Spotify brings streaming radio to iPhone, iPad app

Spotify on Tuesday announced the addition of free mobile radio to the company's popular Spotify app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Spotify's radio features were previously only available to desktop users, however free and premium Spotify users can now stream limitless artist, song, playlist or album-based radio stations to Apple's iOS devices. "Our focus has always been on creating an amazing user experience," said Spotify VP of product, Charlie Hellman. "The radio feature we've added to our iPhone and iPad apps gives users the ability to discover, listen and save what they like on the go – all within one app – for free." Spotify's full press release follows below, and Spotify's app is available for free in the iOS App Store.

Spotify Launches Free Mobile Radio in the US

Latest update for iOS app includes radio you can save

Starting today, Spotify users in the US can play for free on iPhone and iPad.  The latest update to Spotify's iOS app includes the new radio feature, giving free users in the US access to an unlimited amount of music on the move. The update is now available for download in the App Store.

The new radio feature for iOS is seamlessly integrated into the Spotify service, creating an unmatched user experience of listening, discovering, saving and sharing music, from a catalog of more than 16 million songs.

Spotify users on iPhone and iPad can now:

• Create limitless streaming radio stations from single songs, playlists, albums or artists
• Create an unlimited number of stations and listen as long as they like
• Save tracks to Spotify playlists – any song that users "like" will be saved, so they can find the songs later
• Personalize stations in real time by "liking" tracks to hear similar music
• Browse friends' playlists and create radio stations based on their tastes
• Hear great new songs from Spotify's state-of-the-art recommendation engine, based on what millions of real people are listening to
• Access a catalog of over 16 million tracks

"Our focus has always been on creating an amazing user experience," said Charlie Hellman, VP, Product at Spotify.  "The radio feature we've added to our iPhone and iPad apps gives users the ability to discover, listen and save what they like on the go – all within one app – for free."

Premium users of the Spotify iOS app will continue to have an ad-free experience.  Free users in the US will hear advertisements from the following launch partners: Chevrolet, Durex, Heineken, Red Stag by Jim Beam, Lipton Iced Tea, Macy's, McDonalds, Progressive, Red Bull, Taco Bell, Verizon Wireless, and Warner Bros - all of which are current Spotify advertisers.

The new Spotify radio feature will also be available to Premium users outside of the United States.

Mozilla designs Firefox ‘Junior' for iPad

iPad fans disappointed with their browsing experience could soon have a Safari alternative from Mozilla. Mozilla has taken the wraps off a new version of its Firefox browser that it has been designing specifically for the Apple iPad, dubbed “Junior,” that the foundation says “makes browsing more fun, more ergonomic and re-thinks browser user experience from the ground up.” While this sounds ambitious, the development team at Mozilla seems to have really created a browser that's unique to tablets rather than just simply porting its browser over from desktop or mobile platforms.

Junior is immensely simplified compared with most browsers because it only has two buttons that are strategically placed right where the average iPad user's thumbs go. The “back” button performs the standard back function that's crucial to any browser while the “plus” button opens up a new screen that gives users the opportunity to enter in a URL manually, go to a recently-viewed site or go to a bookmarked site.

The reason for the simplified browsing experience is that Mozilla wants its tablet browser to take advantage of the entire tablet screen without clogging it up with tabs and search bars. And yes that means that Junior doesn't have the on-screen tabs that have been a longtime Firefox staple, but Mozilla thinks that tabs on a tablet screen are just taking up space needlessly.

Mozilla hasn't yet made any announcements in terms of when Junior will be available for iPad users.

Mozilla's ‘Junior' iPad browser prototype keeps it simple

Love your iPad, but hate Safari? Mozilla's Alex Limi can relate, it's “a pretty miserable experience,” he says. So what's he doing about it? Building a replacement, of course. In a recent presentation showing the fruits of the Mozilla Product Design Strategy team's labors, Limi offered a glimpse at Junior, an iPad browser that hopes to redefine how we view the internet on tablets. The prototype browser eschews the traditional address bar / tab layout in favor of a minimalistic, full screen experience, flanked by only two obvious toggles — a back button, and a plus symbol that opens a menu containing favorites, recent pages and a URL / search bar. Other common options such as reload, forward and print are hidden away, but accessible. The idea is a simple browsing experience that's more fun, engaging and ergonomic. “It's very simple,” Limi summarizes, “it's a browser.” He stresses that Junior is still just a prototype, albeit a compelling one.

Firefox for iPad being developed by Mozilla

 
Mozilla does not seem to content with their current market share in terms of browser dominance, and they are not going to take this particular situation lying down. In fact, Mozilla does seem to want to spread their wings further in the world of tablets, and has set their sights on the promised land – the Apple iPad. It seems that there are whispers going around that hail from industry insiders which touch on the very same team who worked on the desktop version of Firefox will soon challenge themselves further, by designing a Firefox version just for the Apple iPad. In the process, it is hoped that this popular open source web browser will be able to provide some sort of decent competition to Apple's Safari browser on the iPad.

The new browser has been nicknamed “Junior”, which is rather fitting at this point in time. Hopefully Junior will be able to receive all the digital milk it can get (and crave for) in order to grow up to be a dominant web browser.

Photoshop Touch for iPad now available for $9.99

Adobe on Monday announced the latest addition to its iOS software lineup. The company's Photoshop Touch app for the iPad hit Apple's iOS App Store a little early over the weekend before being pulled, but now Adobe's highly anticipated image editing software is back for good. While the iPad version of the app isn't nearly as robust as Photoshop for Windows and OS X, Photoshop Touch does feature a number of advanced capabilities similar to those found in Adobe's desktop software, including layer support, a variety of editing tools and even the ability to extract objects from within an image. ”People will be amazed with what they can create on the iPad using Photoshop Touch," David Wadhwani, SVP of Adobe's Digital Media Business Unit, said in a statement. “Photoshop Touch combines the magic of Photoshop and its core features with the convenience of a tablet, bringing image-editing power to the fingertips of millions of people." Photoshop Touch for the iPad is available in Apple's App Store immediately for $9.99. Adobe's full press release follows below. Adobe Photoshop Touch Now Available for iPad Highly Anticipated App Brings Image-editing Power of Photoshop to Apple iPad 2 BARCELONA, Spain - Feb. 27, 2012 - At Mobile World Congress, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: ADBE) today announced that Adobe® Photoshop® Touch is now available for iPad 2, via the iTunes App Store*. Adobe Photoshop Touch offers core Photoshop features, as well as new capabilities for creating and sharing in an app custom-built for tablets. The app is a central component of Adobe Touch Apps, a family of six intuitive touch screen applications, inspired by Adobe Creative Suite® software. iPad versions of the other Adobe Touch Apps are expected later this year. Photoshop Touch gives users the ability to combine multiple photos into layered images, make essential edits and apply professional effects to create beautiful artwork, touch up photos, paint, lay out ideas, and much more. The Scribble Selection Tool allows users to easily extract objects in an image by simply scribbling on what to keep and, then, what to remove. With Refine Edge technology from Photoshop, even hard-to-select areas with soft edges are easily captured when making selections. Photoshop Touch helps users quickly find images and share creations through integration with Facebook and Google Image Search. "People will be amazed with what they can create on the iPad using Photoshop Touch," said David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Digital Media Business Unit, Adobe. "Photoshop Touch combines the magic of Photoshop and its core features with the convenience of a tablet, bringing image-editing power to the fingertips of millions of people." "Adobe Photoshop Touch offers a huge convenience factor and funnels cool Photoshop features tailored for the iPad," said Brian Yap, creative director at Boxing Clever. "Nearly all of the features I imagined being in Photoshop Touch are there, including the depth in layers, the extraction tools, and fade tool." "I love the organic process of working on the tablet. With Adobe Photoshop Touch, I have a new form of image creation with familiar tools but in a more relaxed work space, allowing me to rediscover image making through play rather than production," Dan Marcolino, owner of Marcolina Design & MarcolinaSlate. In addition to Photoshop Touch, Adobe expect to release the following touch apps for the iPad in the coming months: Adobe Collage for moodboards; Adobe Debut for presenting and reviewing creative work; Adobe Ideas for sketching; Adobe Kuler® for exploring color themes; and Adobe Proto for website and mobile app prototyping. Pricing and Availability Adobe Photoshop Touch is available today in the iTunes App Store for US$9.99. Photoshop Touch is available in most geographies with English language support. The app will run on iPad 2 running on iOS5. Visit www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-touch.html for more information on Photoshop Touch. Customers may submit feedback on the community powered feedback site: http://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family. Users may also connect with the Photoshop Touch Team directly on Facebook, via Twitter or on the Photoshop blog. For Photoshop Touch how-to videos, visit http://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-photoshop-touch/.

Shanzai iPad tablet features modest specs with Android 4.0 on board

While the rest of the world is waiting with bated breath for Apple's next-generation iPad to be released, it seems like the good folks down at China have decided to roll out a Shanzai version of the iPad, possibly to appease some users or perhaps to hop aboard the iPad bandwagon and profit from the iPad 3's anticipation, but either way Shanzai or not, its specs don't appear too shabby. Featuring a 9.7" IPS display with a screen resolution of 1024×768, the tablet will be powered by an A9 Cortex processor clocked at 1GHz with a mali-400 GPU and 1GB of DDR3 RAM on board. Based on its design it appears the tablet is a marriage between the iPad and the iPad 2's design, will feature a slightly rounder edges and will be slightly thicker at 9.8mm. It sports a 2MP rear-facing camera and interestingly it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Not too shabby for a supposed "knock-off", right? If you'd rather not look at this as a Shanzai product, it's actually a pretty decent Android 4.0 tablet, but if you wanted to get your hands on it, we're guessing you'll be hard pressed to find this tablet outside of China. For more information, pop on over to Shanzaiben's website.

LogMeIn remote desktop app goes free on iPhone and iPad

Looks like LogMeIn Inc. has suddenly cottoned on to the freemium business model, deciding to offer its basic remote desktop app for iPhone and iPad entirely gratis. Previously, you had to hand over $29.99 for the simple pleasure of accessing your PC and Mac desktops via LogMeIn Ignition, but the new free version (simply 'LogMeIn') amply provides for that barebones service, while bells and whistles are reserved for those who buy an in-app subscription to LogMeIn Pro at $40 per year - including things like HD video and sound streaming, file transferring and integration with cloud storage services . Confusing matters slightly, the old Ignition app won't die. It'll live on in the App Store with a massively inflated price to support old Ignition customers and - most importantly - give them grandfather rights to Pro features, so they don't feel left out and start sniffing around the competition. There's a full PR after the break, and it also mentions that Android update is on its way in 2012.

The official Gmail app for iPhone, iPad is officially official

Google has finally taken wraps off of its official iOS Gmail app. However, momentarily after being launched, the app was pulled by Google. Google's confirmed on its blog that the Gmail app contains a bug that breaks notifications, and it's pulled the app while it fixes it. A new version is promised “soon.”

Anyway, let's take a look at the app first shall we? The new app offers a number of “time-saving features,” including push notifications for new message alerts, quick message search and email address auto-complete from your Apple device's address book. The iPad version also offers up a split view, to read messages and check out your inbox at the same time.

On the efficiency side, the Priority Inbox shows your important messages first, and the app also lets you sort messages via labels and stars. Swiping down will refresh the messages and swiping right gives you a quick view of your labels. Gmail will work with devices running iOS 4 and higher.

Google launches faulty Gmail app for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

Yesterday we've heard it's coming, and today it's here: Google has announced the launch of its official Gmail app for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch).

The app features an interface optimized for iOS, push notifications, comprehensive search across the whole inbox, threaded conversations, one-click photo uploads, and split view (only on the iPad).

Unfortunately, mere hours after its launch via iTunes, the Gmail iOS app has been removed by Google because “it contained a bug which broke notifications and caused users to see an error message when first opening the app.” Google is currently working to fix the problem and re-release the app. Meanwhile, “everyone who's already installed the app can continue to use it.”

When the bug is fixed and the Gmail app is again available in the App Store here, it will be compatible only with devices running iOS 4+.

Gmail app on iPad and iPhone hands-on

We've been clamoring for a dedicated Gmail app on iOS for so long that, now that there's one available, we couldn't help but take it for a test drive. Once installed the thing differentiates itself from the previous, HTML5-based app by using a darker, more mysterious black background for the app icon. Otherwise it's the same white and red envelope. Open that up and the app inside looks mighty familiar too. Join us after the break for some quick impressions.

On either the iPhone or the iPad the experience is much like the HTML5-based apps we've used before. On the phone (or iPod touch) the main view is a simple list of messages within the current label. Tap "menu" and a black bar pops in from the left, enabling your selection of other labels. We haven't yet found a way to specify which of those is kept in sync for offline viewing, but hopefully that's something coming in a future release.

Composing new emails does allow for attachments, but otherwise this offers little more functionality than we had before, and less than is found on the Android version - most notably, if you have multiple accounts fed into your Gmail account, you can't choose which of those to send a message from.

On the iPad it's the same functionality just presented with a three-column view: list of labels, list of emails within the current label and a view of the current email on the far right. It's clean and workable but sadly a bit buggy. We had to reboot our iPad before it would let us sign in and we got notification-related errors upon launching both apps for the first time. We also had issues with content falling off the right side of the screen, partially obscured from view.

But, the good news is the apps do now support notifications, so you'll always know when someone wants a reply. Ultimately the apps don't rock the boat, but they're a start and an encouraging step toward proper Gmail platform independence.

Codify: Write and Run Software on the iPad

For a consumption-only device, the iPad sure is good at making things

The iPad is just a device for consumption, right? And — according to a screed by sci-fi author Cory Doctorow — it signals the end of computer programming, at least for the tinkerers like you and me.

This is, of course, complete nonsense, as is made clear by Codify, a new iPad app for writing software. Not only does it let you code games, music software or pretty much anything you like, it uses multitouch to make the experience better than many desktop coding apps. The video shows it best:

Codify uses the Lua programming language. You tap out the code and then press play to run it. Want to specify a color? Instead of looking it up the internet, you just tap the code itself and a color-picker pops up, filling out the numbers automatically. The same is true for game sprites and other elements.

My programming skills go back to the days of the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, and have remained at that BASIC level ever since. But now I'm tempted to play around again with this $8 app. It's kind of like the Garage Band of coding.

And maybe now Doctorow can come in from the cold and trade up from Android to a proper tablet.

Codify for iPad [Two Lives Left]

Smart Cover can unlock password-protected iPads running iOS 5

Psst. Hey, do you carry a spare Smart Cover around with you? Well, if you're an unscrupulous sort, you can actually use it to bypass the lock screen of any iPad running iOS 5. This multi-step security hole will let you browse whatever's running behind the passcode screen, whether that's email, apps or the homescreen.

To take advantage of the flaw, hold down the power button on the locked device until the power off slider appears, then whip the Smart Cover on, open and tap cancel. Fortunately for iPad owners, the rest of the tablet remains locked-down, but the main problem here is any sensitive information left on-screen.

If you unlock the tablet to the main screen, you won't be able to open new apps, although anyone feeling particularly nefarious can apparently delete apps from that meticulously arranged home screen.

Facebook for iPad app finally comes

Facebook users can finally stop wondering why no official Facebook app is available for Apple's iPad. As of Monday evening, Facebook's iOS app is now a universal binary that supports the iPhone and iPod touch as well as the iPad. Among the app's key features, Facebook lists high-resolution photo support, slide and pinch gesture support, Facebook game compatibility and quick access to messaging features from almost any view within the app. Facebook's full statement to the press follows below.

Today, Facebook announced their first app for the iPad.

Facebook for iPad not only includes popular features from the site like photos and games, but also optimizes them for the unique capabilities of the iPad.

Facebook for iPad is available today in the Apple App Store and additional information can be found in the blog post attached.

Additionally Facebook announced they are extending the Facebook Platform to mobile including the new iPad app, iPhone/iPod app and mobile web site. The Facebook Platform will allow mobile developers to take advantage of social channels for search of discovery of their apps and also the Facebook Credits payment system.

Additional details about the Facebook Platform on mobile can be found in the second blog post attached as well.

Read

Facebook For iPad App Now Officially Available For Download!

The Facebook iPad app allows you to access Facebook with ease (okay, much much ease). You can slide photos, swipe through, play games in full screen, playback full HD videos on Facebook or even stream videos wirelessly over AirPlay to a compatible TV.

Head past the break to download Facebook for iPad or to treat yourself with some more details and pictures of the app in action.

Here's an excerpt from official app page in this regard:

A New Way to Experience Facebook (now on iPad, too)

Enjoy bigger, better photos

Your photos take on new life on the iPad. They're big, high-res and easy to flip through - like a real photo album.

Focus on what matters

With less on the screen, it's easier to zoom in on your friends' photos, updates and stories.

Navigate anywhere, fast

Just tap, slide or pinch to get from one screen to another and back again in no time.

Never lose your place

Use simplified navigation to send a message, see your notifications or browse your bookmarks without switching screens.

Play games on the go

Play your favorite Facebook games wherever you are, and on a bigger screen.

Tap to send messages

A simple dropdown menu makes it easy to scan and send messages without visiting your inbox.

What's New in Version 4.0

With improved search and browsing, the facebook.com features you use most are now just a touch away. It's a faster, fuller

Facebook for iPhone.

- Games & Apps: Play games and access your favorite apps on the go

- Navigation: Send a message or see your notifications from any screen, and swipe to browse Facebook without losing your place in

News Feed

- Bookmarks: Your groups, pages and apps are all in your left-hand menu, and the ones you use most are right on top

- Search: Search for anything on Facebook - people, apps, pages and more - without having to click around or switch views

- Security: We've added a few updates to make the app more secure

While everything seems interesting, the Facebook Timeline feature may not be supported by the iPad app, at least in its first release. For a refresher, Facebook Timeline feature is one of the greatest features from Facebook and is currently available to developers only until it goes live for the common masses on 18th of October.

Click here to know more about Facebook app for iPad.

Click here to download Facebook app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

Alien Dalvik 2.0 Brings Android Apps to the iPad

But don't expect Apple to allow it for long. The Myriad Group unveiled their latest version of Alien Dalvik today, a Dalvik virtual machine emulator designed to run Android Applications on all sorts of non-Android devices. The big name here, of course, is Apple's iPad, but Alien Dalvik 2.0 will also bring the capability to TVs, ebook readers, and more.

Myriad will show off the technology first-han at next week's CTIA conference, highlighting Alien Dalvik's ability to run unmodified APK files. The far reaching benefit is the ability for developers to code an app only once, while the virtual machine will more likely come into play in order to boost app selection on lesser developed platforms (think RIM and their Android emulator for the BlackBerry PlayBook). As far as Apple goes, we don't expect they will play nicely with Myriad's latest toy. It will be a boon for jailbreakers, but don't expect to gain access to the Android Market's library of apps with the approval of the iPad maker.

Myriad Alien Dalvik 2.0 on Apple iPad

"We have seen incredible momentum in Android adoption, but we are just scratching the surface," said Simon Wilkinson, Chief Executive Officer, Myriad Group. "Digital screens such as Internet-enabled TVs and in-vehicle displays, along with other consumer devices like tablets and e-books are proliferating at an astounding rate. Consumers are driving multimedia evolution and are demanding more converged multi-screen services. With Alien Dalvik 2.0, we are creating a more flexible, consistent user experience by mobilizing content such as live sports, recorded TV shows and on-demand movies, so users can enjoy content seamlessly from one device to the next."

Alien Dalvik 2.0 is the first step towards creating a single app standard and marks yet another key milestone for Myriad Android innovations. Alien Dalvik 2.0 enables the majority of Android apps to run unmodified using Android Package (APK) files. This in turn allows app store owners and publishers to quickly transcend multiple platforms and screens, leveraging existing software and middleware, all without compromising performance. Furthermore, Alien Dalvik 2.0 enables developers to create once and use many times, while allowing operators, OEMs, and even enterprise to streamline app rollout – taking the headache out of platform fragmentation and content management.

From a user perspective, Alien Dalvik 2.0 is completely transparent and installed without user disruption. Users simply enjoy the same rich Android ecosystem they have become accustomed to via mobile on other key screens, such as playing Angry Birds on HDTV. This all while gaining faster access to a wider range of apps, thus encouraging a higher frequency of downloads and increased ARPU.

"As demand for multi-screen services grows, and as the telecommunications industry becomes a content business, service providers will have new opportunities to leverage their service delivery platforms and collaborate with content providers to develop converged multi-offerings. Alien Dalvik 2.0 provides a great alternative to OEMs and service providers who want to harness the Android ecosystem, while leveraging existing investments and retaining control of their customer experience," added Wilkinson.

From application components to complete device integration, Myriad provides best-in-class Android solutions. As a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), Myriad has exceptional expertise in runtimes and has been playing a key role in Android solutions since its early days.

When partnering with Myriad for Android app development or porting, operators, OEMs and app store owners will benefit from Myriad’s broad portfolio of services, strong knowledge of embedded software systems, rich heritage in Java technology and expertise in second screen solutions for Blu-ray and set-top box markets.

Myriad will be showcasing Alien Dalvik 2.0 in action, demonstrating Android on the Apple iPad at this year’s CTIA Enterprise & Applications in San Diego from October 11th-13th at Myriad’s Hospitality Suite at the Hilton San Diego Bay Front, 1 Park Boulevard, directly adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center.

BrainKiss app for iPad tells you if you're attracted to someone

You know how there seems to be an app for everything? Apparently there's an app for the iPad that tells you if you're attracted to someone or not. It's called BrainKiss, and it's not some silly “love calculator” type app where you put in two names and get a random result. BrainKiss relies on the use of sensors hooked up to a person's head in order to detect the alpha and beta waves in the brain.

Users have to look into the subject's (in this case - a person) eyes for 15 seconds, while the sensors transmit the readings to the iPad app. The app then calculates from the readings whether or not the user is interested in the person they were staring at - and that's it. What both parties do after the discovering attraction is up to their discretion. BrainKiss is being demonstrated at the Tokyo Game Show this year, so if you happen to be there, you can give it a shot.
source:Ubergizmo

Adobe finally brings Flash to iPhone and iPad

During the IBC trade show in Amsterdam on Friday, Adobe officially took the wraps off of its new Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5 and Adobe Flash Access 3.0 products, which will allow iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users to access Adobe Flash content. Apple, which has long rejected Adobe's Flash technology, doesn't need to approve the tech for it to work, either. “With Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5, media publishers now have a single, simple workflow for delivering content using the same stream to Flash-enabled devices or to the Apple iPhone and iPad,” Adobe said in a statement. Flash Media Server 4.5 allows publishers to stream Flash content to iOS devices, which means support within the iOS Safari browser is not required. Instead of relying on a device's processor to render the stream, which often degrades battery life and slows a device down, Adobe's Flash Media Server 4.5 does all the legwork. Adobe Flash Media Server is available immediately to publishers for $4,500. Read on for the full press release.

Adobe Announces Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5 and Adobe Flash Access 3.0

New Ways to Deliver and Protect High-Quality Video Online and On-device Simplify Streaming Media and Content Protection for Superior Video Experiences Across Desktops and Devices Including iOS, Android and Playbook

IBC 2011 September 08, 2011 10:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time

SAN JOSE, Calif. & AMSTERDAM–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced at the IBC 2011 Conference and Exhibition significant new releases of industry-leading streaming video solutions, including Adobe

"Adobe has a deep heritage in providing video solutions for delivering content online and on-device. With Flash Media Server 4.5 and Flash Access 3.0, we're enabling businesses to reach more customers and more devices, helping them increase the impact of video experiences, enhance their brands and ultimately, drive business success"

At the IBC 2011 Exhibition, Adobe will demonstrate its streaming video solutions including the Flash Media Server family, Flash Access, the Open Source Media Framework (OSMF) and Adobe Pass, Adobe's content authentication solution for TV Everywhere, at its stand (Hall 7 Stand 7.G27) in the RAI Convention Center, Sept. 9-13 in Amsterdam.

"Adobe has a deep heritage in providing video solutions for delivering content online and on-device. With Flash Media Server 4.5 and Flash Access 3.0, we're enabling businesses to reach more customers and more devices, helping them increase the impact of video experiences, enhance their brands and ultimately, drive business success," said Pritham Shetty, vice president, Video Solutions, Adobe.

"When your business is based on delivering live, broadcast-quality video streams for high-profile events to massive audiences across the world, having strong technology backing you is vital," said Ben Rolling, vice president of development for AEG Digital Media, the leading provider of complete webcast management and media services for live streaming events and online video. "Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5 improves the stability of our video streams, decreases load times, and helps us better manage encoding and bitrates for an improved end-user experience on mobile devices and online. We can trust that it will deliver rock solid video streams and please our clients, advertisers and viewers, whether we're streaming the royal wedding or the Grammy Awards."

Premium Video Streaming with Flash Media Server 4.5

Flash Media Server 4.5 expands on its mobile delivery options with the addition of iOS support and enables content owners to create HTTP content on the fly to reduce costs brought on by device proliferation. New features of Flash Media Server 4.5:

• Delivery to iPad and iPhone enables businesses to use the same media and live streams to deliver full adaptive bit-rate experiences to platforms supporting Flash, as well as Apple devices, including iPad and iPhone.
• Integrated Content Protection simplifies deployment and reduces infrastructure cost, enabling seamless streaming for advertising-funded online video.
• On-demand Stream Packaging eliminates the need to prepare and protect assets ahead of time, reducing complexity and storage costs and simplifying publishing for businesses so they can use one set of source video to reach multiple downstream devices.

Premium Video Monetization and Content Protection with Flash Access 3.0

Flash Access 3.0 builds on Adobe's strong traction in video delivery by extending support to reach mobile devices. This allows content providers to securely deliver and monetize content with a single back-end workflow, delivering rich, engaging experiences on desktop, connected TVs, Blu-ray players, tablets and smartphones. New features of Flash Access 3.0:

• Support on Mobile Devices will include Android tablets and smartphones, as well as other mobile devices, allowing video programmers to leverage the same content delivery, protection and monetization infrastructure to target mobile devices, following the upcoming release of Adobe Flash Player 11 and Adobe AIR 3 (set to be available later this quarter).
• Scalable License Delivery and in-band Key Rotation enables Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) and programmers to offer television experiences over IP, whether over the open Internet or on a managed network, at massive scale. With Flash Access 3.0, it is now possible to securely deliver multiple TV “channels” to millions of subscribers with a cost-effective premium content protection solution.
• Compatibility with Industry Standards including UltraViolet, an industry-standard, cloud-based digital rights locker system that will allow consumers to create personal virtual video libraries and access them across multiple devices. Flash Access has been approved for use with UltraViolet, set to be released this fall. Flash Access 3.0 and the upcoming versions of Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 will be able to be leveraged by content retailers, service providers and device manufacturers to create full UltraViolet experiences, including playback for the UVVU Common File Format.

Pricing and Availability

Adobe Flash Access 3.0 is offered at per unit CPM pricing. Adobe Flash Media Streaming Server 4.5 is offered at US$995. Adobe Flash Media Interactive Server 4.5 is offered at US$4,500. Adobe Flash Media Enterprise Server 4.5 pricing can be quoted by contacting Adobe. Products can be ordered today at www.adobe.com/go/fms and are available immediately.

source:Boy Genius Report

NBC iPad app now streams full episodes

Good news for fans of NBC shows - the iPad app that was released earlier this June has received a major update. Users can now stream full episodes of their favorite NBC shows using the app on their iPad tablets, as opposed to just short clips when it first made its debut. Everything that's available on NBC.com (which is pretty much everything on the network) can now be streamed on the iPad.

The update also brings new features such as the ability to “follow” a show so that they won't have to search for new episodes each time it is aired. The app is free and available on the Apple App Store. What are you waiting for? The Office is ready to be streamed.

source:Ubergizmo

Boxee app now available on the iPad

Do you love watching videos on your iPad or iPad 2 but get frustrated by the long conversion process or transferring, especially if you constantly update your tablet with new shows? Well, you no longer have to do all that anymore. Boxee has just launched its iPad app that will allow you to stream just about any video format from your computer to your iPad and if you have a Boxee Box, you can even push video from your tablet to it - talk about useful!

In addition to streaming videos straight from your computer, the Boxee iPad app has a bookmarklet that you can add to your browser's tool bar to let you save videos to your Boxee account for later viewing on your computer, Boxee Box or iPad. Integrated social networking let users share videos with their friends over Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, and the Featured option let users access videos that have been featured by Boxee's editorial staff in case they run out of things to watch. Boxee for the iPad is available now from the Apple App Store (free).
source: Ubergizmo

Vudu starts streaming movies to the iPad, chooses the web app route

Now that Vudu has started streaming movies to PCs over the web, we're not surprised that starting today, it's moving to the iPad as well but what is surprising is the decision to stream over the web and forego a dedicated app. This approach lets the Wal-mart-owned (and fully integrated) video delivery company avoid the restrictions of Apple's app store and any additional fees, but unfortunately still means that like the PC, it's restricted to standard definition resolution and due to licensing issues is missing any flicks from Disney. The company plans to keep expanding onto other platforms like Android soon (if you must, the site does work on the iPhone right now but the UI isn't optimized for it yet) but it appears accessibility is replacing high quality HDX streaming as the service's most notable trait, for better or worse.

Press Release:
Walmart Brings VUDU's Movie Streaming Service to iPad More than 20,000 blockbusters, Hollywood classics and independent films can be instantly streamed through VUDU.com on iPad

SANTA CLARA, Calif. and BENTONVILLE, Ark. – (Aug. 10, 2011) – Walmart announced today the launch of VUDU for the iPad. VUDU, a leading subscription-free, video-on-demand movie service and wholly owned subsidiary of Walmart stores, has optimized the navigation experience of VUDU.com to enable millions of iPad owners to rent or buy entertainment content and then stream it easily through any iPad browser.

Beginning today, iPad users can go to VUDU.com and browse through VUDU's entertainment content library, which includes more than 20,000 blockbusters, Hollywood classics, independent films and TV episodes, then rent or purchase and watch them instantly. For one touch access to VUDU, customers can add a VUDU icon to their iPad desktops by clicking the "Add to Home Screen" button when on VUDU.com.

"At Walmart, one of our key priorities is to provide one continuous experience for our customers to interact with our brand - whether that is in stores, online or from their mobile devices," said Edward Lichty, general manager, VUDU. "VUDU's launch on the iPad plays into that vision as we're committed to offering the VUDU experience on as many devices as possible so customers can shop for and access their favorite movies and TV shows however they want, whenever they want."

Movies purchased and/or rented on the iPad can also be viewed on Walmart.com/VUDU, VUDU.com or on any VUDU-enabled consumer electronics device. VUDU is currently available on more than 300 consumer electronics devices including Internet-capable HDTVs, Blu-ray Disc players and the PlayStation 3 - more than any other pay-per-view service. . About VUDU A leader in HD streaming, VUDU offers the world's largest online selection of HD movies, including thousands of blockbusters, Hollywood classics and indies available in stunning HDX 1080p with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. Movies are available the same day they are released on DVD or Blu-ray, and can be rented or purchased without a subscription. VUDU is available on Internet-capable HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players from FUNAI Electronics (Magnavox, Sylvania), LG Electronics, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, SANYO, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba and VIZIO, and on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system from Sony. VUDU is a wholly owned subsidiary of Walmart Stores, Inc., and is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA. For more information, visit http:// www.vudu.com/.

About Walmart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at over 9,200 retail units under 69 different banners in 28 countries. With fiscal year 2011 sales of $419 billion, Walmart employs 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart

can be found by visiting http://walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.
source: Engadget