music

How loud do you listen to music and movies?

How loud is loud? I know loud when I hear it, but if you want a number, I'd say at home anything over 90 dB is getting up there, and might annoy neighbors in adjacent apartments, especially after 10 p.m. If you live in a house, 90+ dB would definitely disturb other family members not watching the movie or listening to music. Of course, the volume at concerts and movie theaters is much, much louder than most people would ever tolerate at home. Loud music, games, and home theater takes on an almost physical quality; you don't … Read more

Telly is more than just a Vine clone

Telly is a video app that gives you a way to shoot and share video with effects and watch popular videos posted to Facebook, Twitter, and Telly's own network.

Instead of a YouTube client or other video player, Telly shows you a feed of videos taken from your friends' posts on Facebook and Twitter, and those of other Telly users. If you follow celebrities, sports figures, or television networks on Twitter, you'll also get whatever videos they post as part of your feed. Basically, depending on your friends and who you follow, you'll have a place where … Read more

Get Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic for $13.99 shipped

When Apple introduced the iPhone 5 last year, I was mostly unimpressed. Slightly bigger screen? Meh. Slightly faster processor? Meh.

But there was one "feature" that did sound pretty good, no pun intended: Apple's new EarPods. They promised a better fit, better sound, and stronger protection against sweat and water (I'm a runner, hence the appeal).

Apple sells them separately for $29, but today only, and while supplies last, DealFisher has the refurbished Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic for $13.99 shipped.

Whoa. Refurbished earbuds? That doesn't sound too appealing. But DealFisher says these … Read more

Twitter working on a music app

CNET Update sings along:

Twitter is working on a music app called Twitter Music, CNET has learned. First, Facebook adds a Music News Feed, now Twitter works on an app for discovering music. Is everyone trying to be more like MySpace?

Also in Wednesday's tech roundup:

- Samsung's Galaxy S4 may not have eye-scrolling technology, but we'll know for sure on Thursday. Follow CNET's live blog of the announcement. Coverage begins at 3 p.m. Pacific, 6 p.m. Eastern.

- Whatever Samsung announces, there will be plenty of promotion. A report shows Samsung spends more than Apple on marketing. … Read more

We Are Hunted goes offline after report of acquisition by Twitter

Hours after CNET reported that Twitter acquired music service We Are Hunted to build a new, standalone music app, the service was taken offline.

Visitors to the site now get a message saying "We Are Hunted is not available at the moment."

A person familiar with the matter told CNET that Twitter acquired We Are Hunted last year and is using it to build an app, to be called Twitter Music, which could be released on iOS by the end of the month. The app suggests artists and songs based on a variety of signals. The experience is … Read more

How to enable night mode on Slacker Radio mobile apps

The screen on your smartphone can be uncomfortably bright when viewing it in the dark. Slacker Radio recently updated its Android and iPhone apps to include a night mode feature that makes it easier to see at night or in dimly lit environments. It's a useful feature, especially if you enjoy listening to Slacker Radio in your vehicle at night. By using a dark theme, it helps prevent an overly bright screen from distracting you while you drive.

To enable night mode on Android, just go to Settings and check the box next to Night Mode. On the iPhone, … Read more

How to add local news, traffic, and weather to iHeartRadio

Internet radio and music services offer a lot of customization options that allow us to focus on just the music. However, if you feel a bit out of touch with what's happening in the world around you, iHeartRadio's new Add-ins might be able to help. The new Add-ins insert local news, traffic, and weather updates to your custom stations every hour.

To enable Add-ins, log in to your iHeartRadio account on the Web and go to the Add-ins section in Settings. iHeartRadio will use your current location to provide local updates, or you can manually set a location … Read more

Spotify: Growing like mad, yet so far to go

AUSTIN, Texas -- It's not a bluegrass jam on the legendary Austin City Limits stage, but for Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, it nonetheless will be a heady moment.

When Ek sits for a fireside chat at the South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival here later today, the Swedish-born, aspiring music industry mogul will be able to share some fresh bragging rights: Spotify has signed another 1 million subscribers since December, bringing the total to 6 million and cementing its position as the fastest-growing digital music company ever -- second in reach only to Internet radio company Pandora. A company … Read more

Rdio adds seven new countries to its free-music option

Continuing its recent push into international markets, Rdio announced today that it has expanded its free streaming music service in seven new countries, bringing its total global presence up to 24.

The free music option, which launched to its first international customers in January, is now available in Austria, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, and Mexico. The expansion comes on the same day that Bloomberg reported that music streaming rival Spotify was close to deals with record labels to expand its ad-supported mobile radio service outside the U.S.

Much like Pandora, Spotify's music service has advertisements seeded among … Read more