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Showing posts with label Google Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google Music. Show all posts

Google Buys RightsFlow for YouTube Copyright Management


Google has purchased the copyright management group RightsFlow for implementation onYouTube and other Google properties. The technology will be used to identify the use of copyrighted music and make appropriate payments to the rights holders.

What RightsFlow Offers

rightsflow-google
If you haven't listened to music on YouTube yet, you're not really a 21st-century person; it's a trademark of our era, and one that's fueled creative mashups and community while royally pissing off the artists who should be getting royalties. Google is working hard to solve the problem by implementing a comprehensive copyright management system on YouTube, and the acquisition of RightsFlow is just one more step in that process.
The RightsFlow database – which houses over 30 million songs from 10,000 labels, according toMashable – will be used to identify which content is copyrighted, and will likely be paired with Google's Content ID system – the current method Google uses to track that information.
But RightsFlow will go further: It will tally how much is owed to copyright holders and can even expedite the payment. This should stack with Google's existing technology to make rights management easier from both the payment and payee angles.

Fast Payments and Other Applications

Google made an offer to music publishers earlier this year. That offer allowed rights holders to get payment directly from Google based on how much their copyrighted content was used on YouTube. It also gave the YouTube publishers an official opportunity to used that content.
It's pretty clear that RightsFlow is a way to upgrade the current systems for handling that task; Content ID wasn't developed with payment calculation and scheduling in mind. As noted on theYouTube blog announcing the acquisition, "By combining RightsFlow’s expertise and technology with YouTube’s platform, we hope to more rapidly and efficiently license music on YouTube."
Google also has other potential applications for the technology, though. Beyond getting an "in" with the music publishers now using the RightsFlow network, Google will be able to use the tech to supplement the Google Music service and any other music-related facets of Google's diverse lineup of properties.
YouTube does remain the key target in the early phases, though, and that's good news for most of us. This investment should make it possible for guys like me to throw The Bed Intruder Song onto repeat while he takes a nap, ensure that the creators get the reward for their work and incentive for future effort, and allow YouTube to make advertising dollars while avoiding legal trouble. In other word – music to everyone's ears?

Google Diversifies Into Music



Google Diversifies Into Music

Rising Dutch DJ and producer R3hab performs during the launch of Google Music hosted by T-Mobile at Mr. Brainwash Studio in Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 16. (John Shearer/Getty Images for T-Mobile)
Internet search giant Google Inc. is attempting to diversify into a new service offering: music.
Google has come up with its own version of a music manager based on its Android operating system called “Google Music.”
Music has been one of its rival Apple Inc.’s strengths. Its iTunes application was launched in 2003 and is widely considered the biggest music retailer in the world, and has helped drive sales of its iPod and iPhone devices.
“Google Music helps you spend more time listening to your collection and less time managing it,” Senior Vice President of Mobile Andy Rubin said in a statement.
“We automatically sync your entire music library–both purchases and uploads–across all your devices so you don’t have to worry about cables, file transfers or running out of storage space. We’ll keep your playlists intact, too, so your ‘Chill’ playlist is always your ‘Chill’ playlist, whether you’re on your laptop, tablet, or phone.”
This service is available in the United States only, and has 13 million songs available for purchase, primarily offering music from labels such as EMI, Sony, Universal, and various independent groups.
The majority of singles will cost around $1 and albums between $8–$12. The initial incentive for consumers includes the availability of downloading one complimentary song on a daily basis, as well as the ability to share songs with friends on the Google+ social network.
“Recommendations from friends are the single most important way that people discover music and we think that this feature has the potential to really transform purchasing behavior,” said Zahavah Levine, Google’s director of content partnerships for Android, at the launch event on Nov. 16.
Commentators have noted that Google’s latest announcement may not be about groundbreaking in terms of impacting the company’s bottom-line profit results. Google Music has not been considered to be innovative, because it is just enabling the user to download music, which is not unique in the market. Apple may not necessarily be too concerned at this stage, but others like Amazon.com, Inc. may be keeping a competitive eye on Google, analysts say.
The audio entertainment distribution industry also includes Facebook, the world’s largest social network, which announced the functionality of sharing music through applications such as Spotify, Rdio, and MOG in September. Amazon.com, the largest online retailer, has a long track record for selling music online

Google Music comes to Google TV experience


Google TV gets the new Google Music application and service.
(Credit: Google)

As announced earlier in the week, Google has begun rolling out its new Google Music service to various Android-powered devices, and among the early products to receive the update is Google TV. More specifically, devices running the new 2.0 Google TV software.

Much like the smartphone and tablet experience, the new Google Music experience allows for streaming of music purchased through Android Market. It also plays songs and albums that have already been uploaded by users.

Google Music for Google TV plays in the background while you browse the Internet, play games, check e-mail, or enjoy other applications. What's more, users can also add a custom soundtrack to slideshows from the Photos application.

Considering that many televisions are connected to great speakers, Google Music should work well in the living room.

The timing could be more perfect for me. With the holidays fast approaching, I look forward to putting some background music when guests come over.