MS working on an MP3 player to challenge the iPod dominance

[Carol Haynes]

Interesting article - yet another area for MS to try for a monopoly - but this time it will probably be a bit more of an uphill struggle ...

This is an interesting part of the the article:

The most alluring aspect of Argo is a new service that Microsoft is
reportedly going to offer with the device. Essentially, Microsoft will
scan your computer for any songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store
and make those songs available to you from URGE for free, and in
higher-quality Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. Microsoft will pay the
record companies fees that are owed on the songs, so the net effect is
that you've purchased the songs again, but Microsoft has paid for them.
Although these costs are expected to be extravagant, Microsoft feels
it's the only way it can overcome the final hurdle of moving people
from the iPod: If users can't bring their music collections with them,
many won't abandon Apple's device.

See full article at: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/53964/53964.html

[Gothi[c]]

Yep, JoyOfTech already made a cartoon about it:
http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyimages/843.gif

[mouser]

Essentially, Microsoft will scan your computer for any songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store and make those songs available to you from URGE for free, and in higher-quality Windows Media Audio (WMA) format.

free or not, that does not sound like something i could care less about.

[Carol Haynes]

Essentially, Microsoft will scan your computer for any songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store and make those songs available to you from URGE for free, and in higher-quality Windows Media Audio (WMA) format.

free or not, that does not sound like something i could care less about.

If you don't use iTunes or have an iPod it is irrelevant but for anyone who has bought music from iTunes and doens't want to buy an iPod it could be a killer feature.

Apple have recently come to blows in Europe (esp. with the French government) for the inability to interoperate MP3/WMA/iTune formats on all portable players - so much so that Apple was ready to withdraw the iTunes store from France until a compromise was reached. If MS do this it will give a huge incentive for anyone who wants to move away from an iPod to do so as they won't lose their investment in iTunes tracks in the process.

Personally I find the whole DRM saga (Apple, WMA and Audible its irrelevant) totally stupid! All of these formats can be burned to standard CDs so in what sense is the content protected? It doesn't take a genius to use iTunes or Windows Media Player to burn a disc and then rip it as MP3 (perfectly legal for personal use). If people are then going to distribute files illegally what is to stop them (not that I am suggesting any one should). So the illegal distribution continues unabated and again the only people who really suffer are the legitimate purchasers of DRMed music. It is just plain stupid!

[housetier]

...
Apple have recently come to blows in Europe (esp. with the French government) for the inability to interoperate MP3/WMA/iTune formats ...

Do you what the French law had to say about OGG and other "free" and/or "open" formats? I haven't been following very closely

[housetier]

hadez dug out this extremely funny video: How would Microsoft design the iPod?

[Carol Haynes]

...
Apple have recently come to blows in Europe (esp. with the French government) for the inability to interoperate MP3/WMA/iTune formats ...

Do you what the French law had to say about OGG and other "free" and/or "open" formats? I haven't been following very closely

Not really - I only knew about the Apple debacle because it made the TV news!