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Gracenote automatically tunes your car stereo for each song
Gracenote has developed several ways to leverage its audio tech in the past few years, and the one unveiled today is all about making sure your music sounds its best while you're on the road. Dynamic EQ is built on its ability to identify the music being played, and then adjust your car's audio settings for that particular song. Pretty much any audio system out now has simple genre presets for the equalizer, but for drivers, switching between them as you listen to radio, streaming or CDs doesn't usually make sense.
New tech can run your car's infotainment system for you
If you've ever listened to CDs or digital music on a car or the computer, you've already encountered Gracenote -- even if this is the first time you've heard of the name. Gracenote recognizes tracks as they're played and displays the title, artist, and (for newer auto infotainment systems) even the album art. Now Gracenote has launched a brand new product for in-dash systems called "Entourage," which is a completely different entity from the company's Automatic Content Recognition System for TV with the same name. Entourage for cars was developed to augment your streaming and internet radio apps -- it's not an app itself, but rather a technology that infotainment systems can use. A company spokesperson gave this scenario to GigaOM as an example: when you hear a particular song playing on FM radio, you can tell your car's dashboard loaded with Entourage to create playlists across all your apps, or even in just one of them, like Pandora.
Zeebox can now listen in, automatically identify what you're watching
Zeebox is making good on its cooperation with Gracenote today with the announcement that the second screen app can now automatically identify what you're watching through analysis of the show's "audio fingerprint." Several second screen TV apps use similar technology to sync up with what's on TV, although this implementation is more closely matched to what we've seen from IntoNow. Naturally, use of the latest feature is entirely optional, which includes the ability to automatically listen in when you start the app, along the with ability to manually activate the function by tapping a microphone icon. Gracenote reps tell us that Zeebox records a short, Vine-length audio clip, and then generates an audio profile based on that, which is recognized by Gracenote's Entourage system -- the audio recording itself never leaves your device. The new functionality is available on all versions of Zeebox, which includes Android, BlackBerry and iOS, but the ability for Gracenote to automatically identify shows is limited to programs that've aired in the past seven days.
Vudu disc-to-digital home Ultraviolet conversion software enters public beta, comes to Mac
It took some time to work out most of the bugs, but Vudu is finally expanding its beta of its home-based disc-to-digital service. The idea and the price are still the same as when the private beta launched, but what's new is support for OS X, plus an improved user experience and disc identification powered by Gracenote. We gave it a try and found the process couldn't be any easier or more straight forward. To get others to try it out, Vudu is giving away the first conversion on the house and if you're willing to convert ten or more movies then you'll get a 50 percent discount. After converting a DVD to HDX we were instantly able to turn around and start watching it, far faster than any disc ripping software we've used. Add in the newfound ability to download movies to iOS and Android devices and UltraViolet is really shaping up -- though we're still waiting for that common file format to move copies between devices easily and single sign-on to fix the login mess.
Gracenote unleashes its vast musical know-how to developers
You've probably used Gracenote thousands of times and have been none the wiser, but for good reason: the musical metadata service lives in the background of several apps, appearing only momentarily to bring meaning to your favorite tunes. Now, Gracenote is looking to expand its reach by opening its APIs and SDKs to app developers -- effectively putting its massive database in the hands of all who seek it. Of course, ripping CDs isn't quite what it once was, and that's why Gracenote has also opened its MusicID song recognition service to developers, allowing them to harness the same functionality of apps such as Shazam and SoundHound. The free service is available now, and for extra insight, you'll find the full PR after the break.
Zeebox picks Gracenote Entourage for its second screen TV chat platform
It was around this time last year that Gracenote's embryonic automatic content recognition system for TV emerged under the name "Entourage." Now, it's been picked up by the increasingly popular second-screen app Zeebox, enabling you to automatically identify whatever it is you're watching. Even better, it'll connect you with other users who are also gasping along to the same episode of Pregnant in Heels you are. All the pairing has to do now is dream a better verb for this process before Shazam-ing becomes the legally-uncomfortable term by default
Rhapsody intros SongMatch for Android, helps you discover tunes with a simple tap
There's certainly no doubt that Rhapsody usually caters to the Android crowd first, before eventually taking its on-demand goods elsewhere. Now, not long since completely redesigning its official application on Mountain View's mobile OS, the music service announced its newest application, dubbed SongMatch (powered by Gracenote). As the name would adequately tell us, Rhapsody's app will make it relatively simple to learn more about previously-unknown tunes, with SongMatch offering a one-click feature which can quickly identify music info such as the artist, song and, naturally, the name of the album -- you know, similar to what you might see on apps like Shazam and SoundHound. SongMatch is available as a gratis download on the Play and Amazon stores, and Rhapsody's quick to point out that the app will be great for current subscribers as well as newcomers who may not have an account -- that said, the company is hoping to lure some people in, adding that SongMatch is indeed "a great way to introduce new music fans to Rhapsody."
RealPlayer leaves beta, becomes fully-fledged Android app
RealNetworks has decided to roll out that old internet chestnut, RealPlayer, to a fresh-faced generation of smartphones that are screaming out for one more media player. This one reckons it can handle your music, video and photo content al in the same blueish hue and while the player has a basic flavor out for free, there's a $5 app for those that like the finer things in life. Extra features in the paid-for version include a graphic equalizer with save function, Gracenote database compatibility and manual metadata editing for those with more esoteric music tastes. Naturally, advertising is nixed in this version too. Now out from beta testing, hit the source for the download.
Hands-on with Gracenote's automotive-grade MoodGrid
Garmin has a new head unit (internally dubbed Everest) that's due to arrive in a few OEM vehicles later this year, and aside from an attractive interface, a revamped navigation system and one-shot voice commands, a new audio app from Gracenote could be included in the package.The app is called MoodGrid and it's a scaled down version of the Android-based version that Gracenote has been testing for the last year. Like the tablet app, the automotive-spec MoodGrid has a graph with Positive, Calm, Energetic and Dark on each axis. Place your finger anywhere between those points and the system scours your iPhone, iPod or Android device for tracks to match your mood. The automotive version uses a five-by-five grid and a new tablet version has the potential to tap into subscription music services to serve up the tunes. Check out the hands-on video after the break and expect to see MoodGrid in dealerships sometime this year.
Gracenote Entourage: the ACR TV platform has a name!
Remember Gracenote's plans for an Automatic Content Recognition system for TV? (think: Shazam to help you work out which The Mentalist episode is on). Now it's got a name: Gracenote Entourage. It'll run on smartphones and tablets to identify movies, TV shows and music just from the audio clip. It'll then show you related programming, actor bios and, erm, relevant advertising (but hey, they've gotta make money somehow, yeah?). It'll run on mobile devices and smart TVs, although would that really be easier than pressing the "TV Guide" button on your remote? We'll leave that for you to judge.
Sony Video Unlimited-preview brings Gracenote metadata to SEN
Despite one of its execs pegging this spring's lengthy PSN outage as a "great experience" the folks at Sony have been pounding the pavement to drum up consumer morale. Back at IFA, the outfit unveiled its new all-in-one Sony Entertainment Network, and its already giving the VOD wing, Video Unlimited, a facelift. Starting today, PS3 owners holding a PlayStation Plus subscription can download the creatively titled "Video Unlimited-preview" app from the PlayStation Store. According to Sony, the new user interface is all about giving the people what they want, and in this case that means a streamlined UI, with big bright graphics and understated, glowing blue text. It also means Gracenote integration, opening up the possibility of endless rabbit-holes of related content searches. We had a few minutes with the new setup, and found ourselves searching content related to Danny McBride's Your Highness under categories like "Bumbling Buffoons" and "Mythical Beasts," although we could just as easily have called up titles featuring the film's director or any of its stars. If that's not enough of a departure from the conventional video on demand arrangement, the new UI also features "tumbler search technology," which abandons regular keyboard-style input for PS3 controls -- click the right button to select a letter as you scroll vertically through the alphabet. This "patented technology" also autocompletes your query and similarly takes advantage of Gracenote's database, allowing you to search by title, actor, director or tag. The new UI is specific to the company's video service and is currently only available via the PS3, but we're told it will roll out to the entire network and supported devices sometime in the future. All PlayStation Network users will be able to download the preview app starting October 11th, check out a video preview embedded after the break. %Gallery-134935%
Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity
Back in February, General Motors debuted its MyLink smartphone integration for the Chevy Volt and Equinox on the Engadget Show, letting drivers control their iOS, Android, and BlackBerry smartphone apps via voice or touchscreen. The company announced today that it will be offering the same technology -- albeit rebranded as the tongue-twisting IntelliLink -- on several 2012 Buick and GMC models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Verano, and the GMC Terrain. IntelliLink offers up a fairly similar feature set as its Chevy counterpart -- connecting to iPhones and Android handsets via Bluetooth or USB, and leveraging Nuance voice recognition and Gracenote databases to control the likes of Pandora and Stitcher Radio. Autoblog reports that IntelliLink will hit the Buick Verano first, followed by the LaCrosse and Regal, though you might be more interested in the Terrain -- owners will also be able to control their vehicle's rear-view camera with IntelliLink, and who doesn't like manipulating megapixels in the name of pedestrian safety?
Sony's $200 BDP-S470 is company's first 3D-ready Blu-ray player
And the flood gates are now officially open. Just hours after Panasonic introduced its newest 3D Blu-ray recorders and players, along comes Sony to brag about its first 3D-ready standalone deck. The BDP-S470, which is slated to ship later this month for $200, arrives with the ability to handle BD, DVD, CD and even SACD, with a 3D Blu-ray upgrade (via firmware update) planned for this summer. You'll also find BD-Live support, BRAVIA Internet Video, a USB socket for playing back media stored elsewhere, 1080p DVD upscaling and TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. If you were planning to snag a BDP-S570 BD player or one of the BDV-E770W / BDV-E570 Blu-ray Disc home theater systems, you'll be elated to know that those systems will also get a gratis 3D update in just a few months, with exact pricing and release details tucked down there in the source. Time to pick up a pair of 3D Gunnar Optiks, don'tcha think?
RCDb bringing IMDB, Gracenote lookup extras to tru2way boxes
We haven't seen a lot out of tru2way to start 2010, but maybe that can get turned around starting at the CableLabs Winter Conference, where Related Content Database (RCDb) is showing off its technology which pulls together cable set-tops with web databases like IMDB and Gracenote. Using a demo on a Panasonic tru2way box, the company's showing off the ability for Hollywood and others to bring BD-Live style features to discs and cable simultaneously. Of course, the adoption of BD-Live and tru2way have both been shaky so showing them off together might not strengthen the position of either right away, but we'll keep an optimistic eye out for any developments coming.
App Store Stories: One man's app. Three corporations. Lyrics 2 against the world.
When Joris Kluivers (@kluivers on Twitter) set out to write his Lyrics app for iPhone, he never intended to personally take on Apple, Sony, and Gracenote. Kluivers, a student at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, was just trying to get his foot in the App Store door, not go toe-to-toe with three media behemoths. The story of how he ended up navigating through the corporate bulwarks to eventually successfully publish his latest release, Lyrics 2 (iTunes Link), with the blessings of all three companies, no less, makes quite the App Store saga. The initial version of Lyrics was simple. Kluivers collaborated with Moop.me, a programming cooperative, to build his application. Published this past May, Lyrics was the first application on the App Store to allow users to find and display song lyrics. Several other similar applications followed in the weeks after. Kluivers built the application around the LyricsWiki database. Featuring over 700,000 songs, the wiki provided easy access to a much-desired resource. It was exactly that access to a vast library of songs that caused the first of Kluiver's corporate challenges. Apple insisted on censoring his lyrics. Read on to learn more about what happened...
Video: Sony 400 disc Blu-ray changer with Gracenote in action
Ever since the we first heard about the Sony 400 Disc Blu-ray changer we wondered what it must be like to try and navigate through 400 movies to find something to watch. Sony was quick to tout its award winning XrossMediaBar interface, but you really never know until you see it first hand. We stopped by Sony's booth at CEDIA and we have to say it's pretty sad. We can't even imagine paying that much for something that is frustrating. The fact is that one user interface design does not fit all, and while the XrossMediaBar works for many applications, it is hard to beat the good ol' tile view for browsing movies. The Sony representative giving the demo was quick to remind us that you can use another piece of equipment to browse your movies, which will in turn control the changer, but that's no excuse. The good news though is that the big guy did manage to change discs pretty fast.
Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"
Are you one of the more than 4,000 people (86%) that answered our poll saying you thought BD-Live was a waste of time, or didn't see any reason to give it a shot? We talked to Sony Pictures recently and were promised that more useful reasons for hooking the internet to Blu-ray discs & players were on the way, and today at a press event it showed why it thinks that will come true. Check out the gallery for a few pics of its new MovieIQ app, quickly described as a "wiki for movies" that can tie into your discs and provide information from Gracenote on demand on nearly anything in the movie or even specific scene being watched, from actors & directors to background music. The first BD-Live discs with it should be available in September, we'll be back with more details shortly, for now just let the images do the talking.Update: Official press release is included after the break
iTunes 8.2 to include Blu-ray support?
Update: Our bad... the date on the MacRumors comment was in late April, and this recycled up into our queue due to an editing mixup. Apologies –Ed.There's a new iTunes beta version out in developers' hands straight from Apple, and a forum poster over at Mac Rumors found a little something fun in the About screen: a reference to Gracenote's ability to identify Blu-ray discs. Gracenote is the service that IDs your CDs when you import them into iTunes, so you don't have to sit there and type all the track names and artist information in. Apparently Apple is mentioning that not only CDs and DVDs, but also Blu-ray discs, will get information from Gracenote in the latest version of iTunes.This doesn't mean that Apple will adapt Blu-ray as a standard (though it would probably be about time, don't you think?). But it should mean that the future version of iTunes will include Blu-ray support, so if you happen to have a Blu-ray drive hooked up to your Mac, you'll be able to read or play the discs via iTunes.It could just mean that Apple has upgraded the Gracenote version in their app, however, and that they have no plans to actually use it -- the text in the About screen could just be a boilerplate cut-and-paste from some required Gracenote documentation that happens to include "Blu-ray." We'll have to wait and see just what shows up in 8.2 when it eventually releases to the public.
Sony buys Gracenote for $260m
You remember Gracenote, right? They're the company that some years back kinda sorta misled everybody that populated the CDDB with data by selling the whole thing and closing off the platform. Well, they're laughing all the way to the bank once again: Sony just bought 'em up for $260m, with the deal set to close in late May.
Gracenote trumps Sony Ericsson -- announces W910, W960, and K850
Oh my. Looks like Gracenote has unintentionally stolen Sony Ericsson's thunder by outing their phones before SE's "next big thing" later today. According to their press release, Gracenote's mobile music service will be embedded on the "new Walkman models W910, W960 and the K850 Cyber-shot." Of course, there's still some mystery as we don't yet know which internal codename -- Sofia, Maria/Mooi, Shinobu, or possibly others -- matches up with those new product numbers. As to Gracenote, well they'll provide search and discovery, song ID and playlisting, and allow users to transfer music between home libraries, on-line music stores, and their new SE phones. But really, it's only the phones you're interested in right? Update: Well, well now BelgiqueMobile seems to have the leaked pics and specs: 5 megapixel cybershot K850i with HSDPA/EDGE; W910 HSDPA Walkman 3.0 slider with 2 megapixel camera; W960 Walkman Touch player with UIQ 3.1, WiFi, and 3.2 megapixel camera. There's more, but not more if you knowwhutamean?[Thanks, Thomas B. and CedricG]
