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Napster and Best Buy Joining Forces
Ruds writes "Best Buy will market a music service co-branded with Napster. Napster will give Best Buy stock valued up to $10 million, and they'll share marketing costs. From the story: 'The retail chain will feature Napster products in its brick-and-mortar stores and demonstrate the service through interactive kiosks throughout the nation. Napster will also support Best Buy's artist promotions.'"
...to create "Best Napster".
It's amazing how agressive the online music selling business is getting, companies teaming up with each other to get that advantage over their rivals etc.
My only problem with them all is they're US based. I realise of course this is where the major market appeal is, it does mean however the rest of us end up having to resort to pirated music if we want to get the latest and greatest online.
Here's hoping that soon iTunes and all the other online music stores will soon be available the world over. License rights I guess will be the biggest hurdle to this though.
What about mac's, I use my mac for all my music, so I can not use their service, and I dont think that they support iPod's (or the other way around) No thanks, just like the sony one, I will not use it, infact the other day I got a code for the sony one (bigmac) that I asked if any one wanted, no one wanted it so I just trashed it. ( Of cource I do not buy sony products since they don't us SD cards and only use the stupid memory stick BS)
BestBuy used to partner with Rhapsody. Apparently that didn't last long. Anyone know what happened? Not that I really care, Rhapsody and Real Networks stuff are pretty crappy anyway...
bash: rtfm: command not found
Well, maybe this will work better than the last investment in music downloading (what the hell was the name of that). But honestly, I don't see BestBuy doing much with this. I've never quite understood the appeal of retail (read: brick & mortar) tie-in with downloading services. Buying pre-paid cards may be nice, but that seems like a better business for 7-11, Starbucks or supermarkets. I suppose they'll start giving away CDs with Napster software, but I think the novelty/appeal of that wore off a long time ago, especially for broadband users (download market) who can easily download software from the net.
On the whole, it can't hurt Napster, but I fail to see how this is going to help them very much. Maybe I'm too skeptical, but overall this seems fairly pointless.
So the question is... Is Napster the "Best Buy" when is comes to online music? Why not just install some kiosks with a CD Burner and an emule installation? It would do wonders for the sale of blank media.
I remember back when Napster was still cool. I was at a party and all the music was downloaded illegally (wasnt my house, I'm not liable la la la la). Anyway, the guy had a fast internet connection so we could have pretty much play any song we wanted on demand. Kinda miss that. At one point it turned into sort of a one-ups-manship of trying to find and download increasingly obscure songs.
Unknown host pong.
So will the Metallicops be stopping by the local Best Buy to beat up fans in the near future?
And with this it just seems like Apple will pull the plug on both its iPod and monitor sales at best buy
"Slashdot, where telling the truth is overrated but lying is insightful."
Best Buy isn't the first joint venture that Napster has undertaken. Samsung and Napster teamed up to design an mp3 player around the Napster download service.
It seems as though Napster doesn't have much faith in their ability to survive. These corporate sponsorships provide companies such as Best Buy and Samsung an interest in Napster's well-being. It's definitely a far cry from the heyday of Napster, when it couldn't keep users away.
Napster is getting desperate now. First they offer to give away players, now they wish to give away stock. I can't see this stock going anywhere but down. These new 'plans' will not bring the needed cash in. (Too long term too many bills to pay) The online music industry is a market that has no room for napster any more. I for one am saddened by this, napster allowed me to broaden my music tastes.
Why can I not mod a message to crap?!?
When they started doing Rhapsody, I had about 5 employees come up to me one day and try to sell me the service. I don't mean just hawk it. No. I mean trying to offer me demos, explaining to me what the service was, etc. Every time I'm in best buy, I have no less than 6 people ask me if I need help with something. While I appreciate the attentitiveness to an extent, it is a little over the top. Now, they'll be trying to hawk Napster to me. I love the store and I like shopping there but I just want to be left alone while I'm there. You have HUGE signs saying "customer service" and those distictly blue shirts. If I need you, I'll find you.
/rant
Lately it has been magazines. "Oh. You purchased a CD. You are entitled to 6 months free of Entertainment Weekly or People!"
No. No I'm not.
And am I the only one that thinks that a reciept that is no less than a foot and a half long for a single CD purchase is a little extreme?
Napster has sure had a rough time since they started up many years go. Started up with their free service which was probably the most loved at the time. After a while, they basically got shut down by all the artists that didn't realize that their music was impossible to stop being spread over the internet. They then started back up with their pay service, which got knocked out by Apple's iTunes service. Now, they're joining Best-Buy! I don't know, maybe this is a repeat of the past? Who knows!
So First, we had Napster comming back. Then they decided to give away free mp3 players for registered users IIRC and now partnership with one of the biggest retailers in north america? Yes They really don't like iTunes do they? heh. An Alliance with BestBuy will surely boost popularity among average joes but if they really want to hurt the iTunes Music Store, they have to offer something special to their customers.
What I'd like to see from these music stores is something unique in it's kind. Maybe some kind offer which says "Buy 65% of the songs of any album and get the album shipped for free!" Or I donno I can think of many other special offers but I guess that would make em lose that $1 which is so precious for them... damn capitalists
So I want to buy a song from napster (mp3 lets just say)... so I go into a store to buy said song... and it comes on a little circle shaped disc... oh wait, isn't that like buying from a record store? Damn it, looks like I've just bought a CD with a new fancy name and a bit lower price but alot less tracks..
I like muppets.
Funny to see the suits manipulating a "brand" that used to stand for individuality and defiance. Napster has been made the RIAA's bitch and now they want to trot out the name -- shamed and debased -- as some sort of hip corporate brand.
Oooo, "Napster teams with Best Buy." Wow, surely Best Buy is cool and if you want to be an individual you need to head on over to your local box store and buy some Sony / BestBuy / Microsoft / PepsiCo product.
Personally, I think if you're smart you'll ignore everything with the "Napster" label altogether. And if you're really a rebel, try scratching "Best Buy" off the list too. Now that, would be cool...
Presently, Best Buy stores are marketing Real Rhapsody in their stores and online... they mention online that they offer Napster 15-song gift cards for $14.85 (99 cents times 15) but they can't sell those online.
I have a feeling that one of the side terms of this new deal is that the other deal isn't gonna get renewed.
I wonder if when you download a song you will get 1,000 pop-ups asking you to but a Performance Service plan in case your mp3's ever get erased or damaged.
I hear that in July a lot of retailers that currently sell Napster cards are going to be selling them 2-for-1.. that's probably not too bad a deal. $15 for 30 songs.. sure beats buying a CD!
Best Buy Clerk: Thanks for shopping with us today. Would you like to sign up for a Sports Illustrated or Entertainment Weekly Subscription with your Napster purchase? Perhaps sign up for Rhapsody as well?
Customer: I'm not interested.
Clerk: You know for just $.45 you can purchase an extended warranty on your Napster download. It cover's against damage caused by power surges, unlike Naptster's own warranty.
Customer: Not interested.
Clerk: Oh, it looks like we're actually out of that song, sorry.
It's so fun trying to shop there.. all you hear is *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*, courtesy of the idiots in car audio.
When I'm out shopping in retail outlets, I can drown out sales people and muzak of Best Buy with my iPod.
I've grown fond of not having to pay attention to the part timers there pestering me if I know what a wireless router's for, or if I need 6 years of free magazines.
Now I have another sales pitch to ignore from Best Buy.
So far, I've ignored:
MSN
Real Rhapsody
Entertainment Weekly
Time
Best Buy Credit Cards
Alienware Systems
The Rolling Stones
now: Napster!
Best Buy: The corporate whores of consumer electronics!
would ever value "napster"at 10 million
the only value they have is the name
How will the pricing scheme be setup? iTunes $.99 per song is hard to compete with, especially that apple 'claims' they make very little, if any money on selling songs.
ItWasFree.com - Take the mystery
Napster is one of those companies going through the motions until it dies an inevitable death. The idea that Napsters stock would be worth over $10 million is laughable.
I don't know what you people are talking about... I work at Best Buy (and another place) and I haven't had a decent nap in soooo long. I'm tired now. Time to go to sleep so i can wake up and go to work in the morning
From 0 to drunk in $20
It used to be about sharing, now it's about selling. Not that selling is a bad thing or that sharing is a good thing. It's just that the two are very opposite in consumer's minds, yet there are these dumbass MBA's who somehow think that just branding something with the Napster name will make it cool, so they bought the name.
If you could buy cool, Bill Gates would be The Fonz.
- Greg
Start a happiness pandemic
I thought so.
I saw Napster stuff on the shelves in there a couple days ago...made no sense to me then, and even less now. It was good, now its gone, let the brand die for gods sake.
ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
This is all I need in home office when i am selling a computer. Today, selling a computer, this is what i had to pitch to the person:
"System Customization" (read: install windows updates)
Antivirus Installation (read: 1 year of norton antivirus installed)
System Restore Disc set (read: we make the backup discs for you)
3 year service plan (read: we make lots of money)
UPS/Battery back up
"CHUMBO" (3 for 49.99 software titles)
AOL or Netzero/Juno
Broadband internet if they have dialup already
Vonage if they have broadband already
Rewards card
best buy credit card
netflix
rhapsody
entertainment weekly / sports illustrated
and of course, USB cable for the printer, ink, paper, monitor wipes, and whatever other accessories the manager wants me to sell today.
after going through all that shit, it is amazing we sell as many computers as we do.
postin AC, even though i could care less about keeping my job at best buy. My manager doesn't like that I don't pressure people into getting service plans, or turn away those that dont buy them, so he only gives me ~5 hours a week. Because they only made 800 million+ in profit last year.
Chief O'Hara: Our lady's tits, Commisioner Ashcroft! That no-good Napster is up to its ol' shenanigans again!
Commisioner Ashcroft: This can only be a job for HATCHMAN .
Google confirms: Ruby is the world's most beloved programm
Is this really such a big deal?
I've seen Napster gift cards in a local supermarket chain. OK they cell other stuff, kinda like a nice Target, but there are a lot of them in the Northwest.
And, some have already questioned that the whole of Napster is worth $10 million dollars, but why would they pay that much for just selling little cards that give you codes to download stuff?
Doesn't seem too much different from pre-paid long distance cards to me.
Anyone seen these cards in other stores?
I guess it is incentive to give customers the Hard Sell.
Howdy Doodly Doo!
Anybody want some Toast?
That is so 1999.... do we really care about napster these days...
:)
This also proves a point, Best Buy is soooo outdated with technology they think napster is still cool... give up with the times best buy
Use iTunes with an iPod, fucknuts!
napster has become pretty worthless, all this is is a waste of money for best buy, unless they can work miracles
I bet they offer extended warrenties on the mp3s
...the new names of co-branded State Farm Insurance plans: bin Laden (Life), Arafat (Home Owner), Lady D. (Car), etc.
I went to a Best Buy three or four times in the last two months (shopping for a MP3 player), and my experience was the complete opposite of yours. I had several questions about the stuff I was trying to buy, but none of the employees offered to help me. Several of the employees patrolling the store saw me, but they would turn towards me, look at me, and then just continue walking away. I approached a few of them, including some at the counters, and tried to get them to notice me, but they all seemed too busy talking to each other or working on the computers.
:)
When I finally found someone who looked relatively unbusy, I took the initiative and asked him a few questions. He answered them and then left as soon as he could.
They were all busy with something (not other customers), and none of them came up to me and asked if I needed anything. It's not like I went in during a busy hour or a big sale or anything, just the middle of the day during the middle of the week when most people were at work. Maybe it was just me. Perhaps I need to bathe more often. I don't know.
I sure wish I got more attention. Ultimately, I just left the store out of frustration. Seems like some of us hate the attention, while others love it. Guess they just can't win
I think you're an ignorant tool.
Oh look! I'm right!
The only trouble with the Napster/Best Buy deal is that it is essentially still attached to the 1940's business model of "having media." That's almost impossible when the alternative is convenient, ubiquitous and free.
...that's the key! Steve Winwood music and video sponsored by NBC and AccessHollywood. We get free tunes and video, they get people seeing them support a new concept, and Winwood gets his music out there and sells concert tickets. Everyone wins, and the lawyers are back to doing wills and divorces.
Sponsored music
Yeah it's not 50 Cent, but this is a way cool idea. Why not match products with artists? I'd listen to five seconds of product ID for a free tune, wouldn't you?
Oh the Winwood site has a contest to win an autographed Stratocaster for those guitar or memorabilia whores out there.
"The pie shall be cut in half and each man shall receive.....death. I'll eat the pie."
Must be some other company's stock they happened to acquire...
1st Ave just lost the guy who's been running the club for the last 30 years. This is one of the last nails in the coffin of indy music in Minneapolis, and probably MN. Sure, bands are still going to play and write, but the locales have dwindled over the years. One of the few bars left with any integrity is the 400 Club in Mpls.
I've watched the slow dissolution of original music in MN for the last 5-10 years, and the clubs that host them replaced with Clear Channel owned properties and cover band havens.
I don't buy music from Best Buy, I don't support Clear Channel, and I ain't gonna be picking up any songs from Napster.
But someone will.
Now every time you download a song it there will be an annoying pop up window asking you if you want to pay a bit more for an extended warrenty.
Moo!
I've bought on CD most of the music I want to permanently own, so am not all that interested in Napster's options to buy music (same goes for iTunes).
Napster's "stream any of 700k tracks for a flat $10/month" plan looks nice. It would be a way to listen to all that music that I don't feel like buying, but would like to occasionally listen to, and would be a great way to find new music.
However, I want to be able to use my portable for that. So, this is what I want:
Flat rate for unlimited streaming on my PC. This covers most of my needs, since most of my listening is while working at my computer.
Something like what O'Reilly's Safari Bookshelf does for books for my portable. That is, I'd be allowed to have a certain number of albums, as part of my flat monthly fee, on my portable. There would be some specified rate at which I could replace these albums.
This deal makes absolutely no sense.
/temp/$user directory. User is prompted that their files are ready and to attach their MP3 player via one of the available cables and transfer their files over. As another option, blank CD's could be available in a handy vending machin for $.50 a pop and the KIOSK equipted with a slotloading CD Burner.
Why can't retailers get out of the "tangible object" mode and realize that it's bits that are being sold not a product that needs a bunch of packaging.
What I'd like to see is an obitquitous KIOSK equipted with touchscreen, a mag-card reader and USB/USB2/Firewire cables.
User walks up, browses the online store via the touchscreen, makes a shopping cart and swipes their credit card to copy songs to a
The point is, this is something that makes no sense for bestbuy, but makes perfect sense for a company who wants to build and market a network of KIOSKS that could be installed at 7-11, blockbuster, Kinkos, Malls and well... just about anywhere that you could stick one.
Now Napster will have a bad name
I worked for Best Buy less than 3 months ago for about a year in the PCHO(that's personal computer, home office to you outsiders)/Software department. Those little Napster demo disks and subscription kiosks have been in most Best Buy stores since before Thanksgiving, 2003. We employees were briefed on the future of the "BestNap" alliance way back then and even had a Napster rep visit several times, handing out Napster demo subscriptions, nifty little badges, keychains and necklaces advetising Napster. The usual fare brought to us by reps, nothing different. The only oddity was the fact that I began my internet career upon exposure to Napster at its very beginning as a fringe underground utility only to see it represented at my job by a slick gentleman in a suit and tie!!!
I know it's not related, but I boggle at your website. Either I'm tired and having much difficulty, or it's like a maze. :)
Dunno bitch school, but if there's much twang and banjo, I'll do it! You should all experience the power of the banjo. Once I was at this party (not really) and some country music came on... This guy vomited a stream of joy 15 feet, like in that old Scott Baio movie (who me? no you! get into my car!).
That reminds me of a story I heard of some crazy customer at best buy.. Couldn't quite make it to the bathroom, so she just dropped her drawers and let 'er rip. I've seen some nasty stuffs back in the day at walmart; differently-abled(tm) peeps relieving themselves and such, but never anyone taking a dump in random locations.
Yeah, won't that be nice.
You step up to the cash register and all of a sudden that individual is no longer just ringing up your items, he/she is also selling you more crap you don't need (frick credit cards, magazines and extended warranties), and taking your phone number and/or zip code (again?!).
Best Buy... D:
Don't worry, he probably works in the home appliances department and only goes into the computers section to laugh at the customers. Its all good.
I work in an office supply (national chain) store, and we are forced to kind of pester people. We do make some attempt to avoid having every sales droid hit a customer, but it happens. I've even hit up the same person more than once (you all look alike to me after a couple hours on the floor). I'm not proud to be a sales droid, but since my real job got outsourced and my rent payments didn't...
The best way to get the droids to leave you alone is to hold a cell phone up to your ear and pretend to be talking to someone. Simple and effective. Since modern cells are so small, you could probably even just pretend to hold a cell phone to your ear if you cup your hand right!
Tommy
Open Source for Open Minds
While reading your comment I suspected that it was done with Speech-to-Text software and a microphone. With a really fast CPU and a well-trained set of individual voice parameters you can get text like this: long rambling and folksy but with almost no misspelled words.
You gotta remember to say "New Paragraph" every once in a while! It's not natural but it vastly improves the readability of the generated text.
This technique is great for commenting source code. Just get the person who wrote it (usually the only person who understands how it works and usually the person the least interested in actually writing comments) to describe what it does by talking about it. Put a picture of a beautiful movie star next to the screen so he can pretend that he is describing it to her (this technique works best with geeky guys) and she is really interested.
After an hour you have an astonishing amount of text that describes in great detail how the code works. Get a software assistant or intern to either edit the comments into the source or provide an HTML link to the correct part of the source from the text description file.
Personally I think source code should look like a thriller novel. The comments should be descriptive paragraphs and the actual code to be compiled would be like dialog with quotation marks around each line. It would be much easier to read after it was finished for its upkeep. It would also be a big advance in software engineering. However, no one else on Slashdot seems to think so.
iTunes Music Store is kicking their ass all around the block in the US, and they don't even rate #2 in Europe.
Napster v.2 is a miserable flop, though I'm sure they'll keep it going for another six months to a year.
Sorry, I guess that sounds like I am a troll or flame bait, but honestly, I have NEVER had a GOOD shopping experience at Best Buy. Even when I was just running in to get a cd, it was a conjested hassle. But my LAST time there took the cake. I had to wait 20 minutes to get an employee to sell me my Canon A75 there.
Some people will say I could have went somewhere else. Yeah, I could have. Maybe I should have. (sadly, my sole motivation for staying was an unusually lucky parking spot) But now for ALL of my purchases, I am inclined to drive the extra few blocks to Circuit City or The Good Guys. I never want to go there again. So yes, Best Buy made an impression on me.
Yeah, I guess I'm funny like that.
Orginally napster depended on the size of its marketshare to succeed . . . like the telephone, the more phones hooked up to the network, the more valuable the network became (the potential to call more and different people and businesses), at its peak, napster was by far the biggest network of its kind (even the only network of its kind) . . . like microsoft on the desktop with a lot of the evil removed (or focused at the RIAA depending on how one looks at it)
Napster no longer has its network . . . it had been defunct for a long time, it has been trying to reinvent itself on exactly the business model that it was working against . . . but most importantly, its no longer the big kid on the block. Its not the biggest, its not the most popular, and in the selling of songs online, it certainly does not have the brand recognition of being a leader (currently that goes to Apple and the ipod.). Napster is now a follower, not a leader and the brand tarnished . . . napster is the sellout, they are the ones that lost the lawsuit . . . They were even bought by one of the major labels. Their rebellious market credibility was gone a long time ago.
Why is BestBuy partnering with them? Perhaps to compete with WalMart. Successful or not, BestBuy cannot afford to let WalMart get a beachhead in the higher end consumer electronics market through online music sales . . . Basically, BestBuy is doing this because they have to in order to protect their marketshare from the big kid on the block with the virtually infinite spending account.
Where does this leave Napster . . . somewhere between the pet rock, beanie babies, and mood rings, after the fad was here and gone.
They also carry all the accessories though, and probably make a pretty penny from them - if they stopped carrying the iPod it would look odd to have the accessories there alone.
Also, there's the factor of not having one particularily cool tech gadget - Best Buy likes to have as many of the best-selling gadgets as possible as it helps define the market segment they live it. If they ceased selling iPods it would sort of mark a trend to them becoming more like the Wal-Mart of home electronics rather than Target (in terms of rep and the kind of people who shop there).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
...of this (unrelated) strip.
If it's so obviously illegal, why is it still up? If they're that certain this is illegal, why not get a legal injunction? It's not like the RIAA couldn't post the bond. Even in Russia there's a legal system (particularly if you have money, bleh, but that's something the RIAA do).
The RIAA claimed Napster was illegal. They were proven right. The RIAA claimed KaZaA was illegal. They were proven wrong. Until they actually take it to court, it is just a claim. Anyone can make a claim. SCO can make a claim against Linux, which they have done in the press but not in court.
Kjella
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
On another note it is interesting to note that Best Buy considers their three main competitors Dell Computers, eBay, and Wal-Mart. In their mind Circuit City, Ultimate Electronics, Tweet and whoever else are relics of the past. I am intrigued to see what Best Buy will do to compete against these companies. Personally I doubt they have any chance against the number one computer retailer, the world's garage sale and the largest retailer in the world, period. Should be an interesting battle.
Wow, surely Best Buy is cool and if you want to be an individual you need to head on over to your local box store and buy some Sony / BestBuy / Microsoft / PepsiCo product.
Actually, as of three weeks ago, Best Buy officially teamed up with COKE to make COKE the official cola beverage sold in their stores. Watch for the change in signage. Exciting times. I'm so darn PROUD that I get work at corporate headquarters (the death star) in the belly of the beast. (wince)
Best Buy is the number #2 distributor of the iPod, behind Apple. Why would they want to distribute a service that isn't even compatible with their NUMBER 4 selling product in the whole store and not sell a service that is compatible with the # one music store, the #1 player, and that is cross platform compatible.
It's just a bad marketing analysis in my opinion.
Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
Yeah, I know, they want their joke back too ...
These partnerships always work wonders!
Remember Circuit City and DIVX?
Napster will also support Best Buy's artist promotions.
There's a phrase I'm just not comfortable hearing.
The retail chain will feature Napster products in its brick-and-mortar stores
What products? A company that doesn't sell anything shouldn't have a problem fitting into Best Buy's product lineup.
It covers any major repairs, including labor.
What do you mean no? What if the song goes bad --then what will you do? Huh, punk? Labor alone will cost you at least $1.25. Did I mention the lemon clause? . . . ad infinium
Sweet informative mod.
They are totaly revamping the way they do business to center EVERYTHING around the customer. Even going so far as to customize the store to cater to individual customer segments based on the customer base of a given store. Major changes happen in the company very often to make things better. Now haveing said that.... There are still humans working at this store. People that live in your town. If these jokers are idiots...well I did say that they are catering to the customer base (jk)
I had a similar experience at the local Best Buy when they started in on Rhapsody. The employees were pushing serious FUD on me, too -- telling me that KaZaa or other Rhapsody alternatives would damage my computer permanently and most likely rape my dog. But Kazaa does fsck up your computer.. and you wonder why your dog cowers any time you use your computer!!
See what a great idea sharing your credit card and personal information is with pirates.
And then come back do a Slashback about how much you were screwed. The rest of us will find alternative means to enjoying music while supporting the artist and making sure the RIAA knows *just* what we think of them and their disgusting abusive practices.
Something intelligent here.
Like all FUD, it relies on most people's ignorance of the details and gullibility (hey, it's a large American organization, they can't be wrong, can they?):
The offered downloads are without the authorisation of the respective rights holders and therefore infringe copyright,
No one ever claimed that they have the authorisation of the "rights holders" (the people who hold the rights in the USA, not in Russia). But allofmp3.com doesn't need it. More specifically, the Russian acceptance of US copyrights is based on the Berne Convention, which Russia didn't ratify until May 1995. US works that precede this date were - in Russia - placed in the public domain, which means: bad luck for IFPI/MIPI. allofmp3.com may offer these without even paying royalties (I'm not sure whether they do anyway). For more recent music pieces, allofmp3.com does not require a permission by the copyright holder (e.g. the US label) either. but they have to pay royalties to the russian collection society, ROMS, which in turn pays most of the royalties to the labels. They do, so no problem here either.
So it looks like allofmp3 is not infringing on any rights that US labels actually have, but only on rights that they would like to have. It's up to the MIPI, IFPI, RIAA and how they're all called to put their money where their mouth is and actually sue allofmp3.com. After all, if they are right, it should be easy to stop their business, shouldn't it?
I love C++
What suprises me here are all of the posters stating how Napster no longer has 'cred' and should be allowed to just die. Why? Slashdot of all places is where I'd expect and hope people would see the value in competition and market/product choices for consumers.
I don't see how we as consumers are served by letting iTunes run the market. This isn't a debate on which service is better, but rather if we should be excited about one of the services trying to expand its market options.
Just my two bits on the user reaction here.
--AlphaDecay
I seen it!
Since I have better sense than to accept PayPal's terms of service, I wonder if there is any way to pay by money order or similar methods. I emailed them, but any pointers from other users would be nice.
And if you're really a rebel, try scratching "Best Buy" off the list too.
You say this with irony, as though it would be difficult to do. It's not. http://www.newegg.com. Or, just to prove I don't work for Newegg: http://www.resellerratings.com/
Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
Well I'm not American and I don't hate America. Well, except for the fat tourists that block you on the tube escalators.
Napster perhaps should stop focusing on their marketing and start focusing on their own product. For starters, take a look at www.napster.com, if anything this was a "best buy" website, obviously contracted out by the neighborhood middle school kid that had two lessons in Dreamweaver. Then their product isn't cross-platform compatible, and furthermore there are no variable pricing options. Apple has got it right, it doesn't feel bad to spend a buck on a song. However napster thinks that instead your going to fork over 119 upfront for music and a crappy mp3 player... They obviously arn't looking at the target market they helped to create... which is cheap, young teenagers. There will be more kids that can convince their parents to give them their credit card to buy 3 bucks worth of music, but you would be hard pressed to find any at all that would fork out 119+. I think the founder should have stayed in college a litle longer and taken business 101.
Hey look no pointless curley braces or semicolons... just like Python