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Microsoft Developing iPod, iTMS Competitor

Software writes "Reuters reports that Microsoft is developing an iPod and iTunes Music Store competitor. Few details are available, but it's known that Robbie Bach (the man behind the Xbox) is heading up the project." From the article: "Most iTunes rivals charge monthly fees to access a catalog of entertainment, but some allow consumers to buy individual songs for about $1 each. Microsoft's service will emphasize the pay-per-download, or a la carte, model, the sources said. A subscription component will also be offered, according to early accounts of the planned service. One source, who has seen a demonstration of the service, said it was an improvement over iTunes."

14 of 304 comments (clear)

  1. Winning in this market will be easy... by Osrin · · Score: 5, Funny

    All a new commer has to do is to talk Apple's customers into give up their iPods and around $2bn of purchased content, after that they can sell on the basis of better devices and new sales/subscription models.

  2. one source ... by floppy+ears · · Score: 4, Funny

    "One source" [cough]Robbie Bach[/cough]", who has seen a demonstration of the service, said it was an improvement over iTunes."

    --

    "If I could live to be several hundred
    I could take a walk and really wander, really wonder."
    1. Re:one source ... by poena.dare · · Score: 3, Funny

      "it's known that Robbie Bach (the man behind the Xbox) is heading up the project"

      Unfortunately, there will be backwards compatibility issues with the product. While most songs should play on the devices, certain songs more than 30 years old may have problems. Rumors about the beta test suggest that the devices refuse to play ragtime, polka, and early acoustic blues.

  3. Bach by jasonla · · Score: 4, Funny

    "...Robbie Bach (the man behind the Xbox) is heading up hte[sic] project." So that means the controls will be unecessariliy large?

  4. Hmm... by SenorAmor · · Score: 3, Funny
    One source, who has seen a demonstration of the service, said it was an improvement over iTunes.

    Gee, I wonder if that source was an Apple rep.
  5. Re:OK... but why by mjmalone · · Score: 3, Funny
    there are some users who want to open up one program and then start typing an e-mail and buy movie tickets within the same app (a few years off in WMP)...

    Isn't there a name for software that is intended to manage the various tasks that a user is performing on a computer..? I know there's a name for software like that...
  6. It won't sell. by GregChant · · Score: 5, Funny

    No wireless. Less space than an iPod. Lame.

  7. The Xpod by NoScreenNamesLeft · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Xpod
    I can see it now - cheap, overhyped, and bsoding.

    --
    It is the owner that crashes the system. If you are enough of an idiot to put 50 background processes in Windows you sho
  8. In other news... by LihTox · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...today Microsoft announced their plans to open a chain of discount retail stores to compete with companies like WalMart and Target. Tentatively called "WinMart", the new stores will carry a large assortment of grocery, clothing, and electronics items, including all the latest Microsoft software releases. "Businesses have to expand to survive," said a Microsoft spokesperson. "As we already control the operating system and productivity markets, we felt a need to expand into a completely unrelated field. Plus, WalMart seems to be very successful; we'd like to put them out of business as we have done to so many other successful companies in the past."

    Microsoft will seek to promote synergy between their software and retail arms. "Using a complex algorithm, our exciting new operating system Vista will be able to learn all about its users tastes and habits, through analysis of their websurfing and other computer activities. We can then send our customers personalized circulars containing exciting and valuable coupons for the things they need to buy most. Plus, if they have a webcam connected to their computer, we will be able to store their likeness in our centralized database, and store greeters will be able to welcome them by name as they enter the store."....

    (OK, enough of that. :)

  9. Re:This has to be... by Mindwarp · · Score: 3, Funny

    one of the most arrogant comments I've ever seen out of a Microsoft shill, and we've all seen our share

    To be fair, the Microsoft guy/gal is hardly going to say "iTunes is everything you'd ever want from an online music store and more. Ours is going to suck fetid Dingo's kidneys compared to it."

    --
    The gift of death metal does not smile on the good looking.
  10. Re:It'd have to be an unmicrosoft solution by korbin_dallas · · Score: 3, Funny

    Where is this 1 good M$ product of which you speak????

    --
    They Live, We Sleep
  11. Re:It'd have to be an unmicrosoft solution by RichardX · · Score: 4, Funny

    That would be Microsoft Bob

    --
    Curiosity was framed. Ignorance killed the cat.
  12. ARRRGH. by Pink+Tinkletini · · Score: 3, Funny

    Imagine my lap covered in vomit, and imagine me sending you the cleaning bill.

  13. Sneak photo of the msPod released by IdahoEv · · Score: 3, Funny
    --
    I stole this sig from someone cleverer than me.