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Zune Pass adds 10 permanent downloads per month

One more detail about the latest Zune update: the Zune Pass, which costs $14.99 a month, is now going to allow users up to 10 permanent downloads per month. That's in addition to the unlimited downloads that expire if you stop paying your subscription. Think of it like an insurance policy for Zune Pass: if your Zune breaks and you decide to switch to another brand of MP3 player, you'll still get to keep some of the songs you downloaded.

I believe that Microsoft is the first company to offer free permanent downloads alongside unlimited temporary downloads. … Read more

First reviewers like Nokia music service

I've written about Nokia's Comes With Music service several times, but the service officially kicked off Wednesday in the U.K. And the first hands-on reviews--from Music Ally and IDG News--are mostly positive.

In particular, reviewers are praising the PC software's intuitive interface and the relatively painless registration process. Access to the free music comes courtesy of a code printed on the inside of the phone's box. Downloads are almost unlimited, although Nokia has a clause that warns it might temper downloads if a certain undisclosed average number of downloads per user is reached.

The … Read more

What exactly is the Nokia Comes With Music service?

By now, you've heard about the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music, which was announced at the Nokia Remix event in London on Wednesday. Sure, the main headline may be the 5800's touch screen (a first for Nokia's cell phone line), but the handset isn't all about looks; it's got musical talent too.

Like the company's other Xpress Music phones, including the Nokia 5610 Xpress Music and the Nokia 5310 Xpress Music, the 5800 offers some advanced multimedia capabilities, particularly in the music category, but unlike previous models, the 5800 steps it up with the Nokia's Comes With Music service. What the heck is that you ask? Good question.

To provide a little background first, Nokia first unveiled its plans for the service back in December 2007. Nokia Comes With Music isn't an add-on service, but rather comes preloaded on select devices and gives you a year of unlimited access to any songs from the Nokia Music Store. Everything's included in the price of the handset; there are no additional subscription fees.

To give you a better idea of what is and isn't offered by the service, we've compiled this short Q&A about Comes With Music, which were answered with the help of a Nokia representative. Also, if you have a question about Nokia Comes With Music that wasn't covered here, please feel free to post it in the comments section and we'll do our best to get answered for you.

Q: Comes With Music lets customers buy an unlimited number of tracks from the Nokia Music Store but are there any limitations or restrictions?'A: Comes With Music gives people a year of unlimited access to the Nokia Music Store catalog--from millions of tracks from a wide range of artists, including international hits and local talent--with the capability to keep all downloaded tracks.

Q: After a year, what's the cost to continue the service?A: Once the Comes With Music first year service has expired, users can keep all the music they've downloaded and continue to update their collection with a la carte purchases. Pricing of a la carte depends on the Nokia Music Store pricing in the various regions.

Q: Will the tracks just be limited to use on the phone or can they downloaded to users' computers as well?A: Nokia provides seamless access to a world of music--people can download music directly to their Comes With Music device or via their compatible personal computer. Plus, people can easily transfer tracks and playlists between their Nokia device and computer using the Nokia Music for PC software. … Read more

Making multi-player games an (almost) open-source experience

Video games have long struck me as a perfect platform for open-source development. Unfortunately, many gamers agreed, and the courts are littered with copyright lawsuits over the years when developers tried to extend their favorite games.

Now Come2Play has made building and extending games and open-source affair: safe, legal, and fun. No, Come2Play won't let developers hack the games of Electronic Arts, Activision, etc. But it will allow them to create fun multi-player games and easily distribute them on Facebook and across the web, as TechCrunch reports:

Released under the GNU Lesser General Public License, the [Come2Play] API currently … Read more

Questions about Nokia's new music phone

Update 10/3: CNET's Bonnie Cha, with the assistance of a Nokia rep, has answers to many of these questions here. To summarize, Comes With Music really does offer unlimited downloads for one year, tracks are DRM-protected, and can be shared with one PC and other Comes With Music members but not burned to CD without an extra purchase, and release date for the U.S. is still up in the air.

Several sources are reporting that Nokia's expected to launch its would-be iPhone killer, the Nokia 5800 (code-named "Tube), tomorrow, Oct. 2, at an event in … Read more

Sony Ericsson ready to challenge Nokia's 'Comes with Music'

Mobile phone company Sony Ericsson is expected to launch a music service within the next week designed to compete with Nokia's "Comes with Music" offering, according to recording-industry sources.

The Sony Ericsson service is being launched in partnership with British firm Omnifone, which provides unlimited music downloads to mobile service providers, according to the sources, who added that all four major recording companies have signed on.

The sources said Omnifone's MusicStation is expected to power the service, which may include a music-subscription model. A representative from Omnifone was not immediately available. And a spokesman for Sony … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 800: It took 800 episodes, but we've finally arrived!

Well, OK, we won't have arrived until someone gets Kevin Rose to blog about how The Beatles are totally coming to iTunes on September 9, quoting an "anonymous source" (us!). Also, Brian Tong joins us for our historic discussion of the Google Chrome Web browser, lava rock problems in Hawaii, the extreme resource hoggery of IE8 Beta 2, and just how boring Spore will actually be. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 800

Apple Store in Hawaii still not open http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2008/08/23/hawaiian-spirits-dictate-storefront-materials/

Meet Chrome, Google’s shiny new browser … Read more

Nokia's Comes With Music service signs Warner label

Warner Music Group, the third largest music label, will license music to Nokia's Comes With Music service, a Warner Music spokeswoman confirmed Monday.

Nokia now only lacks EMI's participation in the service, which offers unlimited free access to music for a full year.

During that time, users will be able to transfer their Comes With Music library to a PC as well as to a new Nokia handheld, but they won't be able to transfer it to iPods or other non-compatible devices.

At the end of the year, Nokia users won't lose their music. It will … Read more

Report: Nokia paying Universal $33.50 per phone

Some details are starting to emerge about Nokia's Comes With Music phones, which will come with the right to download music at no extra charge. According to a report yesterday on PaidContent.org, Nokia will pay Universal Music Group $33.50 per handset for the first 2.5 million sold, with the rate dropping after that.

It sounds like the download model will not be strict all-you-can-eat, but instead will be similar to eMusic--users will be able to download a limited number of songs over a certain time period, and those songs will be theirs to keep. It'… Read more