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Microsoft Unveils 'Urge' Music Service

Posted by Zonk on from the fewer-clones-will-die-in-this-one-i-think dept.

CHaN_316 writes "CNNMoney has an article entitled, 'Gates unveils his Urge.' From the piece: 'Bill Gates aims to take over your living room and late Wednesday he unveiled a new music service and new software to do it. Using an appearance with Justin Timberlake, the Microsoft chairman debuted a new music service, Urge, to directly compete with the iTunes music store and interface. Urge launches with over 2 million tracks for purchase or as part of an all-you-can eat subscription, an option the iTunes music store doesn't have. The offering will include exclusive material from MTV.' Begin the living room wars we must." Confirmation of an earlier story on this topic.

3 of 582 comments (clear)

  1. dupe? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/14/042723 6&tid=109&tid=141

  2. YOU fAIL iT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    Why not? It's quicXk

  3. Re:Urge to... by XMilkProject · · Score: -1, Redundant

    I know everyone likes to bash microsoft around here, but to imply Apple is somehow giving them an ass-whooping is just stupid.

    Microsoft maintains between a 90% and 95% market-share for its operating system, and provides the only practical 'Home Media' solution for a consumer PC, along with massively popular (and arguably useful) development tools and game systems. And since they haven't even launched their media service yet, how can you say iTunes is whooping it? Theres no way to know how nice their service will be, but I am very glad to see more real competition in this area as it can only be good for us, the consumers. Microsoft has enough 'power' to potentially force to the recording industry into sticking to their deals, as opposed to constantly raising prices as they have attempted to do to Apple (iTunes).

    And to defend myself, while I personally use mythTV in addition to MediaCenter at home I do not consider it as practical solution for most consumers (yet!), as it requires alot of tech savvy to setup and use, it even involved building a custom IR transmitter in my case.

    Anyway, I disdain microsoft as much as the next guy, but it's counter-productive to just make up stupid comments... Microsoft is (and will remain to be) a very competetive and successful company, and they have just as much ability to compete with Apple as anyone else, as they have proven time and again.

    --
    Big ones, small ones, some as big as yer 'ead!
    Give 'em a twist, a flick o' the wrist...