Labels Agree On Free Music Downloads To Cell Phones 104
An anonymous reader writes "CNet's Crave reports on a potentially revolutionary digital music service set to launch worldwide later this year. It's offering free, unlimited over-the-air downloads to cell phones, with music from all four major record labels, with no subscription. And the selections that users download get automatically downloaded to their PC or Mac. Rather obviously, the tracks are DRMed, but unlike the similar Nokia service unveiled last year to much disappointment, this MusicStation Max service will have exclusive handsets from LG and no additional fees to customers. This is a little similar to an idea talked about last year, but with all four majors on-board it seems to have greater potential."
They still don't get it! (Score:4, Informative)
They still don't get it! Do I say more?
Re: (Score:1, Redundant)
darn it, I'll preview next time!
Not Free (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:They still don't get it! (Score:4, Insightful)
In a free market competition drives cheaper prices. Intellectual monopoly products have no competition apart from the yarrr mateys. Prevent copying (or any form of competition) and you get more expensive, not cheaper, music.
So, no, DRM is never beneficial.
Compulsory Licensing (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
"a method to apply cheaper and wider access to music, albeit with restrictions."
In a free market competition drives cheaper prices. Intellectual monopoly products have no competition apart from the yarrr mateys. Prevent copying (or any form of competition) and you get more expensive, not cheaper, music.
So, no, DRM is never beneficial.
It was free ... So DRM makes it 100 times more expensive. 100 times 0 is still free... All the talk of free market, pirates, intellectual monopoly is so much wankery.
Yes, it isn't really free - you aren't free to copy it to other devices. But I'll take free music to listen to on the one device that I can
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
I have a Samsung C165. It costed 65 dollars. It makes phone calls, has a phonebook, and BIG fonts. I just asked for "the cheapest prepaid phone available", and got this.
The nokia 11xx has been such a phone since the beggining of [GSM] time.
Is it that old gizards (I mean older than me, I'm 30!) don't know how to buy a phone anymore?
Re:Call me a dinosaur... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Call me a dinosaur... (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1, Informative)
bullshit [vodafone.com.au]
Cheap? check!
small? check!
does very little more than make calls and store numbers? check!
they dont make LOTS of phones like that, because there isnt much demand for them, but the do
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
You only want a phone to make phone calls to your Turok friends, good for you!
I want to send emails and surf the net dinasaur hunting, good for me!
Pre-teens who want to turn their phones into an artfully crafted public-transport-torture device, unfortunately good for them!
And people who want to use their phones as music players rather than carry round two devices... is it really that bad?
Re: (Score:2)
More importantly than the features that I don't need or want is the hidden strings attached to the service contract for those unwanted services.
This is along the same line
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
First, phones have those features because the vast majority of people find them desirable. Not everyone wants them, of course, but way more than half. Each different phone has a full set of engineering, manufacturing, marketing and packaging costs, which are substantial and have to be spread across a lot of phones to make them affordable. Thus it's cheaper to make, package, and market 100,000 phones than it is to make 1,000 simple phones plus another 99,000 comp
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
In either event, I never said "impossible" I said "increasingly difficult" which it is. You can't walk into a store and get a plain Jane phone that doesn't do text, internet, GPS, etc. Go and try it. Try to look for a phone that is ONLY a phone.
So you get off my lawn too...
Re:Call me a dinosaur... (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2, Offtopic)
This comment pops up in EVERY damned discussion of advanced phones and it's ALWAYS moderated insightful by mods with more points than sense. It is NOT insightful. It is nothing more than a statement of personal taste by someone with luddite tendecies.
Phones already exist for luddites. This discussion is not about those phones. If you want to discuss those phones go and find somewhere else to discuss them, or submit an articl
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Because it's not a telephone. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
This is why choice was invented!
Personally I have quite a "fancy" mobile phone. It can make video calls, play mp3s, record audio/video, take pictures, and much more! But I didn't get it because it could do those things, I got it because the interface was nice, simple, and easy to use.
If I'm out and about and want to take a photo, I get out my camera which I always carry with me, it's infinately better than the phone's camera. If I want to play music, I get my iPod out (which I always carry with me) a
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Technology has turned you female.
Only instead of lipstick, tampons, tissues and chocolate, it's shiny devices, protective cases, game cartridges, memory cards... Have fun with that.
Music on the phone is just as good as from an iPod. You can also now get phones that take memory cards, in a discrete little slot, that bring them up to the capacity of an iPod touch.
Games are not anything like a DS. But then it's not a huge number of people t
Re: (Score:2)
My cellphone has a 2 Gb storage (external). Maybe not enough for a cross-Atlantic trip, but plenty for an hour in the gym. Then again, the battery wouldn't last on a cross-Atlantic trip on the cell. The just announced Nokia N96 will have 16 Gb of internal memory + whatever the size of the mSD card you can find (and afford).
The mobile games are fine. Different g
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Heck, I'd love one of those things. But it seems, every time I've gotten excited and tried them, it's turned out that I could have drawn pictures better than the ones the crap optics of the cellphone gives me, the PDA cant even handle DST changes and the audio is a PITA to transfer (altho, from what I've heard, that's gotten better these days).
So instead of one device with all of those things bundled I get to carry all
Re: (Score:2)
In the future, look for them to have docking stations with full sized keyboards and monitors, as the cell phone and the notebook merge.
Why not a Bluetooth application that simply lets you access your PDA/MP3/GSM/CAM filesystem remotely?
As far as merging completely, the laptop still has functionality and a desirable interface that will prevent it from going away anytime soon. Namely, screen size, processing power, and comfort while sitting in bed or at a coffee shop ensure the laptop's future success. Instead of "merge", the words you were looking for is "become more closely integrated".
Re: (Score:2)
Nokia N95 has composite TV-out so connect it to a TV. Add a bluetooth keyboard.
Anyhoo, I doubt phone and notebook will merge. Mostly because putting the computing core (i.e cpu and ram) inside something the size of a phone and having it be energy efficient enough to run comfortably off a phone battery cost you a lot in terms of performance. A real notebook will always be a lot more powerful than a phone+dock. In addition there is t
Re: (Score:1)
I'm in this boat with you; a phone is a phone is a phone. Every single one of its features should be directly tied to communication. If I wanted a cheap chinese gadget that tries (and fails) to be a game boy, media player, webcam, AM radio, IUD and chia pet all at once, well... I'd have to hire someone to end my miserable brainwashed life.
My ideal phone features ? address book, call history, voice mail, SMS / pager, maybe a si
Re: (Score:2)
They still be full of DRM (Score:5, Insightful)
ooops, there, I yawned.
Did I hear someone just call them fucking idiots?
Re: (Score:2)
You're right, in everyday use, this announcement means very little. However, I see it as a social worker might see a drug addict. The addict has stopped using cocaine, but still uses acid and meth almost daily. It's a small sign of growth that could come later.
I would accept DRM'd music on my phone if I the ability to dow
Godwin's Law... can't help myself here (Score:2)
Yeah, yeah, I know it's a real stretch to compare the two, but I'm still waiting to see what the penalties are that come with use of the device/service. A gilded cage is still a cage.
Well (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Well (Score:4, Funny)
The announcement if by the lables, not the RIAA. In other news, The RIAA to sue all four lables for making avaliable songs.
Re: (Score:2)
Little Earthquakes (Score:1, Interesting)
Why buy music now? (Score:2, Funny)
What's the business model for the record labels?
Re:Why buy music now? (Score:5, Informative)
And it's not like you can put them on your iPod. If you want to use them on the computer, you'll need to use an approved player. Which I'm sure will be *fantastic*, the best *ever*!
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
It's funny but that's not what I call free. What's wrong with people? How can you even consider this free? It's a service.
Re: (Score:2)
So what you are saying...
Cons:
Pros:
Sounds like the equivalent of buying a subscription to use an iPod and then download from iTunes for free. Only, the iPod is known for a crisp User-Interface, above average sound quality, and pretty good battery life. Whe
Re: (Score:2)
Actually, that's crazy cheap... are there serial cables availible for these new phones?
I wonder if they throttle soulseek.
Re: (Score:1)
soupforare,
My estimate of $20 per month was not based on any knowledge or research and was, in fact, pulled straight from my ass. I hope this news doesn't disappoint you. I was just throwing a number out there that would make it too expensive for me to consider it.
My apologizes.
Re: (Score:1)
Most unlimited data plans usually run between $50(with voice plan) and ~120(data only), for future reference.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Why buy music now? ADDING IT UP - DUH??? (Score:2)
It adds up perfectly well the moment you realize that this shuts out all the Independents. And the significant possibility that the four Major Labels have a deal that they're only In on this while the Independents are Out. That's a trade that I think their bean-counters would consider worth making.
I was excited... (Score:5, Insightful)
And hell, it's *NOT REALLY FREE*. You need a special contract. Oh yeah. Sure, each track is free, but you're still paying a premium for it. I don't mind that, but it's a bit misleading. Not that I'm surprised.
They haven't even said which player will be able to play the files. It looks like Windows Media Player is a contender.
All-in-all, not impressed.
Re: (Score:2, Redundant)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Won't download for free (Score:2)
Keep it (Score:2, Redundant)
Keep your DRM music. I don't want it and I don't want to get hooked on your free sample. (One day I may change phones and I'll still want that music). Nice try though.
Re: (Score:1)
Go ahead mods, mod me offtopic: I deserve it
Nothing Free here, move along please... (Score:4, Insightful)
Limited songs on limited phones with limited transfer on limited equipment....
Have it right now MP3, BitTorrent, Piratebay and my WiFi enabled smartphone...
This just in! (Score:5, Funny)
Music companies just found another tech company to take a bajillion dollars to promise them that sweet, sweet DRM.
How many times does that make now? I can think of no better evidence that cocaine makes you dumb.
It's not a bad model ...BUT (Score:5, Interesting)
This actually isn't that different from the software model, pre-Microsoft. Software was ultimately bundled in with the hardware and service contract costs and so everyone could just sorta of copy software all over the place. Heck, Microsoft owes a lot of its success to this sort of model for Windows largely due to its lack of DRM. If Microsoft required the sort of authentication with DOS and Windows 3.1 that it requires for Vista, it is very doubtful they would be in the dominant position they are in today. DOS used to be $10!!!
Of course, this bundling sucks for Linux and completely free software, but one could envision a distro actually having a service plan with it for DRM content. If you throw in a few extra bucks, the content plan could actually be used to help fund further Linux development. Thus, tacking a few bucks onto teeny boppers wanting to get the latest Hannah Montana on a Linux box could actually be used to help pay for things like additional FireFox, Open Office and other Linux core applications development.
The one thing that really hurts the credibility of the music industry, aside from the obvious and vile thuggishness with which RIAA presses its claims, is that, the artist's share of the proceeds is rather small. In the CD / Vinyl days, a large cut for the industry was reasonable because of all the people that the business needed to pay to make physical copies. Now, with electronic distribution, there's really no moral reason why the artist can't get a larger piece of the pie. But as we have seen with the writer's strike, it seems that the content industry isn't really interested in promoting, well, the truly gifted people that make content, but rather, exploiting them, and that completely undermines any legitimate claim onto the advantages of copyright. The recording industry isn't really an enabler of artists, as much as it is more like the Islamic caliphs of old sitting on overland trade routes, exploiting them until the Europeans figured out how to sail around them and avoid the ridiculous surcharges.
To have an efficient capitalistic economy, you want to reward investment in people that actually add value, and record companies don't. So, having a more consumer friendly business model won't fix the problem. Record companies have to actually pay the artists a real percentage of the music sales. IF shareware distributors can thrive taking 10-15% of a sale, leaving artists with the lion's share, then so can record companies. The situation is different with movies, which are much more collaborative and capital intensive thing, but, even there, there's no reason that the principals of a movie can't get a bigger piece of the pie.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Well even "Free" software isn't really free. Its costs of development are picked up as part of a consultancy arrangement, or, through funding by companies that distribute that software as part of some other bundled service. Like, Apache is free, but its funded, IIRC, by a coalition of large ISPs that use it. They in turn recover the costs from their hosting customers.
Re: (Score:2)
It seems most big companies aren't interested in anything but exploiting. Take the software industry as an example. Most of them seem to be taking advantage of unknowing users. You could expand that to lawyers, auto mechanics, and so on.
Psychopaths don't care about the economy in general, they just care
Sounds good, but... (Score:2, Insightful)
Not just DRM, but rootkit as well (Score:3, Insightful)
"Every time you download a song to your phone, the same song is downloaded to your computer for playback through your PC speakers."
Just how the heck do they know when my PC is on, much less download songs to it? I don't want them downloading songs onto my PC without my knowledge. This service seems insidious. So you're saying every time I want to download a song, your proprietary player needs to be on a computer that's on and hooked up to the internet? Gee, there's no potential for abuse there.
What if someone sends me a rogue music file? If the same file is downloaded to my computer, isn't that going to mess up my machine? Virus writers are going to have a field day with this. Shame on Omniphone for promoting this garbage, and what is LG thinking, buying into this deal?
This will not replace p2p. It will barely make a dent. How can you justify charging for premium unlimited data when the same thing can be done with any smart phone on a wifi network for free? Really, these companies need to go back to their boardrooms and either disband or think of a better business model.
I'm not worried about the DRM. Whatever DRM these files come with will be broken the day that the first music file is downloaded from this service. I just don't understand why they even bother, anymore.
Can't teach a dinosaur new tricks, I suppose.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Just how the heck do they know when my PC is on
Probably with the software that you install on your computer that polls their server every N minutes.
much less download songs to it?
How does Windows Update, Adept, etc. download updates? It periodically asks a server if there's anything new to download.
I don't want them downloading songs onto my PC without my knowledge.
Except you would know when your computer was downloading a song. Assuming you know what you're doing with your phone, anyway.
So you're saying every time I want to download a song, your proprietary player needs to be on a computer that's on and hooked up to the internet?
I haven't bothered reading about it, since I don't really care, but if the system is sane, having their software running on your computer won't be required for d
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
If you DO plan on purchasing RIAA-stuff, at least buy used copies. You don't want to feed the proverbial bears if you don't have to.
In fact, these particular bears I'd love to see die of starvation. Oops - is that sort of comment going to get me in trouble with the animal cruelty people? I mean it figuratively, of course.
No real bears were harmed in the posting of this comment.
the impression of piracy (Score:2)
Just give me a flash capable cellphone (Score:2)
DRM Sorrows (Score:3, Insightful)
While the obvious answer is "None!", somehow I still suspect that DRM would remain, and User B copying a file from User A, instead of downloading it for free from the overloaded servers would still be inviting an RIAA lawsuit!
Labels Agree On Free Music Downloads To Cell Phone (Score:1)
Doubtful... (Score:1)