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Tag: free streaming

  • Rdio Goes Free (Ad-Supported) on the Web

    Rdio Goes Free (Ad-Supported) on the Web

    In a move to boost its competitiveness in a crowded field of streaming music services, Rdio has just announced that anyone can stream any song in its library for free on the web.

    “[S]tarting today Rdio is free in the U.S. on the web. That means you can listen to 20 million songs plus all the albums, playlists, and stations you love anywhere there’s a computer. Absolutely free,” says Rdio.

    It’s important to note that this is only for web streaming. If you want free mobile streaming, you’re going to have to opt for Rdio Unlimited, the company’s paid option that gives you mobile on-demand streaming and is ad-free (it’ll run you $9.99). Rdio Free allows you to listen to music via mobile, but only stations.

    Of course, with “free” streaming services come ads. Here’s how Rdio explains theirs:

    “As part of this update, we’ve added in-stream messaging to Rdio on the web. These new ads are short and sweet. Free listeners will hear a mix of new feature announcements, messages from partner brands, notifications about exclusive content, and other helpful tips.”

    Nothing you’re unfamiliar with.

    The timing of this announcement seems deliberate when you know what rival Spotify recently unveiled. Yesterday, Spotify got rid of streaming time restrictions in all markets across all platforms, and just last month they decided to offer free mobile streaming for the first time ever.

    Image via Rdio

  • Popcornflix Lauches Free Movie Apps for iPad and iPhone

    Popcornflix, a digital movie platform that allows people to watch movies for free at all times, just announced the launch of its iPad and iPhone apps. The apps can be downloaded for free at the iTunes App store. The digital site is available online and on Roku. The power of this service is that it gives cinescapists access to their favorite films and actors through their mobile devices.

    Users can browse and select from over 350 independent and mainstream films and watch them instantly. Their selection is projected to grow to over 1,000 films by the end of 2012 and will add more movies every day.

    The way you can search for movies is very similar to the system used by Netflix; you can search by actor, director, title, and genre; or search through the new arrivals and most popular categories, among others.

    Popcornflix iPhone and iPad apps also allow users to share the apps with friends by posting a link instantly to their Facebook or Twitter account or via an email notice. This will create a personalized list of movie recommendations to help users find films more suited for their demographic.

    Instead of coming attractions, each film will have pre-roll, spot, and banner ads from affiliates that support the platform and make this service free to users.

    The online version of Popcornflix is available in 10 countries, including the US, Canada and the UK. Popcornflix is also available on Roku in the US. The service will expand internationally in the coming months; additional distribution outlets will include web-enabled TVs, DVD players and set-top boxes – virtually everywhere movie viewing platforms are available.