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Fitbit's killing its PC sync app this fall in favor of going all-in on mobile
Unfortunately, how you access music on your old Fitbit tracker is about to get a lot more complicated
Fitbit introduced its first fitness tracker way back in 2009, but it wasn't until years later that the company offered a dedicated mobile app for smartphones. Instead, Fitbit devices initially were synced by connecting them to a computer via a dock — how archaic, right? Called Fitbit Connect, the data transfer tool for both Windows and Mac computers can still be used for syncing trackers, but that's finally about to change, as Fitbit shares plans to deactivate this desktop option in October.
These are the best replacements for Play Music's upload library
Spoiler alert: None of them replicate Play Music's feature set 1:1
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Google killed Play Music in October 2020, a service many people loved for one feature in particular: its online music file locker with uploaded songs that seamlessly integrated with Play Music's streaming catalog. You could also just add titles you own and listen to them without ever having to pay a dime. Luckily, there are a few alternatives that replicate some of Play Music's capabilities, including its successor YouTube Music.
Apple Music expands to 52 new countries, is now available in 169 total
That's 91 more than YouTube Music
Since it launched in 2015, Apple Music has always been one of the most widely available music streaming platforms in the world, only rivaled by Deezer. The service started out with more than a hundred countries and added a few throughout the years, but it's now going through its largest expansion: 52 new countries and territories can benefit from it, and new subscribers from those locales get a free six-month trial to test things out thoroughly before committing to a paid subscription.
Deezer might not be the most popular music streaming service, but it has carved out a niche market with its optional high-fidelity collection and other features. Now the Android and iOS apps have one more feature that might win some folks over: music lyrics appear on your TV when you're playing music on a Chromecast.
Music streaming service Deezer is expanding the availability of its lossless membership tier, known as Deezer HiFi, to include Android, iOS, and the web. Opening up HiFi access to these platforms, in addition to the previously available desktop support, will give users access to millions of FLAC (free lossless audio codec) files.
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Listening to music, podcasts, and audiobooks while driving can make or break your commutes and long road trips. Engaging audio content keeps you entertained and alert, but you don't want to get your eyes off the road to switch between your navigation app and music app simply to skip ahead or rewind. This is why Waze added Spotify integration last year, and is now expanding its in-app player to seven more partners.
Streaming music provider Deezer is offering United Kingdom-based listeners a new app. Radio by Deezer provides access to more than 30,000 radio stations from around the world, completely free. There are no additional ads (ads the stations are already running are still present), and you don't even need a Deezer account to listen, although having one will help you make the most of the app.
It's been a long road for Deezer's support on Google Home. First announced during last year's I/O, the service launched in Germany and France in August of 2017, then took its sweet time to arrive in the UK this April. Now, it has finally crossed the Atlantic and become available in the US and Canada. It also came to Australia and Italy.
Deezer has been in the news quite a lot over the past few months. The music service integrated with Google Home in a few countries, launched a Shazam-like song recognition feature inside its app, and it's now doing one more thing to keep its Android TV users, specifically, happy. The previous Deezer app for the platform is being updated with a more native experience that offers a lot more in a straightforward interface.
Deezer today brought its new Flow tab to mobile, making the music you love easier to access. The Flow tab is home to the Flow feature, which still works just as you’d expect, as well as personalized playlists based on what you listen to and inspired by your favorite artists.
Deezer has been testing SongCatcher, its in-app music recognition tool for several months, and now it's ready to launch it for all Android users. Later today, starting 3pm CET (in about 3 hours at the time of writing), the functionality should be live for everyone using the Android Deezer app.
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At I/O in May 2017, Google announced some new compatibility for playing music on Google Home which included the subscription service Deezer. Users in Germany and France have been able to link their Deezer accounts and request music via the Google Assistant since August last year, but until now the same functionality has been missing in the UK.
Here's an almost-freebie to start off your week: Google Home's promotions page has added one new offer for you to take advantage of: 3 months of Deezer Premium+ for $0.99. That's one buck for 3 months of unlimited, on-demand streaming, no ads, but with offline saves and high-quality audio. Deezer Premium+ normally costs $6/month or thereabout, depending on where you live, so you'd be saving around $17.
Back at Google I/O in May it was announced that music streaming app Deezer would be getting Google Home integration, allowing subscribers to ask the smart assistant to play music from its extensive catalog. Users have been patiently waiting for further news on this, and today Deezer announced that the functionality was live in Germany and France. Later in the year, it will also be coming to the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
French music streaming service Deezer launched in the US almost exactly a year ago and its large catalog of songs has impressed as the company attempts to rival Spotify and Google Play Music outside of Europe. Since May, subscribers have also been able to use the service through Google Home, and the latest update extends functionality to Android Wear watches.
The Google Home already supports a large number of music streaming services - including YouTube Music, TuneIn, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and NPR One. Today at Google I/O, Google announced more services will be compatible - including free Spotify accounts.
While it may not be known in the US, Deezer is a very popular music service that has amassed plenty of fans worldwide. The French company offers a huge catalogue of songs, over 40M to be accurate, which puts it ahead of Spotify, Google Play Music, and Apple Music, and includes international releases as well as local music from different parts of the world. Its real tour de force though: quasi-worldwide presence. Deezer has been available in more than 180 countries since 2013, but there was one missing in the list: the USA.
There's no shortage of Internet radio options available on the Play Store, but we're still waiting for all of them to get on the bus (so to speak) with Android Auto. Today Deezer, another streaming radio option, gets official support for Android Auto baked into the Android app. It's live in the Play Store now, though it may take a while for the rollout to reach every user. According to the change log, Android Auto support is only available for users who subscribe to Deezer's Premium+ option.
Google Play Music. Spotify. Rdio. Tidal. There is no shortage of music streaming services that not only provide an extensive music selection, but also have good if not great Android applications so you can benefit from their catalogue everywhere you go.
Deezer, a company that provides an online music streaming service, announced today that it has acquired Stitcher, the well-known internet radio and podcasting brand. Sometimes acquisitions leave us scratching our heads in confusion. Other times they leave us feeling uneasy as we wonder whether the buyer will be able to successfully navigate the market they're now setting foot in. Occasionally companies are simply after talent. Then in certain situations, we watch as beloved brands disappear under a competitor's name.