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HP to Launch Music Service, Player In 2004

Posted by simoniker on from the not-to-be-left-out dept.

securitas writes "HPShopping.com CEO Peter Appl told Reuters that HP will launch its own branded online music service and a portable MP3 / digital music player in 2004. Appl (the CEO) said that the newcomers would compete with Apple (the company's) music products such as the iTunes music store and iPod music player, among others. HP expects its store to be a branded version of an existing service. Appl also said that the launch will take place at the 2004 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. Compaq sold its own line of digital music players, now discontinued, before its merger with HP. Mirrors of the Reuters story at CNN and Boston.com. A quick check shows that HPMusic.com resolves to an 'HP customer care local language selection' technical support page, and the domain has been registered since 1999."

3 of 207 comments (clear)

  1. This is scaring me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For one reason: The popping up of all these services can only strengthen WMA.

    Since everyone except iTunes seems to rely on WMA DRM, this slew of services may well be the thing that takes WMA from an also-ran joke to a serious media format.

    I don't like the idea of MS having real power in the world of media formats.

  2. I wish. by Doktor+Memory · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ah, it's a lovely thought, but let's get real: that HP is long dead, and the bits they didn't spin off with Aligent got taken out behind the woodshed and shot.

    No, this thing will be designed by ex-Compaq engineers. It'll be bigger than the Creative Nomad, flakier than the Rio Karma, heavier than the Zen, and more expensive than the iPod.

    --

    News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters? Like hell.

  3. Re:Market Saturation by newbiescum · · Score: 5, Interesting
    So this gives us no need to choose the HP music store over any other store. Further, HP hardware is not proprietary in the sense that getting music from the HP store would either be a required method of getting music or the easiest because of a lack of other sources. This seems to tell me one thing: HP's journey into online digital music sales will most likely be short lived.

    Think of HP, Dell, and especially Gateway turning into the new Best Buys, Frys, and CompUSAs. They're already selling plasma TVs, PDAs, and digital cameras. This is just merely another technology product that they are offering. Then the reason why you pick HP versus Dell or Best Buy versus Frys is the customer service, prices, etc. just like a traditional retail outlet.