Ping! You got music

Apple has always been well equipped to take on music centered social networks like Last.fm, Like.fm and has finally entered the charts with Ping in sync with iTunes 10. As always the inherent simplicity of Apple services isn’t lost here in a complex web of functionality. Ping is also available on the iPhone and iPod touch with iTunes 10 for the eternally mobile.

Ping Fu!

Nothing so complex that it entails mastering a new technological or social skill even. Basically you follow people (friends, family, strangers and of course the artists themselves) thus establishing your own network. Once you have that pat, you are privy to a world of updates, comments, custom song and album charts, concert listings and more musical melody online.

Artists

Ping allows you to follow your favorite artists thus becoming part of their circle. You can then find out what music that artist likes and start following his/her recommendations to broaden your listening horizons. You are privy to artist photos, status updates and are free to add comments and join the conversation. Since Ping is built into the iTunes app on iPhone and iPod touch, you can see the artist’s updates from everywhere.

Friends

See what kind of music your friends & their friends are listening to. Then follow them to find out what music other fans are listening to lately. Ping alerts you when artists are playing near you and even as to who else will be in the audience. Of course you can choose to buy tickets from Live Nation. Check out who your friends are following and who’s following them back.

Updates

The joy and sharing of social networks is as rampant as ever. Png lets you see what your friends are listening to, who they’re talking about, and what your favorite artists are up to – all on one page. Search for like-minded fans and build or broaden your network. Listen to 30-second previews of songs your friends recommend, following which you can choose to download it through the iTunes Store. Top Charts is a function that tells you what the people you follow are listening to. Access Ping from the iTunes app on your iPhone or iPod touch to see recent friend/artist activity on the go.

Just press Play

With 160 million iTunes users in 23 countries, Steve Jobs, says “With Ping you can follow your favorite artists and friends and join a worldwide conversation with music’s most passionate fans.” With a catalog of over 14 million songs, 65,000 TV episodes and 10,000 movies including over 3,000 in HD video, iTunes 10 offers Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod, iPad and iPhone.