Comments on: Microsoft's iPod killer?
Long-delayed technology is close that could help fill portable music players with thousands of songs for as little as $10 a month.
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Napster offers all you can eat and AFAIK the service is being snubbed by the alternative Napster service that is actually purchasing the tracks.
Time and again consumers have voted with their wallet that they want to own not lease. Not rent. But own a product.
IMHO, I think we will see the same result of this effort.
PS- I don't own an iPod or even a Mac but I have used iTunes and iTunes Music Store religiously since October. The software is fantastic. Deceptively so. There is a powerful set of features under that innocent simple facade. At some point here once the iPod hits a 60GB capacity I will get one. I made the leap 2 weeks ago to convert all 135 CD's I have to AAC after spending many an hour comparing MP3, WMA, and AAC audio codec. I truly believe AAC is the best audio codec, short of RAW WAV files, on the market.
Napster offers all you can eat and AFAIK the service is being snubbed by the alternative Napster service that is actually purchasing the tracks.
Time and again consumers have voted with their wallet that they want to own not lease. Not rent. But own a product.
IMHO, I think we will see the same result of this effort.
PS- I don't own an iPod or even a Mac but I have used iTunes and iTunes Music Store religiously since October. The software is fantastic. Deceptively so. There is a powerful set of features under that innocent simple facade. At some point here once the iPod hits a 60GB capacity I will get one. I made the leap 2 weeks ago to convert all 135 CD's I have to AAC after spending many an hour comparing MP3, WMA, and AAC audio codec. I truly believe AAC is the best audio codec, short of RAW WAV files, on the market.
If, instead of attempting a technological solution, all the hardware and software companies involved donated their R&D budget for these initiatives to compensate the artists and copyright owners, in lieu of wasting their resoruces on an unending fruitless spiral, the problem would go away.
Here's how: Use a double-male courd and plug one end into your computer's (or whatever device you're using to play the music) head-phone or speaker outlet. Then, plug the other end into the "mic" port on another computer's sound card. Record the song as it plays using a program as simple as the Windows 98 "Sound Recorder". Since the song is being transferred digitally, you'll get pretty dang good quality copy. It's sort of like copying a song over the radio.
Please note that I don't subscribe to these services or record music using this method. I buy my music and support the artists that I enjoy. However, I'm just illustrating how freaking easy it is to copy music. If you can hear it, you can copy it. These efforts are useless and just make life difficult for those of us who actually follow the law by choice.
This problem stems from a sociatal issue of lawlessness and mutual disrespect. You cannot force a criminal to follow the law. They need to WANT to follow the law.
Anyway... I won't go off on this. It's all just a waste of time to me and it makes my life difficult so it kind of ticks me off.
If, instead of attempting a technological solution, all the hardware and software companies involved donated their R&D budget for these initiatives to compensate the artists and copyright owners, in lieu of wasting their resoruces on an unending fruitless spiral, the problem would go away.
Here's how: Use a double-male courd and plug one end into your computer's (or whatever device you're using to play the music) head-phone or speaker outlet. Then, plug the other end into the "mic" port on another computer's sound card. Record the song as it plays using a program as simple as the Windows 98 "Sound Recorder". Since the song is being transferred digitally, you'll get pretty dang good quality copy. It's sort of like copying a song over the radio.
Please note that I don't subscribe to these services or record music using this method. I buy my music and support the artists that I enjoy. However, I'm just illustrating how freaking easy it is to copy music. If you can hear it, you can copy it. These efforts are useless and just make life difficult for those of us who actually follow the law by choice.
This problem stems from a sociatal issue of lawlessness and mutual disrespect. You cannot force a criminal to follow the law. They need to WANT to follow the law.
Anyway... I won't go off on this. It's all just a waste of time to me and it makes my life difficult so it kind of ticks me off.
successful is offering paid per song/album.
iTunes speaks for itself and the hopeful
dreams of subscription services are fantacy.
Don't you thik that Apple knows the average
number of downloads per customer? If it was
higher than $10 per month over a year's time
they would add subscription service also.
BTW?If thesubscription model did take hold,
Apple would just add that choice and the
playing field would be level again. It all comes
down to ease of use, integrated
software/hardware and marketing, none of
which any of the present and/or future players
have, including Sony and Microsoft.
model. Apple are the only one out their with a damn fine and
complete package. I just can't see anyone beating them at this
game - it's what they do best.
successful is offering paid per song/album.
iTunes speaks for itself and the hopeful
dreams of subscription services are fantacy.
Don't you thik that Apple knows the average
number of downloads per customer? If it was
higher than $10 per month over a year's time
they would add subscription service also.
BTW?If thesubscription model did take hold,
Apple would just add that choice and the
playing field would be level again. It all comes
down to ease of use, integrated
software/hardware and marketing, none of
which any of the present and/or future players
have, including Sony and Microsoft.
model. Apple are the only one out their with a damn fine and
complete package. I just can't see anyone beating them at this
game - it's what they do best.
People like to own their tunes for a reason, the same as people buying DVDs even though they are availabe at rental stores and on stations like HBO. People like to own the stuff they really like to ensure their access to it.
A rental service might be good to hear new songs before deciding to buy a few, but that's the only use I see for it.
People like to own their tunes for a reason, the same as people buying DVDs even though they are availabe at rental stores and on stations like HBO. People like to own the stuff they really like to ensure their access to it.
A rental service might be good to hear new songs before deciding to buy a few, but that's the only use I see for it.
books... pretty soon we'll be paying $720 a year (at $60/
month) for stuff we used to spend no more than $300 a
year on anyway.
I like the idea of buying only a few songs here and there,
and not being forced to pay money when all the music
that's being cookie-cuttered out sucks.
books... pretty soon we'll be paying $720 a year (at $60/
month) for stuff we used to spend no more than $300 a
year on anyway.
I like the idea of buying only a few songs here and there,
and not being forced to pay money when all the music
that's being cookie-cuttered out sucks.
I am sure, there will be a cultural change and the people will accept this kind of services.
We will live in an ubiquitous wirelles world.
I am sure, there will be a cultural change and the people will accept this kind of services.
We will live in an ubiquitous wirelles world.
Really boring I'd say. Micro$oft (and c|net) haven't changed a bit all these years.
Really boring I'd say. Micro$oft (and c|net) haven't changed a bit all these years.
Without being overly dramatic subscriptions create economic slaves (MS should know they are one of the biggest sellers of subscription based software)
- They really don' get it
- by robanga April 6, 2004 8:50 AM PDT
- People want to own the music, burn it and have it for life not rent it.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
(36 Comments)Without being overly dramatic subscriptions create economic slaves (MS should know they are one of the biggest sellers of subscription based software)