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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.'"
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
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
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
hey i have a zune, and i enjoy it.
Q: "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?"
A: "Well, I think you know the answer to that."
Gentlemen! You can't fight in here, this is the war room!
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.
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.
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
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!