Plays For Sure: Microsoft's big announcement tomorrow

We already knew that Microsoft was planning to roll out the 2005 version of their Windows XP Media Center operating system tomorrow, but the bigger deal is that they're also announcing what's known as Plays For Sure. Basically what Plays For Sure does is certify that music and video files downloaded from MSN Music and other online services are compatible with any player bearing the Plays For Sure logo. Yes, it's really just a clever name for the DRM they're using with Windows Media, but this is more or less their attempt to counter the dominance of Apple's iTunes Music Store by helping to ease any confusion about whether or not you'll be able to buy music online and listen to it on your digital audio player, which is all the average person cares about (believe it or not, they could care less about all of our ideological warfare). Now we're just counting down the minutes until the first time someone reports that a Plays For Sure track fails to play for sure on a Plays For Sure digital audio player.  

[crw @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Maybe Plays?
Plays Perhaps?

Ok, that's it, I'm tapped...

[Brad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Pays For Sure

especially in light of Mr. Ballmer's recent comments about iPods and "stolen."

[Wendell @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I gotta wonder if this idea only makes sense, even a little bit, in English-speaking countries, since I bet this phrase "plays for sure" comes out quite differently once translated into various languages. Anybody know of any translations on this already being offered by MS?

[Zack @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Let me think... WAV? MP3? AIFF? Gasp, Compact Disk?

[Greg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Since Microsoft is going to insist that "plays for sure" works only with their stuff and Apple isn't moving their DRM to the iPod - it surely WON'T play in the worlds most popular player.

[Hollywood Liberation Army @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Perhaps "Pays For Sure" is a more appropriate slogan.

[Corey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

None of my (legal/store bought) DVDs will play on WMP 10... it says "Windows Media Player cannot play the DVD because a problem occurred with digital copyright protection."

Yesterday (on my other computer) I tried playing an old WMA file I had, and apparently I no longer had a license... which is what it told me in about 100 web browser windows that it opened before crashing my system...

So I wouldn't be surprised to hear something that is supposed to "Play for Sure" didn't play...

[slashpd @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Yes, MSEC is going to go thru the big band.. but "play it for sure" logo is not the same as "making sure it plays for sure everything" !!

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I just bought a CD with the play for sure logo. Guess what I cant play it in Itunes. So I cant put it on my I pod. This was a Hard copy disc. I cant believe it. what a bunch of garbage

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

PAY FOR SURE!!!!

[prasanth @ Jan 6th 2006 10:53AM]

can any 1 send me some details abt play for sure