FIFA bans Beats headphones from World Cup stadiums

While football players have been seen to use Beats headphones during their downtime, don’t expect to see them carry those cans on the field. FIFA has banned the use of Beats headphones at 2014 World Cup because of licensing reasons. Sony is one of the biggest sponsors of the games. Players will not be allowed to take their Beats headphones to the stadiums or when they attend media events for the games.

But this plan might be even more advantageous for Beats. Marketing strategist Ellen Petry Leanse told Reuters that the company’s message might come off as more authentic or credible because they aren’t an official sponsor. 

Beats Music will still be available on Android and Windows Phone

Apple has a tendency to shut down services after they acquire a certain company. But they seem to be taking a different approach with their Beats acquisition. Tim Cook confirmed to the Financial Times that the Beats Music app will continue to be available for Android and Windows Phone users because “it’s all about the music.” We’re not sure how long this will last but for the meantime Beats Music users can still enjoy the service on their non-iOS devices.

Beats Music will still be available on Android and Windows Phone after the deal, @Tim_Cook tells @FT. "It’s all about music." Story @FT soon

— Tim Bradshaw (@tim) May 28, 2014

Source: The Verge

It's official, Apple buys Beats for $3 billion, Iovine and Dr. Dre to join Apple

So, the premature celebration a few weeks ago was sort of merited. Apple has bought the Beats Music streaming service as well as Beats Electronics, which makes those insanely popular headphones. The deal cost Apple US $3 billion but aside from the established Beats brand and cache of hipness, they also get two of the most powerful players in the entertainment industry. Rap mogul and pioneer Dr. Dre as well as industry impresario Jimmy Iovine. 

“Music is such an important part of all of our lives and holds a special place within our hearts at Apple,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “That’s why we have kept investing in music and are bringing together these extraordinary teams so we can continue to create the most innovative music products and services in the world.” It will be interesting to see if the Beats brand will continue or if it will be turned into an Apple product. Hit jump for the full details of this blockbuster acquisition.

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HP unveils lounge-friendly Envy Recline

HP sets out to redefine your all-in-one PC use with the Envy Recline 23 and 27. With its unique hinge, it can be repositioned to move below the table and closer to your lap for a supposed more natural touch navigation position or be put up right for its more traditional use. Both models feature immersive 10-point Full HD IPS touchscreens and run on fourth generation Intel Core i series processors and NVIDIA graphics. The Envy Recline 27 comes with Near Field Communication (NFC) tech. A Beats Edition of the Envy Recline 23 will also be made available.

The Envy Recline 23 with Core i7 processor, 8GB memory, and two-year limited warranty will go on sale this September for a starting price of $1,349 over at HP Shopping and other configurations will be available at select retail stores late this month starting at $999. The Beats edition with Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, and two year warranty will be available this November at HP Shopping for $1,249. Configurations carried by select retail stores will start at $1,099 and be available this fall as well. The Envy Recline 27 is available this month at a starting price of $1,399.