Best Buy, SanDisk and Real team-up for music service

Now that Microsoft has semi-abandoned PlaysForSure for their new closed Zune system in a bid to dethrone the iPod, all those puny device manufacturers, music store operators, and retail chains are starting to look rather silly for their commitment to "open standards" and "interoperability." So now SanDisk and Real are teaming up to integrate a special Sansa e200R Rhapsody-edition lineup of the #2 DAP manufacturer's popular Sansa line with the new version 4.0 of the Rhapsody music store, one of the more popular subscription-based services. The respective market shares of both companies pales in comparison to the complete dominance of Apple's iPod/iTunes combo, but the team-up might be necessary to survive in the current market climate. Having Best Buy's weight behind the partnership shouldn't hurt either. They'll be offering their own "Best Buy Digital Music Store," which will be powered by Rhapsody, and will be offering a free two-month unlimited subscription to purchasers of a SanDisk Sansa player, after which users can continue with the service for the same $14.99 Rhapsody To Go price currently charged. The service and players are available now (Best Buy's official launch date is October 15th), and the new Sansa versions will be priced as they are now: $180 for 6GB, $250 for 8GB.

Read - BestBuy to launch music service
Read - Sansa Rhapsody

[LaSean @ Oct 5th 2006 12:00PM]

Before all you iPod/iTunes fan boys start with the haterade, remember competition is good. Even if this partnership or the Zune marketplace fails miserably there's some good that will come out of having multiple players in the space. Plus, contrary to popular opinion on many sites the #2 or #3 player in an industry can still build a profitable business.

[Silver R. Wolfe @ Oct 5th 2006 12:09PM]

I for one welcome our Blue LED scroll wheel overlords.

[z @ Oct 5th 2006 12:25PM]

Happy to see Real might get it straight with Microsoft. This looks awfully better than the Zune / Zune Marketplace thing. Isn't Real however supposed to have had some talks on a collaboration with Apple against MS? Or did I get this info wrong?

[TS @ Oct 5th 2006 12:30PM]

"I for one welcome our Blue LED scroll wheel overlords."

No, just no. When you say that you make the baby Jesus weep. :(

[Mike Browning @ Oct 5th 2006 12:30PM]

Coming next week: Circuit City, Creative, and nullsoft (winamp) team-up for music service.

[Mike @ Oct 5th 2006 12:35PM]

Anything with "Real" in it just makes me run away...

[Remo Williams @ Oct 5th 2006 12:43PM]

The new Real software and service actually works and looks nice, but I had a audio clicking issue on my dual core machine. I recently switched over to Urge and love it. It works the best out of any service I have tried.

[hesh @ Oct 5th 2006 12:46PM]

I'm with Mike above... Real will only ruin everything.

[Serge @ Oct 5th 2006 12:54PM]

does anyone remember the good old Rio 500? that thing was sweet. i still have mine somewhere in a shelf, waiting till its worth anything to antique collectors.

man, those were the good 'ol days.

Tokey the bear says...uh...what was i talking about?

[ALICE UNCHAINED @ Oct 5th 2006 12:56PM]

I'm w/ #1 up there. Competition is EXCELLENT for us iPod fanboys. i can't EVER see switching from iPod and the competition will keep Apple on it's toes. Now, i'm hoping on Apple updating firmware so we can customize the look of the interface. I hope ZUNE gets a toehold for this reason alone!!!

[OlivierB @ Oct 5th 2006 12:58PM]

Coming the week after that; 9.99 Zune with SuperSize menu at Macdonalds!

[kelly @ Oct 5th 2006 1:08PM]

I would rather bore a hole through my head with a dull ice auger than touch anything remotely associated with Real.

[George @ Oct 5th 2006 2:11PM]

Mike, Hesh, Kelly,

What's with the Real hating? Seriously, I understand why there are people who love/hate Microsoft, Apple, Bose, GreenPeace, Republicans, Wal~Mart, Sony, Nike, Starbucks... but what's the beef with Real?

[Axiomatic @ Oct 5th 2006 2:19PM]

BUFFERING dum de dum de dum de BUFFERING de da da de BUFFERING

-nuff' said.

[Falsoman @ Oct 5th 2006 2:31PM]

well, George, I don't know how is it now because i haven't insalled anyithing from real for about 3 years now on my windows pc... But real one player was one of the worst pieces of software in exsitence (in my opinion) it was bloated with adds that were popping on screen even if you weren't using the software... just like all those "free screen savers" that you find on dubious websites... Besides, real one was incredibly buggy, so i decided not to install anything from them afther that...

Actually real player for mac is a different story... it really doesn't suck, but i haven't upgraded it for about a year because i don't use it any more... just for those live streaming websites that keep using real tech.

I really hope the new software is any good, because it would be good for sanDisk to impulse their players. And it would be good if this encouraged apple to fix iTunes... i still like it over other music players... but it is a resourse hug even on macs.

[The Grand Master @ Oct 8th 2006 9:41AM]

I don't get what the problems are with the new iTunes. My CPU is running about usual rate and less almost 1Gb of my ram is inactive or free, but it is using 146 MB on its own. What is it you're suffering with? Have you got 7.0.1? I'd be glad to help if I could.

[Galley @ Oct 5th 2006 2:37PM]

I was contacted by RealNetworks last week about beta-testing Rhapsody 4.0 with my iPod. Don't forget that they have always offered (192Kbps) AAC files in the RealPlayer Music Store that were transferable to iPods. Rhapsody DNA uses those same RealAudio 10 AAC files.

[duder @ Oct 5th 2006 2:51PM]

George,
Real released a few versions that were loaded with spyware and adware that could not be removed, and the application would run in the systray no matter what you did. It was garbage, and I am surprised they are still in business.

[Jake @ Oct 5th 2006 3:07PM]

I know there are a lot of Real haters out there but I think the hatred stems mostly from long-ago problems with RealPlayer software.

I have been using RealRhapsody for over a year and I love it. No problems whatsoever that I can recall.

I'm happy to see Real and SanDisk putting this together(not sure what Best Buy is bringing to the table).

BUT I won't be a customer yet because the SanDisk player in this system DOES NOT support audible.com files (audio books). That's a SanDisk issue on the player and if they ever fix that, I'll be on board for this service. Until then, I guess I'm sticking with iPod.

One other thing, I'm curious to see if Apple ever responds with a subscription (ToGo) service on iTunes. In my view, that's the main thing all of these other services offer over iTunes. I really believe the subscription model ($15/month for all the music you want on your portable device) is a much better deal for consumers -- but I know a lot of people don't like it. As I see it, once you accept the idea of just paying $15 a month for music (with a subscription service), you have lifetime access to all the music you could ever want and you don't have to worry about keeping the same device and/or keeping track of music files. You can quit the service and/or switch devices whenever you want and you can download whatever/whenever/wherever.

With iTunes 99cent per song model, once you build up a sizeable library you are basically stuck with Apple for life (of course, that's Apple's plan). It's ok for some, I guess, but I don't like it.

[Tito @ Oct 5th 2006 3:44PM]

Actually I find that the subscription model makes you stuck with a company for a life, not the pay-per-song model... I personally never buy from iTunes, prefering other services, however you can easily remove the DRM from iTunes bought songs.

[tweak @ Oct 5th 2006 4:18PM]

Things like this keep the iPods reasonably affordable in the first place. If Apple was not at all threatened by the off chance another MP3 player could gain a decent foothold in the market, they'd never have dropped the prices so significantly on the iPods. Being an employee of Best Buy, I don't see this particular scheme paying off in the long run, but it's at least a mediocre attempt to cash in on the ever growing market. But if it keeps the iPods reasonably priced, I really can't complain.

[Shep Eddy @ Oct 5th 2006 11:42PM]

Can anyone tell me where I can actually puchase a Sansa e280? Best Buy doesn't list them yet. I'm getting just a little annoyed at Sandisk for the Sansa vaporware e280. It was announced to ship in mid-September but no one has it yet.

[Geoffrey @ Oct 6th 2006 10:16AM]

I currently am a happy Rhapsody user with an older Sandisk player. I just looked at Best Buy's Rhapsody site and read something weird. They say that with Rhapsody Unlimited you have access to "800,000+ full-length songs." Rhapsody's own web site says "unlimited access to millions of songs." Granted, the Best Buy statement isn't actually wrong, but it seems very odd that they wouldn't advertise the much larger number that Rhapsody itself advertises.

Geoffrey

[JeffreyLin.Net @ Oct 6th 2006 11:54AM]

Not to think less or look down on the consumer, but the key to Apple's sucess is its simplicity and ease of use. A 3-way alliance between Best Buy, Sandisk, and RealNetworks just has too many separate parts that would only make things harder to use than Apple's integrated products.

[Geoffrey @ Oct 6th 2006 1:52PM]

Until Apple (or someone) offers a subscription model, I'm not interested in the iPod. I'm very curious about the Rhapsody beta that was mentioned in an earlier post.

[John Beach @ Oct 6th 2006 3:30PM]

Just got a response from support that the current e260 is not upgradable to the e260r so once again I get burned.

[Jordan @ Jan 29th 2007 6:51PM]

I purchased a e280R 8.0 gb Sansa Rhapsody for my daughter's birthday. The screen failed after only 3 weeks.

I had purchased this from Best Buy with a two-year warranty. They refused to honor the warranty and suggested I contact Sansa Technical Support directly. I did, and they also refused to honor their warranty, and they also refused to repair the player.

I am deeply disappointed in Sansa, Best Buy and the quality of the product. This was $300 down the toilet after less then three weeks.

I cannot in good faith recommend either of these companies or their products to anyone else.

I have sent a formal complaint to Sansa Corporate offices, but doubt very much that they will bother to respond. Consumers beware!