GeekSugar

How to Access iTunes' New Genius Mixes

GeekSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:45:54 PDT

Have you had some time to play around with iTunes 9? Notable features include home sharing, improved syncing and a redesign of your iTunes library and the store. But my favorite new feature is the Genius Mixes.

If you're already familiar with how the amazing music suggestion tool iTunes Genius works you can instantly get in on the Genius Mixes fun. Just click on the genius tab on the left pane of your iTunes window and under the usual Genius heading you should see Genius Mixes. Once you click on it, iTunes will automatically search your library and find songs that sound groovy together and whip out anywhere from one to 12 music mixes for your listening pleasure. Talk about such an easy way to get the party started!

How-To: Make a Last-Minute Dinner Party Playlist

GeekSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:00:26 PST

OK, you've got an hour to get the turkey out of the oven, mash the potatoes, prep the stuffing, not to mention setting the table for the people who are coming over for dinner. OMG the people! You need a party playlist asap!

When you're making a big important meal, the last thing you want to stress over is the dinner music. So you put off making the perfect playlist until now. Big deal - as long as you know some great last-minute ways to do it for you!

My current favorite music generator is iTunes Genius. Far better than iTunes's Party Shuffle, all you have to do is select one song whose tone you want for the party, and voila, 20 songs whose tone fits the party.

Not into iTunes? Plug in your laptop speakers and head over to Pandora or Last FM, both of which will provide you with "stations" that are exactly what you're looking for. Focus on that juicy turkey instead, and people will coo over that and your impeccable taste in music.

Source

Are You Impressed by iTunes Genius?

GeekSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:00:29 PDT

At last week's Let's Rock event, a little thing Steve announced was overshadowed by stuff like new iPods and a fix-all iPhone update: Genius! Part of the iTunes 8 update, Genius is a fun new feature for iTunes and iPods, which, I admit, didn't impress me at all when I was first hearing about it.

How silly I was! A week later, I'm obsessed with Genius. Why? Getting suggestions of music to buy is OK, but I really took the perk of having automatically-made playlists for granted. As someone who listens to my whole library on random at work and with the iPod on my iPhone, Genius brilliantly puts together stuff that sounds great together and somehow matches my mood. How does it know, based on one song, exactly what I want to hear next? I guess that's why they call it "genius."
Seriously, sometimes I get so blasé about new technology and gadgets, wanting to see bigger faster and stronger all the time that when something comes along that's so simple, I forget how much little things can make a difference.

So tell me, are you impressed by the little Genius like I am? Or is it just another thing that makes you go 'hmmm'?

Apple Unveils New Apple TV Today

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:39:44 PST

Before Tim Cook revealed the new iPad at today's Apple event, the company showed off its newest addition to your living room: the revamped Apple TV. Available next week for $99 with preorders starting today, the new Apple TV improves on its predecessor with a 1080p streamlined user interface, compatible with other Apple products. iPhone photos will automatically upload for viewing on Apple TV.

Watch TV shows the day after they air on cable; no week of waiting for iTunes availability. Speaking of iTunes, Apple TV uses many of the same services iTunes users already know. Get program recommendations with Genius, iTunes Match support, and even access your iTunes playlists from the cloud. Of course, apps are at your disposal with Apple TV, including Netflix, Flickr, MLB.tv, and YouTube to name a few.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Apple TV.

Source: Gdgt

Inside Google Music Beta

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:11:32 PDT

I got my invite for Google Music Beta last night and took a quick tour around to get my feet wet. In case you missed it, Google Music Beta is a cloud storage service that works across Android devices. Awesome features include wireless syncing (from your computer, to laptop, to smartphone, to tablet, all of your music syncs automatically without the need to plug in and upload), and iTunes scrubbing so you can get all of your already-stored music into the cloud.

First, you'll need to install the Google Music Manager, which will help you get all of your tunes to the cloud. Installation was a breeze, and it took less than a minute to upload about 100 songs. It does take a bit longer for the titles to show up in your library, though. You can create "instant mixes" that are similar in nature to Apple's "Genius Mix" (selecting a song to mix from creates a list of similar songs), custom playlists, and auto playlists, and it will even auto-update if you've downloaded new music to iTunes or your music folders (when your device is set to auto sync). To hear about the limitations of Google Music Beta, just read more.

Exclusive! Apple and MAC Team Up For MAC² Makeup

Annie Tomlin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:10:43 PDT

Girl geeks will soon be a-twitter about the news that cosmetics giant MAC is releasing a limited-edition makeup collaboration with Apple. In news revealed exclusively to BellaSugar, the collection of lipsticks and eye shadows - MAC², get it? - coincides with the 10th anniversary of Mac OS X and the iPod, and is launching today, on the 35th anniversary of Apple's founding.

"Like Apple, MAC likes to think different," said MAC public relations associate Donna Scherzo. "Their commitment to innovation and design pairs perfectly with MAC's tradition of pushing boundaries." Scherzo spoke at a top-secret launch event in Cupertino, which brought beauty experts and engineers together. Makeup artists offered guidance on creating three different looks, while engineers provided lessons on Objective C programming basics.

Full collection photos and more info this way.

6 Reasons Runners Will Love the New iPods

GeekSugar — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:47:17 PDT

This week's announcement of new iPods piqued my interest not only as a lover of shiny, new toys, but also as a runner. The two smallest versions, the new iPod Shuffle and iPod Nano, are even more perfect for running (and other exercises). Here's why:

The new Nano is tiny. - At just over 1 1/2 inches wide and just under 1 1/2 inches high, the new Nano is considerably smaller than the previous version - it's almost half the size! And it also weighs half as much as the previous version.
The Shuffle's buttons are back. - The most recent version of the Shuffle was, in my opinion, a runner's nightmare. The design was sleek, but there were no buttons on the device itself, making it incredibly difficult to use with any other headphones other than the ones that came with the device. Now, the same familiar circular set of buttons have made a comeback.

There are more reasons to love 'em! Check out the rest after the break.