“Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity” makes UK debut

Sony today announced the launch of "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity", a new, cloud-based, digital music service which gives music lovers access at any time to millions of songs from major labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music as well as leading independent labels and major publishers worldwide. The "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" catalogue will initially offer about six million songs and will continue to expand over time.

Through "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity," users can play music any time on a wide variety of Internet-connected Sony devices including Sony's 2010 models of network-enabled BRAVIA TV, Blu-ray Disc player, Blu-ray Disc Home Theatre system, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system as well as VAIO and other personal computers. It will also become available on a wide range of Sony's portable devices, as well as on Android-based mobile devices.

"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" is initially available in the U.K. and Ireland with service availability in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, New Zealand and U.S. to be announced in due course during 2011.

"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" is the next extension of services 'powered by Qriocity.' Sony debuted "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity™," a premium video streaming service, in the U.S. in April 2010 and expanded the service to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. in November 2010. Through "Video on Demand powered by Qriocity" customers can instantly rent from a growing library of thousands of Hollywood blockbuster movies across Sony's 2010 models of network-enabled BRAVIA TV, Blu-ray Disc player and Blu-ray Disc Home Theater system.

"As we continue to expand Qriocity globally, these services 'powered by Qriocity' offer a single ID log-in and wallet solution, and empower users to easily consume content including music and video across a growing number of integrated devices," said Kazuo Hirai, President of Networked Products & Services Group, Sony Corporation. "Seamless accessibility to content through these fresh user experiences will enrich Sony's network service offerings and continually add value to the unique aspects of Sony's network-enabled products."

Sony has developed "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" in partnership with Omnifone, a leading provider of cloud-based unlimited music services, with Omnifone contracted by Sony to coordinate content licensing as well as development and delivery of the service, leveraging its existing expertise in the music industry.

"Omnifone is delighted to partner with Sony to bring 'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' to hundreds of millions of Sony and other devices," said Rob Lewis, Executive Chairman of Omnifone. "'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' is designed to bring digital music into the homes and living rooms of consumers, as well as to PCs and portable devices, with every users' music experiences synchronized automatically across their devices without needing to manage media files."

"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" Features

With Basic (£3.99) and Premium (£9.99) monthly subscription plans, "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" offers breadth of content and easy music discovery, features cited as most important by music enthusiasts.

Unlike many other popular music services, the basic plan permits unlimited forward skipping of the songs to ensure users discover music they want to hear. With access to an expanding catalogue of about six million songs, the basic plan works as an infinite ad-free radio station and subscribers can listen to dozens of personalized channels – categorized by genre, era as well as mood through SensMe – without the requirement to download or manage their music files.

Additionally, the premium subscription plan offers a one time 30 day Premium free trial enabling users to listen in full to every song on demand, create personal playlists of favourites, and gain access to premium Top 100 channels which are regularly updated with the latest hits.

By studying users' listening habits, incorporating their 'like/dislike' song ratings, analysing their existing music collections and more, "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" adapts to users' music preferences and constantly tailors music channels to offer the most compatible and enjoyable list of songs. Therefore, the more you listen, the more uniquely personalized your music channels become.

Furthermore, users can also synchronise their existing music files and playlists from other media players including iTunes into "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity," and enjoy their existing music at any time across all compatible devices.

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Sony's Music Unlimited Service Launches in Japan

Sony's Music Unlimited service launched in the UK and Ireland in December 2010 and has finally launched in Japan, priced at 1,480 yen per month.

Key Features of “Music Unlimited”

1. A variety of preset music channels
   Users can enjoy 57 music channels categorized by genre, era, Premium channels with various Top 100 channels, as well as mood (“Relax,” “Morning,” and more) based on SensMe, Sony's proprietary 12 Tone Analysis technology to evaluate music tracks. Furthermore, users can use My Channel to create artist-inspired channels to enjoy music from that artist and other similar artists.
2. Personalization
   By studying users' 'like/dislike' song ratings, “Music Unlimited” adapts to users' music preferences to offer the most compatible and enjoyable songs from the cloud. Therefore, the more users use the service, the more opportunities they have to discover new songs and artists.
3. Synchronized music experience across all devices
   Users can easily build their My Library and create playlists with their favorite music which can be enjoyed across all compatible devices without the need to transfer music files.
4. Offline playback
   In addition to online streaming, users can also listen to their playlists and music channels in subways or airplanes where they cannot access the network, through offline playback on their PlayStationVita, Android smartphones including Xperia, and Android Walkman.
5. Music Sync
   Furthermore, by scanning and matching their existing music files on their personal computers with the “Music Unlimited” catalog through MusicSync, users’ music and playlists from other media players including iTunes automatically appear in their “Music Unlimited” My Library for them to enjoy at any time across all compatible devices.

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Microsoft launches Xbox Music Service coming to Xbox 360 Tomorrow

Microsoft announced the launch of Xbox Music, a new all-in-one music service that gives you the freedom to stream custom-created playlists for free, subscribe to all the music you want or download-to-own your favorite songs. Xbox Music service will go live tomorrow (October 16th) on the Xbox 360, then to the masses with Windows 8 on October 26th.

Xbox Music launches with a global catalog on par with iTunes, offering 30 million tracks from some of the leading music labels around the world. The all-in-one Xbox Music service includes the following:

• Free streaming music on Windows 8 and Windows RT. Enjoy on-demand access to tens of millions of songs for free on all Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets and PCs. Discovering and enjoying free music on Windows 8 and Windows RT is as easy as typing an artist or song name and hitting “play” — songs are instantly available to stream and for you to create an unlimited amount of playlists.
• Xbox Music Pass. Want unlimited access to the songs and artists you care about, including offline access? Get an Xbox Music Pass for ad-free, unlimited playback of any track in our subscription catalog across your tablet, PC, phone and Xbox 3601 for US$9.99 per month.2 Xbox Music Pass also unlocks unlimited access to tens of thousands of music videos on your Xbox 360.
• Xbox Music Store. Want to own the music you love? The Xbox Music Store is a comprehensive MP3 marketplace giving you the opportunity to purchase a single track or entire album on your Windows 8 or Windows RT tablet or PC and Windows Phone 8.
• Smart DJ. Creating a new form of artist-based radio, the Smart DJ feature is a quick and dynamic way to personalize your collection, discover new favorites and create ultimate playlists by launching instant mixes based on your favorite artists. With unlimited skips and a view of the full recommended music stream, Smart DJ puts you in control of your Internet radio experience.
• Cloud Storage. Available in the coming year, a scan-and-match feature will take you beyond the 30 million tracks globally offered through Xbox Music. It will add all the music you own to your Xbox Music cloud catalog, including music acquired through other services. This means you can add almost any content you have to your personal Xbox Music collection, even if it’s not available in the Xbox Music catalog.
• Social Music. Xbox Music will add unique social features in the coming year that let you share your music experiences with friends and family.
• Platform Expansion. Xbox Music will become available on other platforms in the coming year.

Free streaming on Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets and PCs launches October 26 in 15 markets worldwide. Xbox Music Pass will be available for Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 in 22 markets worldwide; it will begin rolling out tomorrow on Xbox 360 in the same markets. Xbox Music Store will also be accessible on Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 in 22 markets worldwide as devices become available.

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Music Unlimited Service Android Mobile and Tablet Apps Updated

Sony released new updates for its Music Unlimited Service Android smartphones and tablets apps. Music Unlimited Android Tablet app v1.4 delivers Offline Playback, giving users the ability to enjoy music even when a 3G or Wi-Fi connection isn’t available, or when they want to conserve battery life or curb data usage.

Music Unlimited Android Mobile app v1.4 update let users to access the "My Channels" feature which gives them the ability to create and control customized radio stations built around a favorite artist. New update also includes 30 second "preview mode" available without any account and adds move APK to SD card on supported devices.

Both the Music Unlimited app for tablets and smartphones are free to download from Google Play store though some features require a monthly subscription in order to access them.

Source:- Sony Entertainment Network

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Amazon Cloud Player hits iPad, adds Unlimited Storage

Amazon, announced three enhancements to Amazon Cloud Drive and Cloud Player: storage plans that include unlimited space for music, free storage for all Amazon MP3 purchases and Cloud Player for Web, now on iPad.

Unlimited Space for Music

Now, for a limited time, Amazon customers who purchase a Cloud Drive storage plan will receive unlimited space for their MP3 and AAC (.m4a) music files. This offer is available for even the lowest price plan: $20/year for 20 GB of file storage plus unlimited space for music.

Store all Amazon MP3 Purchases for Free

Customers can now store all of their Amazon MP3 purchases for free in Cloud Drive, including future MP3 purchases as well as all purchases made before the launch of Cloud Drive and Cloud Player. MP3s purchased from Amazon MP3 and stored in Amazon Cloud Drive will not count against a customer's storage quota.

Cloud Player for Web on iPad

Also new, Cloud Player for Web on iPad. Cloud Player, combined with unlimited space for music in Cloud Drive, enables customers to play music stored in the cloud on any Android phone, Android tablet, Mac, PC, and now on their iPad. Cloud Player for Web has been optimized to offer customers streaming playback of their Cloud Drive music using the Safari browser for iPad. To access Cloud Player for iPad, customers simply open their Safari browser and visit Cloud Player to start listening to their music.

Storage for Music and More

All customers automatically start with 5 GB of free Cloud Drive storage to begin uploading their digital music library, and for a limited time, those who purchase any Cloud Drive storage plan will receive unlimited space for music at no additional cost. In addition to unlimited space for music, Cloud Drive allows customers to upload and store all kinds of digital files, including photos, videos and documents which are stored securely and available via web browser on any computer. Customers who qualified for 20 GB of free storage from earlier promotions will receive the unlimited space for music at no additional cost.

Source:- Amazon

 

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Sony bring Unlimited Music Service to Walkman

Sony today announced that select Sony Walkman MP3 players can now access its Music Unlimited cloud-based digital music service through a downloadable application.

The new Walkman application allows users to listen to their favorite Music Unlimited channels and playlists without being connected to the Internet. Simply connect the device to a PC, select the channels and playlists from your Music Unlimited account, and synch to your Walkman. The selected music will be accessible on your Walkman wherever you go.

Sony Entertainment Network's Music Unlimited service features an ever expanding global catalogue of over 10 million licensed songs and is currently available in nine countries including Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, and United States.

The service is also available across Sony's 2010, 2011, and future models of network-enabled BRAVIA HDTVs, Blu-ray Disc players, Bly-ray Disc Home Theatre Systems as well as PlayStation3, PSP (PlayStationPortable), personal computers including VAIO personal computers, Android-based tablets including Sony Tablet as well as others, and Sony Ericsson's Android-based mobile devices including Xperia arc, Xperia PLAY, Xperia X10, Xperia X8 and Xperia neo, and Android-based third party devices.

Source:- Sony

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Rdio launches free On-Demand Music Streaming without Ads

Rdio, the digital music service created by the founders of Skype, today announced the launch of the first ever free, on-demand music offering with no ads. In a move that will redefine the digital music space, US users who sign up to Rdio on the web will now have access to full song streams for free while discovering and sharing music from a growing catalog of over 12 million songs. Only an email address or Facebook account is required to sign up and no software downloads or credit card information is needed to start instantly listening to music.

Free access users can experience Rdio ad-free through their web browser, Rdio's native desktop apps for Mac & Windows and take full advantage of popular Rdio features including:

• Stream full songs on-demand
• See and hear what your friends and other influencers are listening to in real-time
• Share on Twitter and Facebook
• Create custom and collaborative playlists
• Build a personalized profile and digital music collection
• Get music recommendations based on your tastes
• Listen to artist and label radio stations

Free access users will see a customized meter at the top of their profile page indicating how much free music they have each month. At any time, they can choose to upgrade to one of Rdio's flexible subscription plans for unlimited music streams and Rdio's mobile apps. Plan options include:

• Rdio Web, $4.99 per month: unlimited access to millions of songs from a browser or desktop
• Rdio Unlimited, $9.99 per month: unlimited web streaming and unlimited mobile streaming on smartphones, iPad, Sonos and Roku, as well as wireless synching to listen offline
• Unlimited Family: 2 Unlimited subscriptions for $17.99 per month or 3 Unlimited subscriptions for $22.99 per month

Source:-Rdio

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PSP starts streaming Music Unlimited on April 14th

Sony today announced that beginning April 14, PlayStationPortable (PSP) owners with PlayStationNetwork (PSN) IDs will be able to access "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity," a new, cloud-based, digital music service which lets music lovers listen to millions of songs and easily discover new music from major and independent labels from around theworld. PSP owners can also enjoy a common and synchronized music experience on their PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems as well as PCs and other network-enabled Sony devices without the need to manage or transfer music files.

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Sony Intros Walkman Z Player Z1000 Series

Sony today revealed the new Walkman Mobile Entertainment Player. The new Z1000 Series, designed for music lovers, by music lovers, features anti-reflective 4.3-inch multi-touch LCD touch screen, runs on Android 2.3 packs 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth radio and users can throw personal content from the Walkman screen direct to their DLNA enabled TV's, PC's and speakers or via HDMI. It will be available beginning spring 2012, 8G Z Series will retail for about $249.99, the 16G for about $279.99 and the 32G for about $329.99.

Read the full press release after the break.

SONY INTRODUCES THE FIRST WALKMAN® MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT PLAYER POWERED BY ANDROID™

LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #14200), January 9, 2012 – Sony today revealed the new Walkman® Mobile Entertainment Player. The new Z1000 Series, designed for music lovers, by music lovers, combines stylish hardware design with outstanding audio for the ultimate mobile entertainment experience. Featuring a gorgeous quick response and anti-reflective 4.3-inch multi-touch LCD touch screen, the Walkman® Z Player display is perfect for enjoying music, video and games on a large screen.

Superior Audio Experience

With legendary premium sound, the Walkman® Z Player features the integrated S-Master MX digital amplifier to greatly reduce noise levels and distortion along with additional audio technologies to create an enriched music experience.

By touching the W.button, users can effortlessly launch the music player application for full playback control and intuitively browse their music collection or enjoy on-screen visualizations. Imagine being able to play music based on your mood. With SenseMeTM, users keep their music in tune with their mood by automatically categorizing music tracks into different channels.

Rich Entertainment

The new Walkman® Z Player serves as a portal to mobile entertainment. Tailored for music lovers, by music lovers, the Walkman® Z Player is the first MP3 player from Sony powered by AndroidTM 2.3 (Gingerbread). With WiFi® built in, users can access the Android MarketTM place, browse the Internet, check e-mail and enjoy a variety of digital content.

Music lovers will have access to over 10 million songs with Sony Entertainment Network's cloud-based Music Unlimited Service1. Users are able to discover new music, sync their own library to the cloud and even enjoy channels synched for off-line use. Walkman® Z offers easy transfer from iTunes®2 for Windows® or Windows® Media Player.

Share your Content

The Walkman® Z Player is more than just a music player. Users can throw personal content from the Walkman® screen direct to their DLNA enabled TV's, PC's and speakers. In addition, users can experience expanded connectivity by hooking their Walkman® up to the TV via a micro HDMI video output port for enjoyment of videos, games and photos. The ability to connect to Bluetooth® speakers, headphones, hi-fi systems or car stereos is also useful at home or on the go.

Pricing and Availability

The new Walkman® Mobile Entertainment Player will be displayed in U.S. for the first time at Sony Electronics Inc.'s booth at 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, booth #14200 and will be available beginning spring 2012 at Sony Stores, participating retailers and online at www.sony.com/walkman. The 8G Z Series will retail for about $249.99, the 16G for about $279.99 and the 32G for about $329.99.

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Sony unveils Android 4.0 Walkman F800 series and slimmest E470 series

Sony today announced the new line of Walkman Players – Walkman F800 Series with Android 4.0 and Walkman E470 Series, the slimmest model in Walkman history.

The new Walkman models offer access to more than 14 million songs with Sony Entertainment Network’s cloud-based Music Unlimited Service. As part of a simple monthly subscription, Music Unlimited lets users transfer their favorite songs and ad-free radio channels to their Walkman device for a world of music discovery even when offline. Making it easy for users to load up existing media, Walkman supports drag-and-drop transfer of music, photos, videos, podcasts and playlists from iTunes for Windows via Media Go software or Windows Media Player.

Users can also keep their music in tune with their mood with SenseMe technology by automatically categorizing music tracks into different channels.

Walkman F800 Series

For an on-the-go entertainment experience, the new Android 4.0 powered Walkman F800 Series offers a generous range of pre-installed apps, from email to maps and media gallery, a 3.5-inch multi-touch screen and NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processer.

Users enjoy crisp highs and full, thumping bass powered by S-Master Digital Amplifier from Sony that cuts distortion and unpleasant clipping for clearer listening. And with a dedicated W. button, you can now jump to the music application while gaming or browsing the web and enjoy full playback and control their music collection.

The Walkman F800 Series is also more than just a music player. The ability to connect to Bluetooth enabled speakers, headphones, hi-fi systems or car stereos is also useful at home or on the go.

The 16GB F800 Series will retail for about $269.99 and the 32GB will retail for about $299.99.

Walkman E470 Series

The slimmest Walkman player ever from Sony, the new E470 Series is the ultimate on-the-go companion at just 7.0-millimeters thin. Available in a metallic red or black finish and featuring crisp premium Walkman sound quality, the new E470 Series models are also packed with fun features such as karaoke mode, synchronized lyrics and two pre-installed Tetris and Sudoku like games, Puyo Pop Fever and NUMBER PLACE , on a bright 2.0-inch LCD screen.

The 4GB E470 Series will retail for about $79.99, the 8GB for about $89.99 and the 16GB for about $109.99.

All Walkman F800 and E470 Series models include soft hybrid silicone premium ear bud headphones.

The new Walkman Mobile Entertainment Players will be available beginning August 2012 at Sony Stores, participating retailers and online.

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MOG Music Service now Available on Sonos

Sonos, today announced another step in providing access to all the music on earth with the addition of the MOG music service to the award-winning Sonos music experience. Beginning today, Sonos customers can enjoy a high-quality, on-demand listening experience from MOG all over their home. All Sonos customers in the United States will receive a free 14-day trial of MOG on Sonos.

Plus, Sonos and MOG have teamed up to offer a special bundle with a Sonos S5, Sonos ZoneBridge and one-year MOG subscription – saving music fans 20% on their purchase.

With MOG's award-winning music service on Sonos, music fans can enjoy the following features in any room of the home:

• High-quality audio: MOG on Sonos features the highest quality audio streams at 320kbps.
• MOG artist radio: Customize radio stations on the fly by choosing true "artist only" radio or a full mix of similar artists.
• On-demand music: Unlimited, anytime, ad-free listening to any artist or full album from MOG's 11-million song library.
• Simple searching and browsing, designed for the palm of the hand: MOG provides simple navigation of albums and artists, and easy browsing of New Releases, Chart Toppers, Editors' Picks and playlists created by recording artists for instant playing right from any Sonos Controller.

MOG offers all new and existing Sonos US customers a 14-day free trial after which users can upgrade to MOG's Primo subscription plan for $9.99 per month.

Simply go to www.MOG.com/Sonos to register for the free trial. MOG Primo provides music fans with unlimited access to MOG on Sonos, with additional access online at MOG.com, and through the MOG app on iPhone and Android phones, all via a single MOG account.

 

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MOG Coming Soon To Verizon Wireless 4G LTE

MOG, one of the best on-demand music listening services, today announced that its award-winning mobile music application will be available and preloaded on select 4G smartphones on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network.

The MOG app provides users with the ability to search, browse and play unlimited music on demand from a catalog of more than 10 million songs and more than 1 million albums. Verizon Wireless customers will be able to enjoy MOG’s vast catalog of music and download any song, album or playlist directly to their mobile devices for $9.99 per month. MOG will be preloaded on select smartphones and available through V CAST Apps, Verizon Wireless’ mobile storefront, which offers direct billing of apps so the charges appear on a customer’s monthly bill.

MOG mobile app features for select Verizon Wireless 4G smartphones, include:

• One-click, high-speed playlist download: Verizon Wireless 4G LTE customers can explore and download MOG community-, editorial- and artist-based playlists at unprecedented speeds.
• High-quality audio: Leveraging the speed of the LTE network, all songs are downloaded and streamed at 320 kbps MP3 for maximum audio quality.
• High-definition album art: MOG will expose high-definition album art for customers who stream and download MOG tracks over the LTE network.
• Unlimited downloads: Subscribers can quickly download any song, album or playlist directly to their phones and continue listening even when out of cell or Wi-Fi range.
• On-demand streaming: Unlimited listening to any artist, album or song at any time.
• MOG Radio: Only MOG offers the patent-pending “MOG Mobius” music discovery engine that enables users to control the mix of similar artists, from true “artist only” radio up to a full mix of similar artists.

 

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Some PlayStation Network and Qriocity Services to be Available This Week

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI, the company) announced they will shortly begin a phased restoration by region of PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, beginning with gaming, music and video services to be turned on. The company also announced both a series of immediate steps to enhance security across the network and a new customer appreciation program to thank its customers for their patience and loyalty.

Following a criminal cyber-attack on the company’s data-center located in San Diego, California, U.S.A., SNEI quickly turned off the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, engaged multiple expert information security firms over the course of several days and conducted an extensive audit of the system. Since then, the company has implemented a variety of new security measures to provide greater protection of personal information. SNEI and its third-party experts have conducted extensive tests to verify the security strength of the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services. With these measures in place, SCE and SNEI plan to start a phased rollout by region of the services shortly. The initial phase of the rollout will include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Restoration of Online game-play across the PlayStation3 (PS3) and PSP (PlayStationPortable) systems
  -This includes titles requiring online verification and downloaded games
• Access to Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity for PS3/PSP for existing subscribers
• Access to account management and password reset
• Access to download un-expired Movie Rentals on PS3, PSP and MediaGo
• PlayStationHome
• Friends List
• Chat Functionality

Working closely with several outside security firms, the company has implemented significant security measures to further detect unauthorized activity and provide consumers with greater protection of their personal information. The company is also creating the position of Chief Information Security Officer, directly reporting to Shinji Hasejima, Chief Information Officer of Sony Corporation, to add a new position of expertise in and accountability for customer data protection and supplement existing information security personnel. The new security measures implemented include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Added automated software monitoring and configuration management to help defend against new attacks
• Enhanced levels of data protection and encryption
• Enhanced ability to detect software intrusions within the network, unauthorized access and unusual activity patterns
• Implementation of additional firewalls

The company also expedited an already planned move of the system to a new data center in a different location that has been under construction and development for several months. In addition, PS3 will have a forced system software update that will require all registered PlayStation Network users to change their account passwords before being able to sign into the service. As an added layer of security, that password can only be changed on the same PS3 in which that account was activated, or through validated email confirmation, a critical step to help further protect customer data.

The company is conducting a thorough and on-going investigation and working with law enforcement to track down and prosecute those responsible for the illegal intrusion.

“This criminal act against our network had a significant impact not only on our consumers, but our entire industry. These illegal attacks obviously highlight the widespread problem with cyber-security. We take the security of our consumers’ information very seriously and are committed to helping our consumers protect their personal data. In addition, the organization has worked around the clock to bring these services back online, and are doing so only after we had verified increased levels of security across our networks,” said Kazuo Hirai, Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation. “Our global audience of PlayStation Network and Qriocity consumers was disrupted. We have learned lessons along the way about the valued relationship with our consumers, and to that end, we will be launching a customer appreciation program for registered consumers as a way of expressing our gratitude for their loyalty during this network downtime, as we work even harder to restore and regain their trust in us and our services.”

Complimentary Offering and “Welcome Back” Appreciation Program
While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, the company is committed to helping its customers protect their personal data and will provide a complimentary offering to assist users in enrolling in identity theft protection services and/or similar programs. The implementation will be at a local level and further details will be made available shortly in each region.

The company will also rollout the PlayStation Network and Qriocity “Welcome Back” program, to be offered worldwide, which will be tailored to specific markets to provide our consumers with a selection of service options and premium content as an expression of the company’s appreciation for their patience, support and continued loyalty.

Central components of the “Welcome Back” program will include:

• Each territory will be offering selected PlayStation entertainment content for free download. Specific details of this content will be announced in each region soon.
• All existing PlayStation Network customers will be provided with 30 days free membership in the PlayStation Plus premium service. Current members of PlayStation Plus will receive 30 days free service.
• Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity subscribers (in countries where the service is available) will receive 30 days free service.
• Additional “Welcome Back” entertainment and service offerings will be rolled out over the coming weeks as the company returns the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services to the quality standard users have grown to enjoy and strive to exceed those exceptions.
• SNEI will continue to reinforce and verify security for transactions before resuming the PlayStationStore and other Qriocity operations, scheduled for this month.

For more information about the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services intrusion and restoration, please visit http://blog.us.playstation.com. or http://blog.eu.playstation.com/

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MetroPCS announces Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G

MetroPCS and Samsung today announced the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G, armed with a 1GHz processor, running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), features 3.5-inch display, 3MP rear camera with LED flash and 1.3MP at front. Available online and in MetroPCS in the coming weeks, this mobile powerhouse is MetroPCS' latest addition to its 4G LTE Android handset lineup, with no annual contract and tax and regulatory-fee-inclusive service plans that start at just $50 per month.

The Galaxy Attain 4G is available on MetroPCS' $50 and $60 smartphone plans, which include all applicable taxes and regulatory fees. On the $60 plan, consumers can choose between Rhapsody Unlimited Music or MetroSTUDIO to fulfill all of their entertainment needs – on top of unlimited talk, text and web. With Rhapsody Unlimited Music, music lovers can access more than 12 millions songs, within Rhapsody's extensive music library. With MetroSTUDIO, entertainment enthusiasts have access to rich multimedia content, including Video On Demand, providing instant access to the latest TV shows, news, sports and entertainment right from their phone. And to give customers even more entertainment options, MetroPCS recently added content from Disney/ABC Television Group and ESPN to MetroSTUDIO.

The Galaxy Attain 4G will be available for $199 plus tax, after a $50 mail-in rebate, for a limited time only. Consumers interested in purchasing the Galaxy Attain 4G can visit their local MetroPCS store or go online to purchase the phone and sign up for service.

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Spotify is Available in Australia and New Zealand

Good news for music fans in Australia and New Zealand, Spotify announced that it's streaming services is now available in Australia and New Zealand, offering  access to some 16 million tracks via PC, smartphone and iPad. Each country will also be getting its Spotify apps - Triple J app in Australia and NZ Top 40 app in New Zealand.

Spotify offers three great services, from absolutely free to paid subscriptions:

Spotify Free – the unsurpassed, totally free music service. Enjoy free, on-demand, buffer-free access to more than 16 million songs on your computer. No gimmicks. Just listen and love it, month after month after month. Manage your own music files through Spotify, and sync them with your mobile or iPod. With occasional advertising. All Spotify users enjoy unlimited free, ad-supported music.

Spotify Unlimited – all the special features of our free service but with uninterrupted, ad-free access to Spotify on your computer. All for only $7.49 a month in New Zealand and $6.99 in Australia.

Spotify Premium – the all-singing, all-dancing, top-of-the-range Spotify experience. Premium gives you access to all the music, all the time. Listen online or offline, on your computer, your mobile phone, tablet and a whole heap of other devices. Enjoy enhanced sound quality and access to exclusive content, competitions and special offers. Premium costs just $12.99 a month in New Zealand and $11.99 in Australia.

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Spotify lands in the US

We all know its coming. Spotify, the largest and fastest growing music service of its kind, is available from today in the US. The streaming music service is currently in an invite-only beta phase, but you can sign up for an invitation or jump the queue right into the service's Unlimited ($5) or Premium ($10) monthly subscription tiers.