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Napster Going Back to Free Downloads

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the download-like-its-1999 dept.

conq writes "BusinessWeek reports on Napster's latest move to allow the download of free music. This time the service will be supported by online ads." From the article: "With Napster's new free service, 'we'll be able to help millions of people get out of the world of 30-second clips and of having to buy individual songs,' Gorog says. 'I don't think there's anything better we could do to turn people onto the pleasures of unlimited, legal access to music.'"

11 of 260 comments (clear)

  1. It works great! by crazyjeremy · · Score: 4, Informative

    Just signed up. It works GREAT! Wonder how long it will last.

    --
    Funnypics
  2. It's not unlimited by technoextreme · · Score: 4, Informative
    Just signed up. It works GREAT! Wonder how long it will last.

    You can only listen to one song at most five times. Two million songs times five leads to ten million songs before it's useless. Give me iTunes free downloads any day.
    --
    Ooo man the floppy drive is broken. No wait. The computer is just upside down.
  3. From TFA by HeavensBlade23 · · Score: 5, Informative

    "On May 1, the Los Angeles-based company announced a new Web-based version of its software, along with a new service that lets users listen to any song among its catalog of 2 million songs absolutely free -- so long as they don't want to listen to any one song more than five times." I don't expect them to have much success finding a larger userbase under those terms.

  4. You're Not Downloading Anything by WeAzElMaN · · Score: 5, Informative

    The new service allows users to listen to any song for free up to five times - and it's streamed over Napster's site; you're not downloading anything. I think it's a great marketing move and it works perfectly, but Napster's not returning to the Glory Days, boys.

    1. Re:You're Not Downloading Anything by RickPartin · · Score: 5, Informative

      Also the bitrate these songs stream at is garbage. This is dialup quality folks. You have to sign up for the paid service to get hifi. This whole story is worthless.

  5. Or use Pandora by LetterRip · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well since I love it so, I'll pimp it bit :)

    Try http://www.pandora.com/ it is absolutely amazing for discovering new music. Not really a replacement for this feature from Napster, but quite complementary.

    LetterRip

  6. Re:How do I download? by Who235 · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm not advocating piracy here, but if one wished to download the songs, one could play them in Winamp with the free Streamripper plugin and rip the streams as MP3s. But that would be wrong, so don't do it. Ever.

  7. OK, you can rip the streams with. . . by Who235 · · Score: 4, Informative

    . . .Replay music. http://www.applian.com/replay-music/index.php But doing so would be wrong, so don't do it. Ever.

  8. They are 32K streams by argone · · Score: 4, Informative

    not worth hijacking and would rather hear a 30 second 128K acc file anyway.

  9. Re:Pay service by MDGordon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Worse. They use wma files.

  10. Only in USA by FASTo · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm from Brazil and when I try to listen a music it shows:

    "We're sorry..
    Napster's free music service is currently only available in the United States.
    You can still listen to 30-second clips."

    They could be warned me before I signed up =\