http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/05/07/bittorrent-launches-a-new-media-format-for-creators-called-bundle-partners-with-ultra-music-for-first-alpha/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=share+button&utm_content=BitTorrent+launches+a+new+media+format+for+creators+called+Bundle,+partners+with+Ultra+Music+for+first+alpha&utm_campaign=social+media
Archives for May 2013
The Audio Guy
Courtesy of the guys at ikmultimedia.com
Want To Know More About DLNA and Wi Fi Direct?
Having been a fan in the past of Apple devices I have enjoyed AirPlay® for streaming music from my Iphone® music player.
However as the Melody Pods’ Android music player has been in my hands a lot recently I have begun to realise connecting an Android music player to a sound system over wifi isn’t so straight forward.
Some Android devices are enabled for Wi Fi Direct® but the DLNA® standard for locating and pairing with other DLNA devices is left for the app itself to develop whereas in Apple devices this is available to all apps from the OS itself.
So for now, Melody Pods will be recommending Bluetooth for wireless communication with sound systems whilst we are underway in developing our DLNA connectivity.
So what is Wi Fi Direct?
Well, as it states here, “Wi-Fi Direct is a certification by the Wi-Fi Alliance® for products that are capable of device-to-device connections without the presence of a traditional home, office or hotspot network.”
So that means you dont rely on your Wi Fi hub and any other connected hubs / bridges to connect your devices to, to communicate. You simply need two DLNA® compatible devices within wifi signal range to then see and connect to each other to then start to stream between the two. Of course this makes things a lot simpler for the small business.
What is DLNA?
WikiPedia states, “The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is a non-profit collaborative trade organization established by Sony in June 2003, that is responsible for defining interoperability guidelines to enable sharing of digital media between multimedia devices.”
The DLNA have encorporated Wi Fi Direct into its standards so you know that if a device is certified for DLNA interoperating you can now use Wi Fi Direct and so avoid your possibly congested broadband hub and office or free customer wi fi network.
What about my security?
With Wi Fi Protected Setup you will have things covered with industry standard protection, but also, because these technologies are point to point, just like Bluetooth, you aren’t necessarily connecting yourself to an Internet connected network.
Summary
We think there is more development in the core Android OS still to come to support media playing across wifi networks including peer to peer (i.e. no hub) networking that will bring new adtvatages in terms of reliability and simplicity to playing background music in your business using Melody Pods with Android and DLNA technologies. Whilst this progresses we still think Bluetooth is the best wireless technology for simple wireless transmission and receiving of music as it doesnt get affected by more dynamic traffic orientated business wifi networks.
Melody Pods; simple, affordable great background music in your business.
‘Touch’ Is Still Important To Shoppers
‘A recent survey from retail analysts Kantar found that 70% of us like to touch a product before we buy.’
Are You Sure About Paying That Performing Rights License?
” ‘Rogue’ groups with links to the Ukrainian government collect music royalties, falsely claiming they are authorised to do so”
This quote is from a recent report by the US Trade Representative called the USTR’s annual 2013 Special 301 Special Report which outlines global findings on how countries around the world are protecting US patents, copyrights and other forms of intellectual property rights (IPR).
Although certainly not in the same degree of misrepresentation as the claim above, many national performing and composition rights societies state you need to pay them to play music but what they don’t ever tell you, and what they really should state is that you need to pay them for using music that they represent.
So music and musicians that they don’t have any legal representation for (so the musicians / copyright owners haven’t signed a contract with them to collect music royalties on their behalf) does not need any of their expensive licenses to be paid.
Of course in this case you need to deal with the musician directly or seek better deals with royalty free libraries like us here at Melody Pods.