It's here. In the end the rumors, leaks and false alarms, Sweden's top music streaming service is finally ready for the large(ger) screen. Spotify has landed at the iPad, and never surprisingly, the recent app is a no-brainer of a download for anyone currently in possession of a premium account and an Apple tablet, -- that much we will be able to say right off the bat. But how well did the corporate harness the capabilities of the paranormal device, and is the entire thing well worth the wait? We got some fingers-on with the app -- follow along after the break.
Let's kick things off here by stating, definitively, that the iPad version of Spotify isn't simply a scaled up component to its smartphone sibling. In spite of everything, the tablet brings much more than simply added screen real estate, it offers up potential for a wholly different usage experience. And of their defense, Spotify's developers don't appear to have spent all of this time resting on their music streaming laurels -- they have been developing an app that does a very good job harnessing what the tablet has to present, with artwork, touch functionality and discovery at its center.
As with others versions of the service, the iPad app asks you to check in with either your Spotify or Facebook account info. Once in, you're greeted by the What's New page. A spokesperson made it clear that discovery is actually on the center of usage here, and that much is evident upon signing in, a tremendous, touch-friendly carousel of Recommended music taking on nearly half the page. Recommendations have long been somewhat a contentious topic amongst Spotify users. At the site's US launch, we commented that the service is truly recommended for music fans who know what they're seeking. Spotify improved things just a little on that front, with the addition of third-party apps like Last.fm to the desktop version. Without those in play here, recommendations are still a touch lacking -- we won't really saw we're enthralled by what Spotify's offering.
Thankfully, there are various over how one can discover new music in the course of the service. For starters, there's the truth that the remainder of this front page is dedicated to objects like new releases, trending playlists and top tracks. And, after all , there's the social aspect -- if you are not the type who's always at the ball as far as discovering new music is bothered, you're pretty lost in case you are not utilizing the app's social functionality -- that's where the Facebook log-in turns out to be useful. The What's New Page can even offer up top tracks and playlists among friends. The Inbox and folk buttons within the left column also help out with the friendly music discovery.
Clicking the latter will raise a page with large images of your connected Facebook pals. Pick one among them, and a half-screen panel will pop up, showing off your friend's top tracks and artists. These panels are the most important to the app's usability -- click one in all your friend's favorite artists, for instance, and that panel with shift left, as a brand new one pops up. You could swipe forwards and backwards through these panels, taking into consideration a snappy and straightforward solution to find your long ago as you go more and more down the music discovery rabbit hole. It's a simple route to tackle the app, with bios and links to similar artists generally everywhere. It is not exactly a tailored recommendation, but if you hit on an artist you want, it's pretty easy to visualize a an hour or two being swallowed on this manner.
But fear not -- when your current track is often accessible via the anchored persistent play that lives at the bottom, featuring an album thumbnail, status bar, play button and track forward / back controls. Added controls are in all places here, too. Tap at the album thumbnail, as an example, and you will get a pop up that permits you to star tracks, add them to playlists , share them, shuffle and repeat. Click an artist's name and you will get a short description (you may tap that for a whole-page bio), related artists and their top tracks. Tellingly, Spotify doesn't make complete discographies easily accessible on this matter. The app really seems involved in casual discovery, instead of the career spanning listening habits of more devoted music fans. They'll be at an advantage sticking to the desktop app -- or not less than starring music at their for later listening on the iPad or iPhone.
Clicking the settings button on the bottom of the left side brings up one or more options. Here you may toggle to offline mode, add the crossfade and gapless playback recently added to the desktop version, turn private sessions off and on and fiddle with Last.fm scrobbling and Facebook sharing. You may also twiddling with the sounds quality of streaming tracks, which now go all of the way as much as a hearty 320Kbps. The quest feature, meanwhile, borrows predictive functionality from the desktop version, so that you theoretically do not need to type in full artist and track names, because the app guesses at what you are looking for, in line with popularity and your individual listening habits. "B" pointed out Chris Brown, "Be" stated Beyonce, "Bea" pointed out the Beach Boys and "Beas" mentioned the Beastie Boys. Okay, we'll provde the second two, Spotify -- the primary two, however...
Spotify's got an exceptionally usable app on its hands, with the iPad version, harnessing many of the services best features and utilizing the iPad's hardware. Navigation is excellent, because of the swipeable half panes and using large album art is a pleasing nod to people who miss the aesthetics of physical media. For power users, however, the iPad app may be thought of as a supplement to, other than replacement for its desktop-bound counter part. The app is accessible via iTunes this week for interested parties. More info are located within the press release below.
Say Hello to Spotify for iPad
Today we're extremely proud to give our native iPad app in all its green-hued glory. Features include:
Retina graphics for iPad - dazzling display, razor sharp images, richer colors
Even easier to browse and explore Spotify's entire 17 million* song catalogue
New 'Now Playing' full-screen view with high-definition cover art
Look for playlists, users and music - all from the identical view
Investigate what's hot and find trending playlists & songs amongst your friends
Inbox grouped by user for simple searching
Gapless playback and crossfade
AirPlay integrationEnjoying your entire world's music instantly in your iPad hasn't ever been easier. And with the new full-screen view and AirPlay integration, Spotify and your iPad are ideal for one another, both as your pumped-up front room stereo and your lean, green music machine if you end up at the move.
For up-and-coming UK singer-songwriter/producer Labrinth, the hot Spotify for iPad app is ideal for touring: "My iPad's always with me at the road so with the ability to access whatever music I'm feeling right at that moment - either classic or fresh tracks - after which share people with my fans is a giant deal," he said. "As an artist i really like the way in which my music is gifted so slickly. Artwork is truly important to me, and in Spotify's iPad app it's like it's popping off the screen."
Click here to take a look at the Spotify for iPad video on YouTube. You will see the complete-range of hi-res videos, screenshots and pictures here.
Spotify Premium subscribers can head over to the App Store to get their hands at the new Spotify iPad app. Non-subscribers can enroll to our 30-day Spotify Premium free trial to take a look at the app today! www.spotify.com/freetrial
From WhatNewsToday.net
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