Nokia Music for Windows 8 is a desktop version of Nokia’s streaming radio service available on Windows Phone 7.5. Similar to Pandora and Spotify, Nokia Music allows unlimited audio streaming of “Mixes” categorized by artist or genres. You can also download Mixes for offline use or use Nokia Music for local music on your computer. While Nokia Music for Windows 8 has a $3.99 monthly subscription, there is a seven day free trial that includes all features.

How it Works

Nokia Music uses streaming Mixes which are similar to Pandora. You cannot select specific tracks for on demand listening. Instead, each Mix is a radio station that focuses on an artist or genre and provides similar sounding tracks. You can browse through Nokia’s premade Mixes or create your own. The default Mixes include various genres, top charting music, recommendations from popular musicians, sponsored music, and more. Nokia’s library is large and includes various genres of music, standup comedy acts, and songs from TV ads. If you are not a subscriber you will be limited to only 30 second previews per track, which is far too short. Subscribers will be able to listen full length tracks.

Creating your own mix is much more limited as you can only search by artists and not other categories such as genre or time period. You can also only add in three artists at most, resulting in a limited selection of music. On the plus side any Mix, premade or your own, can be downloaded for offline listening. Offline tracks are unfortunately disabled for non-subscribers. If you’re not satisfied with Nokia’s selection of music you can also use the app to listen to your own local files.

How it feels

The layout is comprised on large and medium sized tiles grouped into sections. The sections of Nokia Music include the track you are currently listening to, previously Mixes, default Nokia Mixes, your own creations, downloaded music, and local music. On the main track page there are buttons to display a song’s lyrics or open a menu with the band’s information. Depending on the artist, this can include a bio, image gallery, their Twitter feed, upcoming shows, similar artists, and Mixes they appear in. This is a wealth of information that will help you learn more about bands and discover new music.

Right clicking on Mix will provide buttons to download the track, buy it from Nokia’s store, or remove it from the front sections. The options menu includes changing accounts, updating subscriptions, providing feedback to Nokia, troubleshooting, and permissions. Settings allow you to adjust audio quality based on your connection type (Wifi or mobile), permission to send personal data back to Nokia, display wallpapers, and if the app runs is allowed on the Lock screen. Nokia Music subscriptions are relatively new, yet the amount of options is surprisingly plentiful.

Quality

Nokia Music’s wide selection of music and comedy is very impressive. The quality of streaming audio is decent at 192kbps for all tracks. Downloading music is generally fast, although you can suffer delays and pauses in streaming if you download several Mixes at the same time. Music with offensive lyrics are either listed with a clear “Explicit” icon or are completely censored with more broadcast friendly versions. The latter is very surprising for an online streaming service. In most cases all of Nokia’s library is clean and there is no setting to listen to adult versions.

Accessing Nokia’s library requires either a Nokia account or Facebook along with a monthly subscription fee; this is also on top of the normal Microsoft account to run the app. Surprisingly, if you sign up with Facebook Nokia Music will not update your activity or provide any form of social linking. Without a subscription you will be limited to short 30 second clips and cannot download music.

Final word

Even though you need a subscription and cannot access on demand music, the app still provides an amazing selection of music and comedy as well as the ability to download Mixes. The amount of additional data about artists and lyrics helps to connect you to the music. Try out Nokia Music’s free trial to listen to a diverse assortment of music.

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Complete mixer with crossfade between two tracks. Real time equalization per load with mute Integrated Automix. Automatic syncronization between the decks based on BPM Automatic Beat Detection Three effects per load (Echo, Flanger, Wha). Three memory banks pero load for CUE points or Loops. Three samples per load. Auto Loop from ¼ to 32 Beats. Scratch with an integrated wheel. Advanced traklist with two levels (Explorer and / or Playlist). Resizable to the end of the screen. Ultra-fast "Search" to scan your music library. Complete Audio Set Up (include Audio Support). Customize DJ ProDecks: Put your name into the Skin. Supported Files: MP3, MP2, MP1, WAV, OGG, AIFF, WMA, FLA, AAC.

Designed by DJs. Easy to use. Advanced features. Freeware without activation. New and attractive Multi-Wheel Good integration of the music library. Recording. You can mix for yourself with professional features (Autoloop Effects, Sampler), but also you can use Automix fuction with Shuffle and Multi-List. Customize your skin with your name or some text (max 15 characters)

The target of use is an universal user, normally music fan who wants to mix their songs without cost.

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Looking like a classic DJ set-up, with a mixer and two decks, Virtual DJ will be instantly accessible to DJs and newcomers alike.

Features

You can sample and loop tracks live, add effects, and there's a very natural-feeling scratch mode. For the adventurous, there's a lot you can add to your mixes with Virtual DJ.

Usability

Quality

Virtual DJ is accessible to beginners and packed with extra features. The downside of the software is that it sticks too much to what a physical DJ setup is - other programs offer four decks and more user-friendly interfaces - small knobs may be great for your fingers, but they're less use on a screen.

Conclusion

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If you're looking for something a little bit more intuitive when it comes to building playlists for iTunes and your iPod then you might be impressed with that beaTunes can do.

beaTunes works by analyzing the songs in your existing iTunes library and then correcting discrepancies such as double entries, incorrectly labeled songs and artists, misplaced genres and much more. When you run the library inspector on startup, it will display the errors or problems it has found and then ask you how many of them you'd like to correct. In the trial version, you can't make any corrections but you can see what's wrong with your collection.

beaTunes can also auto organize playlists by such things as genre, rating and even beats per minute. It could be regarded as a virtual DJ although as with all apps like these, some of the suggestions and mixes it will make will inevitably be a bit dodgy. beaTunes goes beyond what you've got installed on your Mac though, and interacts with both the iTunes store and Amazon database. This allows you to discover albums related to your music that you might not have heard or just follow the Amazon charts. The Amazon charts take a little while to load but you're presented with a thumbnail of each album currently in it plus you can divide the charts into genres too.

beaTunes is a nice little application that could help clean up your iTunes collection and introduce you to new music.

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The Gemini Groove interface isn't very slick, and reminded us of some of Gemini DJ's older mixing software, like CD DJ. There are 2 decks and a simple mixing console between them. Each deck has its own pitch, loops and effects console, three cues and the song's progress bar. In the center, you'll find a three-range equalizer, the master volume, individual volume controls and an excellent cross-fader.

Gemini Groove also includes an excellent automix function, which allows you to apply just the right amount of fade. You can also control the duration and style of fades via the options menu.

In the upper part of the Gemini Groove interface you'll see a small screen with a graphic representation of the songs that are playing, making it extra easy to make small BPM adjustments to your mixes. Below, you'll see your track library.

Despite just falling short of professional programs like Traktor and Torq, as well as showing a few notable failings (not great on effects, no auto BPM, no skinning), Gemini Groove is still a solid app for those starting out in the world of mixing.

If you're thinking about taking your DJing to the next level, Gemini Groove is a good place to start.

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If you're a singer or songwriter, you're going to want to be able to create and record your own songs from the comfort of your own home, if possible. Much like programs such as Easy Audio Mixer and Storm Music Studio, MAGIX Music Maker MX Production Suite can provide you with the ability to do just that.

MAGIX Music Maker MX Production Suite includes many more than 10,000 professional sound and video effects for you to make use of in your song creation or recording. These samples are great ways to get you started.

Unfortunately, the program can be a little intimidating for beginners to start out using. There are a lot of different features and sadly not much tutorial help for people who needs suggestions on where to start. Users of MAGIX Music Maker MX Production Suite are going to need to be willing to put in the time to learn about all of its varied features before they can truly get the most out of this multi-faceted tool.

MAGIX Music Maker MX Production Suite is a really comprehensive tool to create and record your own songs, if you're willing to deal with the initial learning curve.

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Trying to make music with GarageBand 3? Seattle musician Jeff Tolbert's step-by-step instructions guide beginning and intermediate users through using GarageBand's built-in loops to create two songs, teaching you not only how to use GarageBand's editing and mixing features but also how to be playful and creative while composing tunes that please the ear.

You'll learn how to plan a song, edit loops using both graphical and notation view, create exciting mixes, and export your masterpieces to iTunes.

The ebook also covers how to change track volume and pan dynamically, and how to work with GarageBand's effects. Linked-in audio lets you listen to examples while you read about them.

Bonus! Is your Mac bogging down while playing complex tunes? The ebook includes seven suggestions for solving performance problems. Although we have updated this ebook to cover GarageBand 3, if you're still using GarageBand 1 or 2, you may download free copies of the earlier versions; instructions are on the second page of the ebook PDF.

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Share files the smart way with networking guru Glenn Fleishman! This detail-packed book, completely updated for Leopard, makes file sharing easy, whether it's between two Macs on a local network, among a mixed-platform office workgroup, or between far-flung computers on the Internet.

You'll get help with selecting and configuring the right hardware and software for your needs and budget, learn about the pros and cons of different file-sharing options, find specific steps for setting up each major option (with special instructions to help you avoid problems and security risks), and learn how to connect to file servers from a variety of major operating systems.

Read this book to learn the answers to questions like:Which technique should I use to share my files? How do I set up my Mac as a file server?

What types of security should I set up? Do I need a firewall? Should I use Samba or AFP as my file-sharing service. How can I restrict what users can do after they log in?

How can my Windows-using colleagues access my shared files? How do I share iPhoto photos? What about songs from iTunes? What's the best way to connect to a file server from my Mac?

How do I set it up, and what if I want to use SFTP?

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The dance floor won't miss a beat. in fact, it's so easy to make a seamless dance remix that it almost feels like cheating! Chop skroo the latest singles and mix them with oldies for any party or special occasion such as weddings, raves or dance gymnastics recitals.

It can also be used for your ultimate work out CD for spinning, aerobics, running or whatever. In addition to automatically detecting the exact BPM and key of the song, it will also create unbelievable transitions from song to song.

And, if you are in to Karaoke, just click the automatic voice removal feature and the software will remove the voice! If you love to control your music, take DJ Twist Burn for a serious spin.

If you love to control your music, take DJ Twist Burn for a serious spin.

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If you're serious about creating and recording your own songs and tracks, MAGIX Music Maker is not a bad place to start.

It includes sounds, a drum machine, synthesizer and more. With a microphone, you can import your recorded sounds too, like vocals or live instruments, to mix with your digital creations too. MAGIX Music Maker also features midi support.

The interface in MAGIX Music Maker is a little scary to start with, and novices will probably have some trouble getting into it. There are help files, and online video too, but currently they're not developed enough. Nevertheless, MAGIX Music Maker is fun to play around with.

You can quite easily get a drum beat going, and add some strange noises to it. Altering sounds is easy, as there are a variety of effects you can add. The more you explore, the more possibilities open up in MAGIX Music Maker. The problem with all of this is lack of explanation. It's a shame the demo doesn't come with preloaded examples and proper tutorials, as you are left to just mess around by yourself.

If you're looking for an in depth music maker, MAGIX Music Maker could be the answer, as it does almost everything the bedroom producer might want. Novices might find it frustrating though.

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The interface in Torq will surely look confusing, even overwhelming to those not used to music mixing software. The program can have up to four mixing decks, though you can have only two visible at the beginning, while you get to grips with it. All buttons, sliders and menus are conveniently laid out for ease of use.

A deeper look at Torq’s features will reveal an interesting set of tools and options: automatic song syncing (with support for iTunes playlists), a powerful audio equalizer, crossfader and tons of special audio and visual effects.

But if there’s one feature that stands out in Torq, that’s Traq Morph, with which you can apply transition effects associated to the crossfading tool. Torq can apply up to four different effects that make your transitions between songs even more amazing.

If you were looking for a complete, stable and powerful DJ tool, here is Torq: an awesome piece of software that takes you one step ahead in the world of professional music mixing.

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In this detail-packed ebook, networking expert Glenn Fleishman makes file sharing easy, whether it's between two Macs on a local network, among a mixed-platform office workgroup, or between far-flung computers on the Internet.

Learn how to set up Mac 10. 4 Tiger to share files with Macs, Windows, and Unix machines using AppleShare, Samba, FTP, the Web, and WebDAV. Glenn shows you how to avoid the risks of sharing files across the Internet, provides instructions for accessing shared files from common operating systems, and explains how to enhance Tiger's file sharing with SharePoints.

Building on the three free updates that kept the Panther edition of this ebook up to date, this new release has been thoroughly revised for Tiger.

Extra section - learn all the ways to share music and photos across a network with iTunes and iPhoto! Read this ebook to learn the answers to questions like:What's the best way to connect to a file server from my Mac?

Which technique should I use to share my files? How do I set up my Mac as a file server? What types of security should I set up? Do I need a firewall?

How can I restrict what users can do after they log in? How can my Windows-using colleagues access my shared files? The built-in FTP server seems limited.

What do you suggest instead? Are there any utilities that make it easier to configure file sharing? How do I share iPhoto photos? What about songs from iTunes?

What about songs from iTunes?

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If you fancy yourself as a bit of a DJ, or you like to put together mixes you can share with your friends, then Pacemaker Editor can awaken the DJ inside you.

This simple to use music mixer allows you to record songs in the way you want them so if you don't like an intro or bassline, you can change it to make it exactly the way you want them. You view your song in a timeline like with a classical editor. You can drag and drop transitions such as fade in and fade out, add loops, reverb etc. The good thing is that any mixes that you create can also be transferred to other tracks and vice versa. The editing interface is extremely simple - it will be a bit too simple for some that are accustomed to multi track editors - but it's to make it accessible to everyone. When you've made your creation, simply upload it to the Pacemaker.net web community and let others decide exactly how good you are. At the moment, there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of users but this will surely change as it becomes more popular. Note that to share songs also requires you to sign-up which is a bit annoying although it doesn't take too long.

An interesting way to debut as a DJ on the internet but experienced editors and music fans may be disappointed.

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When all you want to do is just burn a CD or DVD, huge suites like Nero are certainly not the most suitable solution. Instead, you should look for a simple recording application such as InfraRecorder.

This easy tool features everything you need to record both CD and DVD. It supports data and audio burning, dual-layer DVD and also disc images. It works with rewritable discs and can burn copies on the fly as well. Results are very satisfying, with just one small complaint: I'd like to have a sound normalizer for song compilations.

But the best thing about InfraRecorder is undoubtedly its simplicity, in every sense. It launches in a few seconds, enables you to drag and drop files, features very intuitive menus and even includes a reduced version (InfraExpress) for last-minute recordings. However, if you want to record MP3 files into audio CDs you'll need to download the InfraRecorder decoder by yourself and copy it to the Program files – InfraRecorder – Codecs folder.

InfraRecorder is a simple and efficient tool for quick CD and DVD recording.

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MP3DJ Music Mixing DJ Software includes 4 settings: Transition Type, Transition Time, Cut First, and Cut Last seconds of each mixed song, all of which are fairly easy to use and control.

MP3DJ Music Mixing DJ Software can be used by both professional and amateur mixers, DJs and others for mixing different music for parties, events or just for personal use at home or at the office.

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These settings are easy to use, and the user does not need complex editing skills for him or her to be able to produce good quality audio mixes.

MP3DJ PRO Music Mixing DJ Software also has other additional features like the option to use more than one card in the same computer. The program can play different playlists in different sound cards, so more than one window of the program can be running at the same time.

One window can also be used as the Previous Output and the other for playing back to AIR. This feature can also be used for playing several channels of mixed music from the same computer at the same time.

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