A special edition of James Cameron’s Avatar is set to hit the iTunes Store on December 20, and for fans of the film it is not to be missed. In addition to an original screenplay by Cameron, it features over 1,700 images and allows fans to “deconstruct some of the movie’s most memorable scenes.”
iTunes Match Finally Launches In The U.K., Australia & Europe – Here’s How To Get It Now [Updated]
Apple is slowly rolling out international support for iTunes Match today, with the service appearing in the U.K., Australia, and parts of Europe. The music matching service has been exclusive to the U.S. since its launch earlier this fall, but it made its way to Brazil earlier this week. If you can’t see it where you are, here’s a handy tip to get it working.
iTunes Store Goes Live Across 16 Latin American Countries While Brazil Gets iTunes Match
Apple has expanded the reach of its iTunes Store today by offering music and movie content for the first time across 16 Latin American countries. It has also introduced the new iTunes Match service to users in Brazil, making it the first country outside of the U.S. to gain access to the feature.
Apple Finally Introduces TV Show Streaming To Apple TV In Australia, Canada & U.K.
Apple has begun issuing an update to its second-generation Apple TV that finally allows users in Australia, Canada, and the U.K. to stream TV shows they’ve purchased on iTunes directly to their television.
Apple Launches iTunes 12 Days Of Christmas Promotion For European Users
Apple’s iTunes 12 Days of Christmas promotion is becoming an event that European users can depend on every year. A new app for its Christmas 2011 giveaway hit the App Store yesterday, and will offer iTunes users a free download every day between December 26 and January 6.
Manage Your iTunes Match Subscription And Registered Devices [iCloud Tips]
iTunes Match gives customers access to their music libraries from any iOS device or authenticated desktop computer. The service uses the magic of iCloud to ‘match’ and upload tracks from an iTunes account so that songs can be played and downloaded multiple times on multiple devices.
While Apple has offered some documentation on the innards of iTunes Match, aspects of the service remain unaddressed. For those wondering, one iTunes Match account can be used with a maximum of 10 devices. You can manage your registered devices and iTunes Match subscription inside your iTunes account settings.
Sony’s Revolutionary New TV Could Used Web-Based Services To Cut Out Cable Providers
Sony CEO Howard Stringer recently revealed the company’s intentions to launch a revolutionary new television before Apple, and according to The Wall Street Journal, it will be a web-based alternative to the traditional set that will allow users to avoid the cable companies.
Apple Is Holding Back A Hulu Plus App For Apple TV [Rumor]
A Hulu Plus application seems like the perfect addition to Apple’s $99 set-top box. While the device already comes packing a native Netflix app, the only way users can access current TV shows is by using the iTunes Store. According to some sources, however, a Hulu Plus app is ready to go, but Apple may not release it.
Missing iTunes Store Credit? Thank the Towson Hack [Scams]
An article on Macworld today sheds some light on the Towson Hack — a mysterious scam involving stolen iTunes store credit dating back to November of last year.
Macworld highlights a trafficked thread on the Apple support forums that tells story after story of stolen iTunes gift card credit, initially relating to a changed billing address to Towson, Maryland.
The Beatles Finally Come To iTunes!
As predicted, Apple’s big iTunes announcement today wasn’t iTunes in the cloud, or streaming, or a subscription fee… it’s John, Paul, Ringo and George. After ten years, the Beatles and their music catalogue have finally hit iTunes.
Although it’s not been announced on Apple.com as of writing, the Beatles’ presence on the iTunes Store now commands most of the upper fold. The entire catalog seems to be available, along with a link to the band’s page, the Beatles Box set and more. You’re even getting a decent deal on the Beatles Box Set: it cost $250 when it was released last year, and currently costs $154.99 on Amazon at a heavily discounted price. Apple’s price? Just $150 for every Beatles song ever recorded.
The sudden resolution of Apple’s decades-long standoff with Apple Records, first for the Apple trademark and then for the Beatles catalog, has happened swiftly. One thing’s for sure: however Steve got Apple Records and EMI to agree to iTunes’ terms, it’s going to make one hell of a read when the story finally comes to light.
Although many of us already own the Beatles’ catalog — I have the full collection of the recent remasters already converted to lossless MP3s — and while many will be apathetic to this news, this is a big win for Apple, as the record labels release their death grip on one of the last digital music holdouts.
CDs and records aren’t the future of music anymore: iTunes is, and the labels have finally been forced to give up one of their last aces-in-the-holes in order to stay relevant.