As an Android 4.0 user, I feel like I’ve been waiting a long time for a reliable and up to date music streaming service. Then, like proverbial buses, two come along at once!
For a while it seemed like Spotify had all but abandoned the Android platform and since Google launched the Play Store there has been a conspicuous music-shaped hole in its UK product line. Literally! (Screenshot 1 - Left).
The wait was over in April when Spotify released a revamped beta version of its Android App. The new UI is great and makes excellent use of a menu tray to access the main functions.
A preview panel of the song Now Playing makes switching between the media player and other parts of the app a breeze. This is a real improvement from the previous version where the sliding panel seemed a little clumsy.
Music has always played an important role in the story of video games and with the recent interest in game controller interfaces (2:27) and distribution channels like the Rock Band Network, video games are playing an increasingly important role in the story of music. Does the emergence of Reactive Music create opportunities for artists to learn from game composers?
Reactive music adapts to a listener’s environment by using the cameras, microphones, accelerometers, touch-screens and GPS features in media players to affect reactive musical Scenes. The field is being pioneered by RjDj who produce Reactive Music apps for the iPhone. Several artists including Air have made scenes available through the RjDj network.
The growth of online music services has changed the way that
people discover, buy, organise and listen to music. The way that services
support these activities plays a key role in their success. With Virgin, Sky
and BT set to launch online music services in the coming months, we decided to
take a look at the user experience of some of the key players in the UK market. Thisreport describes our
findings and offers some usability tips for designers and developers working in
this competitive market.
We looked at four of the leading suppliers of online music
services in the UK: iTunes, Spotify, Last.fm, and Nokia Music, and found that
no one service offers the best solution for all of a listener’s digital music
needs. We look at what works and what doesn’t in each, and conclude that by prioritising
user experience and effectively supporting listening behaviour, a service can
gain a real competitive edge over their rivals.
Many music software releases aim to emulate or 'model' the performance characteristics of some classic piece of hardware. Whether it's a 1970's synthesiser with unpredictable tuning quirks or the channel strip of a $1.5 million mid-'80s mixing console, software versions of legendary pieces of equipment are emerging all the time. There are good reasons for this: hardware synths and outboard gear are expensive, bulky and require ongoing maintenance, while software emulations are inexpensive by comparison and take up no space at all. The result is that small project studios and bedroom set-ups have access to sounds and effects that were once the preserve of major studios with big budgets.
ExperienceLab is a UK-based experience design research agency. We are passionate about technology, but happen to think that people are the most important thing. This blog shares some of our insights and opinions, but if you want to find out more about us visit the ExperienceLab website
