Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Hooked Up With Google Drive + Ultra Sharp Graphics


It hasn't been that long since the initial test release of Until AM for Chrome, but we already have some exciting new stuff to add: the app now seamlessly connects to Google Drive! 

As you probably know, Google Drive is a pretty advanced online file storage system, automatically available free-of-charge to anyone with a Google account. If you're new to this service, have a look at their introduction website.

We've now integrated Google Drive file access straight into the user interface of Until AM for Chrome. The fundamental idea is that you'll manage your audio files outside of our app, using the normal Google Drive interface, but during your DJ session you can easily access the stored songs without leaving the DJ tool. This is super cool and opens up totally new ways of working for the DJs living the era of cloud computing:
  • Access the audio files you've stored onto your Google Drive simply by clicking the new tab at the top of the songs list.
  • Automatic login via Chrome. If you're already browsing as an authenticated user, you'll see the Google Drive audio files listed on their tab without doing anything. If not, you can easily provide your credentials at any time during your DJ session without interrupting the music.
  • Add new songs to your Google Drive in the middle of a DJ session, even by using the same account on another computer. Just remember to click the "Refresh file listing" button to see the up-to-date list of songs.
  • Collaborative deejaying by sharing files with other Google Drive users. The songs list inside the app includes not only your own audio files, but also the ones the other users are sharing with you. This is another ace feature: while one DJ is mixing, other peeps can drop her new song suggestions in the middle of the set. All they need to know is the DJ's Gmail address. For example, one half of a DJ duo can concentrate on mixing while the other one is adding new songs, using another computer. Or the guests of a home party can all participate in building the playlist by sharing songs with their mobile devices.
  • Anyone with Google Drive access can share and manipulate songs, only the DJ must be using Until AM for Chrome on a proper computer. Alongside the web interface, there are Google Drive mobile apps available for Android and iOS.
  • Support for .m3p, .ogg and .wav formats, just like the local files. If you have other kinds of files on your Google Drive, they're simply filtered out from the listing so your deejaying view won't get cluttered with irrelevant junk.


Another improvement is that the we now support high resolution graphics. This means people running a computer with a high pixel density display (e.g. MacBook with Retina display or Chromebook Pixel) will be eyeing an extremely crisp user interface. If you don't have such a machine you won't notice a thing. However, it seems this kind of displays are getting more and more common in the newer models of many computer manufacturers. As high fidelity freaks we're always proud to provide superior quality in visuals as well as in audio.

One more important thing: using the latest app version requires Chrome 29 or newer. However, this day the standard Chrome browser is still in 28, but if you feel adventurous you can go ahead and download the beta version of the browser from the Google page. Nonetheless, the standard Chrome should be updated to v. 29 really soon, so if you'll just loiter a couple of days you'll be able to encounter the most avant-garde version of our app without any extra nerdery. UPDATE: The official Chrome 29 is now out, so just update your browser! Moreover, at the moment the packaged app platform can only be fully experienced on Windows and Chrome OS, whilst people on OS X or other systems might experience small hiccups. Sorry about the complexity, but we're on the bleeding edge of browser tech now and the ground is still a bit wobbly over here.

Anyway, once you're on Chrome 29, click the image above and try out the latest version! Because we're spearheading new stuff here, your feedback (as well as possible bug reports) is more welcome than ever!

8 comments:

  1. well, when I play a little with the echo fx, i just get a static noise.

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  2. I cannot get this to connect to my google drive

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  3. I cannot get this to connect to my google drive

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  4. Thanks for the effort, keep up the good work Great work, the thoughts you state are truly awesome. I expect you will write several more posts. unblocked music download

    ReplyDelete