iPad Apps Reviews

Can You Keep Up . . .

Is it just me or has the whole world gone on “fast forward” . . . especially when you think about how we can now find, share and then organize music. It’s getting even easier to access the latest tunes from laptops or stereo units, just like pulling up the playlist on your cell phone. With progress comes confusion (it can’t be just me can it), so I thought it would be a good idea to pin point 11 different fantastic apps and services which can improve your listening to music experience even more. Yes, I know it’s difficult to believe, but bear with me . . . .

Music Streamlining Services

Music streamlining services are everywhere these days, but as so often happens with progress, some services are a lot better than others, and so much of it depends on where you live. 12 months ago we might have thought that size was everything, but these days it seems that it’s not so much the size of the library which makes it the best, it’s more a case of which devices the individual service supports.

Spotify – made a big noise in Europe before heading over towards the States. It’s recently been integrated with Facebook so need I say more . . . it’s heading for the big time, big time! They have apps available for every different platform you can think of (and maybe even some you can’t) and growing support with connections to devices like Boxee Box.

MOG – this is still only available in the States at the mo, but there are real hopes for expansion real soon. MOG is absolutely committed to muscling in on as many platforms and devices as they possibly can . . . and who can blame them. MOG is available for devices like Boxee, Sono and Roku, and has a developer API which has a target of many more devices firmly in its sights.

Rdio – put your spell checker away, no I haven’t missed out an “a”, Rdio is yet another streaming service which is actively targeting outside devices. This was actually one of the first music streaming services to create dedicated apps for the iPad and Mac, but it isn’t resting on its laurels and is targeting more and more platforms and devices.

Sony Music UnLimited – this music streaming service is one of the very few which has international support BIG style, well, Sony style I suppose.

Cloud Apps and Services

We all know how great it is to stream music, but just sometimes (in fact, quite often in my case) I want to actually store my favorite downloads and playlists . . . and access them from any device I want to. Although clouds have been around for years (well, some clouds have only been around for years, some clouds have been around for centuries), the last few months have really seen the idea of these clouds grow beyond all recognition . . . there’s a storm front coming! This is all down to the usual suspects and big players . . . . Apple, Amazon and Google . . . you’d never have guessed it would you?

iTunes in the Cloud – from Apple, the first major component for its new cloud-based music strategy. It’s pretty neat as it allows users to easily access and then re-download anything they’ve previously bought from iTunes music or a TV show.

 Amazon Cloud Player – well done to Amazon who managed to sneak in front of both Apple and Google when it unveiled the Amazon Cloud Player music service. It’s very similar to the iTunes in the Cloud . . . . you can upload music tracks from a storage locker and then access these from other devices. Watch out for the seamless connection between the Amazon Cloud Player and the new Kindle Fire . . . .

Google Music – alright, it’s still in Beta but don’t let that put you off, there’s a very strong rumor on the grapevine that the service will be launched to a much wider audience very soon. It doesn’t have the music stores like Amazon and Apple at the moment, but it won’t be left behind for long . . . you can count on it.

Other Music Apps and Plug-Ins

It ain’t only about finding and organizing great music though is it . . . we wanna share our tunes too! That’s where music apps and utilities come into the equation. There are some fantastic ways in which we can discover music, share it with friends and organize it for the future. Here are a few examples.

Exfm – this Chrome browser extension is nothing short of awesome and can turn the entire web into your own personal music collection. Sharing is a piece of cake and exfm has a strong integration with SoundCloud, Tumblr and bandcamp amongst others. It’s also really easy to save and then share playlists and MP3s on your favorite websites.

Songza – okay, it has been around a while but it’s just binned beta and released the most awesome iPhone app, offering a one-stop digital mix-tape shop, easy to share with friends and to listen to whilst you’re on the go. Try it, you’ll like it . . .

 Tomahawk – this one is pretty unique. It’s an open source (always good for starters), cross platform music player, socially aware which can turn playlists from all over the place into customized Spotify playlists to either share or directly access within the app itself.

Double Twist – this one is a kind of iTunes for Androids. It works on PC and Mac, and manages Android apps music, podcasts and videos. Definitely worth a second look.

Right now, just wait a minute, 1, 2, 3 . . . . . 9, 10, 11 . . . . yes, that’s me done, 11  great apps and services for sharing, organizing and discovering music . . .  that’s what I promised and that’s what there is!