The scan-and-match technology Google rolled out to Google Play last month in Europe is now available in the U.S.
The option saves you from having to upload all your music song by song; Google will scan your music library and add matching songs online via the cloud.
"Add up to 20,000 songs from your music collection to Google Play and stream it to your Android devices and your computer, anywhere you go," the Google Play team said in a post to Google+.
The move "gets your songs into your online music library on Google Play much faster," Google said. Music will be streamed at up to 320 kbps.
Amazon and Apple have similar services, but both cost $25. Scan and match was added to Amazon Cloud Player in July, while iTunes Match went live in Nov. 2011.
Google Music launched just over a year ago, and it lets users store songs in the cloud for free and buy tracks directly from Google Play. Users can store and stream up to 20,000 songs in the Google cloud for free, and buy other songs from Google Play.
For more, see PCMag's review of Google Music, our hands on with iTunes Match, and review of Amazon Cloud Player.
For more from Chloe, follow her on Twitter @ChloeAlbanesius.
BBC iPlayer on an HTC Desire running Android. It's a big support challenge. Photograph: Michael Whitaker for the Observer
A quick burst of 8 links for you to chew over, as picked by the Technology team
Samsung's world share of smartphones at 28% for 2012; Apple's at 20%. Nokia, HTC and RIM at 5%. That leaves 37% of smartphones split among huge numbers of tiny Chinese manufacturers. As a proportion. smartphones will be 47% of world shipments in 2012, IHS iSuppli estimates, while total mobile shipments will fall by 1%.
Kevin Systrom, chief executive of Instagram:
Legal documents are easy to misinterpret. So I'd like to address specific concerns we've heard from everyone.
Funny how lawyers who read those updated terms had the same interpretation as everyone else.
Spain lost nearly 486,183 mobile lines and datacards in October, ending the month with a total mobile base of 53.71m users, down by 3.1% over the same month of 2011, according to a report by Spanish regulator CMT.
A sign of economic stress? Business accounts being closed? Hard to know. Still feels like something is happening though.
Alexis Madrigal:
Here's an alternative version of what Instagram could have done before Facebook purchased them. Instagram has, what, 100 million users? If they got $5 a month from 20 million of those users, they'd be looking at $300 million in quarterly revenue. That's a nice chunk of change when you have a baker's dozen employees. You think those guys could split more than a billion dollars a year and call it good. Or hell, make the user numbers an order of magnitude smaller: 2 million out of 10 million users. That's still $30 million dollars a quarter for 13 guys.
Eminently sensible. Of course that's Spotify's model, roughly.
Dave Price, head of BBC iPlayer, Programmes and On Demand:
?The BBC launched the BBC Media Player for Android nearly three months ago. Since then it has been downloaded to more than one million Android phones and tablets.
In this short period of time we've witnessed a dramatic change in the Android platform and in BBC usage on the platform.
When we launched, seven inch Android tablets weren't driving significant usage. Fast forward three months and the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 are now both firmly in the top five Android devices for BBC iPlayer and the BBC Media Player.
The Android platform is extremely important to the BBC and our audience and engineering for it requires an ongoing commitment.
And that commitment is big - really big - because there are more than 1500 different Android devices requiring support, and no simple way to support them all.
Horace Dediu:
What's worse, the market may have been cornered -- there may be no suppliers [of the essential data]. Unlike hardware components, the maps component is not a commodity with a market of suppliers. The work needed to maintain the maps is a commodity but the aggregation and consolidation of the data is valuable and those who have gained control over the data and they are not likely to license it to any competitors for strategic (i.e. political) reasons.
So we have a perverse situation of a very costly, unprofitable asset requiring duplication of maintenance effort by politically motivated actors imprisoned by their own strategic interests.
Got the headline, right? Ah, but read on:
HTC Corp scrapped plans to produce a large-screen smartphone using Microsoft's operating system because the screen would have had lower resolution than competing models, a person familiar with the project said.
The Windows software doesn't support resolutions as high as that on Google's Android platform, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information isn't public.
Chief executive officer Peter Chou's decision to halt the project using Windows Phone 8 software leaves HTC with only Android for phones measuring larger than 5 inches diagonally, dealing a blow to Microsoft in its efforts to win share from Google and Apple.
So this was going to be a "phone" larger than 5in, to compete with the Galaxy Note. Not in the generality of the smartphone space. A key question: at what size does Microsoft stop you using Windows Phone and insist on Windows 8? (Thanks @modelportfolio2003 for the link.)
Q In the future, are all PCs going to have touch screens?
For cost considerations there might always be some computers without touch, but I believe that the vast majority will. We're seeing that the computers with touch are the fastest-selling right now. I can't imagine a computer without touch anymore. Once you've experienced it, it's really hard to go back.
Lots of implications in this. (Thanks @rquick for the link.)
You can follow Guardian Technology's linkbucket on Pinboard. To suggest a link, either add it below or tag it with @gdntech on the free Delicious service.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? While Hayden Panettiere is pretending to be a country music singer on TV, she's learning how to be one in real life.
The 23-year-old actress plays ambitious country star Juliette Barnes on the hit ABC show "Nashville" (Wednesdays, 10 p.m. Eastern). Her character has performed on the Grand Ole Opry, dealt with the demands of a record label executive, written songs and tracked vocals in a recording studio.
"The show, I feel like, is an amazing second step for me because I love music and I've always had such terrible stage fright," said Panettiere, who recently earned a Golden Globe nomination for best performance by a television actress in a supporting role.
"This has been kind of the in between because I get to go out there during scenes with a crowd full of people and pretend like I'm performing onstage, and I'm actually performing a live show," she continued. "It's one thing when you put yourself out there (as a solo artist), it's another thing when you're playing a character. ... Beyonce has her alter ego (Sasha Fierce), and people create these alter egos because it seems like a little bit more protection when you put yourself out there for all to see."
Her confidence as a singer is growing, as is her credibility. She sings all of her own songs in the show, some of which are featured on the "Nashville" soundtrack, released last week. Big Machine Records put out her song "Telescope" as the show's first official single, and it's a Top 40 hit on the Billboard country songs chart.
The former "Heroes" actress has dabbled in music before, performing tracks for various Disney films and releasing the pop single "Wake Up Call" in 2008, which failed to chart. A full album was never released.
She says doing the show is teaching her about the music industry, and that getting a warm response from the Music City community is encouraging.
"There's no cooler feeling than someone coming up to you from Nashville ... and going, 'Thank you for portraying us in such a great light, in such an honest light, because people who are not from the South have this image and this idea,'" she said.
The show boasts Grammy-winning musician and producer T Bone Burnett as its executive music producer and an accomplished cast, including co-star Connie Britton who also earned a Golden Globes nomination for best performance by an actress in a television series drama.
"There are no words to describe this, either I'm going to start tearing up or I'm going to make more grilled cheese," Panettiere said just hours after she found out about the nominations. "It's so amazing, because we had such high hopes and sometimes you feel like things are too good to be true, and I felt like the show was everything that I dreamt of as an actor and as a musician."
Panettiere says hearing her song on the radio for the first time is a moment she'll always remember. She had just hopped into her car on a crisp, fall day with her best friend sitting shotgun. She turned the key, and her name popped up on the dashboard.
"I just bugged out," she said. "I couldn't believe it. I was trying to take pictures at the same time. But it's surreal. ... There are no words to describe how special and exciting that moment is. And nerve-wracking, too, very nerve-wracking."
__
Online: http://www.abc.com/Nashville
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Follow http://www.twitter.com/AP_Country for the latest country music news from The Associated Press.
What people probably do not know is that dogs and cats share similar characteristic traits where both of them are considered among the predator group of animals. This means that they are preying animals or looking to catch an inferior animal for food. By nature a dog or a cat get very much excited once they sense strange or sudden movements around them. This is the reason why some cats are wont to leap at any moving object, for instance a moving curtain that is being blown by the wind. They get excited by flying objects and swift moving tiny animals like rats which have become their favorite target for food.
Dogs, on the other hand have the preying instinct to catch animals that are smaller in size than themselves, also termed as the prey drive. So then people should always watch out and be careful even if their pet dogs are considered tame because their prey drive is just dormant.
In the meantime, kittens get their training in catching prey when they play around with moving objects, even chase their very own tail. When they grow older, their animal instinct takes over.
Meanwhile dogs are motivated to start a chase when cats disturb the dog?s peace. It would be very wise for the owners to protect these animals from hurting each other by practically putting them away from one another like separate areas in the house.
Nevertheless if you plan to have both the pet dog and pet cat together inside the house and at the same time expect them to coexist peacefully then you better do some good dog training for your pet. There are many ways to train a dog and perhaps the first thing that it has to learn is to get acquainted with a future friend in the house which is the cat.
You shouldn?t forget though that the animal instinct in the dog or the cat may come to play when any of these pets detect each others presence. A fight will of course ensue and expectedly a chase between the two pets will surely follow. There will be chaos all over the house because of this and the peace that you long for is abruptly shattered.
Therefore you better start the training of your pet dog before any untoward disaster occurs in your house. The next step in training the pet dog is to make it familiarize itself with the presence of another predator inside the house. You should be able to show appreciation for the dog?s behavior as it get used to having the cat around. You may give the dog a pat or a treat whenever it is able to ignore the taunting of the cat.
A single cat should never be mingled or brought together in the company of two or more dogs. Remember that there is always the danger that any of the dogs might want to play catch a prey with the cat. Distancing the dog and cat from one another should be brought to mind particularly during feeding time. Their animal instinct is for survival so they really get harsh when their food is being eyed by another animal.
The leave it command should be obeyed by the dog at all times especially when its preying instinct is triggered. You should treat both animals equally with kindness and reward them with their good behavior.
On the part of the owner, patience is required because of the limited means of communication with the pets. Instruction is usually made through body language and done over and over until the dog learns. The prize is worth your while anyways because you will attain a peaceful and harmonious coexistence with your pet dog and cat.
Contact: Egg Media Hotline info@eggnutrition.org 855-344-7411 Edelman Public Relations
New research suggests that consuming whole eggs may improve blood lipids
Park Ridge, Ill. (December 14, 2012) It is estimated that 34% of Americans are affected by an increasingly prevalent condition known as metabolic syndrome which is a combination of at least three of the following risk factors: large waistline, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar.(i) These individuals have a variety of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Decades of mixed messaging regarding dietary cholesterol have led to avoidance of certain foods, such as eggs, particularly among individuals who are faced with health conditions. However, a recent study published in Metabolism suggests that including whole eggs as part of a weight loss diet may have positive effects on lipoprotein profiles for individuals with metabolic syndrome.(ii)
In this study, middle-aged men and women with metabolic syndrome consumed either three whole eggs or an equivalent amount of egg substitute daily as part of a carbohydrate-restricted, weight loss diet.(ii) Although participants eating the whole eggs were consuming twice as much cholesterol as they had at the beginning of the study, the researchers observed no effects on total blood cholesterol or LDL cholesterol levels after 12 weeks on the diet. All participants, including those consuming whole eggs, had improved lipid profiles with decreases in plasma triglycerides and increases in HDL cholesterol.(ii)
"Eating egg yolks was actually associated with enhanced health benefits in these high-risk individuals," explains Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez, lead study author and Professor at the University of Connecticut, "Subjects consuming whole eggs had greater increases in HDL cholesterol and more significant reductions in the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio than those who ate the cholesterol-free egg substitute."
A Closer Look at the Incredible Egg
The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service has reported that eggs now have 14 percent less cholesterol (down from 215 mg to 185 mg) and 64 percent more vitamin D than previously thought.(iii) Naturally nutrient-rich, one large egg provides varying amounts of 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including nutrients that aren't found abundantly in other foods, including vitamin D and choline. Many of these nutrients reside in the yolk, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants that may prevent macular degeneration and consequent age-related blindness. While eggs contain only small amounts of these nutrients, research shows that lutein and zeaxanthin from eggs may be more bioavailable, or better used by the body, than from more concentrated sources like supplements.(iv) A recent study published in Food and Function found that daily consumption of egg yolks was associated with increases in plasma lutein, zeaxanthin and ?-carotene in people with metabolic syndrome, which is typically associated with low levels of these important nutrients.(v)
High-Quality Egg Protein and Weight Management
Weight management is a crucial aspect of preventing and managing chronic disease such as metabolic syndrome. All-natural, high-quality protein helps build muscle and allows people to feel fuller longer and stay energized, which can assist with weight management.(vi, vii) In fact, an egg breakfast, compared with a bagel breakfast of similar calories, has been shown to lead to greater feelings of fullness and reduced food intake at later meals, resulting in a significant reduction in BMI and waist circumference.(viii)
Dr. Dixie Harms, a nurse practitioner specializing in diabetes care, suggests starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast as a good weight-management strategy, a first line of defense in preventing chronic disease. "Management of chronic disease takes a coordinated effort with diet and lifestyle," says Harms, "A balanced breakfast including high-quality protein plus regular physical activity can help put individuals on a path to a healthier lifestyle."
Luckily, it's easy to create a nutritious breakfast. Pair eggs with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods as part of an overall healthy diet. For more nutrition and healthy living tips, visit www.EggNutritionCenter.org. The Egg Nutrition Center is a National Strategic Partner of the USDA's MyPlate program which helps Americans follow the Dietary Guidelines by providing resources and tips to build a healthy plate.
###
About the American Egg Board (AEB)
AEB is the U.S. egg producer's link to the consumer in communicating the value of The incredible edible egg and is funded from a national legislative checkoff on all egg production from companies with greater than 75,000 layers, in the continental United States. The board consists of 18 members and 18 alternates from all regions of the country who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The AEB staff carries out the programs under the board direction. AEB is located in Park Ridge, Ill. Visit www.IncredibleEgg.org for more information.
About the Egg Nutrition Center (ENC)
The Egg Nutrition Center (ENC) is the health education and research center of the American Egg Board. Established in 1979, ENC provides science-based information to health promotion agencies, physicians, dietitians, nutritional scientists, media and consumers on issues related to egg nutrition and the role of eggs in the American diet. ENC is located in Park Ridge, IL. Visit www.eggnutritioncenter.org or www.nutritionunscrambled.com for more information.
References:
i Ervin RB. Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults 20 Years of Age and Over, by Sex, Age, Race and Ethnicity, and Body Mass Index: United States, 2003. National Health Statistics Reports 2009;13.
ii Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, Barona J, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Whole egg consumption improves lipoprotein profiles and insulin sensitivity to a greater extent than yolk-free egg substitute in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Metabolism, published online September 2012.
iii US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Online. Available at: Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=12-35-45-00. Accessed October 24, 2011.
iv Goodrow, EF et al. Consumption of one egg per day increases serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations in older adults without altering serum lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. JN 2006; 136(25):19-24.
v Blesso CN, Anderson CJ, Bolling BW, Fernandez ML. Egg intake improves carotenoid status by increasing plasma HDL cholesterol in adults with metabolic syndrome. Food & Function, published online October 2012.
vi Leidy HJ, et al. Neural Responses to Visual Food Stimuli After a Normal vs. Higher Protein Breakfast in Breakfast-Skipping Teens: A Pilot fMRI Study. Obesity, published online May 5, 2011.
vii Leidy HJ, et al. Increased dietary protein consumed at breakfast leads to an initial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times. BJN, published online September 2, 2008.
viii Vander Wal JS, Gupta A, Khosla P, Dhurandhar NV. Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. Int J Obes 2008;32:1545-51.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Egg Media Hotline info@eggnutrition.org 855-344-7411 Edelman Public Relations
New research suggests that consuming whole eggs may improve blood lipids
Park Ridge, Ill. (December 14, 2012) It is estimated that 34% of Americans are affected by an increasingly prevalent condition known as metabolic syndrome which is a combination of at least three of the following risk factors: large waistline, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar.(i) These individuals have a variety of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Decades of mixed messaging regarding dietary cholesterol have led to avoidance of certain foods, such as eggs, particularly among individuals who are faced with health conditions. However, a recent study published in Metabolism suggests that including whole eggs as part of a weight loss diet may have positive effects on lipoprotein profiles for individuals with metabolic syndrome.(ii)
In this study, middle-aged men and women with metabolic syndrome consumed either three whole eggs or an equivalent amount of egg substitute daily as part of a carbohydrate-restricted, weight loss diet.(ii) Although participants eating the whole eggs were consuming twice as much cholesterol as they had at the beginning of the study, the researchers observed no effects on total blood cholesterol or LDL cholesterol levels after 12 weeks on the diet. All participants, including those consuming whole eggs, had improved lipid profiles with decreases in plasma triglycerides and increases in HDL cholesterol.(ii)
"Eating egg yolks was actually associated with enhanced health benefits in these high-risk individuals," explains Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez, lead study author and Professor at the University of Connecticut, "Subjects consuming whole eggs had greater increases in HDL cholesterol and more significant reductions in the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio than those who ate the cholesterol-free egg substitute."
A Closer Look at the Incredible Egg
The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service has reported that eggs now have 14 percent less cholesterol (down from 215 mg to 185 mg) and 64 percent more vitamin D than previously thought.(iii) Naturally nutrient-rich, one large egg provides varying amounts of 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including nutrients that aren't found abundantly in other foods, including vitamin D and choline. Many of these nutrients reside in the yolk, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants that may prevent macular degeneration and consequent age-related blindness. While eggs contain only small amounts of these nutrients, research shows that lutein and zeaxanthin from eggs may be more bioavailable, or better used by the body, than from more concentrated sources like supplements.(iv) A recent study published in Food and Function found that daily consumption of egg yolks was associated with increases in plasma lutein, zeaxanthin and ?-carotene in people with metabolic syndrome, which is typically associated with low levels of these important nutrients.(v)
High-Quality Egg Protein and Weight Management
Weight management is a crucial aspect of preventing and managing chronic disease such as metabolic syndrome. All-natural, high-quality protein helps build muscle and allows people to feel fuller longer and stay energized, which can assist with weight management.(vi, vii) In fact, an egg breakfast, compared with a bagel breakfast of similar calories, has been shown to lead to greater feelings of fullness and reduced food intake at later meals, resulting in a significant reduction in BMI and waist circumference.(viii)
Dr. Dixie Harms, a nurse practitioner specializing in diabetes care, suggests starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast as a good weight-management strategy, a first line of defense in preventing chronic disease. "Management of chronic disease takes a coordinated effort with diet and lifestyle," says Harms, "A balanced breakfast including high-quality protein plus regular physical activity can help put individuals on a path to a healthier lifestyle."
Luckily, it's easy to create a nutritious breakfast. Pair eggs with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods as part of an overall healthy diet. For more nutrition and healthy living tips, visit www.EggNutritionCenter.org. The Egg Nutrition Center is a National Strategic Partner of the USDA's MyPlate program which helps Americans follow the Dietary Guidelines by providing resources and tips to build a healthy plate.
###
About the American Egg Board (AEB)
AEB is the U.S. egg producer's link to the consumer in communicating the value of The incredible edible egg and is funded from a national legislative checkoff on all egg production from companies with greater than 75,000 layers, in the continental United States. The board consists of 18 members and 18 alternates from all regions of the country who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The AEB staff carries out the programs under the board direction. AEB is located in Park Ridge, Ill. Visit www.IncredibleEgg.org for more information.
About the Egg Nutrition Center (ENC)
The Egg Nutrition Center (ENC) is the health education and research center of the American Egg Board. Established in 1979, ENC provides science-based information to health promotion agencies, physicians, dietitians, nutritional scientists, media and consumers on issues related to egg nutrition and the role of eggs in the American diet. ENC is located in Park Ridge, IL. Visit www.eggnutritioncenter.org or www.nutritionunscrambled.com for more information.
References:
i Ervin RB. Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults 20 Years of Age and Over, by Sex, Age, Race and Ethnicity, and Body Mass Index: United States, 2003. National Health Statistics Reports 2009;13.
ii Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, Barona J, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Whole egg consumption improves lipoprotein profiles and insulin sensitivity to a greater extent than yolk-free egg substitute in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Metabolism, published online September 2012.
iii US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Online. Available at: Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=12-35-45-00. Accessed October 24, 2011.
iv Goodrow, EF et al. Consumption of one egg per day increases serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations in older adults without altering serum lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. JN 2006; 136(25):19-24.
v Blesso CN, Anderson CJ, Bolling BW, Fernandez ML. Egg intake improves carotenoid status by increasing plasma HDL cholesterol in adults with metabolic syndrome. Food & Function, published online October 2012.
vi Leidy HJ, et al. Neural Responses to Visual Food Stimuli After a Normal vs. Higher Protein Breakfast in Breakfast-Skipping Teens: A Pilot fMRI Study. Obesity, published online May 5, 2011.
vii Leidy HJ, et al. Increased dietary protein consumed at breakfast leads to an initial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times. BJN, published online September 2, 2008.
viii Vander Wal JS, Gupta A, Khosla P, Dhurandhar NV. Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. Int J Obes 2008;32:1545-51.
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Public release date: 14-Dec-2012
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