Qtrax launches this weekend apparently. It's free, legally downloadable, ad supported label-endorsed music. It comes with one of the biggest buts in history.
But you can't download to Itunes or your IPod. Or any other portable mp3 device.
Just another walled garden then.
Or the end of the IPod...
The further ahead you look - the faster you go | davidpcushman AT gmail.com | These are my views and my views only.
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The rate of change is so rapid it's difficult for one person to keep up to speed. Let's pool our thoughts, share our reactions and, who knows, even reach some shared conclusions worth arriving at?
A nice idea, but I can't see who's going to click on the ads to make it viable. Who looks at the player while listening to MP3s? I have music on most of the time when at my desk, but always with the window minimised. They'll need Blyk-like levels of relevance and unmissable offers to change that.
ReplyDeleteThe walled garden is actually of Apple's making, not Qtrax's, and it's not new. iPods only accept Apple's FairPlay DRM, and Apple don't license that. If you've got an iPod then your music buying options are iTunes or anyone doing DRM-free files (erm, just iTunes Plus so far in the UK?).
There's nothing (technically) to stop Qtrax from allowing you to copy the files to a Windows Media DRM-compatible non-iPod. Since you're no longer looking at ads, that would have to be a "loss leader" to attract more users. If those users spend at least some time in the ad-supported player, it may be worthwhile. Whether they will allow it remains to be seen, opinion seems to be divided.
Well that was underwhelming. All the files are in fact 100% compatible with iPods though. All none of them, that is. Vapourware's a wonderful thing.
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