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MTV Bails on Microsoft's URGE Store

Posted by Zonk on from the pull-the-ripcord dept.

Marlowe writes "MTV's once-ballyhooed partnership with Microsoft appears to be all but dead. MTV is teaming up with RealNetworks to form Rhapsody America, with Verizon handling wireless distribution. It's a big blow to Microsoft, too. 'With the creation of Rhapsody America, the writing is on the wall for MTV and Microsoft's Urge music store partnership. Although the Microsoft-MTV marriage was announced with great fanfare, it was likely headed for divorce court right from the start due to Microsoft's plans to turn PlaysForSure into a second-class citizen with the launch of the Zune — and its self-contained music ecosystem.' When asked about the future of Urge, MTV Music Group President Toffler was terse. 'We are in discussions with Microsoft now and will be on Windows Media Player 11 until further notice,' he said. While the Urge brand will ultimately disappear, Toffler said that 'a lot' of Urge's elements will live on in Rhapsody America."

11 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Why? by MightyMartian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are there any examples of Microsoft ever participating in a mutually beneficial relationship with another company?
    That's like asking if anyone has ever entered a mutually beneficial relationship with Count Dracula.
    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  2. Re:What makes MTV think.... by anthonyclark · · Score: 2, Funny

    Because MTV (and the Music Labels) view Apple as the upstart n00b.

    "Who do they think they are, we're M-Fucking-T-V! We'll bury them with this new system!"

    Everyone thinks their team can win, whatever the odds...

    --
    ----- Documentation is worth it just to be able to answer all your mail with 'RTFM' - Alan Cox.
  3. Re:Why? by pandrijeczko · · Score: 5, Funny
    That's like asking if anyone has ever entered a mutually beneficial relationship with Count Dracula.

    I resent that comparison!

    Count Dracula *STOPS* sucking blood when he has had his fill!

    --
    Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
  4. Re:Yet another victim... by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Funny

    The whole Urge thing lacked the strategic finesse and vision Microsoft would otherwise be capable of.
    Yeah, who would have thought that the company that made Microsoft Bob and Windows ME could ever partner in something so lame.
    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  5. Re:No tears shed here by niceone · · Score: 3, Funny

    "URGE" always seemed to me to be one of the ugliest, dumbest-sounding names

    Look on the bright side, they could have called it "Surge", think what a PR disaster that would have been.

    --
    ccalam - acoustic versions of new songs.
  6. Re:No tears shed here by badasscat · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's not the kind of URGE that a music store can help you with.

    Yeah, a psychiatrist would probably be a better option.

  7. Mac vs. PC by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Funny

    Despite all of that, the recent advertising campaign of "Mac vs the PC", where the Mac is a hip young dude and the Windows PC is the stuffy guy in the shirt and tie does have a spark of truth in it.
    I think they've got the characterizations completely wrong. The Mac Guy should be some infeminite clothing designer type who grabs his crotch a lot and brags about the size of his penis, while PC Guy should be a fiery, butchy lesbian dominatrix who chases Mac Guy around demanding "Slow down, girly-boy, I want to insert Office 2008 into ya!"
    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    1. Re:Mac vs. PC by pandrijeczko · · Score: 2, Funny
      butchy lesbian dominatrix

      Nuh... Ballmer's too busy running the company to star in any adverts.

      --
      Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
  8. Re:Why? by hausrath · · Score: 2, Funny

    Are there any examples of Microsoft ever participating in a mutually beneficial relationship with another company?
    That's like asking if anyone has ever entered a mutually beneficial relationship with Count Dracula. My relationship with him's been fine. Except he keeps trying to eat my cereal...
  9. Re:Why? by rajafarian · · Score: 2, Funny

    My relationship with him's been fine. Except he keeps trying to eat my cereal...

    That's Count Chocula, silly.

  10. Re:No tears shed here by kat_skan · · Score: 2, Funny

    Even worse they could have left it "URGE" and made it work with the Zune. Then you'd all the time have people offering to squirt you some URGE noises.