player

Get an iPod Shuffle bundle for $39

iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches get all the attention, but let us not forget the humble iPod Shuffle, the tiny clip-on MP3 player that's hard to beat for hiking, biking, running, and the gym.

Apple sells the Shuffle for $49, but for a limited time, Walmart has the fourth-generation iPod Shuffle 2GB and accessory kit for $39, plus sales tax where applicable. Shipping adds about $3, but you can avoid that charge by choosing store pickup or padding your cart to at least $45.

I should note that three of the seven available color choices are already out of … Read more

Find your favorite videos with YouPlayer

As anyone who has spent evenings searching for and watching the occasional grumpy or existential cat video (don't look at us), you know that there are a ton of videos to weed through before finding the right one. YouPlayer offers users a way to search for their favorite video, and while it doesn't really offer anything different from the official YouTube app in terms of search, it performed as promised.

YouPlayer opens with a self-explanatory interface. Search options reside at the bottom of the screen. You can search by Featured videos, Most Viewed, and Trending. If you can'… Read more

RealPlayer makes it easier to watch Web videos

RealPlayer 16 maintains its redesign from version 15 but changes a couple things under the hood, most notably the original "Featured" video section.

Installation process remains the same: Real uses a stub installer with optional offers of various products that you can choose to add or ignore. The sleek, metallic-colored interface from last year remains intact; the core video player, media library manager, and built-in burning tools remain virtually unchanged. The most noticeable overhaul exists in RealPlayer's new Web Videos tab.

Last year's features like private mode and the ability to view Facebook videos from within … Read more

RealPlayer for Android app a top mobile media player

Already enjoying the features of RealPlayer on your computer? Now you can have a comparable experience with this standout media player on your mobile gadget. RealPlayer for Android gives you control of all of your photo, video and audio files from one gorgeous app. The individual players might not have enough features to blow you away on their own, but few other apps can support all of your files.

The smooth interface makes your media files only one or two taps away no matter how they're organized. Most of the options you'd expect such as shuffle, genres, and … Read more

Samsung Galaxy Muse takes on the iPod Shuffle

Samsung's latest Galaxy announcement, the pebblelike Galaxy Muse, is a stylish $50 media player that attempts to divert some of the iPod zeitgeist to Samsung's flagship phones.

Plug it into the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the Galaxy S3, and the Galaxy Muse syncs with the smartphone, so you can access just your music without bringing the entire phone with you on a jog.

Available in the familiar Pebble Blue and Marble White options, the Galaxy Muse offers 4GB of storage and delivers up to 6 hours of music playback. While it might be easy to dismiss it … Read more

Play downloaded audio and video files with All Formats Player

Looking for more options regarding what you can listen to and watch on your Android phone? All Formats Player supports many different file extensions. However, it offers slightly buggy performance and it has access to your exact GPS location and phone calls though there's no real need for it.

All Formats Player offers a straightforward interface with four main links: Explore, Audio Files, Video Files, and Settings. It adds MP4, AVI, and other more obscure format support to your phone and lets you easily browse by file or by folder depending on how you organize them. When it comes … Read more

How to use the new 'Up Next' feature in iTunes 11

After delaying the release of iTunes 11 by a month, Apple has released the much-anticipated update for both Windows and Mac users. The new iTunes is redesigned from the ground up, with a completely new look and feel. Along with the new look comes some new features: deeper iCloud integration, a new MiniPlayer, and a feature called "Up Next."

Up Next is more or less a living playlist within iTunes. You're able to add, rearrange, edit, and delete songs from the Up Next queue at any time.

To get started with Up Next, update to iTunes 11 … Read more

Pause Android music by putting your hand over your phone

Android smartphones make great personal media players, but because of the lock screen, pausing your music can take a few seconds. EasyMute is an Android app that allows you to quickly pause your music by simply putting your hand over the proximity sensor, even when your phone is locked.

Optionally, you can configure easyMute to lower the volume to a preset level. After installing easyMute, just tap the Enable easyMute button to turn it on.

EasyMute works with most Android music players, such as Google Music and even Pandora.

That's it. Keep in mind that, in order for easyMute … Read more

Bonus! Sony 'loans' Ultra HD video player to buyers of $25K TV

Those lucky folks who can afford a $25,000 4K Ultra High Definition TV from Sony now have something else to cheer about.

The Japanese electronics giant said today that it's now bundling an Ultra HD video player with the TV, giving users access to high-resolution content. And purchasers of the "4K Ultra HD Home Experience" also will receive an Xperia Tablet S that serves as a remote control.

In case that's not enough, Sony also is preloading the video player -- a hard-disk server -- with a gallery of 4K video shorts and 10 full-length … Read more