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Technology Stocks : Music Download (AAPL, ROXI, RNWK, AOL, MSFT, AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mason Barge who wrote (26)	9/27/2003 9:17:58 PM
From: HerbVic	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50

It's already getting RealConfusing. Microsoft wants control with their own technology - WMA, WMV and ASF containers. The music labels will insist on some DRM concessions, which plays to Microsoft. The public would prefer mp3, because of its open standards freedom. Real has their own. Easy CD and MusicMatch support open standards and hence can't cross dress into writing WMA due to Microsoft's restrictive licensing. Meanwhile, Microsoft's DRM solution throws consumers an electronic equivalent of a shell game, "guess which device has the rights to play the song?" I'm a Mac guy at home, so my Wintel experience doesn't cover fun things like games and digital music. But, from what I've seen so far, it looks like the Wintel world's equivalent to Apple's digital hub is headed for serious consumer backlash. Why would anyone want to switch from free-download mp3's to the sticky DRMess Microsoft is offering? Dell is still mute on how they are going to bridge these issues. Since the picture of the DJ is really a Dell labeled Nomad JukeBox, it is too fat to compete for the cachet of the iPod. Chances are their online music store is being developed in concert with some other company that already has the experience in music downloads. To use the Dell service, users will not have to own Dell PCs or devices. <snip> Dell would not provide prices or specs for its new offerings. None will be available immediately. The Media Experience and Axim will be ready in early October. The DJ and music store in late October, TV sets by early November. usatoday.com Perhaps that other company with online music sales experience is BuyMusic.com. If you go visit buymusic.com while riding a Macintosh you get this, "In order to take full advantage of BuyMusic.com's offerings you must be on a Windows Operating System using Internet Explorer version 5.0 or higher." Whether or not it is BuyMusic.com, it's a lead pipe cinch that Dell's online music store is going to be Windows only as well. Consider this... in less than 3 months Apple is reported to become the only major in digital music sales with a cross platform solution. The company has the only online music sales solution that is consumer friendly. Apple's online music sales solution is already considered a roaring success after winning over ONLY the side of the market BuyMusic, Dell and the rest of their ilk consider to be not worth the effort. No wonder every one of the Wintel based hitters are scrambling! HerbVic