TuneWiki’s iPhone-Like Media Player for Android
by Jason Kincaid on May 6, 2008

The race is on for software supremacy on Google’s Android platform, as developers compete to develop the applications that will eventually come preloaded on branded phones. Today TuneWiki, one of the most popular third-party developers for the iPhone, has announced a media player for Android that will feature an iPhone-esque interface, support for synching with iTunes, and the karaoke-like lyric functionality that put them on the map.

Owners of jailbroken iPhones may be familiar with TuneWiki already - As we mentioned last week, the iPhone version has seen “hundreds of thousands” of downloads since December 2007. The iPhone version of the software features a player that displays karaoke-style lyrics in time with songs in the device’s library. TuneWiki has partnered with Universal to provide lyrics legally, and has ongoing talks with other music labels.

The Android version of the software has the same karaoke synching, with added support for music videos that are synched with lyrics. While this is significant in itself, the real news here is the media player that will accompany the software. From the brief demonstration seen in the video below, the player seems to be every bit as usable as the one seen on the iPhone (it looks nearly exactly the same, which isn’t a bad thing).

Android may be an “Open” platform that will allow handset manufacturers (and possibly users) to install whatever applications they want, but we’re going to be seeing a few dominant leaders emerge in each space. There won’t be any shortage of iPhone-imitating apps, but TuneWiki has given itself a leg up by establishing a number of features that will be difficult to replicate. Whether or not these will be enough to lift TuneWiki above the rest of the pack remains to be seen.

You can try an emulated version of the software (minus some of the navigation seen in the video) here.

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Comments

If anybody is interested my company in Long Beach develops Google Android applications with Eclipse, the dev kit plugin, and the emulator. $60/h billable, 100 hour minimum.

 

Boring.

To Chris: I wonder how you are testing your applications.

LOL.

Ugh.

 

abstract10.com would like to partner with any content distributor to provide pre loaded legal urban video clips on mobile devices…

 

Does TuneWiki come with podcasting support?

 

I’m hoping the exploitation of location based services includes the ability to find concerts nearby AND actually buy tickets … *cough… without services charges …cough*

 

It would be better if it could somehow recognize what was playing on your radio, ipod, car stereo, etc… (other device)… and display lyrics in sync. I know that’s asking a lot but a cool idea for sure.

There have been a number of android apps that allow you to access your music library from your mobile pc remotely and with little time needed to buffer. Couple the 2 and that would be pretty cool I think.

Keep the Android info coming! I love it!

 

Check out the must see android apps so far at: http://www.anddev.org/must_see.....t1746.html
Mine is at the bottom of the list (http://www.goldfishview.com)

 

@phandroid - you write, “There have been a number of android apps that allow you to access your music library from your mobile pc remotely”

which ones are you thinking about?

 

Before releasing the app, I think they need to consult the Microsoft patent department or change the entire UI design.

http://www.news.com/Microsoft,.....30435.html

 

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