April 9, 2012

Google Music Labs

If you're looking for more features for Google Music, try the new Labs page. Google informs that "Google Play music labs are a testing ground for experimental features that aren't quite ready for primetime. They may change, break, or disappear at any time."

Right now, there are three experimental features available: desktop notifications for Chrome, HTML5 audio and 5-star ratings. If you enable 5-star ratings, thumbs ups and thumbs downs will be converted to 5 stars and 1 star. HTML5 audio "works in all browsers that support MP3 playback with HTML5 audio: Chrome, Safari 3.1+, and IE 9+" and replaces the hidden Flash player that's currently used.


After enabling desktop notifications, you should see an infobar that asks for permission. Click "allow" and Google Music will show a nice notification enhanced with a cover art thumbnail when a new song starts playing.



{ Thanks, Florian K. }
at

17 comments:

  1. UnknownApril 9, 2012 at 3:33 PM

    Ooh. HTML5 Playback is nice!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Steve LunneyApril 9, 2012 at 3:39 PM

    When are we going to get the full meal deal in Canada? So frustrating - Apple is the only game in town in Canuckia...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. trentfolanApril 9, 2012 at 4:02 PM

      Do you mean for buying music or just uploading it?

      I used a proxy to log in and set it up google music months ago and it couldn't work better. I only had to log in via the proxy once, and now the syncing online to my GN or playing it off the browser works so well all the time. It's worth the few minutes it takes to skirt around it.

      Delete
    2. UnknownApril 9, 2012 at 10:36 PM

      I use a U.S. VPN server for purchasing content on Google Play Music, but to download it even to the phone a proxy or VPN shouldn't be needed.

      Delete
  3. SteveApril 9, 2012 at 3:46 PM

    does this work on mobiles? I hope so (if not now then hopefully very soon)

    ...I'm writings this reply from my Nokia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownApril 9, 2012 at 4:01 PM

      Probably not, most Labs are different between mobile and desktop. Although I believe that the 5-star rating may come to mobile too, way better than thumbs up and down!

      Delete
    2. Alex ChituApril 9, 2012 at 4:28 PM

      Well, HTML5 audio is already used in the iOS/Android interface and desktop notifications are only available in the desktop Chrome. There's no mobile Google Music Labs.

      Delete
  4. EmreApril 9, 2012 at 11:50 PM

    5-star ratings were the ones keeping me out of Google Music, now I can come back.
    Does it import ratings properly from iTunes?
    Can it sync the ratings with iTunes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousApril 12, 2012 at 3:18 PM

      You probably have to hand-copy the settings. This sounds like an App opportunity.

      Delete
    2. UnknownApril 16, 2012 at 3:12 PM

      Actually we keep your ratings from iTunes, including songs that you uploaded before you enable the lab.

      Delete
    3. diskostuJune 6, 2012 at 11:54 PM

      Hi Jai,

      unfortunately, my ratings from iTunes are not synced to Google Music. I think I have the most recent version of the Music Manager as it just restartet itself (1.0.35.3998). Any ideas?

      Delete
  5. SutisnaApril 10, 2012 at 5:37 PM

    It's just available in US for now.
    I can't try that in Indonesia.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousApril 10, 2012 at 9:26 PM

    This stuff totally sux in Canada so far. (ie. does not work)

    ReplyDelete
  7. adele song listApril 16, 2012 at 12:08 AM

    I was going to try this but it says that aplication is only available in U.S. in this time :(

    ReplyDelete
  8. stephenApril 27, 2012 at 10:09 AM

    Google play when is it available in the UK?

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJune 20, 2012 at 11:58 PM

    Google jugar cuando esté disponible en la India?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Upload MusicJuly 2, 2012 at 9:40 AM

    How could I make work in Android? It seems my mobile phone html5 ready.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.