Page 23 - atoday

TECHNOLOGY A23
Tuesday 17 November 2015

YouTube Music is a great music-video app _ if you pay up

RYAN NAKASHIMA

AP Business Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — If

you were going to rein-

vent MTV for a mobile

generation, you’d prob-

ably come up with some-

thing like YouTube Music.

It’s a video-first music ser-

vice that also plays in the

background like you’d ex-

pect a music app to do.

That sets it apart from oth-

er music apps out there,

many of which give you a

choice of videos or songs,

but not interchangeably.

But while YouTube Music

offers a lot of interesting

features, most of them re-

quire a subscription to the

new YouTube Red service,

which will set you back

$10 a month — $13 if you

sign up through YouTube’s

iPhone app. Without Red,

YouTube Music will play

ads similar to what you

see on YouTube proper,

and several other func-

tions won’t work at all. This photo shows the YouTube Music app on a mobile phone on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, in Los Angeles.
YouTube is offering new
users a 14-day free trial to Associated Press

Red, but to continue com- switches the app to audio- ly toggle worked far bet- playing if you switch to three — home, hot (trend-

mercial free, you’ll need only mode, which turns ter on a Samsung Galaxy other tasks, like checking ing videos), and thumbs

to pony up. off the video playback Note 4 than on an iPhone email — although again up (your favorites).

YouTube Music is first and and swaps in a still image. 5, where it introduced a only if you’ve paid up for Home offers recommend-

foremost a music-vid- You can even turn off the jarring pause. Red. ed videos, and it’s easy

eo app, albeit one that screen and keep listening You can similarly shrink There are some curious to find something play-

doesn’t forget that most while you do something the video to a little strip omissions. For instance, able. Your mileage may

people will be using it on else. at the bottom of the app, there’s no easy way to vary with the “hot” tab;

their phones. For those But here’s the first gotcha: which keeps it playing in a create a playlist to queue it didn’t do much for me,

times you’d rather just lis- Audio-only mode only cropped format while you up a bunch of videos in although I’m usually a bit

ten instead of watching, works for paid subscribers. look for the next video. a row. The app does of- out of sync with the main-

you can hit a toggle that I also found the audio-on- The app will even keep fer “song stations,” which stream. Finally, there’s one

queue up videos from more fun feature, which is

Pandora strikes $75M Rdio artists related to the one called “offline mixtape.”
you’re on. You can toggle It automatically saves 20
the range of the resulting audio-only songs for you

deal, promises new features mix with options like “less based on your tastes, for
variety,” ‘’more variety” when you know you’re
or “balanced.” I started going to get spotty re-

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — said Monday that Pandora deal for songwriting rights a station starting with Pas- ception. I wish it saved

Pandora says it is acquir- wants to redefine itself. It’s with Sony/ATV, the larg- senger’s “Let Her Go” and the videos instead of just

ing technology and intel- primarily a U.S. service to- est music publisher in the so far I’m pretty happy the audio, but this will

lectual property from Rdio day known for its Internet world. It settled a lawsuit with the “balanced” play- keep the tunes turning in

and will add new fea- radio. McAndrews wants for $90 million last month list it created, which in- a pinch. Alas, offline mix-

tures to its Internet music to make it a global opera- over songs from before cluded “Counting Stars” tapes are disabled in the

streaming service by late tion, add live events and 1972. It also suspended a from OneRepublic and ad-supported version of

next year. give users more control. plan to use a South Da- “Burn” by Ellie Goulding. YouTube Music. The app

The $75 million cash deal Services like Spotify that let kota radio station to lower You can also play all of makes Google’s $10-a-

depends on Rdio seek- you request specific songs its royalty payments, and the videos you’ve thumbs- month music subscription

ing bankruptcy protection typically cost $10 a month. agreed to retroactive pay upped, which turns that a lot more attractive. Pay-

and gaining court approv- Pandora radio is free, with to artists. grouping into a crude sort ing up not only unlocks

al for the deal. Rdio will ads. There’s a $5-a-month A more collaborative rela- of playlist. features in YouTube Mu-

wind down its service. option that strips out ads. tionship with music makers YouTube Music is far less sic itself, it also gets you

It would be the second The deal also follows steps puts it in a stronger position cluttered than compet- ad-free playback on the

big purchase by Pandora the company has taken to expand, McAndrews ing services like Apple Mu- main YouTube app, ac-

following its agreement to to repair its frayed rela- said. sic, which has more lists cess to Google Play Mu-

buy ticket seller Ticketfly tionship with the music in- Pandora Media Inc. shares and tabs than you’ll know sic, and, down the road,

last month for $450 million. dustry. Earlier this month, it rose 3 cents to $13.45 in what to do with. YouTube some original material

CEO Brian McAndrews reached a direct licensing after-hours trading.q Music keeps the tabs to from YouTube stars.q