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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.'"
"We're looking to gouge customers who are too stupid to look elsewhere."
Apple and Amazon have finally moved to music download services free of copy protection
I'm sorry, I was under the impression that Amazon's music service has always been DRM free.
Well if you want to pick nits, nobody explicitly said Amazon ever had DRM on their music download store. You could argue that Amazon has "moved to music download services free of copy protection" in that they moved into music download services, and those services don't use DRM.
I don't know why everyone got excited when Apple went DRM-free, I've been buying DRM free MP3 singles from Amazon for over a year.
Is it possible that you're just a bit touchy about people hyping Apple? I mean, we could debate the importance of iTunes dropping DRM on all songs, but they are the biggest music retailer in the US (including brick&mortar stores). That alone seems enough to make the transition noteworthy.
Anyway, you're right that DRM isn't dead yet. Amazon, Apple, and Netflix are still using DRM on video, AFAIK. Also, Microsoft *needs* DRM to stay alive in order to keep WMA alive. Ignoring issues related to DRM, what's the point of using WMA when you have the option of AAC or MP3?
Has Microsoft secretly stumbled onto some previously unknown technique for making money off of doomed products that none of us have heard of? That's the only explanation for the constant parade of suck that's been pouring out of Microsoft in the recent years. I mean, they've never really been known for doing a quality job, but at least they've traditionally made products that have sold if for no other reason than Microsoft's standard unsavory practices. Now comes the Zune, Vista, "new" hotmail (on par with "New Coke" it seems), and now these plans for what sounds to be one of the worst DRM implementations ever at a time when their competitors are moving to distance themselves from DRM and the recent customer backlash surrounding it. I honestly can't understand how Microsoft could possibly be this boneheaded. At least things are looking, if not exactly good, at least encouraging on the Windows 7 front.
Curiosity was framed, Ignorance killed the cat.
Amazon only works in the US. From a how-many-people-are-you-leaving-out that's far worse than not working on Linux.
Amazon now works in the UK too