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Real Cuts Prices for DRM-Restricted Music

Posted by michael on from the gnutella-still-free-for-all dept.

Flint Dragon writes "A story on MSNBC details RealNetworks' next step in converting iPod users from iTunes to their own online music store. Not only can you play music downloaded from their site on your iPod now, you can, for a limited time, purchase music for 50% cheaper (.49/song, 4.99/album)! This is the price that I'm willing to pay for. Too bad it won't last..."

11 of 633 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah by Aliencow · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Cause we all trust real enough to give them our money even though we don't trust them enough to install their crap.

  2. Losing Money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I thought that these companie barely even made a profit at $1 per song. A limited time low, loss-inducing cost might attract customers for a while but the low switching cost between services means that they won't stay when prices going up, especially if your sound quality is not as good.

  3. ipod problems by TedCheshireAcad · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Some how I don't think their conversion-to-iPod feature is going to last, at least not once the new revision of iPod software comes out.

  4. how ironic by insomnyuk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I find it exceedingly amusing, and telling, that RealNetworks, after years of pushing proprietary audio and video formats, is now fighting Apple's use of proprietary hardware. They have to market to iPod users because mp3 players using Real format music have been blown out of the water.

    Its too bad their software was always ad-ridden garbage. They will have to do a lot more than a loss-leader sales ploy to get my trust back.

  5. Offer won't last long... Music might not either by EvanKai · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Who is going to buy DMR'ed music from a company that is struggling financially with no guarantee that the RM part of the DRM will function in 6 months.

    Their ads should say...
    RENT AN ALBUM FOR $4.99
    ACT NOW, THIS FUNCTIONALITY WON'T LAST

  6. Re:I'm sure I'm in the minority... by Mononoke · · Score: 5, Insightful
    But I'd refuse to take DRM music even if it were free. The Audio Home Recording Act gives me the right to make backups of my music, to make compilations of my music, and to share those compilations with as many friends as I'd like, as long as I don't charge anything.

    ANY system that interferes with those rights is unacceptable to me.

    You must like the iTunes Music Store, then, since their version of DRM allows all of that to be done. Right?
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  7. Re:I'm sure I'm in the minority... by farzadb82 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The Audio Home Recording Act gives me the right to make backups of my music, to make compilations of my music, and to share those compilations with as many friends as I'd like, as long as I don't charge anything

    IANAL, but sharing music, regardless of charging anything or not is still a copyright violation. you are, however, permitted to make backups of my music

  8. Re:Still not enough by blueZhift · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I hear you! With all of the spyware in Real's software and other annoying features, they've lost my trust and that of a lot of other people. As it stands, I only use Real Player when I absolutely have to. And since I'm pretty happy with my iPod and ITMS as it is, I won't be switching anytime soon.

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  9. Re:Not without jumping through hoops it doesn't. by Mononoke · · Score: 5, Insightful
    If you jump through a whole lot of hoops, yes, it'll do those things. The point is to be able to easily do them. DRM, in any form, doesn't make it easy.
    Really? Quoting the original poster:
    to make backups of my music,
    They are simply data files. How hard is that?
    to make compilations of my music,
    That's one of iTune's basic functions.
    and to share those compilations with as many friends as I'd like
    Burn 'em to CDs and pass them around to your heart's content.

    What was so hard about that?

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  10. Re:Ummm.. maybe idiots would... by Mikey-San · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You've never done end-user support, then.

    I can't count the number of times I've had to say something to the effect of, "No, Such-and-Such is a third-party package that's not supported by Apple," to customers.

    Apple /will/ get tech support calls about Real's stuff from confused users.

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  11. Re:Well, why would you trust them less than Apple? by fiftyvolts · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Apple has done nothing to stop you from playing songs from other sources. I have tons of MP3's on my iPod that didn't come from Apple.

    If all I could play on my iPod with FairPlay DRM'ed tunes, then I would be upset. However as it stands I'm free to not use iTMS as much or as little as I please and still have a wonderful iPod experience.

    Remember Real can make their own music store anytime they want w/o violating an Apple held copyright, and by the same token it isn't Apple's responsibility to make sure they succeed.

    It's one thing to complain about companies who lock out competition and make their own products worthless. I would say Apple is not one of them.

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