TTL - The Tech Link Blog

P!nk: Funhouse

P!nk, along with LaFace/Zomba Label Group and Sony BMG, has entered yet another new kind of marketing with a free application available on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The application is available on the Apple App Store. Once installed, users will be able to listen to 30-second samples of all tracks available on P!nk’s newest album, Funhouse, which is available today. The application also allows access to restricted fan material such as pictures, videos, biography, etc.

It will only be a matter of time before we see all kinds of applications like this for other artists and let’s bet that the future only holds even more original marketing ideas for the public.

PR-CANADA.net

Autodesk & Softimage

Softimage, the Canadian company behind the visual effects in movies such as Jurrassic Park, Titanic, The Fifth Element, Happy Feet, 300, and many other movies and video games has been acquired by Autodesk. The acquisition will cost $35 million to Autodesk.

Autodesk are the makers of widely used 3D design software like Maya, and popular CAD software know as AutoCAD. Both companies share simalar goals and work in related markets. This acquisition should strenghten both companies and diversify their product lines to become more competitive in their respective markets.

Edge Online

Google Android

The Android platform is following in Apple’s footsteps as Google has specified in their terms and conditions that it could remotely “remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion”.

This means that they control what you can and cannot use on your own device.

Of course, Google will probably only use this in case certain applications are messing up with the internal components of the software to a point were it could make the device operate outside of their established norms.

Only time will tell.

Neowin

Zoho

It’s no secret that Microsoft Office is the most used desktop office application suite in the business world. What is surprising, is that more and more businesses are switching from desktop office applications to online suites.

Zoho and Google Apps are the most popular ones. Zoho has now over 400,000 users and Google Apps has over 500,000 users. Big names like GE, L’Oréal and now Washington DC are going this way for various reasons. Read it all..

BlackBerry

The new business model that has been around now for a few years is to build a service around a product so that people are “forced” to spend more money even after having bought the product.

Music, software, games, etc. It has always been around but now is more integrated than before with virtual stores appearing on all games consoles (Wii, PS3, Xbox), music stores specifically designed for specific products (Zune Marketplace, Apple iTunes), and app stores designed only for specific devices (Apple iTunes Store, Android Marketplace).

Now there is a new one joining the hype: the RIM App Center. At first, the application center will support only the new Blackberry Storm touchscreen smartphone but will (probably) be supporting other devices as time goes by.

Each carrier will have their own RIM Application Center so they will be able to control what appears on theirs and maybe have “exclusive” content not available to other carriers.

mocoNews

Apple

The non disclosure agreement that Apple enforced on their developers prevented them from ever talking about the reasons why their software was being refused by Apple. This in turn frustrated many programmers as they felt helpless spending so much time and energy on something that would be turned down by the very organization in which they believed in.

Apple announced today that it will send iPhone developers a new agreement without the controversial Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that has fueled anger amongst them.

From TechCrunch: “According to Apple, it “put the NDA in place because the iPhone OS includes many Apple inventions and innovations that we would like to protect, so that others don’t steal our work.” But after dealing with public outcry, Apple believed it wasn’t worth it.”

TechCrunch

Windows Mobile

Microsoft officially announced their upcoming Internet Explorer 6 browser for Windows Mobile.

This is a much anticipated release as the version on current Windows Mobile devices is outdated and based on a very old version of IE4. Lets hope Microsoft will offer this as an easy upgrade for all WinMo users!

the::unwired

TiVo

Coming Soon! Nero LiquidTV™ | TiVo® PC will allow you to have all the great features of a TiVo box (live recording, pausing, scheduling, etc. but minus the streaming over the Internet) on your Windows PC.

Some say it’s a little too late and that there are many options available already to consumers but nothing’s like the familiar TiVo interface. In fact, the interface and navigation will be the same as on TiVo boxes so it should be easy for people to learn how to work it out.

You can get a complete package including a Tuner card, software, remote control, and 1-year TiVo services subscription for $199.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Nero

uTorrent

Since BitTorrent bought uTorrent back in 2006, they’ve been working on a Mac version of their software but it hasn’t seen the day since yesterday.

A pre-release version of the software is now available through various torrent-download trackers.

The company says that this version should never have been leaked and they discourage Mac users from even using it since it is not stable enough to be released to the public.

TechCrunch

Adobe CS 4

CNET has your first look at the new Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection that was just released.

On the video, you’ll see a quick overview of the new and improved features of the different software components that make up Creative Suite Master Collection: Acrobat 9 Professional, After Effects Professional, Bridge, Contribute, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash Professional, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop Extended, Premiere Professional with Encore and OnLocation, Soundbooth.

The Master Collection will be priced at $2,499 or $899 if you have the previous Master Collection CS3. More on pricing for all the suites at CNET.

CNET

Adobe

I don’t know what it is about September 23rd but Adobe is going to be revealing version 4 of it’s flagship product: Creative Suite (CS).

There will be a webcast for this event and you ca subscribe to view it if you follow the link bellow.

Adobe CS Webcast