In the Loop

Bouncing from one audio/music blog to the next while seeking out hot MP3s has become a chore. No more. Icelander Hjalti Jakobsson has simplified the process with an application called Peel, an MP3 blog reader and player all in one (www.getpeel.com). Currently, it works only with Mac OS/X, but plans are in development for a PC version. Peel looks like trimmed down iTunes and works by allowing users to subscribe to their favourite mp3 blogs. Peel collects the songs, you listen and if you like, download them. It also allows users to visit the blog’s website without switching to their web browser. If you use iTunes, Peel will download songs straight to your library. It’s free for now, but Jakobsson plans to sell it for $15 U.S. PC users should check out Songbird (www.songbirdnest.com), which is a bulked up Peel with aspirations of becoming the go-to desktop media player.