Tag: spotify

Spotify podcasts now available through Alexa

Got yourself an Alexa speaker? Getting an Echo or Echo Dot for Christmas? Well, good news. You can now listen to the Coolsmartphone Podcast or any other podcast through Spotify on your shiny Echo device. Just link Spotify in the Alexa app and you’re away. Once enabled, you …

Lockdown sees massive increase in Spotify subscribers

The lockdown has changed our behaviour. We’re using our smartphones more, downloading more and streaming more. Two recent news stories show this. First, the fact that mobile game installs in India have now topped 7 billion in just 9 months and second, the massive increase in Spotify subscribers. …

Getting your music in your car. The easy way.

I come from a different world. A world where, if you wanted to get your own music in your car, you had to buy a CD and put it in your car CD player. Heck, who am I kidding? I come from a world even earlier than that. …

In video. A phone without the Google Apps.

(Article updated with working YouTube videos) Just yesterday I tried to get a Honor 9X Pro to be a bit more “Googley”. I had a small element of success but things do tend to get worse, as I’ll explain here. Sadly, due to a ban on Huawei (and …

Huawei takes on Spotify

Six short months ago, everyone thought that 2020 would be the year that Huawei quietly disappeared from the European and American markets. Castigated in the USA for their supposed privacy and data protection breaches, named personally by President Donald Trump as being spies for the Chinese government, and …

How much data does your radio app really consume?

Some 9 years ago I performed a test of radio streaming over the internet. I was fed up with the slim choice of very “samey” FM radio station so, with the aid of some cabling (or a smartphone FM transmitter) I fed the audio output of my smartphone …

Spotify added to EE Music Data Pass

When we detailed the new EE plans you may have noticed that one streaming service wasn’t included in the “data free” list, and that was Spotify. Well, my friends, this morning I can tell you that EE have added Spotify to their Music Data Pass, so if you …

The Coolsmartphone Podcast – Now on Spotify too!

We published our first ever podcast, unbelievably, way back in 2012. On Tuesday we’ll be publishing Episode 244. The number 244, as you may be aware, is the dialling code for Angola. It’s also the year that Philip the Arab became the new Roman Emperor. So… ermm.. to …

Making your home a smarter home

Remember the old Apple commercials that came out to promote the release of the first iPhones? The slogan was, “There’s an app for that!” Nowadays, if you have your own home, there truly is an app for nearly everything you could want or need. Today I decided to …

Pure Elan IR5 – Review

At home I get about 70-odd digital radio stations. I’m quite lucky. Here in the UK there’s now a big range of DAB stations alongside the FM and MW / LW / SW stations. However, this particular radio is a bit different. It’s an internet radio, a Bluetooth …

iPhone XS and XS Max Vodafone pricing

Yes, I know that pre-orders went live on Friday, but real life took over and I had to fit some blinds. Apologies folks. After our big iPhone XS and iPhone XS coverage you should know everything you need to know. However, if you want to get it from …

My kitchen radio setup

I mentioned in a post yesterday about my kitchen radio setup. Many years ago, before DAB was ever really a “thing”, I got an internet radio because the choice of FM stations was a bit bland. Now, we’ve got smartphones that can get on-demand content, live radio and …

Samsung Galaxy A8 coming to Vodafone

Yes, the A8, not the S8. The Galaxy A8 is a new mid-range device which fits into that uncomfortable “it’s a bit like an S8 but I bought the cheaper version” slot. It’s a tad heavier than the Galaxy S8, but still has the 18.5:9 screen and glass …

EU tech benefits that Britain has ditched

Last year, after a lot of waiting and a lot of discussion, we finally got proper roaming across the bulk of Europe. It doesn’t cost you any extra, and many Brits are only just realising what a good thing it actually is. Fly to Germany, Spain, Cyprus and …

Amazon Echo coming to UK and Germany

Amazon Echo, the digital assistant, is coming to the UK and Germany this autumn. Hurrah! What is an Amazon Echo you ask? It’s a speaker with microphone that connects to the internet, over WiFi, and has the Amazon Alexa service built in. Amazon Alexa is Amazon’s digital assistant. …

Buying music to download? Oh, that’s so 2010

The world of music and entertainment has changed significantly over the last decade or so. Before that, we saw vinyl getting replaced by CD’s and then MP3’s. In the last decade people have switched from traditional brick-and-mortar shops to downloading tunes online. However, streaming music services like Spotify …

Spotify gets massive update on Windows Phone

Poor old Windows Phone, it’s often the forgotten platform and gets lots of things last. Spotify was a prime example, where the app has languished far behind its iOS and Android brothers as they got shiny new features. But today Spotify has shown its Windows Phone app some love …

Vodafone Spotify bugs now squashed

Recent problems with Spotify subscriptions and accounts for Vodafone customers now appear to have been fixed. We ran a story yesterday highlighting the issue and Vodafone have been working hard to resolve the matter. Some customers had seen their inclusive Spotify Premium accounts getting switched down to free …

Voda Spotify problems? Let us know

Sheesh. Networks really get some abuse at times. The EE Facebook page seems to be overflowing with negative feedback, and every time EE post something there seems to be a barrage of complaints and barbed comments. Honestly, check out their Facebook page. To be honest they’d be better …

Spotify turns to The Dark Side… May the new look be with you…

Now before you panic, Spotify hasn’t actually turned to the dark side as such..  But it has had one of it’s biggest updates for the web, iPhone and Android since it first launched all them years ago. Spotify are calling this their Best Ever looking Spotify with a …

Spotify launches free music streaming for iOS and Android

It was hinted at a short while ago (here to be precise) but it is now official, Spotify users can now stream music for free on the iOS and Android apps, but not Windows Phone yet. This now brings the apps in line with the desktop version of …

Spotify reportedly adding free, ad-supported listening to mobile apps

According to the Wall Street Journal Spotify is planning free, ad-supported listening for its iOS and Android apps. In the past, Spotify has limited mobile listening to “Premium” paying members. Free, ad-supported listening was only available on desktop and laptop computers. With the policy change, non-paying listeners will …

Spotify Connect, now on Android too

If you love your Spotify thing but want to stream your music over WiFi then… well, don’t. Just get yourself a Bluetooth speaker or something. What? What’s that? You’ve got yourself some flashy WiFi speakers from Pioneer or Bang & Olufsen? Pardon? You’ve got yourself a posh-looking Samsung …

iTunes Radio to hit the UK in 2014

Music streaming services are fast becoming all the rage and in particular services that are tailored to the individuals listening preferences. With Google having already entered the fray internationally and services such as Spotify already offering a radio streaming service, Apple are slightly behind the curve. However, this …

Spotify updated for Windows Phone

Spotify’s app for Premium users on Windows Phone has just received an update. Not much in the way of new features this time, but they have introduced scrubbing through tracks, which was a big omission from the last version, so a welcome addition. Other than that there are …

Spotify for Android now has Notification area controls

Spotify have released an update to their Android app, which brings notification area controls for the first time. If you have Jelly Bean 4.1 or above, you will now be able to control playback straight from your notifications area, instead of opening the app itself. Radio performance has …

Google Music to challenge Spotify?

Back in February we covered rumours that Google were about to enter the music streaming game and launch a challenger to Spotify. Well, tonight The Verge are reporting that this is no longer a rumour but actually that Google have signed a deal with Universal and Sony Music for distribution …

Spotify for Android updated

Spotify have just released another update for the Android software into the Play market. The update brings a couple of interesting new features, the first being NFC sharing of songs between phones – as long as your phones are Ice Cream Sandwich or above. It also introduces something …

Updated Spotify For Android Out Of Beta – Now On Google Play

Following the beta launch of their overhauled Android app a few months back, Spotify have now officially released the app on the Google Play store for devices running Eclair (2.1) and higher. The app features an overhauled UI that’s more in line with the Holo ICS theme, and …

Samsung Announces Music Hub, iTunes Beware!

Samsung today announced the launch of Music Hub, their own version of Google Music, Spotify and iTunes. Initially launching in the UK, Italy, Germany, France and Spain for the Galaxy SIII, Samsung claim that the new service integrates all your music experiences in one place, millions of songs, …

Spotify for Android given a huge makeover

Spotify have announced plans to update their Android App to be more compliant with Googles new design guidelines. The result is a pretty nifty looking holo themed app that’s been built from scratch to fit in better with the rest of Ice Cream Sandwich. The app is still …

Spotify comes to Windows Phone

  Windows Phone users now have the option of another subscription service in addition to Microsoft’s own Zune Pass. Having recently launched in the US, Spotify have now also released an official app for Windows Phone. As expected, it makes full use of the Metro UI and let’s …

Virgin Media adds Spotify goodness

Virgin Media are to team up with Spotify to make over 13 million tracks available through their Virgin TV or Virgin mobile phones. It’s due to arrive soon and will be available for existing and new customers on Virgin Media. Spotify Unlimited is included and lets you listen …