Updated last.fm app on the way

[vandlism]

A video of a new version of the last.fm app has been "released". No idea when said update will be released, but it looks like a major improvement over the current iteration.

http://cdn.last.fm/toby/lfm2.mov

[dragonmantek]

still no scrobbling...T_T

[Warbrain]

Looks nice, though. Doubt we'll see scrobbling any time soon...

[Rojo]

Looks great.

Yeah, I'm saddened that there's still no scrobbling for iPod-played music -- but from what I understand, that's a limitation of the SDK? Seems strange, though. iPod music CAN be played while another app is open, but an app can't access a song's metadata -- which is key for scrobbling. I don't know why Apple won't allow this. Apps can access photos and their metadata (for various geotagging purposes) on the phone -- just not metadata from music. Would that really be a security issue if it did? Just think of the app possibilities that could be opened up if Apple allowed this.

Argh! I REALLY want to be able to scrobble directly from my iPhone -- instead of having to always sync the phone (and relying on unreliable software) to get iPhone-played tracks scrobbled to my Last.fm profile. I haven't been able to successfully do that in quite a while -- and syncing has become such a drag these days anyway, that I try and avoid it whenever possible now. Direct-from-device scrobbling seems like such a no-brainer. Please make it allowed in a future update, Apple!! (I know Apple isn't going to read this -- just voicing my frustration. I WILL give them feedback about this now, though...)

[dragonmantek]

yeah, and the last.fm scrobbler keeps searching for songs that i have listened to on the ipod touch, but never finds them, it's really frustrating.

[bendodson]

I doubt scrobbling is coming any time soon as SDK won't support it (and you don't really want to have last.fm open every time you listen to a song?) - until the SDK is improved it would be nice to have wireless sync option using the same syncing system as the Apple Remote app uses as that would at least make it a bit quicker to sync rather than having to do the whole cable thing.

[Galley]

I decided to try the desktop client to see if it would scrobble tracks from my iPhone when I sync, and it worked. Not only that, it scrobbles tracks I play on my Apple TV and in Front Row. :D

[Project]

Am I missing something? I didn't see anything new in this version.

[jeevestobs]

There is a scrobbling app in Cydia

[Rojo]

I doubt scrobbling is coming any time soon as SDK won't support it (and you don't really want to have last.fm open every time you listen to a song?)

Well no -- but ideally Last.fm scrobbling would work by opening up the Last.fm app first, and then having an option to play your own iPod music within the app. (Kind of like how some apps can access Safari within the app). So scrobbling would only happen when YOU wanted it to.

Am I missing something? I didn't see anything new in this version.

I can't access the current version at the moment, so can't verify -- but other than an overall GUI improvement, I think the ability to ADD tags is new (I think currently you can only view tags or play tag radios). There looks like some other new things too, but again -- I can't compare with the current version. Not really a huge change, I guess -- but other than adding scrobbling functionality, there's not much else that can be done to improve this app.

There is a scrobbling app in Cydia

Yep, for jailbroken phones. No thanks.

[Bear Hunter]

What the heck is scrobbling? :confused:

[Project]

Not really a huge change, I guess -- but other than adding scrobbling functionality, there's not much else that can be done to improve this app.




I agree - just got my hopes up when the OP said that it was a major improvement.

[KYUSS123]

looks good

[bendodson]

What the heck is scrobbling? :confused:

It's when you send data about the song you're listening to to last.fm in order to build a profile up of what music you listen to. You can then have fancy tables and graphs to show what music you listen to the most, what your favourite tracks are, recommend music events to go to, and compare with other people to find others that are interested in the same music you are. It also has an API so you can export that information to another app or website (for example I use it on my website to show my latest listened to music, show a youtube video of that song, and then give an amazon link to the album - does it have a purpose? Not really)

[Bear Hunter]

It's when you send data about the song you're listening to to last.fm in order to build a profile up of what music you listen to. You can then have fancy tables and graphs to show what music you listen to the most, what your favourite tracks are, recommend music events to go to, and compare with other people to find others that are interested in the same music you are. It also has an API so you can export that information to another app or website (for example I use it on my website to show my latest listened to music, show a youtube video of that song, and then give an amazon link to the album - does it have a purpose? Not really)

Thanks for the explaination brother.

[Marky]

Personally I'm reaching the point of deleting this bloody annoying app!!!

I liked it at first but every single time i open iTunes on my Mac, Last.FM insists on bloody opening too!!!!!!

I hate apps that are sooooooooo arogant they open without permission!

There must be a way to disable this 'bug' but nothing obvious in the preferences.

[Rojo]

It's when you send data about the song you're listening to to last.fm in order to build a profile up of what music you listen to. You can then have fancy tables and graphs to show what music you listen to the most, what your favourite tracks are, recommend music events to go to, and compare with other people to find others that are interested in the same music you are. It also has an API so you can export that information to another app or website (for example I use it on my website to show my latest listened to music, show a youtube video of that song, and then give an amazon link to the album - does it have a purpose? Not really)

I know some people who've said they've gotten nothing out of Last.fm and scrobbling, but I'm definitely not one of them -- Last.fm has had a HUGE impact on me. I've made a lot of really close friends (and I don't just mean "internet" friends, but "see-in-person," life-long friends), have expanded my music-listening considerably by discovering a ton of new bands, have discovered and attended a lot of concerts I wouldn't have been aware of, have learned amazing new things about the bands I was already listening to, and so much more. I highly recommend it to anyone who's a major music fan -- though your mileage with it may vary.

There must be a way to disable this 'bug' but nothing obvious in the preferences.

Well go back to preferences, click on "Scrobbling," and uncheck the box that says "Launch Last.fm with iTunes." That should do it.

[cenetti]

I don't see anything major there...
More like a GUI update....
ANd I use last fm everyday....and I am a paid member....
So even a small update is welcome....

[Marky]

I know some people who've said they've gotten nothing out of Last.fm and scrobbling, but I'm definitely not one of them -- Last.fm has had a HUGE impact on me. I've made a lot of really close friends (and I don't just mean "internet" friends, but "see-in-person," life-long friends), have expanded my music-listening considerably by discovering a ton of new bands, have discovered and attended a lot of concerts I wouldn't have been aware of, have learned amazing new things about the bands I was already listening to, and so much more. I highly recommend it to anyone who's a major music fan -- though your mileage with it may vary.



Well go back to preferences, click on "Scrobbling," and uncheck the box that says "Launch Last.fm with iTunes." That should do it.


Your a star - how I missed that I've no idea!!

Note to self:
Must open eyes!

Cheers