Royal wedding soundtrack to go straight to iTunes

Royal wedding soundtrack to go straight to iTunes
Move over, Rebecca Black: Another unusual addition to the iTunes top-selling charts is on its way. Namely, it's the "soundtrack" to the much-ballyhooed royal wedding between Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton on April 29, set to appear on Apple's digital download marketplace "within hours" of the occasion's end, according to The Telegraph.Were this a perfect world, the album would include a handful of wedding guests' merry karaoke recordings (Prince Harry is making sure that this is part of the program, right?), and perhaps the live cut of a surprise reunion by the Spice Girls (you know this would be the perfect occasion), but unfortunately we can expect something much more serious. Confirmed performers at the Westminster Abbey ceremony aside from the church's own choir are the Chapel Royal Choir, the London Chamber Orchestra, and the Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.There have also been, the Telegraph reports, "rumors that the service could include a solo performance from a major international star, such as Sir Paul McCartney or Sir Elton John, though this has been denied." Maybe this plan was nixed due to Sir Elton's involvement in a recent film that attempted to retell Shakespeare with 3D-animated garden gnomes.The label releasing the soundtrack, which will include vows and readings, is classical label Decca Records, owned by Universal Music U.K. A representative from the label told The Telegraph that it would be available "worldwide almost instantly"; it will, within a short span, also be available on CD and vinyl.But as much as it's fun to mock how thoroughly the royal wedding has overtaken British pop culture (It won't be broadcast in 3D--good heavens!), know that sales of the album will benefit a good cause: One pound (the equivalent of about $1.60) will be donated to The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, which focuses on philanthropic support of disadvantaged youth, armed forces veterans and their families, and environmental conservation. And karaoke, I hope.Next item of inquiry: Will there be royal wedding-themed items in the just-announced "FarmVille: English Countryside?" The timing is suspiciously convenient.

How to change alert tones in iOS 5

How to change alert tones in iOS 5
"Was that you or me?"I can't tell you how many times a perfectly mediocre episode of "NCIS L.A." or another procedural crime drama my wife forces me to watch is interrupted by the ding of an incoming e-mail on one of our iPhones. If we had different tones, then she could continue watching the NCIS team's riveting investigation while I checked my phone, or she could pause the show and check her phone. So that I would not interrupt Chris O'Donnell, L.L. Cool J, and the rest of the gang, I found an app earlier this month that allowed me to customize the alert tones on my iPhone running iOS 4. One of the overlooked features of iOS 5 is the ability to customize a larger variety of alert tones right from the Settings menu. Before, you could change only the ringtone and text tone from within the settings. Now, with iOS 5, you can customize the alert tones for e-mails, voice mails, Twitter, and more.Related stories:• iPhone 4Sreviewed: Why you (probably) want one• iOS5 reviewed: A modest but worthwhile upgrade• iPhone Atlas roundsup every possible iPhone storyTo customize your alert sounds, go into Settings and choose Sounds. Scroll down a bit and you'll see that instead of a simple on/off option, there are a number of sounds from which to choose for ringtone, text tone, new voice mail, new mail, sent mail, tweet, and calendar alerts. You can then adjust the volume of your ringtone and other alerts by using the slider above, and choose to be able to adjust it using the volume buttons. Unfortunately, you can't adjust the volume for individual tones, so that your e-mail alert is louder than, say, a new voice mail.And if you don't like the selection of tones offered, you can now purchase alert tones from iTunes.

Slacker, ESPN tie up on sports radio

Slacker, ESPN tie up on sports radio
Music-streaming service Slacker is moving into the sports world through a partnership with ESPN.SlackerStarting today, Slacker users can access ESPN Radio content. Basic radio users can listen to a programmed ESPN station, while Slacker Radio Plus and premium subscribers can listen to an ad-free programmed station and create customized myESPN Radio sports stations based on the type of sport, teams, or ESPN programs. They can also get hourly SportsCenter updates added to their Slacker station. The partnership represents a significant expansion of content for Slacker, which already offers music, ABC News, and comedy. ESPN, meanwhile, gets another outlet for its customers. "This new relationship puts the fan more in control by providing customizable ESPN content," Traug Keller, senior vice president of production business divisions for ESPN, said in a statement.An updated Slacker app with ESPN for Apple's iOS has been submitted and will be available pending Apple approval. Slacker is offered for free, but customers can pay $3.99 a month for the Radio Plus option, and $9.99 a month for the premium service.

Siri tells users- Get to the point

Siri tells users: Get to the point
If you're the type of person who asks long-winded questions, Siri would like to change your ways.Apple's server-powered software assistant is now telling users to trim down questions that are too long or otherwise complicated -- a move that iLounge suggests is to retrain how users interact with the service versus an actual human being.If Siri deems your question verbose, the software will serve up quotes that suggest brevity, a comedic -- though also passive-aggressive -- move. Some of the quotes come from author William Strunk, former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, and fictional characters like Hawkeye from M*A*S*H. The effort to retrain Siri users is of note given how Apple originally pitched the service as capable of understanding conversational questions.The change, which is believed to have arrived in the past week, is the latest behind-the-scenes tweak to Siri since Apple launched it alongside the iPhone 4S in 2011. Apple has noted its ambitions to improve the software, most recently by posting a number of jobsseeking people to help "refresh and refine existing Siri dialog."

Apple January event to focus on publishing, iBooks, report says

Apple January event to focus on publishing, iBooks, report says
Apple is reportedly planning to hold a special event in New York City later this month. That's got the rumor mill operating at full capacity to figure out what the company has planned.Yesterday, startup-focused blog TechCrunch was the latest to chime in, saying that a source claims the event will center on book publishing and iBooks. The source didn't say exactly what Apple will announce, but suggested the iPhone maker won't be unveiling any new hardware at the event. Apple's mobile-advertising platform, iAd, also won't be discussed, TechCrunch's source says.All Things Digital reported yesterday, citing sources, that Apple is planning to hold a special event in New York City later this month. Although some might hope the event will usher in new iPad models or the long-rumored Apple television, the publication's sources said that it would likely focus on media-related topics. Apple's senior vice president for Internet software and services, Eddy Cue, is expected to be involved in the event in some fashion. Related storiesApple plans NY event this month, report saysiTunes creator working on Apple TV, report saysApple: iPad 2 is 'dramatically faster'The idea that Apple's event would focus on publishing and iBooks, and not the iPad or Apple TV, seems to make some sense, considering the company is reportedly holding it in New York--a major publishing hub. Plus, Apple has historically waited until later in the year to announce a new iPad. Last year, for example, the company didn't show off the iPad 2 until March.And although the idea of Apple announcing its television later this month is exciting for some consumers, the latest reports on that front suggest the company's set is only in the prototype phase and may be discontinued if its development doesn't go well.So far, Apple has not confirmed that it will be holding an event in New York later this month. The company has also not immediately responded to CNET's request for comment on TechCrunch's report. But given its history, don't bet that Apple will divulge any details on its plans until it's ready.

Apple iTunes makes sweet music in online video market

Apple iTunes makes sweet music in online video market
iTunes tops the charts in online video sales, according to market research firm The NPD Group.Apple claimed 66 percent of all TV shows sold and 65 percent of all movies sold online last year. In second place, Amazon took home 14 percent of all TV shows sold in cyberspace. Amazon and Xbox Video each grabbed a 10 percent chunk of all feature-length films sold over the Internet in 2012.iTunes also scored the lead in the video-on-demand market, biting off a 45 percent share of all online movie rentals. Amazon Instant Video accounted for 18 percent, leaving Vudu with 15 percent. Netflix wasn't included in the mix because NPD's report focused specifically on video content bought for permanent ownership and "a la carte" paid rentals downloaded for limited-time viewing -- in other words, non-subscription services.Apple has leveraged the popularity of "iTunes, iOS, and the popularity of iPhone and iPad to dominate the digital sale and rental markets for movies and music," Russ Crupnick, senior vice president of industry analysis at NPD, said in a statement. "While worthy competitors have come along, no other retailer has so thoroughly dominated its core entertainment product categories for so long."NPD GroupiTunes also boasted a fair share of satisfied customers, according to the report. An NPD poll found that 77 percent of iTunes shoppers rated their experience as excellent or very good, 75 percent were pleased with the current releases, and 73 percent liked the selection."We've seen big-name entertainment retailers lose share, and even close, as their customer satisfaction metrics faded; however, that's clearly not the case with iTunes," Crupnick said. "Customers are quite happy with the store."NPD compiled the report based on data from its VideoWatch Digital consumer service, which tracked the online purchases of 26,176 video-on-demand users between January 2012 and January 2013. NPD also used information from its spring 2013 "Entertainment Trends in America" study.

Apple discloses 'very limited' iPhone 5S battery life issue

Apple discloses 'very limited' iPhone 5S battery life issue
Apple says some buyers of its latest iPhone may experience shorter battery life due to a manufacturing defect on a "very limited" number of models."We recently discovered a manufacturing issue affecting a very limited number of iPhone 5S devices that could cause the battery to take longer to charge or result in reduced battery life," the company told The New York Times. "We are reaching out to customers with affected phones and will provide them with a replacement phone." Related storiesApple's iPhone 5S, 5C larger battery specs detailedli>Apple to sell 51 million iPhones this quarter, forecasts analystiPhone battery lawsuit dismissedIt's unclear just how many phones that is, which models were affected, and just how fast the phones are depleting. CNET has contacted the company for more information, and will update this post when we know more.The iPhone 5S went on sale last month alongside the less-expensive iPhone 5C. Both are rated for similar battery life. They can run for up to 250 hours on standby; can be used for up to 10 hours of 3G talk; And can do 10 and 40 hours of video and audio playback respectively. That's up by many metrics compared to 2011's iPhone 4S, which Apple still sells. Apple reported early sales of 9 million iPhones in its first weekend on sale last month, though the company hasn't (nor is it likely to) disclosed how many of those units were the higher-end device. On Monday, the company said it sold 33.8 million iPhones during its September quarter, which included eight days of 5S and 5C sales.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play

Apple devices that aren't compatible with iOS 8

Apple devices that aren't compatible with iOS 8
Along with unveiling its Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite operating system, Apple announced the latest update to its popular mobile OS today during a keynote held in San Francisco. Dubbed iOS 8, the new software includes such features like QuickType predictive text, an interactive notification menu, and more native photo editing tools.More WWDC 2014 coverageWWDC 2014 full CNET coverageApple officially announces iOS 8, a 'giant release' (First Take)A closer look at Apple OS X Yosemite (pictures)Apple announces Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite (First Take)Many of the tech giant's recent mobile products will be able to receive theupdate. According to Apple, compatible iOS 8 devices include:The iPhone 4SThe iPhone 5The iPhone 5CThe iPhone 5SThe iPod Touch fifth generation The iPad 2The iPad with Retina DisplayThe iPad Air,The iPad MiniThe iPad Mini with Retina DisplayDevices that will miss out on the iOS 8 update will be:The iPhone 4 and older iPhonesThe iPod Touch fourth generation and older modelsthe original iPadIn addition to QuickType and new features with the notifications menuand photo app, the refreshed OS brings Spotlight search suggestions,faster access to your favorite contacts with a Home key double-tap, and abevy of new built-in health tools. For more on the update, read CNET's iOS 8 first take. Developers can get their hands on a beta version of the OS today, while consumers will have to wait until the fall to update.Apple iOS 8 at WWDC 2014 (pictures)See full gallery1 - 4 / 17NextPrevEditors' note: This is a developing story. Follow CNET's WWDC live blog and check out all of today's WWDC news.

Apple devices said to get free in-flight movies on United

Apple devices said to get free in-flight movies on United
Word has it that iPhone, iPad, and Mac users will soon get to access more than 150 movies and about 200 TV shows for free when flying on United Airlines, according to Patently Apple.Come April, the airlines is said to be rolling out an update to its iOS app that will come with the added feature of an in-flight movie service. To get the purported service, users must be running iOS 7. For those with Macs, Patently Apple reports that no app is necessary to get the in-flight service.The movie service is said to only be available for Apple devices for now. It's unclear if Android or other operating systems could get the service.Initially, the in-flight entertainment is said to only be available on a select few aircrafts, but then may spread across United's fleet."Most planes will be equipped with the new system very soon, and we'll have it installed on most domestic aircraft by the end of 2014," United said, according to Patently Apple. "We'll begin on Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Boeing 747-400 and select 777-200 aircraft, followed by additional fleets."United isn't the only airline reportedly looking to debut personal in-flight entertainment. Lufthansa is also said to be planning to beam in-flight movies to Android, iOS, and Windows Phone devices via its BoardConnect entertainment system. And, Southwest currently offers similar entertainment services via Wi-Fi -- but for a fee.CNET contacted United for comment. We'll update the story when we get more information.

Apple devices more likely to be used for in-flight Internet access

Apple devices more likely to be used for in-flight Internet access
New numbers by in-flight Wi-Fi service Gogo show that "Apple devices are still reigning above the clouds." Maybe it's because Apple devices are more popular to use while traveling, or maybe it's because Android users are smart enough to download their in-flight entertainment before getting on an airplane?Despite the reason why, Gogo's numbers are significant (see the infographic below). Eighty-four percent of in-flight Internet users are connecting with iOS vs. 16 percent with Android's operating system. Specifically for smartphones, the number is 73 percent using iPhones compared with 26 percent on Android devices. While the difference between iOS and Android is vast, Android has increased its share since 2011 when 96 percent of people connected with iOS and 3.2 percent on Android. All companies aside, another somewhat surprising detail in Gogo's numbers is that people use tablets more than any other device to connect to the Web while in the air. Thirty-five percent of people use tablets, while 33 percent use laptops, and 32 percent use smartphones. For comparison, a new report by Adobe shows that on the ground 84 percent of people connect with desktops, while 8 percent use tablets and 7 percent use smartphones.Gogo's Wi-Fi service is on about 1,500 airplanes from Air Canada, Air Tran, Alaskan Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, United, U.S. Airways, and Virgin America. In September, Gogo raised the price of its in-flight Wi-Fi service in several aircrafts by starting to charge by the hour instead of offering one-time flight passes. Gogo

Apple developer site buckles following WWDC

Apple developer site buckles following WWDC
Update: Back up now; see update below.Apparently a lot of developers are eager to get their mitts on preview versions of Apple's next iOS and OS X software. Enough are visiting the developer site to bring things to a screeching halt. Users who attempt to make their way there are currently getting page load errors, as well as a page that tells users: "We'll be back soon."This has happened plenty of other times, and is expected to be sorted out, though Apple's currently offering no guidance on when. Additionally, its fancy system status page for its services, stores and iCloud does not include its developer sites and services.More from WWDCMeet iTunes Radio, Apple's long-awaited streaming music serviceApple gives the iPhone a user interface face-lift with iOS 7Apple unveils new MacBook Air, gives Mac Pro sneak peek Mac Pro sneak peek (pictures) Getting to know Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks (pictures) WWDC 2013: Full coverageThe developer site will be the first and -- for a while -- only place to get downloads of iOS 7 and OS X 10.9 "Mavericks," which Apple introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference earlier today. Both pieces of software are headed for a public release later this year. Apple is giving developers early access to fine-tune their apps and help squash bugs before the public release.Users must be a registered Apple developer to install either of the two previews, and the software itself requires agreeing to a nondisclosure agreement. Perhaps making the outage more impressive is that iOS 7 won't work with all of Apple's iOS devices out the gate. Apple on Monday said the beta would only be for the iPhone initially, with betas for the iPad and iPod Touch to follow. Apple's also ratcheted up the minimum hardware needed to be able to install the software, which will work only on the iPhone 4 and later, iPad 2 and later, the iPad Mini, and fifth-generation iPod Touch.Update at 3 p.m. PT: Well, that was quick. Apple's developer site is up and running, several developer readers now tell CNET. What developers saw trying to get onto Apple's developers site.CNET