Cool.

Hey thanks for the update help.

Thanks and I like the new background

Some really cool stuff..but is this legal to share free mp3s on the web :D

Divx to Zune

http://www.zuneconverter.net/

Im sure they have permission from the artists edincp. But yeah...these mp3 Fridays are sweet.

wooo for MP3 Friday :P

brand-x that's hilarious.  i showed dad.  he thinks funny too.

love you,

banto

<-- check out those sweet red boots.  i just wanted to point that out :P

hey cesar, you might want to blog about how the EMI catalog will be treated in Zune MarketPlace if this EMI story proves true.

Apple partners with EMI to sell higher quality (256 Kbps AAC) music *without* DRM on the iTunes Store:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/04/02itunes.html

They will continue to sell the existing library for $0.99 per track. The higher quality songs without DRM will be $1.29 per track. By the end of 2007, Apple is expecting to offer half the entire iTunes catalog in the higher quality, DRM free format.

Things are heating up.

It seems that Zune just keeps getting farther and farther behind. No new product announcements, no new feature announcements, no new anything...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&refer=conews&tkr=AAPL:US&sid=aQ76nsVduDTo

Now that would be quite the social!

I wish I could download these and listen to them on my Zune.  However after flashing it to 1.3, now whenever I disconnect the player from charging in the morning it thinkts its still charging (battery indicator shows charging animation and backlight won't turn off) so my battery dies before I get to work!  I hope I don't have to wait another month+ before this is fixed.  Whoever designs your testing needs to be fired.

phil, drop me a line and I'll see about getting this resolved. email below :)

Subscription for movies (Vongo style) might give the Zune an edge over the iTunes-EMI announcement.

Announcing DRM free music at the Zune Marketplace will not :)

While the Zune Marketplace could offer DRM-free tracks for sale, keep in mind that a subscription model, by it's very nature, *requires* DRM.

Otherwise, plenty of people would sign up for a single month of subscription service, download as many songs as possible, and then cancel their subscriptions, free to listen to the DRM-free files.

However, I can't see any reason why EMI wouldn't allow Microsoft to sell (but not rent via subscription) the same DRM-free files as Apple. I'm sure there are some technical issues that would need to be dealt with — Apple has presumably had quite a head start on this, and DRM-free tracks still won't appear until May. So it may take a little while longer for DRM-free music from EMI to appear on the Zune Marketplace.

BJ Nemeth,

I always thought that Steve "published" his anti-DRM thoughts because he saw the Zune's advantage with the rental model.

I think that movie rentals will be much more popular than music.

What if the Zune could stream movies at a WiFi spot? ;) The battery life would be a problem though.

Met, I agree though I think they will need to stay in step with EMI and other label moves such as that.  The format competition is going to heat up between AAC and WMA.  As far as getting an edge..I would like to see a few of the following done to improve the music experience:

- Sell WMA Lossless content at a slight premium

- Albums: add option to download & attach cd liner notes & pictures.  Add link to artist's website.

- Songs: add option to download & attach lyrics to songs.  Add option to download & attach music videos to songs.  Both of which are easily viewable on Zune device, Zune Software or Media Center.

- Make Zune MarketPlace available thru Media Center interface and XBox.

Zune isn't about music..its about Portable & Connected Entertainment in general.  We need more connected experiences (between people and between ecosystems: XBox, Media Center & Zune) and we need access to a heck of alot more content types than is currently available.  In doing so, I hope that Zune also promotes itself as the best platform for "Artists" to be profiled, seen & heard.  I confident it will happen.

I can't believe Apple could beat down the RIAA but Micorosftcan't. So basically if you have iTunes, you can purchase unprotected AAC tracks and you can play them on your very own Zune because Zune accepts unprotected AAC.

LOL?

So basically, Apple is trying to win over the Zune market by selling AAC's so they could be played on both iPod and Zune.

It's about time Microsoft takes a stand and starts selling 256kbs mp3s.

They could sell the single Microsoft points song in mp3 without DRM. That would make it so they could play on both the Xbox 360.

met -- The subscription model for music has been around for years, long before the Zune. Steve Jobs has been *very* aware of the subscription model, but he doesn't believe in it. He thinks most people want to "own" their music, and don't enjoy paying monthly fees for seemingly everything (cable TV, TiVo service, cell phone service, internet service, etc.). Based on the consumer numbers, most people seem to agree.

Personally, I can see how the subscription model works for some people. If you're a young person who likes a lot of popular music, it would probably make sense. But for me? I prefer owning my music.

Movies are a completely different animal than music when it comes to online distribution. As Steve Jobs pointed out in his "Thoughts on Music," every single song released is primarily released DRM-free ... on CDs. It can be ripped and encoded at any quality you like, and shared with everyone you know. To cripple a small percentage of the market (online downloads) with DRM while leaving the front door open is just silly.

However, with movies, every DVD ever made comes with copy protection. And VHS had it for years. Yes, it's crackable with shareware, but it's protected nonetheless. The Studios haven't been selling open versions of their hit movies.

Of course downloadable movie rentals would be *hugely* popular. But nobody has made a model that seems to really connect with the consumer yet. Obviously Microsoft's Media Center and the Apple TV are working toward this eventuality.

By the way... what was that Zune software update for?  

Doesn't seem to be anything different...

And basically I agree with the above about renting movies for the Zune.  

BJ Nemeth, Have you tried the PlayForSure stuff before. I've had lot of trouble with my iRiver H10 using the subscription service. The two companies kept referring to the other one. I never tried subscription after that. The Zune was the first step towards it working.

The subscription part on Zune has always worked for me. This would pose a danger to the iPod/iTunes system.

But people only listen to so many songs. Songs are meant to be heard again and again.

Movies are not the same. I'm happy to see movie once and not see it ever again.

BJ Nemeth - Are you aware of Vongo's 9.99/month subscription service?

i think the Apple/EMI drm announcement is a bombshell.  It will confuse the sharing aspect of zune marketing.   I say drop the sharing promo asap, and focus on competing with iTunes/iPod head on.  

1) join the fight to influence the rest of the major labels to offer DRM free music

2) promote that Zunes can play music from iTunes  (iow create some Zune+iTunes market share.....then create some Zune MarketPlace + iPod mindshare)

this is the only way...otherwise I believe it could be curtains.

save subscriptions for Zune Phones, and tie the subscription to the phone, exactly the way phone plans are tied to specific phones.   Subscription to multiple devices is confusing and doomed.    I'm thinkng that if and when Apple introduces  subscription music it will be tied to a device..don't let them beat you to it.

Subscription video will come, but it will not be based on DRM ...it will be based on the eMusic model, low monthly price for a fixed number of permanent vdeo downloads....heed these words!!!

that said I am an Apple fan, but only because I am a digital media fan...I would like to become a zune fan..help me out :)

Yes, I think the above poster is quite right.

But, not that I'm happy about that – tying the services up like that is not great for the rest of the world. Why? Because, even with iTunes, us in South Africa can't download music because we're not in the USA or Europe.

Then, we can't get the iPhone either because of the Cingular deal.

I think they'll be closing things up a great deal for themselves – the record companies included – if they go this route. While the emusic service makes sense, they're not offering the best selection.