10.3

Introducing iTunes in the Cloud beta. The music you purchase in iTunes appears automatically on all your devices. You can also download your past iTunes purchases. Where you want, when you want.

• Automatic Downloads. Purchase music from any device or computer and automatically download a copy to your Mac and iOS devices.

• Download Previous Purchases. Download your past music purchases again at no additional cost. Your purchases are available in the iTunes Store on your Mac or in the iTunes app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Previous purchases may be unavailable if they are no longer on the iTunes Store.

iTunes 10.3 also adds Books to the iTunes Store, where you can discover and buy your favorite books on your computer and automatically download them to iBooks on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. This version also allows you to use Automatic Downloads with apps and books or download previously purchased apps and books from your computer or iOS device.

Enjoy!

MB

iCloud & Apple

We have a sneaky feeling there will be some big surprises on Monday when Apple gives details of the future of iOS, OSX and their “cloud based services”.

It is certainly not like Apple to announce beforehand what the keynote speech will cover albeit it is usually already widely known through the hints and graphics used to announce when the keynotes will take place along with the press invites.

The iCloud concept has been muted for some time now and with Amazon and Google already providing such streaming services and the concept of Spotify heavily subscribed to in some parts, it has given Apple an opportunity to do something they do well.  Sit back, observe and take stock.

In this process, you can usually guarantee that there will be some Wow to the keynote, an angle that only Apple could have delivered or thought of and a way that such services will work that only Apple efficiency can deliver.  And given the investment Apple has made in to their data centre and announcements that there will be more data centres, then the reality dawns that Apple has been looking at this for a long time, and they have been able to consider what they will deliver for a long time.

The fact that the keynote will also cover iOS and OSX future releases, and that MobileMe is due an upgrade (even perhaps iTunes is due one), then it all points to the sort of synronicity and cross device features that Apple have become so good at.

Stay with us on Monday for details.

MB

More Evidence of Apple iCloud?

Patently Apple are reporting a patent highlighting Apples plans for a Cloud media streaming service.  But the article suggests there is something unique about the way the service is to be delivered.

To avoid streaming problems, the media source is partially locally stored.  See Patently Apple for their full article.

Given the reports suggesting Apple has done a deal for media streaming with EMI and on brink of other similar deals, this all points to hopefully something imminent, perhaps as early as June at the next Apple Developers Conference.

MB

This weeks films…

Three films watched and to talk about this week;

Firstly Black Swan, awesome performance by Natalie Portman and really well directed by Darren Aronofsky, Natalie Portman plays a fragile ballet dancer pushed to her maximum and more poignantly to her breaking point in her life between her tutor, rival dancers and a mother who is a bit spooky dooky.  Well worth a watch even if I was pushed in to it by my female chimp!

The Next Three Days was pretty entertaining, Russell Crowe plays, well, Russell Crowe, and the build up to the end is okay.  Basically husbands wife convicted of murder while he has to stay at home, make ends meet and look after his son.  So if he did not have enough problems, he decides to break his wife out of jail after she fails in an attempt to take her own life.  The main question throughout the film for me was “Did she do it?” but I couldn’t possibly tell you the answer, just feel good that you do find out which for me was honestly a big relief at the end of the film making it just worthwhile watching it.  Watch it, unless you can only watch one of Black Swan or The Next Three Days!  (Don’t tell my wife I said that though).

Finally, a little old school now, but re-watched Toy Story 3 with the baby chimps.  Basically, it looks like it is the end of the line for Woody, Buzz and Co as Andy looks to ship out to college.  Basically, the Toy Story films just got better and better with each film and this one even made me almost cry…..ALMOST.  Great film for all occasions, will make you laugh, will make you cry (ah hum) and will make you feel like you didn’t just waste an hour and a half of your life in any way at all.  Enjoy!

All are available on iTunes, Love Film, Netflix, Blockbuster, Blu-Ray, DVD and anywhere good in your relevant country!

Best watched on AppleTV or Blu Ray.

MB

Apple signs deal with music companies for iCloud licensing?

Some reports kicking around this morning giving a clear indication of Apples plans to introduce Cloud streaming to our Apple devices.  CNET is reporting a deal has been signed between Apple and EMI with other big players to closely follow.  So it now appears its a matter of when not if and perhaps Apples annual June announcement will be the time and place.

So what about new hardware to signal the release of iCloud streaming from Apple, we are some way off normal new iPod  announcements but with many reporting the iPhone update this year will not be until September, is it likely that Apple has switched the iPod and iPhone announcements this year in terms of their scheduling from past annual announcements?

We are likely to find out soon.  So June could be a big month, Lion OSX, iCloud, possible new hardware and a revised MobileMe offerring which has been rumoured for some time.  And then later in the yeat iPhone 4s or 5 and iOS 5?

Do you get the feeling the Apple machine is gearing to drop some pretty big announcements in the market?

MB

The Hargreaves Report

The Hargreaves Report published today for the benefit of David Cameron and his Government, outlines recommendations for copyright laws.

One recommendation making perfect sense, is that over ripping your own CDs to MP3 for your own use.

It will be interesting to see where this goes.

MB

UPDATE: Great article in The Times in the UK today about The Hargreaves Report well worth reading in the business section if you buy or subscribe to The Times.  If you are in the UK and buy The Times and own an iPad, check out the digital edition as its great.  I swing from the trees with it everyday!