http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 10:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
To their attempt to screw me, I reply: screw you.]]>May 20th 2008 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
The fact is, if there is no reason to stay locked into iTunes, then other media players seem a lot better than the iPod family.]]>May 20th 2008 12:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
Wrong. Just flat out wrong. Jobs publicly proclaimed that DRM needs to die. And one of the major label executives was quoted as saying they were happy to keep Apple locked in DRM for awhile to allow their competitors a little catch-up time. This is a deliberate attempt by the labels to try to knock some points off Apple's market share. It's anti-competitive and it's sleazy.

This "Apple wants to lock you in with DRM" chestnut is complete rubbish - just more FUD from the traditional Apple-hating horde. If the media companies would allow it, Apple would go DRM-free on every single song they sell. Right now. Today.]]>May 20th 2008 12:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
As far as the "anti-competitive" actions of the labels in giving the vast majority of their DRM-free tracks to Apple's competitors, you do know the extremely powerful market position that Apple holds, don't you? If Apple wanted to force the issue, they could, and the labels wouldn't have a choice (or they could remove their music like NBC, but I don't think they are in the position to take that action). Apple likes the situation the way it is, and they will change it when they have no choice (because Amazon, Napster, etc. are taking a meaningful chunk of their marketshare).]]>May 20th 2008 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
Wallow in your Apple-hating ignorance if you must. Just don't pretend you know what you're talking about.

"Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace. Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly." - Steve Jobs

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/
]]>May 20th 2008 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
Quix is completely correct.

You two are misguided for reasons that have little to do with the facts.

FACT: Apple originally wanted to sell DRM-free music, but only added DRM because the labels would not sell without it (and Apple needed a store). Google "steve jobs rolling stone". QUOTE from JOBS: "When we first went to talk to these record companies -- you know, it was a while ago. It took us 18 months. And at first we said: None of this technology that you're talking about's gonna work. We have Ph.D.'s here, that know the stuff cold, and we don't believe it's possible to protect digital content. --No one's gonna shut down the Internet. And it only takes one stolen copy to be on the Internet. And the way we expressed it to them is: Pick one lock -- open every door. It only takes one person to pick a lock. Worst case: Somebody just takes the analog outputs of their CD player and rerecords it -- puts it on the Internet. You'll never stop that. So what you have to do is compete with it."

FACT: Microsoft "opened" up its "ecosystem", and it only proliferated DRM everywhere, and caused the problems Apple foresaw, to the point where Microsoft is now "killing off" support for people that need to reauthorize music they've purchased in the future (if they change machines, etc). Check out the recent stories on the MSN music servers.

FACT: Apple would GLADLY sell music without DRM, because they use their store as a loss-leader (they are now selling digital movies at a $1 per sale loss). Apple knows that they have other "controls" on retaining customers, like their brand, ease-of-use solutions, and cultural strangle-hold. Not to mention their patents and arrangements like the Made-for-iPod program. If it makes it easier on consumers to use their products (and they sell more hardware through that reason) Apple is for it.

FACT: Apple TRIED to "force" the issue. Don't you remember? They made their huge announcement with EMI and offered it to all of their other partners. Universal snubbed them, and everyone else began to realize that they could use this as a lever. --Only, Apple still wins. If all the other stores become iPod compatible, and still require people to load their iPods through some joint solution with iTunes... Apple wins. Apple would not have created iTunes if ease-to-use solutions had already existed. They felt they could do it better.

FACT: Apple would even make FREE non-DRM music and content available through iTunes if they could... oh, hang on a minute... they already DO! They're called podcasts, and you can move them wherever you like. "Foot-traffic" is king, and creating barriers discourages consumer usage and the entire "ease of use" experience.

The music industry needs to sell DRM-Free music EVERYWHERE. People will continue to buy from iTunes regardless, and they're only creating more and more buyers that are "locked in" to DRM. Apple has left the door open for more new "iTunes Plus" partners to see the light. They only need to walk into it. It's moronic.]]>May 20th 2008 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/I'm pretty sure pirates didn't have internet.
Seriously, though, what does En mean?]]>May 20th 2008 10:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 21st 2008 5:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/I want proper access to DRM free in the UK not just the selection of EMI and the indies we get.]]>May 20th 2008 10:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
Also, Napser brings such nice memories, I vividly remember downloading so many copies of Music and all of them were corrupt at the end.]]>May 20th 2008 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 1:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
I feel your pain. In Canada we don't have anybody with a good selection of MP3s either. There is Puretracks but their selection is spotty.

I have money to spend and the music companies are making it hard for me to give them that money!!! WAKE UP music industry. ]]>May 20th 2008 2:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
Which is it? ]]>May 20th 2008 11:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
People who buy the tunes a-la-carte, aka one song at a time for a set price per song, get the track DRM-free. ]]>May 20th 2008 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/]]>May 20th 2008 11:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/You can buy the mp3 which is just using a normal browser (plus Adobe flash if you want to listen to preview).

the Mp3 can be downloaded to your ipod / any players without any problems.

But, if you are talking the DRM subscribers -> well, its up to you, but its a "no no" for some people.]]>May 20th 2008 11:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
@Tirta -really? I only had a very quick look, TBH - but seemed to be suggesting to me I had to d/l the app to get even the drm free stuff? will check it out again...

]]>May 20th 2008 11:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
I believe you are thinking a-la-carte is all you can eat, which is NOT the case.]]>May 20th 2008 2:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS6udST6lbE]]>May 20th 2008 11:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 1:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 4:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 11:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
Soon I will feel guilty if I pirate music, but not until there's a legal way for me to do what I was doing 9 years ago - e.g. clicking on a song,downloading it, using it as I want.

But good work Napster on being one of the first.]]>May 20th 2008 12:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/
I'll stick with Amazon.]]>May 20th 2008 12:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 12:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 1:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/napster-unleashes-a-la-carte-drm-free-mp3-store/May 20th 2008 1:26PM