Jun 30
Filed under: Portable Audio
Rhapsody, the digital love-child of Real Networks and MTV, is best known for its DRM’d subscription music service. As such, the globe’s population of sheep-white-earbudded, sidewalk zombies have been completely off limits to its charms. Until today. While its DRM’d subscription deals remain in place, Rhapsody is now offering unprotected MP3 downloads via its Rhapsody MP3 store and via partners including Verizon’s VCAST over-the-air service and Yahoo. We’re talking 5 million DRM-free tracks (generally priced at $0.99 per song, $9.99 per album) from Indies and the four majors. Uniquely, all tracks can be previewed in full before downloading. Rhapsody VP, Neil Smith said, “We’re no longer competing with the iPod, we’re embracing it.” Perhaps, but Rhapsody’s planned $50 million marketing assault on iTunes with the help of MTV’s TV networks doesn’t exactly make them best of friends. We’re not DRM-free across the industry yet (in fact, far from it), but things are certainly moving in that direction.
Update: Signup now with the Rhapsody MP3 store and get a $10 credit which can be applied to your first album.
[Via Reuters]
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Source: Thomas Ricker
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Aug 21
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio
Cross-marketing is great and all, but we’d rather know how we factor into this new partnership between MTV, Real and Verizon Wireless. Turns out a few things will be changing from the get go. For one, Urge customers can dive into Rhapsody starting today, using their existing login info to get their feet wet in the #1 subscription service. Rhapsody users will also be enjoying a bit of MTV, VH1 and CMT content, but it’s not perfectly clear what or when they’ll be getting it. Real also confirmed that it’ll be keeping its current partnerships with the likes of Best Buy, SanDisk and TiVo. For Verizon’s part of the action, they’ll be giving you Rhapsody versions of your over-the-air purchases in a few months. Otherwise, the future is unclear. According to the press release, Rhapsody is “the exclusive digital music service for Real and for MTV Networks’ premier music and pop culture brands in the United States.” That said, MTV hasn’t really said anything too solid on its exit from Microsoft cahoots with its current Urge offering, so we’ll just have to wait and see how this all pans out.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Paul Miller
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Aug 21
Filed under: Portable Audio
According to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-mart’s welcome entry into DRM-free MP3 sales isn’t the only thing going on in the online music space this morning. Apparently MTV and Real have decided to team up against Apple’s juggernaut, and will be announcing a merged online store at 11AM ET today. They’ve even got Verizon and Vodafone signed up for mobile distribution, says the Journal. At this point it’s still unclear how this will impact MTV’s Urge partnership with Microsoft, and Real’s Rhapsody service, but we just hope they’re aware of the fact that things are basically looking DRM-free or bust at the moment, ’cause the market really doesn’t need too many more also-rans.
Update: We’re tuning into the press conference call as we speak, so standby for updates.
11:10AM - MTV, Real and Verizon are launching a new integrated music service.
11:11AM - MTV and Real are spinning off a new company called Rhapsody America, partnering with Verizon Wireless. V CAST as mobile platform.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Paul Miller
written by
Aug 21
Filed under: Portable Audio
According to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-mart’s welcome entry into DRM-free MP3 sales isn’t the only thing going on in the online music space this morning. Apparently MTV and Real have decided to team up against Apple’s juggernaut, and will be announcing a merged online store at 11AM ET today. They’ve even got Verizon and Vodafone signed up for mobile distribution, says the Journal. At this point it’s still unclear how this will impact MTV’s Urge partnership with Microsoft, and Real’s Rhapsody service, but we just hope they’re aware of the fact that things are basically looking DRM-free or bust at the moment, ’cause the market really doesn’t need too many more also-rans.
Update: We’re tuning into the press conference call as we speak, so standby for updates.
- MTV, Real and Verizon are launching a new integrated music service.
- MTV and Real are spinning off a new company called Rhapsody America, partnering with Verizon Wireless. V CAST as mobile platform.
- Rhapsody America will by run by Urge’s Michael Bloom. Kicking off marketing at MTV Video Music awards September 9th.
- Verizon promises 8GB of phone music storage this year, and 16GB in 2008. Most likely refers to removable storage via (micro)SDHC, since they mentioned a current 4GB cap, and don’t offer any 4GB phones.
- Not just songs, the service will also include ringtones, album covers, ringback tones and music videos.
- Urge is sticking around on Windows Media Player 11 until further notice, they’re currently in talks with Microsoft.
- Over-the-air downloads likely to be “important part of the service going forward.” Emphasis is on being able to access your music collection wherever.
- All of Real’s DRM-free efforts (including the Universal DRM-free trial launch today) will be included in Rhapsody America. They think 2008 is when DRM-free will start to go mainstream.
- Will most likely support subscription and purchase models.
- No word on price or when the service is going to be available.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Paul Miller
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