Ping, Apple's music social network, comes to iPad
Apple has quietly launched Ping, its social network designed to drive sales of digital music, for the iPad, now available within the iTunes app.
The addition became available this weekend without the need for a system update, with Apple adding the Ping tab on the native iTunes app for iPad. Previously, Ping was available in iTunes 10, as well as the iTunes application on the iPhone.
Ping was launched in September, giving users the ability to discover and share music with friends. Users can also "follow" their favorite artists, to see what they recommend or have recently purchased on iTunes.
With Ping for iPad, users can check their friends' activity, see who they're following, or make changes to their profile. The iPad integration also allows users to "like" or comment on posts from people they follow, and quickly purchase recommended music from the iTunes Store.
Apple has steadily expanded Ping since its debut. This week, Twitter and Apple announced Ping integration on the social networking website. Users can now put Ping activity, song previews and links to purchase and download music from the iTunes Store through Twitter.com.
Apple has also reportedly been in talks with Facebook to offer integration with that service as well. Apple had hoped to have Ping and Facebook connectivity when the service launched, but talks between the two companies fell apart.
The addition became available this weekend without the need for a system update, with Apple adding the Ping tab on the native iTunes app for iPad. Previously, Ping was available in iTunes 10, as well as the iTunes application on the iPhone.
Ping was launched in September, giving users the ability to discover and share music with friends. Users can also "follow" their favorite artists, to see what they recommend or have recently purchased on iTunes.
With Ping for iPad, users can check their friends' activity, see who they're following, or make changes to their profile. The iPad integration also allows users to "like" or comment on posts from people they follow, and quickly purchase recommended music from the iTunes Store.
Apple has steadily expanded Ping since its debut. This week, Twitter and Apple announced Ping integration on the social networking website. Users can now put Ping activity, song previews and links to purchase and download music from the iTunes Store through Twitter.com.
Apple has also reportedly been in talks with Facebook to offer integration with that service as well. Apple had hoped to have Ping and Facebook connectivity when the service launched, but talks between the two companies fell apart.
Comments
Wow. Exciting.
Facebook is DOOMED. Well okay maybe not.
No one I know is using Ping.
No-one I know has been to the moon.
Eventually FaceBook will also come to its senses and allow Ping.
But, I have a queasy feeling in my stomach that FaceBook will be an eventual nightmare for a lot of its competitors.
Google had better be careful. Sure they are doing really well with Android. BUT. there does not seem to be any profits for them there.
They already have to watch there back with Verizon wanting to put a rival store on their phones.
Also if they are not careful, Jeff Bezos is gonna get in bed with his supposedly 'lovers' and put a chill in their romance.
They also have to keep an eye on Apple and their iAds thing. It could come alive and start encroaching the PC world.
But, the thing they REALLY have to be preoccupied with. They better keep an eye on FaceBook.
Really everybody should. Facebook is out for blood. They want to get into everything. I would not put it passed them to purchase a hardware maker, and start building something, anything. But they will never be happy until they start breathing that rarified air Apple has been doing recently.
Apple would do well in just staying friendly with Twitter. All in all, that is the better fit.
I think that Apple hooking up with Twitter is a better fit for Apple.
Eventually FaceBook will also come to its senses and allow Ping.
But, I have a queasy feeling in my stomach that FaceBook will be an eventual nightmare for a lot of its competitors.
Google had better be careful. Sure they are doing really well with Android. BUT. there does not seem to be any profits for them there.
They already have to watch there back with Verizon wanting to put a rival store on their phones.
Also if they are not careful, Jeff Bezos is gonna get in bed with his supposedly 'lovers' and put a chill in their romance.
They also have to keep an eye on Apple and their iAds thing. It could come alive and start encroaching the PC world.
But, the thing they REALLY have to be preoccupied with. They better keep an eye on FaceBook.
Really everybody should. Facebook is out for blood. They want to get into everything. I would not put it passed them to purchase a hardware maker, and start building something, anything. But they will never be happy until they start breathing that rarified air Apple has been doing recently.
Apple would do well in just staying friendly with Twitter. All in all, that is the better fit.
Good thoughts. Scattered, but sound.
No-one I know has been to the moon.
No one you know has access to space flight. Just about everyone has access to Ping, yet choose not to bother with it.
ping is DOA
Maybe, but......
Facebook said here it is for free and it's great, and they rush to add users so they can grab the vulture capitalist funds and when they have to payback they try to be middleman between you and your friends and sell your info to all and sundry. Facebook is gonna get killed by the advertisers trying to suck it out of members so much that it no fun any more.
Ping is advertising up front, "I like this, maybe you will too", no bait and switch.
Ping is just a bit of software and a bit of bandwidth, no big deal. Call it a hobby, see whappen.
Hahaha I like the picture in the article, "Rick liked...., Rick liked...." reminds me of anchorman! Rick killed a guy!
Seriously, though, Rick Rubin is the ONLY person worth following on Ping. Rick is king of Ping.
Even better: If I choose to show it, display which songs and albums I'm listening to in top ten lists that can be sorted by date (top 10 songs for last month, top 10 songs for 2010, top ten albums in October, etc.).
Even better than that: If I choose to show it, display which songs I've rated the highest by star rating so that friends can know which songs I like (and recommend).
Add a few of these more interactive features (making PING relevant to a person's music listening experience) and PING will be more than a boring P.R. tool for iTunes and select major label artists.
ping is DOA
I heard the same about facebook a few years ago - couldn't possible compete with myspace.
Social networks take time to develop and attract a user base.
if you're suggesting that there's no point in trying anything new because the market is already dominated, then I can never subscribe to that point of view.
I use ping occasionally, my teenage nephews and nieces are living in it - they inform me that facebook is 'old' and they don't use it anymore...
PING. Great idea. Horrible execution. I'm still waiting for PING to scan my iTunes library and actually show friends (that I select) which songs I'm listening (no matter the source -- like Last.FM scrobbling) and which songs I have listened to (based on play counts).
Can you imagine the outcry if this was to happen "invasion of privacy" etc. etc...
Can you imagine the outcry if this was to happen "invasion of privacy" etc. etc...
Yes. I can imagine the privacy outcry. That's why Apple would have to be very clear and default for any update to Ping would need to be 'opt-out."
By the way, Last.Fm currently does this -- logs every song you listen to and broadcasts it to your friends, facebook, blog, etc. (if the listener chooses) -- and people love the service.