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PressPlay + Roxio?

Posted by Hemos on from the we're-getting-the-band-back-together dept.

securitas writes "The NY Times and the LA Times (via SJ Mercury News) report that Roxio is close to a $30 million deal to buy Pressplay from Universal and Sony. The struggling joint-venture has less than 50,000 subscribers after three years. Roxio bought the Napster brand and assets at a bankruptcy auction last year and plans to resurrect Napster as a legal service."

10 of 189 comments (clear)

  1. Speaking of Napster by First_In_Hell · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I saw the bankruptcy assets of Naptser last year. They had more data storage up for grabs than I had ever seen. We are talking hundreds of Terabytes!

    Wasn't the whole legal arguement of Napster being that it was somewhat peer to peer? If Napster was not actually storing the data on their site, why did they need all of that storage?

    1. Re:Speaking of Napster by Shenkerian · · Score: 5, Funny

      For the staff's personal mp3 collections, of course.

      --
      You tell me how "whilst" differs from "while," and I'll stop calling you a pretentious jackass.
  2. Re:Who cares by tmasman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Not neccesrily!
    I don't own a Mac & I don't plan to right now ($$$!) I would love to be able to leagally get the songs I want and I don't want to wait until the end of the year when Apple gets iTunes out for the PC. I would gladly welcome a viable iTunes-like PC solution!

    But that's just me... Most people are just happy with Kazaa (regaurdless of the leagalities of it)

    ~ tmasman

    --
    Oh! And this one time, at band camp...
  3. Legal service.... heh by HowlinMad · · Score: 5, Funny

    Roxio bought the Napster brand and assets at a bankruptcy auction last year and plans to resurrect Napster as a legal service.

    Yea, I am going to let Napster represent me in a court of law!!

    --
    Great Linux Site
  4. Deal is closed, Roxio now owns Pressplay by wo1verin3 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here is a snippet of the Press Release:

    Roxio acquires Pressplay as the foundation for the re-launch of Napster®

    The Global Leader in CD and DVD Recording Software Adds Premier Legal Online Music Service to its Digital Media Assets

    Universal Music and Sony Music Entertainment now Minority Stockholders in Roxio

    SANTA CLARA, CA, May 19, 2003 - Roxio (NASDAQ:ROXI), The Digital Media Company®, provider of the best selling digital media software in the world, today announced that it acquired Pressplay, the nation's premier online music service. As a result of this transaction, Roxio has acquired a legal digital music distribution infrastructure and catalog rights with all five major music labels. Pressplay will serve as the foundation for the launch of Roxio's new legal on line music service under the Napster brand.

    "Roxio's acquisition of Pressplay significantly accelerates the development of our online music business which is central to the strategic development of our company," said Chris Gorog, Roxio's Chairman and CEO. "With our acquisition of Napster we obtained the most powerful brand in the online music space. Now, with our acquisition of Pressplay, we have the most complete and scaleable legal technology infrastructure to use as a platform to re-launch Napster. After taking the necessary time to add features, enhance functionality and improve usability we will launch a new service with an extremely compelling consumer experience that builds on the qualities of the Napster brand."

    Full details available here.

  5. I'll mention that to Steve Jobs ... by burgburgburg · · Score: 5, Informative

    and the folks at Apple Music Store. They'll be glad to know that their efforts won't work.

  6. Competition by Phroggy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    PressPlay and Rhapsody were the two services Steve Jobs mentioned when he introduced Apple's iTunes Music Store, and he concluded that compared to iTMS, they both suck. They're both subscription services, and they place restrictions on what you can do with the songs you download. Apple also uses DRM, but Apple is MUCH more lenient about how you can use music you've purchased.

    If Roxio is buying PressPlay, that can only mean increased competition among music providers, and competition is always a good thing.

    By the way, although Apple hasn't had time to work out any deals with independant artists, many of them have been clamoring to get on board as quickly as possible, and Apple says they will definitely be working with them once they've had a chance to get more popular "Big 5" stuff added first. I haven't heard much interest in PressPlay distributing indy music. Probably doesn't hurt that so many musicians are Mac users.

    --
    $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
    $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  7. It will work by SweetAndSourJesus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Apple has proven that it can.

    Leave it up to morals? I think the outrageous success of Kazaa and gnutella are testament to the effectiveness of this strategy. You can't rely on people being honest when there's money involved. Sad as it is, we're all thieves when we get the chance.

    --

    --
    the strongest word is still the word "free"
  8. Looking deeper... by blinder · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You know, I guess I'm blessed (?) or just lucky that the wiring in my brain has enabled me to truly enjoy (for nearly 20 years now) independant music and at the same time that wiring has enabled me to loath and detest "commericial mainstream" music. So, when I want to downnload MP3's of music I enjoy... its never done "illegally" as 90% of the bands/artists I like generally thrive on the free exchange of their music.

    Also, and here's the kicker, these bands generally make money off of me because after I download and burn 2 or 3 MP3's, I then buy the CD (and also get past CD's if applicable).

    So, the whole point of "legal" vs. "illegal" burning/copying MP3's is quite irrelevant if one just opens up to independant/diy music.

    I generally use places like diysearch, victory records (who always has a nice selection of their artists mp3's available).

    The stuff is out there, in all genres, you just gotta find it, and be open to it.

    --
    sad robot making broken music
  9. Never Seen that Before by Hal+The+Computer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Take a look at the end of the URL that the parent sends you too, very interesting.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/19/technology/19T UN E.html?ex=1053921600&en=563cfca1e07d15b9&ei=5062&p artner=SLASHDOTSUCKS

    --

    int main(void){int x=01232;while(malloc(x));return x;}