So you've got your headphones on full blast with your favourite playlist wrecking havoc on your ears, but just how knowledgeable are you when it comes to music in general? It's time to put everything you know to the test with MixMaster. The Windows Phone game makes use of Nokia's MixRadio API to bring together intuitive and addictive gameplay.

When loading up MixMaster, the game asks if you're wanting to play single player or against someone else (on another Windows Phone) via Bluetooth - you could simply take it in turns to see who gets the highest score through each round. Once you've established just how many rockers and modders will be playing, the next option determines difficulty, be it normal, hard or insane.

The objective of the game is to guess which track it is with the choice of two artworks available. You only get 30 seconds worth of sound to help you out. It may sound simple enough, but it can prove to be a challenge, especially if you're not 100 percent sure. There are a variety of mixes and genres available, and you have the choice of which you'd like to go for before the game begins.

What makes MixMaster unique is the integration with Nokia's MixRadio service. This means a strong database of music, numerous mixes and the like available, as well as options to purchase each track mid-game (just in case you find some new gems you like the sound of). That's not to mention the replayability offered through randomised mixes. 

If you can't fire up the game and get started, it's possibly because you're using a Lumia 1020, which appears to be unable to load the game past the splash screen. Download MixMaster from the Windows Phone Store for free (only supports WVGA (480x800) and WXVGA resolutions (768x1280) - requires Windows Phone 8).

It's common knowledge that Nokia has rebranded its popular music streaming service to MixRadio, but what's behind the new icon, called Ike? Design Studio worked with Nokia to produce the new logo, which is a "negative space headphone-shaped smiley face device." The goal was to create something youthful and fun, while sporting an authentic look.

The new logo received mixed reaction from consumers, but the end result hasn't been crafted without care. For example, Nokia was the party who suggested using both smiley face and headphone icons. The two companies have also worked together in the past, which helped reflect other branding and work produced for Nokia.

See a handful of ideas below: 

Some icon ideas for the rebranding

For Design Studio, Ike (the new icon) is an emotional representative of Nokia MixRadio. A new wordmark was designed and both combine to form the new logo. Ike can be rendered in any texture and can also be used across numerous media, an obvious requirement for the branding of a product or service.

Are you a fan of Ike?

Source: Design Week

We’re pretty big fans of music app formerly known as Nokia Music. Earlier today, Nokia put out a refreshed Windows Phone app for their music service. Along with the new app came a rebranding from Nokia Music to Nokia MixRadio. So we’re not too surprised to see an update for the Windows 8 version of Nokia’s music offering.

The last update for Nokia MixRadio on Windows 8 came out about two weeks ago. That update was notable for giving the app many features that you need Windows 8.1 to take advantage of. Enhancements to the search and snap view were made, the ability to list an artist as a favorite, notifications, and more. Pretty big update. Today? Not so much.

The latest update for Nokia MixRadio (version 1.5.1.6043) is notable for two small changes. The app is now called Nokia MixRadio and sports the new logo/branding found in the Windows Phone version from earlier today.

Latest update brings new MixRadio branding to the app. 

Small update, but still nice to see Nokia keeping the two on branding parity. What doesn’t change is how divided the community is on the logo. Like or dislike it?

Want Nokia MixRadio for Windows 8? Get it in the Windows Store today for free. 

Thanks for the tip Brad W!

Nokia has today released a substantial update to its Nokia Music app available on all Lumia Windows Phones. Not only that, but the company has completely rebranded the service. Say hello to Nokia MixRadio. To celebrate the launch of the software upgrade for its app on Windows Phone, Nokia is also looking to hold an event in New York on November 21st, but you can download the update today.

Should you not be familiar with the service, Nokia Music (now Nokia Mix Radio) offers a unique way to enjoy a variety of mixes and experience new music you weren't previously aware of. If you've never used the service before, we strongly recommend you grab your headphones and try it out. Should you be a veteran user, you'll love what's new in this update.

It's fitting that Nokia chose to rebrand its music service as Nokia Mix Radio, since this is the main selling point of the service itself. Multiple markets are supported, enabling consumers to enjoy a free music streaming service that requires no subscription and has no advertisements.

With over 150 playlists prescribed by Nokia’s "mixologists", Mix Radio gives users access to more than 18 million songs. Users can then download up to four playlists (eight hours of music) for free offline playback with no interruptions. It's great value. Should you require premium features and would like to subscribe for unlimited downloads and more, Nokia asks for $3.99 a month (can upgrade inside the app).

We mentioned a new version of the app, right? Correct, the new Nokia Mix Radio app is simply gorgeous. Version 4 introduces the following (snatched from the app listing):

• Play Me is a personalized mix inspired by your unique music profile
• Thumbs up / Thumbs down to help refine your music profile
• Share mixes with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or by email and SMS
• New name and a new look to make it even easier to use

Meet new Nokia Mix Radio

We mentioned an event above, which starts at 10am on November 21st - the day before Zero Hour. Should you reside in (or around) New York and are able to attend, be sure to RSVP over on the Facebook event listing. 

You can download Nokia Mix Radio from the Nokia Collection (same links as before, folks) on the Windows Phone Store. Windows Phone 8 only.

Are you popping along to the event? Let us know in the comments, along with your initial thoughts on the new app.​

Confession. Nokia Music recently became one of my favorite music services out there. It’s in heavy rotation for me personally with other services like Xbox Music, SoundCloud, and Songza. The offline playlists were very welcomed on my Lumia 1020 during the 17 hour journey from California to Abu Dhabi for Nokia World. I’ve also been using the Windows 8 version app a lot. Sadly, that one wasn’t updated for some of the new features available for Windows 8.1. Today’s my lucky day, since Nokia has just released an update for Nokia Music on Windows 8. Let’s check it out.

When we were at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi, we got a first look at the Windows 8.1 version of Nokia Music. Version 1.5 was teased to us and we learned that it would be out in a “few weeks”. Well those weeks are up, since you can now grab version 1.5.0.5720 of Nokia Music from the Windows Store.

This update brings to you a few things. Here they are:

• Windows 8.1 enhancements for both Search and Snap View
• Artist favoriting
• Notifications
• Flux Capacitor kicks in at 87mph

Sure enough once you update your Nokia Music app for Windows 8 you’ll see that you can now have the app flow to whatever snap state you place it in. You’re no longer limited to two modes, instead pick a width of your display and Nokia Music will look beautiful no matter what with no black bars on the side.

Nokia Music snapped in Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is depreciating some of the principles for search that came with the OS last year. Most notable is that developers are now encouraged to put the search box within the app versus having users use the Search charm.

Another neat thing about this new version of Nokia Music is the ability to favorite artists. Why would you want to do that? Easy, to take advantage of the new notifications that the app can give you. When you favorite an artist you’re telling Nokia that you care enough about them to get notified for things like new music releases and upcoming tour dates. Check out the video below to basically see what’s new in the app.

Oh and of course, Nokia has finally fixed the Flux Capacitor to kick in at 87mph in Nokia Music. We can’t recall exactly what it was set to before, but apparently enough users complained that they’ve addressed this little misstep.

Want Nokia Music for Windows 8? Yes you do, so go to the Windows Store to get it. 

Thanks for the tip ScottN!

Nokia music is expanding. The service is launching in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, following the recent release in Indonesia. That's not all as Nokia is also taking its music service to new hardware. We're not talking about phones or handheld devices, but vehicles. The company is pushing hard for market penetration, as well as setting out on new ventures.

Nokia Entertainments VP, Jyrki Rosenburg explained that the above countries are important markets, "and with Indonesia it’s quite a significant expansion in the south-east Asia Pacific region for us. We definitely feel that we have a strong time-to-market advantage here: an out-of-the-box click-to-play music service that’s free with no ads or registration." The launches include the premium Nokia Music+ service.

The reason for the expansion into Asia is to grab the market and establish itself in markets where rivals, including Pandora and iTunes, have yet to launch. 

Drop the beat... in your car

Nokia already has an interest in vehicles with HERE Auto, working with car manufacturers to provide improved services and navigation experiences to drivers. Music is also a fairly important part of driving for many (especially on those long, tedious journeys) and so Nokia will be looking to add its mixes with the radio-like experience. Who wants to dig through playlists anyway?

If you're a fan of what Nokia is doing with automobiles, be sure to keep an eye out for more progress on its music service.

Source: Musically

Nokia isn’t quite done with their Music service app just yet as today, version 3.11.25.0 has gone live in the Store. Exclusively for Nokia’s Lumia line, the new update brings along with it a handful of major improvements to make us take another look at the service.

The first major change is Nokia Music now supports the ability to ‘like’ specific artists in your library to “further personalize your music experience”. Nokia Music will also 'like' artists based on your playing history and the contents of your music library, which truly is the killer feature many of us have been waiting for. After all, what’s the use of just streaming music with no feedback system? Sure it’s nice, it’s just not compelling.

Once you ‘liked’ an artist though, the app can now give you notifications based off of that information. Things like new music and even gig alerts for when the band is playing near you are delivered right to your Lumia.  The notifications work off of the Live Tile, so you shouldn’t be inundated with Toast notifications (and of course, the whole system is optional).

Overall, Nokia Music has always been an impressive offering but with this update, we’re thinking this will finally push the service into the Pandora-level of usefulness. Combined with their fantastic Windows 8 app for the same service, Nokia could very well start to erode business from Xbox Music and streaming radio services.

Nokia Music is a free service that also has an optional “Plus” version for $3.99 a month that offers high quality streams and unlimited mix downloads.

Nokia Lumia owners with a Windows Phone 8 device can pick up Nokia Music version 3.11.25.0 here in the Store. Find more information on the Nokia Music service here: https://www.nokia.com/phones/en_us

Source: Conversations

We love, love apps getting updated. Especially ones that we use on a frequently basis or are loved by the community. Runtastic is one of those apps that we’re glad to see on Windows Phone and has been well received by the community. The app has just been updated to version 2.5, so let’s see what’s new.

If you’re rocking either Runtastic or Runtastic Pro you’ll want to go to the Store and update. Version 2.5 isn’t a major overhaul or anything, but it does add some more polish to an already great app. P.S. Runtastic does change logs the right way.

New features:

• Get training plans and reach your personal goals (e.g. 10K run in 50 minutes, weight loss, etc)
• Hear a countdown before your session starts
• Listen to free Nokia Music Streaming Radio during your sessions (Lumia devices only)

Improvements:

• Share your completed routes on Facebook

Fixes:

• Connecting Runtastic to Facebook
• Sharing via Twitter
• App crash when taking multiple pictures during a session

By far the two biggest features added in this update are training plans and Nokia Music. With Runtastic you’ve always been able to select a local playlist from within the app to play during your workouts. But now they’ve added another benefit to owning a Nokia handset – Nokia Music Streaming from within the app. They’ve pre-selected four Nokia Music mixes (Cardio Top Hits, Power Workout Mix, Charts Mix, and Dance Mix) that you can play from within Runtastic.

Training plans are going to be pretty interesting for a few of you. Runtastic offers training plans that are tailored around achieving one goal. In the past you had to sign up through the website, but the functionality was missing in Windows Phone. Now you can browse, buy, and train with the different training plans offered from Runtastic through Windows Phone.

The Training plans vary in goals from weight loss, training for a 10K or marathon, to getting your body ready for bikini season. For example, let’s say you’re planning on running a half marathon for the first time and haven’t really researched the best way to prep. You’ll then browse the different training plans in the half marathon section which vary in what time you’re aiming to finish. Select the goal you want, buy the plan, and Runtastic will train you towards you goal.

Prices for Training plans and goals will vary depending. If you’re a Runtastic Gold member you’ll save 50% on those plans. Prices vary depending on the plan. For example, if we wanted to train for a half marathon and finish in under 1 hour and 40 minutes we’d be paying $9.99 for a 16 week training plan from Olympic champion Dieter Baumann.

While not everyone will need or want Training plans, they’re great for people new to fitness that want to focus on training and not planning for their goal. If you’re somewhat experienced you could easily build your own plan from scratch through various books and online resources. But Runtastic does offer a few other benefits if you get a training plan. You’ll be getting detailed analysis and stats about your plan. The app will also coach you by providing feedback throughout your training. Pretty cool.

The rest of the Runtastic update includes fixes and small improvements around sharing with social networks. Not ground breaking, but again very welcomed.

Runtastic is available for both Windows Phone 7.x and 8. Not sure if you need Runtastic or Runtastic Pro? Read our review from a few months back. Also, what’s the difference between the free basic account and the Gold account? See the details here. Update: Looks like this update is just for Windows Phone 8 users according to folks in the comments below. I didn't have any of my Windows Phone 7.x devices around, so couldn't check. 

Grab Runtastic in the Store right here. Or go get Runtastic PRO for $4.99 here.  QR codes below for the two apps as well. 

Thanks for the tip Gamby35!

Like messaging platforms, you have quite the number of places to go for music services. Rdio, Xbox Music, Pandora, Digitally Imported, Nokia Music and more are all in competition for both your ears and wallets. The latest update to Nokia Music for Windows 8 has us listening.

So most of us at Windows Phone Central are using Windows 8.1 as our daily operating system. To be honest, I’ve used one PC with Windows 8 in the past week, which is why the latest update to Nokia Music slipped by us all – and maybe most of you. In Windows 8.1 your apps are automatically updated. Sure enough, after learning that Nokia Music was updated we checked our machines and noticed we were already running the latest version. What’s new? From the description in the Windows Store:

In-app purchase

• You can now buy your favorite songs and albums directly from within the app. They’ll be downloaded straight to your ‘My Music’ library for you listening pleasure

Recent Songs

• Missed the song you just listened to? Click the Play Queue icon in the Now Playing screen and you’ll see a list of the Mixes and songs you have listed too recently. Click the song to buy (you’ll be asked to confirm purchase first).

Expanded Artist page

• Browse artists’ releases from our music catalog of millions of song – directly from their artist page.

Improved My Music collection

• We’ve introduced a new design: funkier, and easier to use. The new semantic zoom (zoomed out) view will allow those of you with a large music collection to navigate your music better. We’ve also tweaked the knobs and dials of our music database behind the scenes to not only handle larger music collections, but also let you navigate them more quickly.
• Plus loads of general performance improvements, squashed bugs and improved user experience.

The team also promises you’ll love the new Nokia Music and that you can expect some amazing new features on the way. What do you think they have in store?

With Nokia Music on Windows 8 you’re limited to 30 second previews unless you’re a Nokia Music Plus subscriber. That runs you $3.99 per month, you can do a seven day free trial right now if you haven’t used it yet. What else do you get with your Nokia Music Plus subscription? Unlimited song skips, synchronized lyrics (where available), unlimited offline mixes, high quality audio, and the ability to listen anywhere (web, PC, Mac, tablet, or smartphone).

The recent update for Xbox Music on Windows 8.1 has us enjoying that app a lot more than before. How does Nokia Music stack up now? That’s tough to say, they’re both slightly different approaches to music consumption. I’ll probably stick with being a subscriber for Xbox Music, but you might want to take advantage of the free trial for Nokia Music Plus and see what you think of it. I’ll need more time with Nokia Music, but the changes are very nice.

Head on over to the Windows Store to grab the app (if Windows 8.1 hasn’t already for you). You can now buy your favorite songs and albums directly from within the app. They’ll be downloaded straight to your ‘My Music’ library for your listening pleasure.You can now buy your favorite songs and albums directly from within the app. They’ll be downloaded straight to your ‘My Music’ library for your listening pleasure.

Via: MS-News

Thanks for the tip Daniel D!

We’re actually pretty big fans of Shazam, the popular music ID service, as it tends to do a slightly more accurate job than the Bing music service. Throw in the ability to pin the scanner to your Start screen for 1-touch access and we’re happy campers.

Today, Shazam is announcing an updated Windows Phone 8 version of their popular app and it looks quite polished. Probably the biggest improvement comes from the tie in to Nokia Music, which is becoming an ever more popular service on Lumia Windows Phones.

We haven’t had a chance to try the new version ourselves, but we do have a Changelog of the new features, including the above new screenshots:

• Stunning tile display interface for a seamless user experience with larger artwork for tags and a richer blue background
• The ability to set local tags as a tile on your homescreen
• Music links to XBox Music and for Nokia phone users, Nokia Music hubs where fans can purchase the songs they tag

That's all in addition to the previously supported features. Clearly with a Windows Phone 8 optimized version, the tie in to Nokia Music and the Lumia 925 being feature, you can see just who Shazam is partnering up with here, right?

You can find Shazam for free here in the Windows Phone Store as well as the “premium” Encore edition for $5.99 here. Full press release below!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shazam Launches Windows Phone 8 App with Links to XBox Music, Faster Tagging and More

London – 30 May 2013 - Shazam®, the world’s leading media engagement company, today announces the launch of the Shazam App for Windows Phone 8, with an innovative user interface and features including the industry’s fastest tagging, local tags and tagging from the home screen.  The Shazam App is free with unlimited tags and helps consumers discover new music by identifying any song in mere seconds, then enabling them to go on and purchase their favorite tracks from either XBox Music or, if using a Nokia phone, Nokia Music.   Also, with Win Phone 8, TV fans can use the Shazam App to get a great interactive second–screen experience with the TV shows and ads that interest them. The app also provides convenient social features with Facebook and Twitter. 

“We are incredibly excited about this launch as it brings so many of Shazam’s key features to Windows Phone 8 fans,” said Daniel Danker, Chief Product Officer for Shazam.  “Windows Phone 8 users now have access to a great smartphone experience, from faster tagging and a new interactive map, where users can discover the music people are listening to around them.  This is more than just the music that’s already popular; these are often songs people are discovering for the first time.”

The new Shazam App for Windows Phone 8 will include popular Shazam features such as unlimited tagging, so that Windows Phone users can tag all the music, TV shows and ads they like, as well as:

• Local tags – Shazamers can check out the current tagging activity in their location, updated every 30 minutes, using the interactive mapping feature.  This feature can also be set as a tile on the home screen.
• Social sharing – Shazam users can share their finds with friends over Facebook and Twitter
• Lyrics – With one touch, fans can see the lyrics to the songs they tagged.
• Music reviews and bios – people can get more information about the albums and artists they tag.
• Music Links – Now, it’s easier than ever for people to buy the songs they like with links to XBox Music and, if they are using a Nokia phone, Nokia Music hubs.
• Lock Screen background – Music fans can set their favorite cover art or tag charts as their phone’s wallpaper.
• Tag from the home screen – When Shazamers pin the tagging button to their home screen, they have faster access to discover, buy and share the media that interests them.

Additionally, the launch of Shazam on Windows Phone 8 features the great new look and feel of the Shazam App.  The new Shazam design also includes larger artwork for tags and a richer blue background.

Downloading Shazam onto your Windows Phone 8 desktop, laptop or tablet is easy.  The Microsoft Windows Store is built into every platform, making downloading the app a simple transaction.

About Shazam

Shazam is the world’s leading media engagement company with more than 300 million people in 200 countries and adding another 10 million new users each month.  With the industry’s unlimited fastest tagging in the Free and premium Encore Apps on iOS and Android devices, Shazam is the best way for people to discover, explore, buy, and share more music, TV shows and branded content they love.

Shazam makes it easy for people to share their discoveries with their friends on Facebook using the Shazam Friends feature, as well as on Twitter and Google+.  For people who don't yet have the Shazam application on their smartphone, it is available for FREE on every major platform and can be found on iTunes App Store, Google play, Amazon App Store, AT&T’s AppCenter, Verizon VCast app store, Nokia Store, Windows Phone Marketplace, BlackBerry App World, and GetJar..

For further information about Shazam Entertainment visit www.shazam.com and @ShazamNews.  You can also follow us on Facebook or Google+.  For daily music updates follow the Shazam Blog and @Shazam.

Nokia has seemingly launched its Nokia Music service and app in Canada, ahead of the set announcement on May 15th in Toronto. A Windows Phone Central reader has been able to confirm on an unlocked Lumia 920 that Nokia Music is now available with the optional commercial upgrade. Good news if you're in Canada and had to go through workarounds to tune into the available mixes.

So what will be announced on the 15th? We bet Nokia will go official on the day, but will enable consumers to check out the upgraded service prior to the event. We could be seeing more features on the horizon, which may be unveiled or teased in Toronto. Asha in New Delhi, Lumia in London and Music in Toronto. Nokia is really pushing this month and we're excited to see what the company has next for consumers.

You can download Nokia Music from the Nokia Collection on the Windows Phone Store. Thanks, Benjamin, for the heads up!

Nokia has pushed out a number of updates for Windows Phone. The apps affected are Nokia Music, Access Point and Network+. Unfortunately we don't have a change log for any of the three apps, but we imagine each release contains minor improvements. It's been a while since we've looked at both Access Point and Network+, but the Nokia Music+ service has been rolling out in multiple markets. 

Nokia previously bumped its Music app earlier this month and since the app description sports the same change log, we'll note that we're looking at minor bug fixes and improvements. Should you notice anything new in Access Point or Network+, be sure to hit us up in the comments. Here are the new version numbers:

• Nokia Music - 3.9.15.759
• Access Point - 3.4.2.25
• Network+ - 1.3.2.1

You can download Nokia Music, Access Point and Network+ (QR codes in order below) from the Nokia Collection on the Windows Phone Store.

Nokia has launched its free music streaming service in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), opening up a catalogue of songs and playlists for consumers to enjoy. The service is what many in other markets have already enjoyed for some time, taking full advantage of a free service that enables Windows Phone owners to discover new music. What's more is the manufacturer has also launched its premium Music+ upgrade in Singapore.

Should you reside in the UAE, the Nokia Music service also includes local Arabic labels such as Meloday, Mazzika and Qanawat along with Bollywood’s T-series, Yash Raj, and Eros - providing a wide variety of genres that are localised for the market. Tom Farrell, Vice President Nokia Middle East had the following to add to the announcement:

Advertisement-free, Nokia Music will offer offline playback for those who are on tight data plans or endure long trips. Farrell also went into some detail as to why it was important Nokia catered for consumers in different cultures:

So that's the UAE on-board with other regions with Nokia Music, but what about Singapore? According to a thread over on HardwareZone, forum users are reporting that the ability to upgrade to Nokia's premium Music+ subscription is present on the Windows Phone app. This is great news for those who have been using the free service on their Nokia smartphones.

To recap on just what Nokia packs into the monthly subscription, here's what's on offer:

• Skip as many tracks as you like on the mix radio
• Have more of your favourite mixes offline at once
• Enjoy higher quality audio perfect for listening on your home system when streaming and downloading mix radio
• Listen everywhere - PC, laptop, Mac (listen however when you're offline)
• Get lyrics for the track you're listening and sing your socks off!

The cost of taking advantage of the above features? Just S$7, and remember there's a free week trail that can be utilised to get a taste of what the added benefits will provide. We've tuned into playlists offered by Nokia Music and found the app to provide a great experience, but each to their own when it comes to music.

Source: HardwareZone, tbreak Dubai; thanks, abc and Fahd, for the tips!

If you’re rocking a Windows Phone device from Nokia, you’ve had access to Nokia Music for over a few months now. The music streaming service gives Lumia owners access to over 17 million tracks in the Nokia Music collection. Users can make create free fixes from their favorite songs or artists. Nokia also recently rolled out a ‘Plus’ version of Nokia Music that offers higher audio quality among other things for a low monthly fee.

Now they’re teaming up with Verizon Wireless to promote the service with a concert series in Austin, Texas.

Nokia and Verizon are kicking off the concert series with a performance by R&B artist Solange at Arlyn Studios in Austin – which takes place tomorrow, March 10. The rest of the week from the 10^th to the 14^th will feature a partnership with Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation and music venue Raptor House. There you’ll get performances from artists like Haim, Caveman, Body Parts, He’s my Brother, She’s my Sister, Mayaeni, The Mowgli’s, Wardell and more.

It’s bad enough I’m jealous not to be in Austin for the South by Southwest Music Festival, now Nokia and Verizon have rubbed some salt in my wounds. Anybody lucky enough to check out the events let us know how it went. For the rest of us, the events will be streamed online through Livestream. Bookmark this link to check it out if you’re interested.

It would come out of left field if Nokia and Verizon decided to unveil their 920 variant during the festivities, but crazier things have happened. However, you can count on them to highlight the Lumia 822 and Nokia Music. If you haven't really played around with Nokia Music you should. It's a nifty little app for discovering new music and downloading offline playlists is great. There is a lot of functionality overlap with Xbox Music, but more choices is always a good thing.

If you need to jog your memory, check out our hands on with Nokia Plus here.

Source: Press Release

Nokia is slowly rolling out it optional Music+ upgrade in a number of markets, the latest being Norway. We've received word that the company has indeed pressed the big green button and Nowegian consumers will be able to upgrade their account within the Nokia Music app on a Lumia Windows Phone.

We'll expect to see Nokia continue to launch the service in other markets across Europe and beyond, especially in areas where access to other music services is either limited or non-existent. As with the other launches, there's a free trial available should you wish to test everything out before parting with your hard-earned cash.

As illustrated in the screenshots above, the service upgrade will set consumers back by 30kr (approximately $4.50). You can download Nokia Music from the Nokia Collection of apps on the Windows Phone Store. Thanks, Ronny, for the tip!

Should you be residing in either Spain or Portugal, you'll want to check out your Lumia Windows Phones as Nokia has just hit the green button on its Music+ service. If you're into Nokia Music, you can now upgrade to take advantage of extended functionality. For just  €3.99 a month, consumers can enjoy more mixes and advanced features not available to free subscribers.

A quick recap on what's included in the Nokia Music+ monthly subscription:

• Unlimited downloads for offline playback
• Unlimited skips
• Higher sound quality
• Multi device use
• Lyric streaming

Note that there's a free 7-day trial available. You can access the Music+ upgrade in the Settings area of the Nokia Music app, available for Lumia Windows Phones.

via: Nokia News

Nokia has launched its Music+ service in Italy, according to local reports. The optional upgrade enables those who enjoy using the app available for Lumia Windows Phones to benefit from expanded functionality and further enhance the experience. The company has kicked off the gradual roll out in a number of markets.

For just €3.99 on a monthly basis, consumers will be able to enjoy:

• Unlimited downloads for offline playback
• Unlimited skips
• Higher sound quality
• Multi device use
• Lyric streaming

It's not a bad feature list and includes a number of improvements taken straight from feedback submitted by users of the Music service. Consumers can activate the subscription by heading into the Settings area of the Nokia Music app - a 7-day free trial is also available

via: Plaffo

Nokia flipped the switch in the U.S.. Market for the Nokia Music+ service today for all Nokia Lumia Windows Phones.

The subscription will run you $3.99 a month and offer premium features above and beyond what the Nokia Music app currently offers.  Features that includes unlimited music downloads for offline use, unlimited skips, lyric streaming, and a boost in sound quality.

To subscribe to Nokia Music+ just enter your Nokia Music app, enter the settings menu and you should see an upgrade option where you can start your monthly subscription.  Not sure if Nokia Music+ is your cup of tea?  Nokia did things right by offering a seven day trial period for the service to let you try things out before signing on the dotted line.  When you sign up for the trial, the expiration date will appear in your Nokia Music app's settings.  After which you can convert your trial subscription to a paid subscription.

Turn your Lumia Windows Phone on and tune in, folks as Nokia Music+ is now available in the UK. The newly launched service offers more features and functionality to those who already enjoy Nokia Music, for a small monthly fee. We last looked at the service when a handful of clients were teased in a video explaining what the service is all about.

So just what is Nokia Music+ all about and what can it do for you? Is it worth the monthly fee? In a sense, yes. But only if you actively use Nokia Music. It's the same with any subscription you fork out for. The service is available on Windows Phone, but clients will also be released for Windows 8 / RT as well as a universal HTML5 option.

Here's what you'll benefit from with the premium subscription:

• Unlimited skips. Whether you like to skip from track to track, or just want extra control over what you hear. There’s no stopping you with Nokia Music+.
• Unlimited downloads. The free service allows you to download up to four Mixes (each of which contains hours of music) and play them without an Internet connection. The paid service removes this limit – you can download a massive supply of offline music you can swap as you wish.
• Higher quality. We were surprised by the high quality of streaming music from Nokia Music, even over a 2.5G connection. Nokia Music+ allows you to download music at eight times the existing quality. Plus, you can set rules to only download high quality when you’re on WiFi, for example.
• Lyrics. Words to the songs you’re listening to, right on your Nokia Lumia. Either in a scrolling list, Karaoke-style format, or a display you can scroll up and down.

Available for €3.99 / $3.99 / £3.99 a month, it's not an expensive subscription by any means. There's also a 7 day trial available. We've taken Nokia Music+ for a spin and it appears to work as well as hoped. It's definitely an option worth considering if Xbox Music or individually purchasing tracks are not really up your street.

You can either try the trial out, or upgrade your account by heading into the Nokia Music app (supported countries only). Hitting up the Settings area will reveal the upgrade to Nokia Music+ option. Fear not if you don't wish to upgrade. If you're happy with the standard Nokia Music service, then continue using it as you have done up to this point.

We're expecting Nokia Music+ to continue rolling out in a number of markets.

Thanks, Maceo, for the tip!

Nokia has updated its Music app for Lumia Windows Phones. Nokia Music enables those with Lumia hardware to tune into playlists and stream music straight to the handset. While the music isn't able for individual listening, the selection of music makes up for this with ample supply of notes to be pumped through the array of genres available.

What's new in the latest release? Nokia Music+ is here. An interesting feature we've noticed (since we're not avid users of the service - hello Xbox Music!) to be new is the ability to redeem music vouchers, which we believe to be similar to those on the Ovi Store. This is also reflected in the tip we received from a reader. As well as that (that's not all, folks), Music+ is now reportedly available and operator billing is implemented - see more below.

As well as updating its mobile client for Windows Phone, Nokia is also set to unveil Nokia Music+, which is now reportedly featured in this update. This optional upgrade for those who enjoy using the service will see a number of features and requested functionality be made available. The company will expand its offering with clients released for PC and HTML5 for other platforms.

Update: here's the full changelog, as noted in the app description (thanks, Paul, for the heads up!):

• Never miss a gig again by adding them to your calendar
• Purchase tracks and albums using your operator bill (selected operators only)
• Start Nokia Music quicker and go back to where you were before
• Subscribe to Nokia Music+ and get unlimited offline stations, skips, lyrics and HQ audio streams (selected countries only)

We've looked through the app and it is an intuitive experience, especially if you're looking to upgrade to the newly released Music+ service. The added operator billing will please those who wish to keep everything on their account, or cannot use credit cards, etc.

You can download Nokia Music (Windows Phone 7 users - right QR code) from the Nokia Collection on the Windows Phone Store. Thanks, sarim_xyz, for the tip!

Nokia yesterday unveiled an upgrade to its Music service is on the horizon, which would bring more functionality and requested features to consumers who wish a slightly richer experience. What was missing were some screenshots on just how this will look when using an available client.

Nokia has now published a video that runs through some benefits of the new service upgrade, branded Nokia Music+ as well as a quick demo of native Windows and HTML5 clients. We'll be the first to say that it looks like it could go far, especially if the catalogue of music is solid.

Nokia Music as it is right now on Lumia Windows Phones is a handy service, enabling users to access mixes that are provided and updated on a regular basis. While the selection of stations is good, there's definitely room for improvement to further enhance Nokia Music. This is where Music+ is set to come in. While Microsoft has its own Xbox Music subscription, we're pleased to see Nokia take a different approach.

As well as highlights we mentioned yesterday, including unlimited skipping, downloads, higher quality playback and lyrics, Nokia Music+ looks as though it will provide more access for music lovers to mix up genres and more. Artist Mix and Offline Mix both look set to be available, and My Music would make Music+ a full media player experience.

While Nokia looks to release native clients for Windows 8 and RT, as well as Windows Phone, the video also showed off a HTML5 version of Nokia Music+, which is believed to boast similar (if not identical) functionality to the native Windows clients. This will expand availability to cover other platforms.

Check out a quick overview of the service and clients that will be available in the rollout:

Pretty neat, eh? And for just €3.99/$3.99 as a monthly fee, it's not a bad deal. We'll have more information when the service and clients go live in the coming weeks. Sound off your thoughts in the comments.

Source: YouTube

Nokia surprised a lot of people this morning by announcing Nokia Music+, an upgraded version of their current Nokia Music service available on Lumia Windows Phones. Music+ looks to compete directly with Microsoft's Xbox Music both in terms and features but with a lower price point: €3.99/$3.99 per month.

The service is expected to rollout “in a few weeks” and users can access their music via a web-app which “gives you the ability to play Mixes on your computer, smart TV or other connected screens”. What’s not clear at this point is whether this will be open to other Windows Phones or just Lumias. Also, the language about accessing Mixes suggests that individual tracks and albums may not be available across devices, though that remains to be seen.

The full feature list though is quite impressive.

• Unlimited skips. Whether you like to skip from track to track, or just want extra control over what you hear. There’s no stopping you with Nokia Music+.
• Unlimited downloads. The free service allows you to download up to four Mixes (each of which contains hours of music) and play them without an Internet connection. The paid service removes this limit – you can download a massive supply of offline music you can swap as you wish.
• Higher quality. We were surprised by the high quality of streaming music from Nokia Music, even over a 2.5G connection. Nokia Music+ allows you to download music at eight times the existing quality. Plus, you can set rules to only download high quality when you’re on WiFi, for example.
• Lyrics. Words to the songs you’re listening to, right on your Nokia Lumia. Either in a scrolling list, Karaoke-style format, or a display you can scroll up and down.

At least when it comes to the lyrics options, Xbox Music does not have an option while the rest of the features are mirrors of what Microsoft is currently doing. Another question arises as to the size of the music catalog, but details are not revealed.

Nokia has been more aggressive about entering the services arena, much like Samsung and HTC for Android. It’s a good source of extra revenue and dare we say Nokia will probably do a much better job of it than those other two companies.

However, like all new services there will be some missing options at first and limitations that may keep some users at distance. But that low price of €3.99/$3.99 per month may persuade quite a few people to go for it over other music subscription services.

As always, the devil is in the details and we look forward to taking Nokia Music+ for a spin when it’s released. And for those without access to Xbox Music, it looks like Nokia just saved the day.

What do you folks think? Sound off in comments.

Source: Conversations; Thanks to everyone who tipped us!

Hot damn. Nokia has updated a handful of their Windows Phone 8 apps for the Lumia 820 and 920. Most of you are going to bed excited for ‘Portico’ to hit tomorrow, but now get even more. Nokia has updates in the Marketplace for Nokia Maps, Cinemagraph, Nokia Music and some audio settings. Read on to see what has changed.

Starting off with Nokia Maps we get two new features, the first being a new traffic layer that improves reliability and quality of flow information. I wish I had compared before and after for the traffic layer, but I do remember not being as impressed with it and having a hard time telling the direction of traffic. Now the update makes it a lot easier to distinguish the flow of traffic and which direction. Check out the screenshot below of a typical Monday in Los Angeles.

The other addition to Nokia Maps is the ability to get public transit schedules from the route planner. When you select public transport as your mode of transportation you’ll have the option to “get more routes” right above the directions. Oddly, I clicked that and was directed the store to search for apps to complete this task. The option was to install Nokia Transit, which I have, and resulted in no solution. Maybe an update for Nokia Transit is incoming?

Cinemagraph receives a most-welcomed upgrade – the ability to share your creations with the world. You can select ‘share’ from the app menu when viewing a picture in Cinemagraph and upload it via social media, email, or messaging. In all instances the image is uploaded to Nokia’s servers and the recipients are sent a link to view the masterpiece, like mine below. The site is also mobile friendly, so if you send it as a text message to a buddy you can rest easy they’ll be able to see it.

The update for Nokia Music is a little harder to figure out. There wasn’t anything in the Marketplace description indicating new features, bug fixes, etc. If you notice anything new please let us know in the comments below.

There is also an update for the audio settings, but I was unable to download them from the marketplace. So, like Nokia Music, if you notice anything new before I get the update, let us know. Update - Over at MyNokiaBlog they have a screenshot of the Audio settings update. So what's new? You can now set the same playback volume for all music and video tracks. Also some folks in the comments are saying there are more presets for the equalizer. (Thanks to Windows Phone Central reader Chad for the image below)

It's great to see Nokia working hard to make their current devices and services better. We showed you the improvements they've made with the camera in the Lumia 920 earlier today. Now we get these apps updated and can look forward to Portico tomorrow. As Ice Cube would say, today was a good day.

If you're a Lumia users running Windows Phone 8 and want to upgrade, you can find all three apps in the Nokia Collection in your Store App.  You can also hit these links from your Nokia Lumia Windows Phone.

For Nokia Maps go here in the Windows Phone Store. If you want Cinemagraph go here in the Store. Last, but not least, if you want Nokia Music go right here. Or use the QR codes below with the order Cinemagraph in the middle, Maps and Music on the left and right respectively.

Thanks for the tip Jamal!

Windows Phone 8 is just in the process of being released and with it comes updated apps. Notably Nokia’s own apps are getting spruced up to take advantage of the new platform.

Yesterday saw an update go out to Nokia Music, its actually still showing as 3.5.93.366 but announced some new features with regard to the newest version of the Windows Phone OS.

The update is said to bring the following:-

**New Features for WP8**

• Equalizer and Dolby Experience accessed from the player menu
• Support deletion of Songs within My Music
• Login to Nokia Music using Facebook account
• Extended language support WP8

All sounds good doesn’t it? Delete works and I’m sure the option to login with Facebook was there but there doesn’t seem to be any way at present to access the Dolby features from the player menu as they suggested. I personally tired with headphones plugged in (as that’s part of the feature) and without, no luck finding that graphic.

The app does now allow you to delete tracks from your collection which might be useful to some but the EQ while playing back music would have been far more welcome. We’re wondering what happened to that feature. We’re certainly pleased to see that Nokia are full steam ahead with getting their great exclusive apps updated for Windows Phone 8.

Nokia Music is a great service and totally free if you’re a Lumia owner so we’d encourage you to try it out if you haven’t already done so. You can find it here in the Nokia Collection on your  Lumia Windows Phone.  Nokia recently told us of their commitment to this feature and we’re expecting some rapid fire updates to its capabilities to come shortly.

We’d like to know what you think of Nokia Music in its current form, features you’d like to see in the future and any tips you might have for getting the best out it it. Please let us know in the comments below.

You can count on Nokia to keep on fine tuning their own apps, each version brings us a step closer to perfection. Today an update is heading out for Nokia Music, their free to listen music service.

The release notes for version 3.5 are scant but we suspect this is version isn’t serving up any new features as the release app notes still show the same features as in version 3.0 which we reported on back in July.

Here is the marketplace feature list:

• Download all types of mixes to listen to offline
• 'pin to start' any mix, so you can quickly play your favourites
• See what mixes and songs you've previously listened to by tapping 'recent mixes'
• Search for gigs by artist, venue and city
• Share details of the song you are playing to social networks, via email and messaging
• Fixed disappearing menu options

Owl City Image Gallery - Nokia Music 3.5

Version 3.5 looks to be a very minor update, certainly enough so that we cannot determine any real changes here. If you have a Nokia then you should check out this app, its listed in the Nokia section of the marketplace. If you already have the app installed then clicking on the marketplace link below will trigger the app to show as an update you can then click on. 

**Update** we have reports that as well as performance improvements there is now an image gallery of the artist being played which you can then save to your phone. 

If you are a seasoned regular user of Nokia Music and have noticed anything that’s changed, please let us know. While we have your attention, what improvements would you like to see included with Nokia Music? SmartGlass integration, play to built in? We'd love to hear from you.

Thanks, @JCWinupd8, for the tip!

Marketplace link - Here

The other day when Nokia announced that their music streaming service was headed to the US, they mentioned a special concert to celebrate featuring the band Green Day. At the time, no date or event was mentioned and instead we were told to tune in later.

Now, details have come forth about that big show—somewhat.

Evidently Green Day will be playing a concert at Irving Plaza here in New York City, on Saturday September 15^th.

Unfortunately this isn’t an open concert ala Nicki Minaj and instead, fans have to enter into a contest via Facebook. Green Day only wants the “biggest fans” to go to this show, so in turn, you need to act like a PR agency for the quasi-pop punk band by advertising the heck out of ‘em.

We checked the Irving Plaza calendar but have not found any links for Green Day, meaning either there won’t be tickets for sale or there will be but they’re not yet available.

We’ll try to find out any more details if we can and maybe even have Nokia hook us up with some tickets.

Meanwhile, if you have a Lumia, go ahead and try Nokia Music out. It’s actually a darn good service and we’re using it quite often.

Source: Marketwire

It may have take a while but Nokia Music is now available in the U.S. Windows Phone Marketplace. The music app is an exclusive to the Nokia Lumia Windows Phone and allows users to stream music from a collection of over 150 exclusive playlists.

In addition to the playlists, users can tap into a library of millions of songs and generate their own playlists.

To enhance their music experience further, consumers can use Nokia Music's 'gig finder', which locates a consumer's position and pinpoints live concerts, gigs and shows taking place in their local area, taking their level of interaction with their favorite artists beyond the playlist and Nokia Music's mp3 store.

The app makes a nice first impression with a well laid out design and a healthy music library. We'll take a closer look at Nokia Music over the next few days and let you know if those impressions last.

Nokia Music is a free app for the Nokia Lumia Windows Phones and you can find it here in the Nokia Collection. Pleas note that if Nokia Music isn't available in the Nokia Collection, it may take a little while to roll out to the full Marketplace.

Nokia has announced that their music streaming service is to finally get launched in the U.S. Whilst many countries have seen the service up and running for a while the U.S. has, to date, been left out in the cold.

Not so anymore, Nokia brags about their service having over 150 playlists from Detroit house to Classical music. U.S. users will also be able to take advantage of creating custom playlists and even downloading the playlist for offline use.

Here’s what Nokia had to say about the U.S. launch:

Know what? The good news keeps on coming, U.S. users will also be able to use the location based “gig finder” to help take the strain out of deciding where to go. I really like Nokia music, the automatic playlists and curated variant are really rather good. The free service is a real bonus for anyone that owns a Lumia handset. The press release goes on to say that it will be available to those that have Lumia 900 and 710 devices.

Interestingly Nokia also adds,

We wonder will this be something to do with tomorrow? Seems Nokia are getting their services and apps in alignment just in time for the big day.

The launch of Nokia Music in the U.S. is certainly good news. We’d love to know what you think. Oh and while we are at it, we would love to know how you use the Nokia Music services.

EDIT: Currently, you can try and download in the US but for us it is still yet working. Either Nokia will have a new version or the Marketplace needs to push to the US.

Source: Nokia

Nokia Music has been updated to version 3.0, and we've got some information regarding what's included in this release. According to the changelog provided in the Marketplace description, which we believe to be slightly off, the following has been included: 

• Download all types of mixes to listen to offline
• 'Pin to start' any mix so you can quickly play your favorites
• See what mixes and songs you've previously listened to by tapping 'recent mixes'
• Search for gigs by artist, venue and city
• Share details of the song you are playing to social networks, over email and messaging
• Fixed disappearing menu options

As well as the Music app update, Nokia also pushed out a new version of  Play To, but no changelog has been published, though we have received word that connectivity within the app is much quicker. Both apps are well worth checking out, especially if you're either into music while on the go, or wish to make use of DLNA functionality.

You can download both Nokia Music and Play To from the Nokia Collection.

Thanks, TallPaul86, for the heads up!

Nokia has released an updated for their Nokia Music Windows Phone app, which is available to Lumia handset owners. The music streaming app was recently bumped to version 2.0 and introduced a few UI and audio improvements. Fast forward to 2.1 and we've got a published change log detailing the following:

• Overall performance and responsiveness
• Nokia Music Unlimited – only available in selected countries and on certain devices
• Controls for shuffle and repeat in the music player

Controls for shuffling and repeating tracks from your music library have been added in the top-right corner. Further improvements to the UI and layout of the app are also noticeable. Do note that some features are only available in some countries, and supported markets may not be able to download the app itself.

You can download Nokia Music from the Nokia collection of OEM apps on the Marketplace (Lumia handsets only).

While Nokia appears to be on an OEM app updating spree, the Finnish manufacturer has also included their Nokia Music app for Windows Phone, which has now been bumped to version 2.0. This follows both Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive that were both recently updated.

Nokia Music enables Lumia Windows Phone owners to listen to genre mixes, and is the manufacturer's attempt to provide consumers with a solution should Zune not be readily available. The said mixes are available to play offline and can be pinned to the home screen for convenient access. Background playback is supported, but there are some limitations such as the inability to rewind the mix, it's best to think of this app as a personal radio.

The mixes are updated every so often with new tracks included and the best part of the service is it's completely free. "Progressive downloading" is taken to the next level with the included functionality for "Music DNA" to scan your PC library and tailor the mixes to your personal taste. If you'd like to have even more control over what content is available to you, you can even select individual artists for the app to take into account.

As well as streaming and personalisation options, we have a gig finder, which will search for local gigs near to your location, and access to the Nokia Music Store where the latest hits are on sale. Although it's well suited for emerging markets, Nokia Music is a superb music streaming app that would fulfill the needs of a daily commuter, or someone who enjoys music but doesn't wish to pay for a Zune Pass.

As for version 2.0 - we've reached out to Nokia for the update change log, but unfortunately it appears as though only UI and audio improvements are included. Be sure to let us know in the comments should you find anything. You can download Nokia Music from the Marketplace on your Lumia Windows Phone (not available in the U.S.).

Nokia Music, a solid alternative to Zune, especially where Microsoft's own music services are not offered, has been ripped by some folks at XDA. The file can be sideloaded on to any developer unlocked device and run just like any other app thereafter.

But for our US friends: don't bother. While the app launches, the whole music-streaming aspect aka the main point, is non-existent for our region. This probably has to do with Nokia and licensing, with the the Finnish company not-yet securing a deal here in the U.S.. And since there are no Nokia Windows Phones here just yet, that makes sense. It's a curious question though if/when Nokia does launch phones here whether we'll have access to Nokia Music--nothing is guaranteed in that regard.

And since we don't want to irk Nokia too much, we'll leave it to you to find the XAP file if you really want it.

via: WPSauce

A question we had (and we know some of you have had) regards why Nokia Music? Or rather, how does it work, why is it better than Zune and what do you get with it?

We spoke with Nokia on the matter and got some answers and to be honest, they make sense and we went from befuddled to intrigued very quickly.

In short, Nokia Music is Nokia's answer to Zune not being available in many countries/regions. For instance, Nokia Music will be available in 38 territories on launch whereas Zune Music is only available in six. Likewise, the service offers a catalog of 50 million song tracks, meaning its comprehensive and it is finely tuned toward each region, culturally speaking. Hits in China will be offered/featured in China and likewise for England. Pretty smart.

So how is this self-described "progressive download service" made for free? Nokia is paying radio royalties for the songs with specific license deals in place for an undisclosed amount. And it truly is free, the only time you are charged is if you want to buy a track. But what can you do with it, as a service?

You can stream unlimited music, like many services, but more importantly, it is customized towards your tastes based on song choices and also something called "Music DNA". Music DNA is the ability for Nokia to scan your PC's music catalog for music and then recommend further music selections based on your possessions. So, it's like Zune's Smart DJ. What's cool about this is both the ability to do it and the fact that it is completely optional (for those concerned with privacy). What's more, you can do "playlist" channels based on genres you like and download up to four channels for off-line listening. Each channel equals about 3 1/2 hours of music, meaning you can get nearly 14 hours of offline music stored on the device for playback, all for free. Very cool.

What can we say other than this is a pretty astonishing and an enticing feature that Nokia phones will offer. It's free, non-committal and looks to bring "progressive downloading" to many more devices than Zune does, making Nokia Windows Phone that more tempting for emerging markets. The app itself is nice and yes, it all ties into your Zune library, meaning tracks are shared between the services and are not mutually exclusive.

Well, we're pretty happy with all of that. Check our video tour of Nokia Music to see it in action...

So not a lot has been shown of Nokia Music, their free app that will be on board the Lumia 800 and 710. Think of it as a Zune II but without the cost. Basically you get to find music, stream it and create playlists. In addition there are pre-made mixes, similar to 8tracks--you can even save them for offline playing. If you want a song, it takes you to their own music store where you can buy tracks individually. Finally, you can even browse for upcoming concerts, which was a nice touch as it adds Eventful like functionality to the app.

Overall a nice service which will augment Zune.

Just a short FYI for some of you who are wondering: Nokia's services, while super awesome, do not in any way alter or replace Microsoft's. That is Zune co-exists just fine with Nokia Music. Likewise, Nokia Drive/Maps does not replace Bing at all either. Both are just loaded up like any other apps on the device.

So fret not, you won't be losing any Microsoft services with a Nokia Windows Phone, you'll just be gaining Nokia's awesome stuff.

Look for our Nokia Music video tour in a little bit...UK internet is hardly broadband today