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Microsoft Brings Back DRM
Barence writes "Microsoft yesterday unveiled its MSN Mobile Music service — and a surprise return to digital rights management (DRM). While companies such as Apple and Amazon have finally moved to music download services free of copy protection, MSN Mobile locks tracks to the mobile handset they are downloaded to. It also charges more than the other services per track, and offers no way to transfer your tracks to your new phone when you upgrade. The company's Head of Mobile UK spoke to PC Pro about the launch, but his answers are almost as baffling as the service itself. Best quote: Q: 'If I buy these songs on your service — and they're locked to my phone — what happens when I upgrade my phone in six months' time?' A: 'Well, I think you know the answer to that.'"
Glad they're not trying to market this as "plays for sure (except when we release a new device and want to sell you music again)"
Slashdot is a Microsoft shill....
I'm trying to think of something witty to put here but I can't stop laughing long enough to breathe. Almost everything I come up with starts with In Soviet Russia.....
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
Q: "If I buy these songs on your service â" and they're locked to my phone â" what happens when I upgrade my phone in six months' time?"
A: "Well, I think you know the answer to that."
I know its microsoft we're dealing with here, and the default way to fill in the blanks is by assuming they will screw you; but, is there a possibility that there is an easy walk-around to this DRM, (sort of like the one in itunes) and he's being vague about it at the moment to keep the media companies happy?
i can't imagine MS would be THAT stupid to ignore such obvious common sense in the face of such steep competition. can they really be that out of touch? are they intentionally trying to fail?
-I only code in BASIC.-
Your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
All I can say is... Wow... What the heck? Was this a joke or did he really say those things?
This sounds like something you would see on Futurama.
A reporter talking to Mom talking about Moms Music Network.
"If I buy these songs on your service - and they're locked to my phone - what happens when I upgrade my phone in six months' time?"
Mom: "Well, I think you know the answer to that."
Bender; "Your boned!"
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
Answer... We'll be looking to enhance the service if we get some interest from consumers
Real Answer... We've hurriedly acquired some third party that provides a service that we kind of want and we're keeping our fingers crossed that it's profitable and works.
Answer... At the moment we don't have the functionality in-house to provide a mechanism for transferring between mobile phones and PC
Real Answer... We've blindly bought this company on a me-too whim - I have no idea what they do, and we're kind of regretting it that customers haven't thrown a ticker tape party for us, people do that for Apple when they release something cool.. WHHHHHHYYYY can't they do that for us :-(
Answer... I didn't realise phones were churning that quickly in the marketplace these days
Real Answer... I'm used to working in a big corporation where my incompetence and lack of on-the-trigger knowledge is drowned out by the number of people who work there. It means I have no idea about the product, where it'll go, how it will perform or how it works. I've just been told by my director to "Go do something like Apple or Amazon and we'll sort it all out later" ...
There.. fixed it for you Mr Griffiths
[Microsoft] will have to suffer a near-death experience before they will actually pay attention to what the user wants and what the market is delivering.
Year of the Linux Desktop, anyone? C'mon, let's get this thing off the ground!
Cough up? I think you mean "squirt out"?
He definately didn't defend as much as say "Yeah, we don't care" to most of the questions.
To my ears it sounded a little different. It was more like, "We don't know what we're doing, we're semi-incompetent, and I'm generally unprepared for your questions, but maybe we'll figure this out before the project gets abandoned."
This just in. Microsoft will now be laying off "5001" workers.
BBH
MS Worker: "Sir, I hear you've decided to reintroduce DRM. Is this true?"
MS Head of Mobile: "Yep, I'm bringin' it back! Hurr!" *clicks on remote, turning on Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back*
Justin Timberlake: I'm bringin' seeexy bac-- **DRM AUTHORIZATION FAILURE, PLEASE CONTACT VENDOR FOR SUPPORT OR REPURCHASE ONLINE. THANK YOU FOR USING MSN MUSIC**
MS Head of Mobile: "Ah damn it all."
MS Worker: "So I'm guessing we're dropping the idea after all?"
MS Head of Mobile: "Nonsense! Call a press conference, I'll just use my cunning wit and charm to sell this idea to the masses. They'll love it!"
MS Worker: "*sigh* Yes, Sir."
That seems roughly analogous to buying the top-tier, premium gas for a third-hand 1972 Pinto.
feldicus
Microsoft is always being innovative and a great visionary, especially after Bill G. retired.
hey i have a zune, and i enjoy it.
Ballmer must view the economy in the same way he does his operating systems - if it's broke, just reset it.
Yep. He sounds like "we're trying to sell something that's crappier than Vista on a Zune, I know it and I gave up hope long ago. Kill me now."
http://rocknerd.co.uk
Just wait until you try to play music on it.
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
Well, you are making the assumption that this arrogance does not exist in the higher ranks. I personally feel that Microsoft is occupied by too many people out of touch with reality.
I just had a two day meeting with a client who represents a large medical company.
A two day meeting to tell me how much of a hurry he's in.
Large companies seem to infect people with this sort of brain rot.
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
Anecdote != flamebait
Rule of Slashdot #0: You and people like you are not representative of the larger population. - A.C.
You see it as a toe in the water, Hugh Griffith. We see it as a chair up your ass.
Oh, yeah, it's not easy to pad these out to 120 characters.
Why was this marked flamebait? I have one too, and I like it as well. The screen is big, the UI isn't too terribly clumsy, it fits in my pocket and it doesn't require iTunes. Oh yeah, and it plays MP3s, which is what I bought it for. So far it hasn't pissed me off in any large way, so it's still good in my books. I'm not sure why this comment would be considered inflammatory other than because it's not strictly anti-Microsoft as per slashdot forum opinion requirements.
...no two people are not on fire.
He's probably IMMENSELY frustrated that they could only release this crap given the building products they have to work with.
So, what you're saying is that no matter how bad the product is, Microsoft feels they must release it to the public.
Makes sense, and it explains Vista quite nicely.
You missed the most obvious explanation!
MS went to the labels and told them, hey, we want to sell mp3's to users. The labels responded sure, but you have to use DRM since you are so good at it (wink wink nudge nudge), besides we would otherwise have to charge you more (since users would actually be buying content instead of some limited rent). MS says, we don't think the users will like this DRM, but we will give it a try. So, they come up with the most incredibly stupid DRM business plan in history (after the gnomes' attempt to DRM underpants), to prove to the labels, once and for all, that DRM cannot work!!!!
Amazing huh?
I am not being funny here, if you look at the IQ bell curve, you will see that this scenario is more likely than the alternate of finding a guy with a 69 IQ to head an MS department!
Yes, I know they found one to head an entire nation a few years ago, but that does not improve the chances!
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
I'm reasonably sure this is the century of the linux desktop. I'll even bet a penny on it.
Q: If I buy these songs on your service - and they're locked to my phone - what happens when I upgrade my phone in six months' time?
A: Well, I think you know the answer to that.
Hmmm
Q: If you try to run a business with your services and business model as they are now, what will happen to them in six months time?
A: I think you know the answer to that."
There, fixed it for you.
Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
News just in:
Microsoft has announced a new scheme called Microsoft Sepukku wherein deep search, navigation, packet inspection, quarantine and permanent deletion are promoted as security procedures.
Microsoft has also announced that using the latest StoneHenge project contributions they intend to take their DeepBlackMagic(TM) technology even further.
In short, the company spokesperson said that Microsoft Sepukku project deals with opening the full source code of the system, slowly and in a 360 degree transparent fashion.
Coincidentally, Microsoft has started announcing layoffs too.