Apple, major record labels mixing musical "Cocktail"

Apple and the major record labels are teaming up to create bundles of interactive features to accompany music downloads, according to the Financial Times.

The project, codenamed "Cocktail", has Apple collaborating with EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music, and Universal Music Group with an eye toward a September launch date, the UK newspaper said on its FT.com site early Monday, sourcing the information to unnamed people familiar with the situation. Apple is known for making iPod- and iTunes-related announcements at September events.

Under the purported plan, people going to Apple's iTunes store to download music would also be able to get an interactive bundle that includes material such as liner notes, lyric sheets, and photos, according to the Financial Times. The "interactive book" would let users play songs without having to return to the iTunes software, the story said.
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Play PSP games in 3D

The V-Screen is an addon for Sony PSP consoles that's designed to make games appear 3D. It's supposed to enhance "the perceived depth of the 2D screen image", and apparently will work with many games. It looks bulky in the picture, but the protrusions do fold down to a more compact state when not in use and act as a case for your PSP.

RealView Innovations, the company that will be making this product doesn't seem to have a proper Web site yet, and no availability date and price has been given. We'll revisit this gadget when we get more concrete information about it.

Via Coolest Gadgets

Touchscreen speakers that look like wall art

There's something beautifully organic about the misnamed Fruity Speakers. With form and function in alignment here, you'd expect a more elegant name along the lines of a Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin. Still, French designer Yue Li's creation not only looks like wall art you'll never grow tired of looking at, it sounds capable enough. Six different speakers and two touchscreens output audio from MP3 and CD players. Now, all this needs is wireless support so the cable clutter won't spoil the amoebic lines of Li's magnum opus, and for this to go into production.

Via Designboom

Stream your digital audio with Creative's Sound Blaster Wireless for iTunes

Creative released the Sound Blaster Wireless for iTunes (US$150) this week , which allows music to be wirelessly streamed from a computer to the wireless adapter, using only USB dongle. According to a press release from Creative, the system works with virtually any music source, not just iTunes, on both Macs and PCs.

The Sound Blaster Wireless looks similar to Logitech's discontinued Wireless Music System for PC in that it enables you to stream audio from your PC using a simple USB transmitter. The transmitter, which appears to be about the size of a thumb drive, promises to work with any music software and service, including iTunes, Windows Media Player, Rhapsody, Pandora, and Last.fm. You can then stream music to the included receiver, which comes bundled with the device, and has both a headphone and left/right speaker outputs. The transmitter is also compatible with the Creative's own GigaWorks T20W speakers with built-in wireless receivers.
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New cases suggest camera on new iPods

It's been widely rumored that the next version of the iPod touch and iPod nano to be released by Apple will have cameras inside. Now, a series of photos from Chinese iPod case manufacturers suggest that it's more than just speculation.

The Cult of Mac blog has obtained a stack of photos of what it describes as "the worst-kept secret in China". The images show multiple case designs for an iPod touch and an iPod nano with notches out of the material, which suggest a camera, much like the way cases for the iPhone accommodate that device's shooter.

For the iPod touch cases, the camera slot is centered--unlike the iPhone's--while the nano case camera slot is situated toward the bottom on the left. The nano also appears to have a widescreen display.

Most Apple observers anticipate the company will hold its annual iPod and music event in September, where in addition to a camera, the iPod touch is expected to be updated with a microphone and digital compass as well.

Via CNET Crave

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