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BitTorrent now lets any artist offer paid bundles
BitTorrent's experiments with paid music and video bundles have clearly seen some early success -- and accordingly, it's opening up the floodgates. The peer-to-peer service now lets any artist apply to distribute content through paywall-based downloads, whether they're releasing music, apps or movies. As before, the allure is the sheer flexibility that artists get in deciding not just what you pay for, but when you pay for it. A musician might let the first 500 downloaders listen to an album for free, for instance, but can ask latecomers to pay for some or all of the songs. They also get 90 percent of the revenue instead of the 70 percent they get from most online music services, so there's a chance they'll take home more money if they produce a hit.
Bittorrent tests the waters with paywall bundles for TV and music
BitTorrent is set to dabble in paywalls by teaming up with an independent producer for a sci-fi series called "Children of the Machine." Rapid Eye Studios will produce and fund the $1 million pilot, which will revolve around teenagers, global warming and technology gone awry. BitTorrent has worked with TV makers and major studios in the past, but is trying a brand new tact for the show. To fund a full eight-episode run, at least 250,000 users will have to sign up for a "BitTorrent Bundle" for $10 after seeing the pilot. Right now such bundles are free, but it plans to introduce paywall bundles starting in September with music content from a yet-unnamed "major artist." BitTorrent told the NYT it's looking for users "willing to reward creativity by paying a fair price" for the new scheme. It admit that it's a risky experiment, though -- users may be too set on a fair price being "free."
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MMO Mechanics: Lowering the barriers to entry
In the increasingly competitive MMO genre, games have to do all they can to keep you as a customer. MMOs have traditionally been quite difficult games to really get into since they typically require a considerable time and money investment and we tend to play them for stretches of several months to years at a time. The gameplay in MMOs is inherently social by nature, forcing you to relate to others, and there are some even more fundamental barriers that get in the way of new players signing up. I'm sure we've all enthused and rambled to our friends in the hope that they might check out our most recent gaming crush, only to see a repulsed look on their faces when they realise it's an MMO. The classic subscription model is a substantial paywall for the average gamer, and this is what has traditionally kept MMOs niche. The early game can be daunting to those who aren't familiar with the genre, and developers pour a lot of effort into easing newcomers into that gameplay. In this week's MMO Mechanics, I'm going to look at how some MMOs manage to break down these barriers through the use of clever mechanics in order to open up MMO gaming to more people than ever before.
The Soapbox: The case against The Elder Scrolls Online's subscription model
The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the most anticipated online titles of 2014. Marking the first true massively multiplayer incarnation of the venerable Elder Scrolls franchise, ESO has the rapt attention of fans, developers, and industry watchers. It is the latest attempt to leverage an existing franchise into MMO territory, one that will without a doubt see a huge launch and immense media coverage through its first few months. Despite the hype, ZeniMax Online and Bethesda raised a few eyebrows last month when they announced that ESO would require a monthly subscription to play. According to game director Matt Firor, the subscription is required to ensure the game is a true "Elder Scrolls experience." Firor contends that predictable revenue streams generated by monthly subs are necessary to guarantee players the massive amounts of high-quality content they have come to expect from games in the Elder Scrolls universe. There's just one small problem: The history of the Elder Scrolls franchise directly contradicts the idea that expansive, interesting content is intrinsically reliant on monthly payments from players.
The Daily Grind: Do you play MMOs without spending money?
Yesterday, Massively's Beau Hindman pointed me to a Touch Arcade article that explains to readers how to spend as little real money in The Simpsons: Tapped Out as possible. I know, I know; it's not an MMO. But that urge to beat the system by playing a free-to-play game without paying a dime is one that MMO players feel more and more in an era characterized by free-to-play and hybrid MMOs. Some folks call it frugality; others call it leeching. But today, we want to know whether this is how you play free-to-play MMOs. Do you try to spend as little as possible, even turning your ability to save money into its own sort of game, or do you chip in money as thanks to developers for a game well done? Are your attempts to penny-pinch thwarted by clever but annoying monetization design? Have you ever successfully hit endgame in a free-to-play MMO without spending any real-life cash, and why? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The New York Times Leap Motion app: for all the news that's fit for gestures (video)
Few of us reading the morning news enjoy putting our greasy hands on a tablet or newspaper just to flip through articles. With the newly unveiled New York Times app for the Leap Motion Controller, we won't have to. The release lets news hounds navigate stories (and ads) through a unique interface optimized for touch-free gestures. Both Mac and Windows versions of the NYT app will be available in the Airspace store on July 22nd, the same day Leap Motion ships to customers. More importantly, the app will be free -- at least at launch, readers won't run into the usual paywall. If the prospect of contact-free news has you intrigued, there's a video demo available after the break.
New York Times to refine subscription model in wake of sliding ad revenue
If you're an avid reader of The New York Times, you're probably already familiar with its complex subscription model that ranges in price between $15 and $35 per month. Yes, it's sometimes costly to stay in the loop, but on the upside of the paywall, company CEO Mark Thompson says that readers will soon find a wider array of content packages, including less expensive options. The move may be necessary, and according to Bloomberg, the CEO painted it as "the single most important thing we're doing in the company." Today, The New York Times released its earnings for the quarter, which came in slightly below expectations and revealed a decrease in advertising revenue. Recognizing the shift, Thompson will work to make the organization less reliant on ad revenue and more focused on digital subscriptions. As for its growth strategy, it's said that we can expect lower pricing tiers that offer access to specific content such as politics, technology and the arts, along with premium tiers that provide feature content and access to events. Curiously, videos and even games will be in the mix, but it's currently unclear where that'll fit into the tiered strategy. The New York Times currently serves 708,000 subscribers, which represents a 45 percent increase from the first quarter of 2012. It's said that we can expect the refined subscription model to arrive sometime in late 2013 or early 2014, and it'll be very interesting to see just how complex the outlet can go with its pricing. [Image credit: Adam Kinney / Flickr]
New York Times videos now exempt from paywall, free 'for the foreseeable future'
The New York Times announced this morning that its paywall is coming down from the videos section of its website, meaning that you can now enjoy more than 10 videos per month about vegetable caramelization best practices. The free access comes at the price of advertiser content, of course, which runs ahead of the videos and hocks both Microsoft wares and Acura vehicles currently. A NYT press rep told Engadget that the move to unlimited video access isn't temporary, but "never say never." We were also told that it isn't a test, and, "This is what we're doing now. In terms of when and if we'll move it back behind the gateway, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We literally have no idea. For the foreseeable future, it's free." The Grey Lady has been experimenting with its digital presence for several years now, and the publication instituted a site-wide paywall in 2011. The setup allowed readers free access to 10 pieces per month before being forced to login with a paid access account -- like so many paywalls, it can be easily gotten around using alternate web browsers, and, for a long while, by simply removing a chunk of the URL that redirected visitors to its paywall, anyone could read an unlimited amount of stories / watch unlimited videos. The paper's seen financial success in digital form as of late, reporting increased subscriber numbers and increased digital revenue alongside ever-decreasing ad sales.
The Telegraph erects paywall for UK readers
The Telegraph has had a paywall in place for international readers since November, and now its spreading the subscription model to folks in the UK. Despite the slow rollout, the price tiers are staying the same: £1.99 a month nets unlimited access to the newspaper's website and mobile apps, while £9.99 per month grants the same perks, plus use of its tablet editions. Each subscription comes with a free trial before you're charged, but you could keep your wallet shut and skate by on 20 free articles every month. If you're already subscribed to the dead tree version of the publication, however, you'll be able to reap the benefits of its digital incarnations without spending any extra pennies pence. [Image credit: Pleasance, Flickr]
New York Times now serving up 15 free articles a day to Starbucks patrons
This paywall is making me thirsty.
The New York Times is coming to Flipboard Thursday
Well, it's hardly the release of a new summer blockbuster, but getting full length content from the New York Times in Flipboard is certainly going to excite news hounds that also appreciate fine UI design. A lot of content from magazines and newspapers is presented in abbreviated format in the slick app, but now Times subscribers will have unfettered access to the "paper of record's" reporting. Even non-subscribers will be able to read some of the publications articles for free, just as they can through the site. Now all you have to do is wait for the switch to be flipped on Thursday and hope that other outlets follow suit.
New York Times nears half-million online subscriber mark, halves free article allowance to celebrate
The New York Times just gave you more reason to consider making the jump to a paid online subscription -- beginning in April, that free article allowance will see a 50-percent cut, from 20 monthly articles to just 10. This modification comes one year after NYTimes.com launched its infamous content paywall, and following an announcement that the publisher has signed up 454,000 digital subscribers. Paying readers will receive a 12-week subscription that they can gift to anyone on the fence about swiping for access, and smartphone and tablet app users will continue to have access to the "Top News" sections for free. You'll also be able to read articles linked from other sites on the web, including your inbox, and can access five free posts a day that appear in search engine results. Completely unfettered access will range in price from $15 to $35 per month -- you'll find full details in the PR just past the break, and at the source link below.
NY Times offers discounted iPad access to select customers
When the New York Times fired up its paywall in March of this year, the pricing plans for digital-only access seemed a bit steep. As Mel pointed out, the differential for NYC paper subscribers ($6.20/week for weekday papers only) versus all-you-can-read digital access (web, iPhone and iPad at $35/4 weeks) was only a couple of bucks. By comparison, today's launch of the San Francisco Chronicle iPad app pegs monthly iPad access at only $5.99. Fortunately for longtime NYTimes.com readers, there was an exception. About 200,000 heavy users of the site received special iPhone/web access offers courtesy of Lincoln, giving them free access to the iPhone app and the site through the rest of 2011. While this didn't include content for the iPad app, it was certainly a great deal. That was the lure, and here comes the line. Participants in the Lincoln-sponsored deal have been getting emails with an upsell offer, and it's a doozy: $35 for full digital access (iPhone, web and iPad) through the rest of 2011. That's about 1/8th the cost of a full digital subscription plan. Once signed up, you get the full paper on your iPad (including all your favorite columnists and New York stories) along with the iPhone and web versions. Watch out, though; the price goes back up to $8.75 a week at the end of the year. It may be that the Times is trying to zero in on the optimal pricing arrangement for digital customers by bracketing at the high end and the low end, but regardless of the market rationale this is a pretty sweet deal -- if you're eligible.
Nook matches Kindle by bundling free web access to NYTimes.com with digital edition sub
Adhering to strict alphabetical order, where Amazon leads, Barnes & Noble follows. The Kindle was last week announced to include access beyond the New York Times' freshly erected online paywall as part of its device subscription to the NYT and now, lo and behold, the Nook family (including the Nook Color) is following suit in identical fashion. If you're happy to obtain your sub to New York's finest paper from the Nook Newsstand -- which costs $20 per month, same as Amazon's levy -- you'll get the bonus, complimentary, free-of-charge privilege of being able to access NYTimes.com without any constraints as well. So what if the online edition used to be free for the past eleventy years? The new Times dictates some fealty be paid and we're happy to see these e-reader purveyors helping to alleviate (mask?) that cost for some of us. Full PR after the break.
Kindle subscription to the New York Times will net you free web access as well
Can't get enough New York Times over your Whispernet? Worry not, dear Kindle reader, for Amazon's on a roll with its announcements today, the latest of which is that a subscription to the NYT on its world-conquering e-reader will also grant users access to the paywall-protected NYTimes.com online portal. No complex rules or conditions, you'll just be one of the insiders who get unfettered access to all the fine old school journalism practiced at Times towers. See Amazon's press release after the break or hit the source link to learn more about the $28-a-month (for international users) subscription. Update: The sub price is $20 in the USA, the $28 cost we first saw relates to those signing up from the UK and other international markets. Thanks, russke!
New York Times reveals labyrinthine subscription plans, Canadian readers already hitting paywall
We knew it was coming, and now The New York Times has followed through on its promise to erect a paywall for online content, which means no more free news -- kind of. Starting today in Canada and March 28th in the US, NYTimes.com will ask visitors reading more than 20 articles per month to pay for their info fix. The new plan offers monthly subscriptions of $15 with a smartphone app, $20 with tablet app, or $35 for complete digital access -- subscribers with a physical subscription will be granted a full pass, except on e-readers. Further convoluting the pay structure, entry from sites like Twitter and Facebook won't face the same restrictions, and access via Google is set at five free visits per day. Other news sources, including The Wall Street Journal, have already started charging for online content in the face of declining ad revenue, but this is certainly one of the most elaborate systems we've seen so far. The subscription plan was unleashed in Canada today, allowing the paper to iron out any kinks before hitting the US, which means you've got just under two weeks to hit NYTimes.com completely free -- after that, prepare to be confused.
New York Times website, iPhone and iPad subscriptions start soon
We knew it was coming, and now there is a date: the Gray Lady is charging admission this month. The New York Times digital products (the website, TimesReader app, phone apps and iPad edition) will be subject to a subscription fee for US customers starting March 28, with Canadian customers active now as a test population. Details were spelled out in a letter to readers and in a Times news story. As of 3/28, if you want to access the digital editions of The New York Times here are your options: At the New York Times website, NYTimes.com, you can view up to 20 articles a month at no charge. After that, you'll get a notice inviting you to subscribe. Links inbound from social media services like Facebook and Twitter will work independently of the 20-article limit, as will links from some search engines; Google inbound links will be capped at 5 articles per day, per reader. On smartphones like the iPhone and on tablets (iPad) the Top News section will remain free. To see any other sections, you must subscribe. There is no subscription plan available for just the NYTimes website. The lowest cost option is access to NYTimes.com plus a smartphone app for $15.00 per four-week period. A subscription to the NYTimes.com site and a tablet subscription is $20.00 for four weeks. Access to the website, smartphone and tablet editions is $35.00 for the same period. You can get a full breakdown on pricing here.
NYTimes for iPad app delivers entire newspaper for free... until 2011
Remember that New York Times Editor's Choice app that hit right alongside the iPad's launch? Hello, overhaul. NYTimes for iPad was just unleashed today, with many describing the results as an ideal newspaper-to-tablet port. The primary difference? This is the entire New York Times, delivered to your iPad free of charge (assuming you're a registered member of the site, which can also be accomplished for no charge). The new app brings over 25 sections of content to readers, but the glorious fun is sure to be short lived; The Times is planning to launch a pay model next year, and after that wall goes up, the app will also require a paid subscription. Enjoy it while it lasts, we guess.
Starbucks begins offering free two-click WiFi access in US and Canada
Mmm... nothing like the smell of a warm caramel macchiato in the morning being masked by the smell of fresh greenbacks being burned, right? All jesting aside, we're pretty stoked about the world's most recognized coffee joint turning off the paywall surrounding its in-house WiFi hotspots, and in case you missed the original announcement, we're here to remind you that the free-for-all begins today. As of this very moment, the next US / Canadian corporately-ran Starbucks that you enter should be offering free one two-click WiFi, meaning that no password is required and no time limits will be set. Of course, this also means that you'll never see an open chair in any Starbucks ever again, but hey -- that's why sidewalks were created, right? Update: Ha, as our good friend Dave Zatz points out, it's actually two-clicks, not one: 1) agree to terms and services, 2) connect. But let's not let the facts ruin a snappy press release.
